This camera kit was used by Australian commercial photographer David Mist from 1980 until his retirement from commercial photography in 2000. David Mist joined ranks with Sydney photographer Laurence Le Guay and John Nesbitt at Studio Ten in 1961. Studio Ten was one of Sydney's most active studios producing commercial photography and widely recognised fashion images from the early 1950s to the late 1980s.

The David Mist camera kit is representative of the commercial photographic technology in use through this period. David Mist's work from this period characterises the promotion of products from mainstream clothes fashion, household fittings and furniture and domestic appliances to electronic home entertainment and children's toys and offers a remarkably complete record of an increasingly consumerist society.

The photographic equipment was manufactured by Bronica, Japan around 1980.

Used by commercial photographer David Mist from 1980 until retirement in 2000. David Mist was given a Bronica SQ by a Sydney camera dealer to try out in 1980. Prior to this he had used Hasselblad 1000F & 500C and found them to be not as robust, unreliable in exposure timing, and requiring considerable maintenance, resulting in long down times. He had also used the Mamiya RB67. However it was a very heavy camera and not suited to location work.

The kit includes two Bronica SQ camera bodies with a selection of lenses of various focal lengths to "cover most situations that might come up" and multiple film magazines. This equipment made it possible for David Mist to shoot at speed and continuously with an assistant reloading film and changing lenses.

The Bronica cameras offered very reliable electronic shutters that were critical when shooting on Ektachrome stock. The lighting kit used with these cameras was retained by the studio after David's departure - David used profoto and Balcar flash units when on location.

The Bronica cameras were David Mist's preferred cameras for the last twenty years of his commercial photography career and were used in the studio and on location, but David also possessed and used a 35mm Nikon F, and a 35mm Nikomat, camera.

Photographic outfit, used by Sydney fashion photographer David Mist, consisting of Bronica SQ cameras (2), lenses (6) and accessories (12), metal / glass / fabric / plastic, designed and made by Bronica, Japan, 1980

Commercial photography equipment comprising 2 x Bronica SQ bodies, 1 x vertical prism viewfinder, 4 x film magazines, 1 x Polaroid back, 1 x lens hood, 2 x close-up lens rings, 40mm lens, 50mm lens, 80mm lens, 105mm lens, 150mm lens, 250mm lens, 1 x light meter and 2 x aluminium cases.

Made: 1980

2008/95/1

1980