The standard lens
The change within the 70s : Nikon out, Zenzanon in
Since the first bronicas in the early 60s, Nikon has been bronica’s main lens provider.
But during the 70s, Nikon decided to stop providing lenses to Bronica (word is Bronica had difficulties paying Nikon bills).
Bronica then proceeds to call upon an other manufacturer to produce lenses which were branded Zenzanon.
A common lens
Along with the Nikkor 75mm F2.8 (P and P-C), the Zenzanon MC 75mm F2.8 is one of the most common lenses available for Bronica S or EC series cameras.
It has the “standard” focal length for 6×6, equivalent to a 50mm for 35mm.
Decent performance
I haven’t been blown away by the performance of this 5-element, 4-group lens. The images are satisfactory, but I would have liked a little more sharpness and definition.
All in all, it’s what you’d expect from an affordable standard lens: decent, but nothing more.
Photos taken with a Zenzanon MC 75mm F2.8 and a Bronica EC. © Rayhan RAHIM KHAN.
An interesting bokeh, however
Bokeh, or background blur, is not uninteresting. But it can appear messy and confusing and distract attention from the main subject.
A photo taken with a Zenzanon MC 75mm F2.8 and a Bronica EC.© Rayhan RAHIM KHAN.
Standard focal length alternatives for a Bronica S or EC
A comparison with the Nikkor 75mm f/2.8 P
The Nikkor 75mm F2.8 P, which I have used extensively, made a better impression on me than the Zenzanon.
The Nikkor performs consistently good, whereas the Zenzanon seemed more unpredictable/inconsistent in certain situations.
The three remarkable lenses
The Zenzanon 80mm F2.4, the Nikkor 75mm F2.8 H-C, and the Zenzanon 100mm F2.8 offer better image quality.
However, they are three times more expensive than the Nikkor P and P-C or the Zenzanon presented here.
The costly exotic lens
The Zenzanon 80mm F2.8 manufactured by Carl Zeiss Jena, due to its rarity, is excessively priced for the performance it offers.
It is in fact optically the same lens used for the Pentacon six/Kiev60/6C/88 selled for four times the price.
It costs the same as the lenses mentioned above.
However, the performance of this lens, which I was able to use on a Kiev 60, seemed better to me than the Zenzanon tested here…
The objective with a central plane shutter : four elements only
There is also the Nikkor-Q 105mm F3.5, which is designed exclusively for the S series.
However, as indicated by the “Q,” this lens only has four elements.
Therefore, you should not expect exceptional performance. Its main advantage is that it has a central plane shutter, which is useful for shooting with a flash.
https://rangefinderforum.com/threads/the-zenzanon-lens-saga-part-1-why-did-nikon-really-stop-making-lenses-for-bronica.4757645 : “what caused the sudden rift was that Bronica simply wasn’t paying its bills, and Nikon pulled the plug.”
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