Rolleiflex and "modern" tripods

jasonjoo · Dec 9, 2007

SORRY! Hit the enter key on accident.

Title should read: Rolleiflex and "modern" tripods

I'll be receiving my (new to me) Rolleiflex 3.5E shortly. I do have a 3/16" quick release adaptor plate for my Manfrotto ball head. I was wondering if there would be any issues with using this quick release plate.

Is a RolleiFIX necessary?

(Haha, I caught myself asking if the tripod mount would be able to hold the Rolleiflex in "portrait" orientation, but I remembered that the Rolleiflex is a 6x6 camera... Duh! Sorry guys, I'm new to the MF world (and the film world!)).

BrianShaw · Dec 9, 2007

Rolleifix is not necessary but is very useful, but redundant with your quick-release head. For convenience you might consider getting an extra plate and mount it to the camera once-and-for-all. Once you start using a quick-release of any type you'll not stop. I use Rolleifix and "Hasselblad-fix" every time I shoot with those cameras.

jasonjoo · Dec 9, 2007

Thanks Brian. I should pick up a few more quick release plates. I have 2 other cameras that could use one.

David A. Goldfarb · Dec 9, 2007

Thread title updated.

jasonjoo · Dec 9, 2007

Thanks David, I appreciate it.

BTW, what's the benefits of the Rolleifix? I heard sometimes you can damage the bottom or back (can't remember) of the Rolleiflex with a normal tripod mount.

David H. Bebbington · Dec 9, 2007

jasonjoo said:
Thanks David, I appreciate it.

BTW, what's the benefits of the Rolleifix? I heard sometimes you can damage the bottom or back (can't remember) of the Rolleiflex with a normal tripod mount.

The benefit of a Rolleifix is that it undoes quickly, allowing you to remove the camera from the tripod and change films. With a quick-release plate, you will need to remove the plate from the camera to rotate the camera base catch and open the camera - attempting to load the camera while it is still attached to a tripod via its open back could cause severe damage.

As a long-time Rollei TLR user, I don't believe you will damage a Rollei by using a normal tripod mount (this was all there was when the cameras were designed) so long as you don't tighten the tripod screw with a gorilla-like grip or attempt to lift the camera plus tripod by pulling on the camera.

Regards,

David

jasonjoo · Dec 10, 2007

Thanks David.

I don't think I'll be going through 120 film too quickly. I'll try and make those 12 exposures count There probably won't be much of a rush to change film out either with landscape photos.

Bandicoot · Dec 10, 2007

I use Arca-Swiss type plates on just about all my cameras, but I haven't found one that I can put on my Rolleiflex without it obstructing the catch to open the back. I think I could probably design one that would work, but haven't felt the need, given that I found a reasonably priced Rolleifix. So I have the Rolleifix with an Arca type plate on the bottom, since all my tripods have Arca type clamps on them. This works well and is quick, and it isn't too big or heavy to carry about with the camera.

I Haven't tried any of them, but there are some quick release systems that use a very small plate which I think could be left on the Rolleiflex all the time - something like the Novoflex Mini-Connect system, perhaps.

Peter

BrianShaw · Dec 10, 2007

David H. Bebbington said:
As a long-time Rollei TLR user, I don't believe you will damage a Rollei by using a normal tripod mount (this was all there was when the cameras were designed) so long as you don't tighten the tripod screw with a gorilla-like grip or attempt to lift the camera plus tripod by pulling on the camera.

Or carry the tripod over ones shoulder with the camera attached.

ath · Dec 10, 2007

I heard that you can easily warp the body when trying to fasten a slightly too long tripod screw. Be careful.

BrianShaw · Dec 10, 2007

Gee... maybe there is a good reason that the Rolleifix was invented!

walter23 · Dec 10, 2007

I have a boring old manfrotto tripod plate with the smaller screw size and a thread adapter (has a notch to allow it to be removed with a slot screwdriver). Dunno what all this other fanciness you're discussing is about but this works fine for me. The boring little quick release plates (RC2? RC4? small rectangular plate anyway) are small enough that you don't have to remove them to change film.

dpurdy · Dec 10, 2007

I have had to send my camera in twice to Harry Fleenor from not using a quick release plate. The sheet metal the backs are made of is very weak. If you carry the camera on the tripod over your shoulder as earlier stated it will warp the bottom. Alsoif you tend as I do to use a prism and turn the camera on the tripod to look straight down and then lean your head a bit on the prism while looking through it you will bend the bottom of the back for sure. you can tell it is bent if the camera won't stand on it's four feet correctly. I don't like the Rolleiflix as it is too easy to make a mistake and not actually get the camera secured as well as it is easy to scar up the bottom of your Rollei face plate. So after scarring a camera and dropping another off the top of the tripod I use the large size bogen plate that has a large enough base that all four Rollei feet sit on it when it is in place. Very solid and no back bending. It is easy enough to put on and take off that it doesn't bother me to do it with every roll change.,
Dennis

jasonjoo · Dec 10, 2007

Thanks Dennis, that was helpful info. I have a the RC2 plate that Walter mentioned, but I may think about investing in a larger one like you said.

Jason

Rolleiflex and "modern" tripods

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