Keeping a filter on a Rolleiflex 3.5f all the time - cap?

Michael Mutmansky · Apr 8, 2023

Folks,

I am getting a Rolleiflex to work with a bit and I'm trying to figure out the options for shooting with a filter. I am mostly a B&W shooter, and want to (likely) use a light yellow as a default condition on the camera to provie a little contrast and control blue highlights a bit.

However, I'm seeing that I can't really use the regular lens cap with the camera with only a filter on the bottom, and it doesn't appear that I can mount a cap if there is an original Rollei filter on the top? Is this correct?

If so, I'm wondering if using Heliopan filters would work. I can get a UV for the top and a lt. yellow for the bottom and they should then function as if they are Bay II and be at the same plane so the original cap will work. Can anyone confirm that this approach will work?

Lastly, looking through the info I can find, it doesn't appear that any of the older Bay II Rollei filters are coated. I can't find anything that says either way, so I suspect not. I don't think that would be too shocking at all in the 60's or thereabout, but since they were coating lenses, I thought they may have been ding their filters by then as well. I'd prefer to avoid the reflections/flare that an uncoated filter can sometimes cause adn it would be a valid reason to just pull the trigger on Heliopan, even though they are excessively expensive.

---Michael

Steven Lee · Apr 9, 2023

Yep, Rolleiflexes are nice cameras but their lens filters+cap situation is miserable. Here's what I did: I mounted two UV filters on both lenses, and I'm using a generic 39mm Voigtlander lens cap on the bottom lens only. I don't use the annoying Rolleiflex cap. This way the filter operation is the same as with any other camera.

I bought this kit, which includes two UV filters and a nice lens hood. These filters are coated. I also have a Heliopan filter on my 2.8F and I have not noticed any differences in flare.

Dan Daniel · Apr 9, 2023

Michael Mutmansky said:
If so, I'm wondering if using Heliopan filters would work. I can get a UV for the top and a lt. yellow for the bottom and they should then function as if they are Bay II and be at the same plane so the original cap will work. Can anyone confirm that this approach will work?

No, it will not work. Unless the filters have Bay II bayonet fittings on their front surface? Not many Bay series filters have this. You need to bayonet to mount the lens cap.

I'd suggest a lens hood. Yellow or whatever filter (the Rollei hellgrun, light green, is worth a try) bayonet mounted to taking lens. Lens hood mounted to exterior bayonet. You can make a cap for the lens hood, maybe cardboard and tape for putting in a bag or so? Anyway, the hood is a nice sort of 'bumper' for walking around with the camera since the lens is sitting out there so exposed and reduces flare.

BrianShaw · Apr 9, 2023

Rollei TLR needs a slightly different approach; here’s what I did…

When transporting camera: filter and lens hood off, lens cap on.

When using (or scouting scenes): filter and lens hood on, monopod attached.

I never bothered worrying about protecting the viewing lens with a filter and never experienced any repercussions.

ic-racer · Apr 9, 2023

I keep a Rollei UV filter and hood on mine almost all the time. Unless using the Rolleinars. Where did you see the uncoated filter? Maybe it is very old; 1940s or earlier. I could not find mention of it in the 1960s literature.

BrianShaw · Apr 9, 2023

Some of the Japanese Bay-1 filters certainly seem uncoated. They are usable but noticeable lower quality than genuine Rollei filters.

Michael Mutmansky · Apr 9, 2023

Dan Daniel said:
No, it will not work. Unless the filters have Bay II bayonet fittings on their front surface? Not many Bay series filters have this. You need to bayonet to mount the lens cap.

This is specifically why I asked about the Heliopan filters. I think they are stackable, so they have a Bay 2 front connector on them (at least based on the photos I have seen). Here's a photo from an Ebay vendor for a middle yellow filter:

Heliopan Bay. II Yellow Gelb 8 Filter #019 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Heliopan Bay. II Yellow Gelb 8 Filter #019 at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

If that is the case, then it should be possible to use a pair to have the original caps work.

I don't care about the viewing lens for protection, I just don't want to be forgetting to be putting the light yellow filter on the camera when I start shooting, but I guess it is possible to just learn a pattern that will always start with putting the filter on and then adding the lens hood.

Michael Mutmansky · Apr 9, 2023

ic-racer said:
Where did you see the uncoated filter?

What I said is that I couldn't see anything that stated the filters were coated. If it doesn't say that, I'm inclined to assume they weren't coated. That's one of the things I was trying to understand about the filters Rollei made back in the 60's and 70's. So far, I've seen nothing to differentiate very old (uncoated) filters with newer ones, and that makes me think that none of them are coated.

I'd like someone with some of these UV and color filters (B&W contrast filters, in particular) to speak up as to whether the filters appear to be coated or not. I suspact not, because I can't see it in product photos and there is no mention of coatings on any listings aor literature I've looked at.

Axelwik · Apr 10, 2023

I keep a Rollei yellow filter and hood on the taking lens, and a clear filter on the viewing lens and don't bother with a cap.

