Rolleiflex Automat - what am I missing?

[ww12345]

I've been shooting with an old Automat for a whole now (as it's a lighter daily carry than my Hasselblad!) and decided it might be nice to be able to do portraits as well as general photography. I know I need either a Rolleinar I or II for this, but I've run into a minor snag.

My Automat is one of the earlier ones with the push on viewing lens and the Bay I taking lens. I thought I had purchased the right stuff to overcome that, but when I developed the first roll every shot came out blurry (shooting at approx f5.8 or so...). What am I missing? Is there a part I don't have or something I'm doing wrong? I've attached pics of the camera and the 3 pieces I have - Rolleipar Proxar II and a Rolleinar I and Rolleinar II. Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[baachitraka]

You need one Rollienar I for taking lens and Rolleinar I + Rolleiproxar 1 for viewing lens. I belive Proxar I is for parallax error correction.

Similarly, one Rolleinar II for taking lens and Rolleibar II + Rolleiproxar 2 for viewing lens.

 

[jeffbennett]

It looks to me like you need a Proxar 2 to go with the Rolleipar 2 on the upper lens, then you can use the Rolleinar 2 on the taking lens. This is assuming the Proxar 2 (which is what went with the older sets) is optically the same as the Rolleinar 2.

The Rolleinar 1 that you have can be used on the taking lens, but you will need the Rolleipar 1 and Proxar 1 push on lenses for the viewing lens.

In other words, you need three matched lenses for each closeup set (ie, 1 or 2). And I believe the viewing lens attachments will have to be the Proxar versions to work with the push-on attachment, since your viewing lens doesn't have the bayonet mount.

 

[gone]

You can do it w/ just one lens, but it is a PITA. Put the camera on a tripod and hold the close up lens to the front of the viewing lens. Attain focus, & put the close up lens on the taking lens. Take your shot & repeat as needed (or until your model loses patience). I did this on a 2.8, but on that model the top and bottom lenses had matching bayonets. It looks like yours is different top to bottom on the Automat.

 

[snapguy]

Wow

G-R-E-A-T camera. Wish I still had mine. Enjoy!

 

[ww12345]

Oh, so the Proxar just corrects for parallax? I thought it had a Rolleinar built in. :S

Is there any place you can think of to get a full set (with one push on and one Bay I lens)?

 

[baachitraka]

You can get rolleiparkeil I and II if available separately.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/887691@N21/discuss/72157621686591227/

 

[JPD]

No, no, no, Proxar is the name of the Carl Zeiss made close-up lenses.

This is how it is:

For Rolleiflex in the 30's and 40's Zeiss made the Proxar close-up lenses. The came in sets in these mounts:

1 x 24 mm and 1 x 28,5 mm push-on for the Original Rolleiflex.

2 x 28,5 mm push-on for the Rolleiflex Standard, early Rolleicords without bayonets, and they can also be used on the Rolleicord II type 2 - type 6, and the early Rolleiflex Automats, since they can accept push-on accessories.

1 x 28,5 mm push-on and 1 x Bayonet 1, for the 1937-38 Rolleiflex Automat and Rolleicord II type 2 and 3, with bayonet on the taking lens only.

2 x Bayonet 1, for the 1939 Rolleiflex Automat and later, and the Rolleicord II, type 4 and later.

For these sets you could buy the parallax compensating prism Rolleipar/Rolleiparkeil to be used on the viewing lens.


From 1950 the close-up lenses were made by F&H under their own tradename Rolleinar, and came in bayonet mounts. First in three-piece sets, the lenses plus the Rolleiparkeil parallax compensation prism, and later in two-piece sets with the prism anc lens in one unit for the viewing lens.


What you want is either the Proxars in 2 x 28,5 mm push-on, or better, the set with 1 x 28,5 mm push-on and 1 x Bayonet 1, plus the Rolleipar in 28,5 mm push-on mount.

But bear in mind that close-up lenses give the lens a wider angle and can distort the face a bit, like giving the person photographed a bigger nose. (The Proxar was also sold as a simple wide angle accessory lens for large format cameras, and the Distar minus lens as a simple "tele" accessory lens). You can shoot portraits without Proxar/Rolleinar and crop during printing instead, if you don't really need to fill the whole negative.

 

[Andy38]

+1, JPD.

Here is what needed, for first Automat, if it is with a Rolleinar 1; for the viewing lens, put first the Proxar 1 push-on and then the Rolleipar (für Proxar 1) on it; and put the Proxar B1 on the taking lens.
However, all the Automat's but the later MX-EVS (K4B) can accept push-on accessories on both lenses.

 

[ww12345]

Oh, cool! These last two posts really helped me figure out what I need. Where's the best place to get them? Just trolling eBay until they show up?

 

[JPD]

There are some on eBay at the moment. If you buy these, then you have the complete set of close-up lenses for your Rolleiflex of that vintage:

Proxar 1:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261391960749

Proxar 2:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/191102565729

The Rolleipar parallax compensation prisms for both:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151121028946

I don't know where you live, but they ship worldwide.

 

[ww12345]

Cool! Thanks for the heads up! Got em...

 

[Rolfe Tessem]

http://www.kevincameras.com/ normally has these things in stock, but you may find a better price on the bay. Not always, however. I find kevin cameras prices fair.

 

[JPD]

Cool! Thanks for the heads up! Got em...

Nice! I suggest that you keep the sets in two clearly marked boxes. It's frustrating when you can't find one or two of the parts when you want to use them.

 

[ww12345]

Yeah, will do.

Also, thanks for the Kevin Camera link! Never heard of them before, so it's always neat to hear about a new (to me) supply place...

 

[elekm]

You'll find the prices of KevinsCameras to be double to triple the so-called street price.

 

[JPD]

The Proxar/Rolleinar for the taking lens has a female bayonet so you can use filters on it. The Duto/Rolleisoft filter has also a female bayonet, so if you want to take romantic close portraits you can use the soft filter on the Proxar, and coloured filter on top of that! Lots of possibilities.

 

[sidewinder]

I have the same camera and have been trying to figure this out - this thread is a godsend. Thank you apug!

 

[baachitraka]

I picked up Rolleinar I(Bay I, two parts) and Rolleinar II(Bay I, two parts) for Euro 35. If you wait you will get it.

But, I find Rolleinar I more comfortable to work than II. Since II can bring you very close to the subject.

 

[sidewinder]

Just placed orders for the Rolleinar I; Proxar, both push & bayo I; and Rolleipar for Proxar I. Thanks again guys!

 

[baachitraka]

Have fun. With good lighting and with good subject you can have lots of fun with Rolleinar et al.

 

[ww12345]

Yeah, I can't wait to try it out. Thanks so much to everyone who commented!

 

[ww12345]

So I got one of the items off eBay today - what combo do I have to install these in? Here's the pics:

 

[JPD]

That was quick!

The bayonet Proxar 2 on the taking lens, the push-on Proxar 2 on the viewing lens. Then the Rolleipar für Proxar 2 on the push-on Proxar on the viewing lens. It should have a marking for which way is up. <-->

Here's one of my Rolleflex Standards with its push-on Proxars. It's the same for your Rolleiflex, except that it has a bayonet on the taking lens:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/13288152034_dcc976c918_n.jpg

 

[JPD]

An even better illustration.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7222/13288627554_dd48568320_o.jpg