Autocord vs rolleiflex

[mablo]

Ha... I stumbled upon this thread when I was looking for some real life experiences of Autocord. I did sell my precious Diacord because I didn't think it was up to par with my Rolleicord V. Later I bought an Autocord just to see if it's as good as people say. I can tell you it's good. Very very good.

 

[Brian Legge]

I've used a Rolleicord IV and an Autocord. I shoot mostly black and white, but a results standpoint, they seem very similar.

The Rollei is slightly smaller but I like ergonomics of the Autocord a bit more. My only complaint about the Autocord is a slight light leak I've had a hard time tracking down but that is specific to the camera I have, not something about the camera in general.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Brian Legge, check the screws at each end of the focus distance plate just above the focus lever.The holes that they go into are tapped clear through to the film chamber. When refurbishing an Autocord, I had the hardest time figuring out where my light leaks were coming from until I saw that the plate was off and I checked out the screw holes. Maybe one of them fell out or is loose?

Some day I might fit a Planar or Xenotar 75mm f3.5 to an Autocord since those lenses tempt me to the Rolleiflex. But the focus system on the Autocord is just so easy and well-done, I'd dread going back to knob focusing.

 

[Pumalite]

I love my Rolleiflex.

 

[Marcus S]

Nice work!

 

[ntenny]

I've got a Rolleicord III (Xenar lens, similar to the Tessar-type Rokkor on the Autocord) and a Rolleiflex 2.8C (Planar) and have done some casual comparing of the two. (Actually, I've got an Autocord as well, but the focus lever has fallen apart and I need to fix it someday.) The results basically are that (1) the Rolleicord has really good optics; and (2) the Rolleiflex has even better optics: sharper, contrastier, less vignetting when wide open and more subjective "pop". I'd expect to see the same relation between the 'flex and an Autocord.

I don't think the optical difference justifies the price difference, on purely optical grounds and as a hobbyist user. (Someone who was more dependent on exquisite optical quality would naturally feel otherwise, and I'm intentionally neglecting the general "feels right" vibe of the 'flex and other non-optical considerations.)

I've never heard of a reasonable person being disappointed in the quality of an Autocord (except for that focussing lever).

-NT

 

[macrorie]

I have a Rolleicord IVa and have really enjoyed shooting with it, but I enjoyed it even more after having the viewing screen replaced with a Maxwell screen. You will find many diverse opinions about this, but I think the older Rollei TLRs with factory viewfinders were rather dim.