Coated filter? I haven't noticed - the photos are fine.

btaylor · Apr 10, 2023

Axelwik said:
Coated filter? I haven't noticed - the photos are fine.

I think this sums up my thoughts on coated vs not coated filters as well, Rollei or otherwise. I am with the filter + lens hood crowd for protection. The Rolleiflex caps are great for storage but fiddly in the field IMHO.

GregY · Apr 10, 2023

BrianShaw said:
Rollei TLR needs a slightly different approach; here’s what I did…

When transporting camera: filter and lens hood off, lens cap on.

When using (or scouting scenes): filter and lens hood on, monopod attached.

I never bothered worrying about protecting the viewing lens with a filter and never experienced any repercussions.

Agree, That's what i do as well. Anything more complicated is IMO.... just OCD

jimjm · Apr 10, 2023

I have a yellow Bay I filter for my Rolleiflex, which I keep on the taking lens most of the time when shooting B/W. It attaches to the inner bayonet of the lens. A metal Rollei Bay I hood fits perfectly over the filter since it attaches to the outside bayonet. I ditched the Rollei caps years ago. Nothing needed for the viewing lens, but I'm reasonably careful with my gear.
The filter is a medium yellow, probably equivalent to a number 8. It's an earlier version with a chrome ring and is marked 28.5. Rollei made Bay I filters from 1938 to 1981, but mine is definitely coated since reflections off the front of the filter show a bluish/purple cast. I've never had any issues with flare or low contrast and the filter seems to be just as effective as anything modern from Hoya or B+W.
After WWII, Rollei used coated taking lenses, whether Schneider or Zeiss, so I'd suspect they also began coating their filters.

Dan Daniel · Apr 10, 2023

AH, hadn't known that the Heliopan filters have a bayonet on the front. I'll have to keep an eye for this.

On coatings, there are Rollei filters that have a red 'R' and some that have a black 'R'. I beleive that the red means coated and the black means uncoated. This was common in the 1950s for lenses, adding a red or other colored mark to indicate coating- Zeiss's red T, Schneider's red triangle. This convention may have stopped for filters as it did for lenses when coating had become the expected standard.

There may be push-on lens caps that will fit standard Bay II filters. Keep an eye on bottle caps, also. Vitamin and such bottle caps fit some filters and lenses.

Kodachromeguy · Apr 10, 2023

All of my Rollei brand Bay II filters over the years were coated.

If you want new Heliopan filters, direct from Heliopan may be cheaper than the $100 ePrey example shown above.

https://heliopan.com/light-yellow-f...ht-yellow-camera-lens-filter-5-special-order/

That reminds me to look for a skylight 1a or 1b to just slightly cut the blue when I use color film.

Update:

Rollei Bay II orange filter: red R and rather thick purple coating
Rollei Bay II Gelb-mittel filter: black RII and coated
Rollei Bay II hellgrün: black RII coated
B+W Bay II 060 gelbgrün filter: coated (This is almost the same color as the hellgrün, just slightly more yellow.)

Hoya Bay II filters are coated, although the box may not specifically state that.

Michael Mutmansky · Apr 10, 2023

Thanks for all the responses folks. I appreciate the information.

Dan mentioned that possibly the red 'R' designation may mean coated, and that would totally make sense, but there are also people who have mentioned that all of their filters appear coated and I suspect it's not likely that they are all red 'R' filters because looking at the great auction site, only about 5% or so are red 'R'. So maybe that isn't the rule, but I think it's a good theory.

I'm not attached to having a vintage filter and the cost of these old Rollei Bay II filters is anywhere from about $45 up to over $100 depending on condition... I can order and get brand new Heliopan filters for about $80 or so. I'm sure they will have better coatings and of course, condition.

I'm not that concerned about the performance of older filters too much except when there is a light source in the frame or nearby. I'll use a hood for sure, but uncoated will flare a lot even with a hood at times and if the filters are already that expensive (and uncoated), I'd just a soon get the Heliopan ones. But if they are coated (and the Bay II filters all are newer, post-war filters), then I'm good with getting them and moving on to the shooting stage.

dave olson · Apr 17, 2023

I've had my Rollei f3.5 F for lots of years, and one of the things I do is keep a B&W UV filter on at all times. The other I have a Rollei - B - 11 blue filter for B&W films, and a spare Rollei UV filter. I also protect the viewing lens with a B&W clear filter. As to lens caps, I have a set but don't use them. I keep my camera in a very serviceable Rollei leather case which does not allow for the hood to remain on.

Kodachromeguy · May 16, 2023

Update question: does anyone know if the older Rollei filters with mm marked on the rim are coated? Example, 28.5 meant Bay I, 34 meant B II. Thanks.

dave olson · Jun 3, 2023

My Rollei is cased so no lens hood, but I have filters on both lenses. I put the hood on when I'm shooting of course.

GRHazelton · Jun 4, 2023

You might contact Tim at Filterfind.net. He has an excellent selection of used, NOS, and new filters organized for easy selection.

Keeping a filter on a Rolleiflex 3.5f all the time - cap?

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