Rolleiflex Hy6...One of the last medium format cameras in production

[Eric Hiss]

Okay time for some images shot with the Rolleiflex Hy6

 

[Eric Hiss]

 

[Eric Hiss]

Last one was with 50mm Schneider lens
This one with Ilford Delta 3200 shot with 40mm Schneider lens (all Rolleiflex Hy6) handheld and shot through a dirty window at maybe 1/15th But what I love is how well the auto metering did.

 

[Eric Hiss]

Also film with 50mm Schneider f/2.8 lens

 

[Eric Hiss]

Hy6 with 40mm lens, Portra 400, autometering used as I pretty much always do.

 

[Eric Hiss]

Here's a shot with Hy6 and 80mm Schneider using the 4560 (4.5x6) film back - I think it was TMax400

 

[MattKing]

And following Old Gregg's post above, I've done some further editing, while doing my best to leave in the posts from people who actually have experience with the camera and issues discussed, as well as the warranty and other service offered.

 

[drmoss_ca]

Some very fine photographs there, Eric. I'm struck by how 'flat' the lighting appears to be.

 

[Sirius Glass]

And following Old Gregg's post above, I've done some further editing, while doing my best to leave in the posts from people who actually have experience with the camera and issues discussed, as well as the warranty and other service offered.

Nicely done, thank you.

 

[GG12]

Sorry to hear about the difficulties with this camera and this user. I used a 600X series camera from 1993, and a Hy6 from 2011. Everything said about the lenses and the quality of the camera are spot on. Few lenses are better, and the ergonomics of the system are well considered. Use was largely digital, and travelled widely with camera, to jungles and mountains, with pleasure. Service with DW was always fine, quick and economical, responsive when treated courteously. Eric was always there for support too. Having recently made the decision to go smaller, I am still missing the old friend.

 

[victorsd]

Hello All,

I hope this message finds you well.
It's been a while since I've visited forum. I would like to share a few updates from my side.

My hy6 mod2/1 was sent for a service along with AF-Xenotar 2.8/80 to DW Photo earlier this year. Hans Hartje assisted with arranging the camera service directly with a factory. The camera has been repaired and works as expected. I did not have a chance yet to use it with new 6060 film back. To my surprise, it actually works with Sinar eMotion 75LV back, eVolution 75 and 86. I am truly impressed with images it produces with Sinar backs.

 

[victorsd]

Could not upload the images taken with Sinar backs. Receiving security error, once file is uploaded.

 

[Pieter12]

I have had great help and patience from Eric at Rolleiflex US. However, my experience with the factory has been less than stellar. I bought an upgraded body (to Mod2) from Eric, along with a new film back. Almost from the get-go there were problems that cropped up with the combo, light leaks and film advance issues. The back and inserts (I had bought 2 inserts) were sent back to the factory and returned in good time. However, the problems persisted and there was pretty much no communication from the factory. I ended up buying another demo film back from Eric that turned out to have the same light leak problems. He graciously took it back, even though he had tested it at his initiative and found it to perform flawlessly. I then took the camera, back and inserts to Dave Feely in Colorado (I had already planned a trip there) and he found the problem was not the back, but the body. He also checked the inserts and everything works great now. He has since serviced a spare film back and insert I found second-hand and I have tremendous confidence in his work. Sadly, I cannot say that for the factory in Germany.

I love this camera and the Schneider lenses, and I have been able to add a digital back that makes stunning color images.

 

[ic-racer]

Putting mine to use for the holidays.

 

[Pieter12]

I really hate to say this, but I am starting to get fed up with the problems I have had with the Hy6. I need to move to Colorado so I can drop by Dave Feeley's when the camera acts up. I had just taken a few shots with the digital back, and wanted to shoot some film for Christmas. I put the film back on the body, and when I went to use it, I got the "back busy" message on the grip. I removed and replaced the back several times, each time making sure everything was aligned and closing properly. The message persisted. I put the digital back back on, and everything was fine. I had this problem before, and Dave was able to fix it--it was an issue with the body, not the back. So, as soon as the holidays are over, the back & body get packed up and sent off to Colorado. I am starting to feel like I should just write off the Hy6 (at least for film) and just use it for digital--going back to the 6008i for film. The 6008i never gave me any problems, it's built like a tank. The Hy6 seems finicky, serving up issues when least expected. I don't know if I can use the 80 & 50mm Schneider AF lenses I have with the 6008i in program or shutter-priority mode. I do like those lenses, but I have MF Zeiss glass for the 6008 in those focal lengths.

 

[ic-racer]

I was using my 6008AF and Hy6 side by side and the Hy6 is much nicer. I focuses much faster and is much lighter.

 

[Pieter12]

I was using my 6008AF and Hy6 side by side and the Hy6 is much nicer. I focuses much faster and is much lighter.

When it is functioning properly.

 

[Eric Hiss]

Happy New Years everyone!
Pieter nice image of the Pears. Ic-Racer hope to see some of what you are photographing

"Back Busy" with digital back on the Hy6 almost always means that you need to replace the battery or the compact flash card. So 90% of the time it's the battery, and 9% of the time it's the compact flash memory card. Leaf AFi backs were very particular about memory cards, the Credo's to a lesser extent but some lesser known brands just won't work. You will also get "Back Busy" on the grip display when your memory card is full.

