Rolleiflex E2 Xenotar - Lens cannibalization options?

cptrios · Jul 27, 2024

Hi all,

A couple of years ago I picked up a Rolleiflex E2 with a 3.5 Xenotar in pretty rough shape, thinking I'd eventually get its several problems repaired. As it turns out, I can't really picture myself spending the money to do so for a good while...so I'm wondering if it'd be possible to pull the lens off and use it for a DIY project. I've read snippets here and there that suggest the elements might fit into a #0 shutter. Is there any truth to that? Or any specific shutter that might work (or work better)? I do have a LF lens with a Copal 0 lying around that I could try it with...

Thanks!

Romanko · Jul 28, 2024

What is the problem with your camera? Is the shutter stuck/broken?

Dan Daniel · Jul 28, 2024

The 3.5 lenses on Rolleis are mounted in #00 shutters.Fairly common on folders and such.

The Xenotar has very limited coverage. The 2.8 Xenotar will just cover 6x7 with almost no room for movements.

Some day I will mount a Xenotar or Planar into a Minolta Autocord. Or at least try. I prefer the Autocord handling but do like the Rollei lenses more than the Rokkor.

campy51 · Jul 28, 2024

I have a 2.8E with good Xenotar but the camera had been dropped at some point. I have managed to straighten it out to the point where it produces nice pictures but not to the point of selling it at current value. I had to disengage the ev system. If you think you might sell yours for parts let me know.

Dan Fromm · Jul 28, 2024

Um, the 80/2.8 Xenotar was offered in Compur #0. I have one.

More seriously, #00 shutters' front mounting threads are M 22.5x0.5. #0, M 29.5x0.5. OP, unscrew your lens' front cell and measure the hole in the front of the shutter.

Dan Daniel · Jul 28, 2024

The Rolleiflex uses a #00 shutter for the f/3.5 75mm lenses. Tessar, Xenar, Planar, or Xenotar.

The Bay II or Bay I difference is marketing. The extra diameter for the Xenotar and Planar is just a dress ring added to the bayonet mount.

cptrios · Jul 28, 2024

Romanko said:
What is the problem with your camera? Is the shutter stuck/broken?

campy51 said:
I have a 2.8E with good Xenotar but the camera had been dropped at some point. I have managed to straighten it out to the point where it produces nice pictures but not to the point of selling it at current value. I had to disengage the ev system. If you think you might sell yours for parts let me know.

My camera has a film transport problem (apparently) and is missing the focusing screen, but more obviously is in need of straightening like yours. The standard is a smidge askew from left to right, and the previous owner said it definitely has an effect on the focal plane. I'm guessing it was dropped as well!

Thanks for the info re: #00 shutters, Dan. I sadly do not have one of those lying around (unless the Super Fujica Six happens to use one...I have 3 of those!), but I'll keep an eye out. I'm assuming there's no easy way to remove and use the entire shutter assembly of the Rolleiflex? It works fine, but I can't imagine it would be too happy outside of the camera.

Dan Daniel · Jul 28, 2024

The Seikosha shutter have the same standard as the Compur #00. So you could try mounting the Xenotar on one of the Super Fujica-6's helicals. Not sure about the rear group but the front group should just screw right in. Could be a fun camera!

These type of things are not simple swaps. There can be variance in 'back focus' distance in lens design and other issues that can make lenses sit in different places to achieve focus. And then I do not know optics enough to know if focus 'throw' (?) (how far a lens needs to move back and forth in space to, say, change focus from infinity to 10 feet) is another variable- do all 75mm lenses have the same focus throw due to optics? I have no idea. The Fujica rangefinder is pretty primitive so you probably won't lose much there.

Well, the unit helical of the Fujica is an interesting possiblity!

The shutter in the Rolleiflex is bare bones. There is a cocking tab, but it is short and rather sharp. There are usually dots for shutter speeds but no numbers or click stops. And the aperture is unmarked. I'd try to find a junky folder with a 75mm lens and a Compur Rapid or Synchro-compur. The markings will be on there already.

Kodachromeguy · Jul 28, 2024

Can you show us several pictures of your 3.5 E2? Unless it is totally squashed or the Xenotar is hopelessly scratched, I think a repaired and renovated complete Rolleiflex E2 would be your most useful photo device.

cptrios · Jul 28, 2024

Kodachromeguy said:
Can you show us several pictures of your 3.5 E2? Unless it is totally squashed or the Xenotar is hopelessly scratched, I think a repaired and renovated complete Rolleiflex E2 would be your most useful photo device.

Oh, it's probably repairable, and it absolutely would be a more useful photo device. The question is whether it's the most useful way to spend $600+! Actually, one of the reasons I'd like to try fitting the lens on something else is to see if the IQ merits the repair investment. Like Dan, I strongly prefer the handling of the Autocord, so the E2's lens will really have to outdo the Autocord's for it to be worth it.

cptrios · Jul 31, 2024

Still debating whether I want to tackle removing the lens cells from the Rolleiflex, but I also remembered that I have a spare pair of cells from a Fujica GS645 (my actual camera remains heartbreakingly unusable thanks to a weird spacing issue). The front one fits into the Super Six shutter, but the rear doesn't thanks to the inner column of the helicoid. However, they do fit into the shutter of my Mamiya 6K, which is interesting. The register distance is off, unfortunately, so it won't focus to infinity, but I'm going to get a lens board and test it out on my 4x5. I'd like to see if the image circle will cover 6x6, because that would be very interesting.

Melvin J Bramley · Aug 16, 2024

Dan Daniel said:
The 3.5 lenses on Rolleis are mounted in #00 shutters.Fairly common on folders and such.

The Xenotar has very limited coverage. The 2.8 Xenotar will just cover 6x7 with almost no room for movements.

Some day I will mount a Xenotar or Planar into a Minolta Autocord. Or at least try. I prefer the Autocord handling but do like the Rollei lenses more than the Rokkor.

I much prefer the Minolta Rokkor to my Rollei with Tessar lens.
That said, I have an opportunity to purchase a Rolleiflex 2.8 Planar that has been dropped!, ouch, with the silly thought of having it installed in my Rolleiflex with Tessar.
Somehow I doubt it would fit?

Dan Daniel · Aug 17, 2024

Melvin J Bramley said:
I much prefer the Minolta Rokkor to my Rollei with Tessar lens.
That said, I have an opportunity to purchase a Rolleiflex 2.8 Planar that has been dropped!, ouch, with the silly thought of having it installed in my Rolleiflex with Tessar.
Somehow I doubt it would fit?

The 2.8 is 80mm, the Tessar is 75mm. Along with the larger diameter of the 2.8, the focal length difference is pretty much a killer of that idea!

If the lens is good, it'd be worth preserving as a set (front, back, AND taking lens). It will find a home one day.

Rolleiflex E2 Xenotar - Lens cannibalization options?

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