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Rolleiflex Automat - what am I missing?

  1. ww12345 Mar 14, 2014
    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!

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
     
  2. baachitraka Mar 14, 2014
    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.
     
  3. jeffbennett Mar 14, 2014
    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.
     
  4. momus Mar 14, 2014
    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.
     
  5. snapguy Mar 14, 2014
    Wow

    G-R-E-A-T camera. Wish I still had mine. Enjoy!
     
  6. ww12345 Mar 14, 2014
    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)?
     
  7. baachitraka Mar 14, 2014
  8. JPD Mar 15, 2014
    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.
     
  9. Andy38 Mar 15, 2014
    +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.
     
  10. ww12345 Mar 15, 2014
    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?
     
  11. JPD Mar 15, 2014
  12. ww12345 Mar 16, 2014
    Cool! Thanks for the heads up! Got em...
     
  13. Rolfe Tessem Mar 16, 2014
    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.
     
  14. JPD Mar 18, 2014
    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. :smile:
     
  15. ww12345 Mar 18, 2014
    Yeah, will do. :smile:

    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...
     
  16. elekm Mar 18, 2014
    You'll find the prices of KevinsCameras to be double to triple the so-called street price.
     
  17. JPD Mar 18, 2014
    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. :cool:
     
  18. sidewinder Mar 19, 2014
    I have the same camera and have been trying to figure this out - this thread is a godsend. Thank you apug!
     
  19. baachitraka Mar 19, 2014
    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.
     
  20. sidewinder Mar 19, 2014
    Just placed orders for the Rolleinar I; Proxar, both push & bayo I; and Rolleipar for Proxar I. Thanks again guys!
     
  21. baachitraka Mar 19, 2014
    Have fun. With good lighting and with good subject you can have lots of fun with Rolleinar et al.
     
  22. ww12345 Mar 19, 2014
    Yeah, I can't wait to try it out. Thanks so much to everyone who commented!
     
  23. ww12345 Mar 20, 2014
    So I got one of the items off eBay today - what combo do I have to install these in? Here's the pics:
    [​IMG][​IMG]
     
  24. JPD Mar 20, 2014
    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:

    [​IMG]
    http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3805/13288152034_dcc976c918_n.jpg
     
  25. JPD Mar 20, 2014
  26. baachitraka Mar 20, 2014
    +1 JPD.
     
  27. ww12345 Mar 20, 2014
    Oh my gosh, that was so helpful. Thanks so much JPD!
     
  28. JPD Mar 21, 2014
    It's a pleasure to help other Rollei users!

    An interesting use for the Rolleipar is to use it on the taking lens (without a Proxar) if you're taking pics of a high building, like a church, to eliminate converging parallels. With a Rolleipar upside-down on the taking lens you don't have to tilt the camera upwards. (source: Das Rolleiflex-Buch 1938). :smile:

    [​IMG]
    http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7383/8722073091_e5ec961cfc_o.jpg