Holding a Rollei 2.8 (well and other TLRs I suppose...)

film_man · Mar 14, 2018

I just got my hands on a Rollei 2.8...I'm slightly bemused trying to hold this thing. I've had SLRs with waist finders before, that was easy: hold it with your left hand, use the left index to fire it, right hand does the focus/wind. I had a Mamiya C300S which was the same thing as it has two focus knobs, one on each side.

But this one? I keep shuffling hands, hold with the right, focus with the left, then swap and hold with the left, fire with the left, wind with the right. I've tried holding with the right so I'm firing with the right index and then use my right thumb to crank but it is not comfortable, neither does it feel stable. On the other hand shuffling hands is slow plus it mean I'm moving the camera after focusing. Which can't be right.

How do people do it?

Ian Grant · Mar 14, 2018

Left hand fingers under the base, and thumb on the focus, right hand used for the wind lever and shutter release. Just seems natural

Ian

Dan Daniel · Mar 14, 2018

Keep practicing. And use your middle finger to fire the shutter, not your index finger. Have the index finger on the lens board between the two lenses. Thumb wrapped around back. Camera resting on ring finger. Don't clamp down with the index finger/thumb or you'll bind the focusing, let it float. Use left hand to focus and to stabilize when firing by holding focus knob. This is for shooting itself, not winding. Winding is a separate operation. I tilt camera into left hand and wind with right, so left hand doesn't need to move away from basic focus/shoot setup.

Well, just keep playing with it. You'll find you own way. Don't expect rapid firing.

ic-racer · Mar 14, 2018

I use the pistol grip and eye-level prism on my 2.8F.

etn · Mar 14, 2018

My way of doing it is to hold the camera "in the palm of my hand" (with either hand) and alternate left/right/both hands depending on what I want to do.
I just made a few low-quality pics with my cell phone to show you:

Focusing:

Adjusting exposure: supporting the camera with both hands and adjusting with the thumbs

Shooting with the right index:

and finally cranking: (this one should be the easiest )

Hope this helps

Etienne

etn · Mar 14, 2018

film_man said:
I just got my hands on a Rollei 2.8... []

But this one? I keep shuffling hands

P.S. Congrats on your new Rollei
And coming back to the question, shuffling hands is the way to do it. After a while it will be natural to you.

film_man · Mar 14, 2018

Thank you all for the suggestions and advice! I suppose all those years of handling other cameras make my hands go to the wrong places. I've shot a couple of rolls this afternoon just trying to get a feel for it. It is certainly different. I just have to keep playing with it I suppose.

I got a 2.8 FX and put the Maxwell screen I had in my dead 6008i. Huge difference with that screen. The shutter button is a bit Hasselblad stiff, would be nicer if it was smoother but hey, can't have everything. The focus is so fast on that thing, really liking it. I'm curious to see what happened with the 1/8 shots, it feels really stable when I hold it right.

guangong · Mar 14, 2018

Don’t forget to use the strap for supporting the Rollei. I carry mine high on the chest so that it is just right for composing an image. Except when using pistol grip and prism, binocular finder or tripod I normally use a case. The case protects the meter knob when traveling but the front snaps off easily when not wanted. As you may have noticed, a Rollei may be compact but feels a lot heavier than the competition...and more expensive...use a case.

Loren Sattler · Mar 14, 2018

With TLR cameras I pull the strap tight around my neck to stabilize the camera, compose and focus and then fire the shutter with a cable release. This method helps with image sharpness for me.

etn · Mar 15, 2018

film_man said:
I got a 2.8 FX and put the Maxwell screen I had in my dead 6008i. Huge difference with that screen.

I quite like the stock GX/FX screen and didn’t imagine it can be improved even further. I shall give it a try someday. Do you know whether Maxwell screens are still available and where to source them in Europe?

As for the shutter, my only point of comparison is a worn-out 2.8E I got for cheap. The latter is indeed “too” smooth in my opinion, I assume it’s because it has been broken in after all those years. The modern Seiko shutter of the FX and later GX is still smooth enough for stability down to 1/8th of a second. Opinions vary on this on the internent. I personally love the GX/FX!

film_man · Mar 15, 2018

etn said:
I quite like the stock GX/FX screen and didn’t imagine it can be improved even further. I shall give it a try someday. Do you know whether Maxwell screens are still available and where to source them in Europe?

As for the shutter, my only point of comparison is a worn-out 2.8E I got for cheap. The latter is indeed “too” smooth in my opinion, I assume it’s because it has been broken in after all those years. The modern Seiko shutter of the FX and later GX is still smooth enough for stability down to 1/8th of a second. Opinions vary on this on the internent. I personally love the GX/FX!

Unless you find a used one you can generally only get them from Bill Maxwell direct. On exception is that Rollei US has them, which is where I bought mine from, here Dead Link Removed

It cost me an extra £55 in taxes and handling.

etn · Mar 15, 2018

@film_man: Thank you Sir!

dpurdy · Mar 15, 2018

Film-man, the Rollei is not a high speed camera. Advancing the film and cocking the shutter is what I do immediately after making an exposure. Then when it comes to making a photo I hold the camera with my right hand with my right index finger resting on the shutter button and my left hand holding the focus knob. Very comfortable and very stable. I do use a 90º prism and that helps hold steady.

I have an FX as well and the shutter release is not as buttery smooth as the older F, there is a bit of a learning curve but you will probably learn, as I have, the sweet spot when pushing in the shutter button and the next bit of pressure will release it.

That said I pretty much always use a tripod and all that hand holding stuff is a moot point.

Dennis

Thorpelyon · Mar 17, 2018

Loren Sattler said:
With TLR cameras I pull the strap tight around my neck to stabilize the camera, compose and focus and then fire the shutter with a cable release. This method helps with image sharpness for me.

Never thought of using the cable release for hand held... I will definitely give it a try!

papagene · Mar 18, 2018

Thorpelyon said:
Never thought of using the cable release for hand held... I will definitely give it a try!

I do this with both my Rolleiflex and Rolleicord.

Holding a Rollei 2.8 (well and other TLRs I suppose...)

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