"Back Busy" with a film back mostly will mean it isn't seated well to the contacts on the back. Sometimes just removing and refitting will fix that. I've done it myself where not all 4 pins have been latched. In two cases I have heard that one of the pins had come loose (they are just screws with pins) and didn't allow the back to latch close enough to the body. I suspect that could also cause a light leak if they back were not all the way locked in. I've done this myself when in a hurry where one corner didn't latch. Also when changing from film to digital or changing film backs if you have more than one, be mindful to not set the camera body down on the rear face without a cover fitted - the electrical contacts from the body come out from the right rear side and can be pushed in or bent. I like to work with both film and digital and sometimes I'll work with both and swap out mid session so that's when I need to be careful to pay attention to not just the digital back with sensor exposed during the exchange but also the rear of the camera.

Dave at Key Camera has been really a great resource - highly recommended.

 

[Pieter12]

Eric, thanks for checking in. After I spoke with Dave, he suggested resetting the camera body. But I could not find any mention of how to do that in the manual. So I tried putting the film back on and voila, seemingly for no reason at all, everything was working again. I never put either the back or the body contacts side down on a table, so I don't think the pins are bent. But I have considered maybe swiping the contacts every once in a while with deoxit. Unless they are so delicate that either the chemical or the swabbing might be detrimental?

 

[Eric Hiss]

Pieter, glad to read all working okay now.
For the benefit of all readers: Reseating everything is a good place to start if you have an error. Always look to make sure the film back or digital back is clicked all the way in on all 4 corners. It almost always works fine, except that time when you're in a hurry to catch the changing light or something - Murphy's Law or something like that. Same goes for the lenses - make sure they are turned all the way in until it the lock clicks.

With the film backs there is an interlock on the Hy6 to prevent people from removing the back with film in it and the dark slide open. I've seen it before where the dark slide wasn't deployed and people removed the back anyway (with force), or the dark slide lever wasn't moved fully into position. The release lever shouldn't move easily if the dark slide is not deployed but somehow people force it. In that situation, the camera can report errors, or in rare cases where force was used, may need to be serviced. The interlock is there to help from inadvertently spoiling the film but... Sometimes when I've been working a lot with digital backs and then decide to shoot film, I forget about dark slides. Most Hy6 owners have just one film back and no reason to remove it, so for them, this stuff will never come up.

The electrical communication pins on the rear of the body are pretty small and stand proud of the rear face by only a little bit. These you can inspect visually as they should all look the same, and come out the same distance, but I don't recommend trying to clean them as they are delicate. You can clean the contact pads on the film backs.

Last piece of info that I can think of that is worth sharing right now - the 6060 film backs have an obvious orientation, but you can fit them rotated 90 degrees same as the 4560 film backs as there is a 2nd set of contacts on both. Should you get a 'back busy' error on the grip and suspect communication to the back, you can rotate them and try the 2nd set of contacts. Since it's 6x6 won't matter.

Resetting: You can reset the Hy6 by holding in the lens release button while powering on. This will remove any saved AF offset values you have stored for lenses though so make sure you have them written down. I don't think that resetting the camera body will help with the 'back busy' issue.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Pieter, glad to read all working okay now.
For the benefit of all readers: Reseating everything is a good place to start if you have an error. Always look to make sure the film back or digital back is clicked all the way in on all 4 corners. It almost always works fine, except that time when you're in a hurry to catch the changing light or something - Murphy's Law or something like that. Same goes for the lenses - make sure they are turned all the way in until it the lock clicks.

With the film backs there is an interlock on the Hy6 to prevent people from removing the back with film in it and the dark slide open. I've seen it before where the dark slide wasn't deployed and people removed the back anyway (with force), or the dark slide lever wasn't moved fully into position. The release lever shouldn't move easily if the dark slide is not deployed but somehow people force it. In that situation, the camera can report errors, or in rare cases where force was used, may need to be serviced. The interlock is there to help from inadvertently spoiling the film but... Sometimes when I've been working a lot with digital backs and then decide to shoot film, I forget about dark slides. Most Hy6 owners have just one film back and no reason to remove it, so for them, this stuff will never come up.

The electrical communication pins on the rear of the body are pretty small and stand proud of the rear face by only a little bit. These you can inspect visually as they should all look the same, and come out the same distance, but I don't recommend trying to clean them as they are delicate. You can clean the contact pads on the film backs.

Last piece of info that I can think of that is worth sharing right now - the 6060 film backs have an obvious orientation, but you can fit them rotated 90 degrees same as the 4560 film backs as there is a 2nd set of contacts on both. Should you get a 'back busy' error on the grip and suspect communication to the back, you can rotate them and try the 2nd set of contacts. Since it's 6x6 won't matter.

Resetting: You can reset the Hy6 by holding in the lens release button while powering on. This will remove any saved AF offset values you have stored for lenses though so make sure you have them written down. I don't think that resetting the camera body will help with the 'back busy' issue.

Good to know. It is interlocks in 35mm and many MF cameras that help protect us from making mistakes, however when they get out of synch or just want to remind us who is really in charge that causes use to go back to the start and clear the system. Without the interlocks we would be working with cameras like the LF cameras and just look at how many way one can screw up a sheet of film with one of those.

 

[ic-racer]

Happy New Years everyone!
Pieter nice image of the Pears. Ic-Racer hope to see some of what you are photographing

These are my most recent prints. They are on Ilford MG FB.

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]