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

ic-racer · Apr 5, 2025

Also, I did fix the scratching problem in my film back. The little rollers (that touch the film surface) were not spinning. They need to spin freely.

Pieter12 · Apr 5, 2025

Serge,
Just a guess, but your light leak looks very similar to one that just recently popped up in a second (don't ask), older, 6060 back that I have. One with the red release buttons, too. I spoke to Dave about it and he suggested it was coming from the dark slide mechanism, specifically the slots in the back that the bar moves along. I believe he thought the fix would be simple as he said the light seal uses shutter curtain material that would be easily obtained, no need to get parts from Germany. Give him a shout and see if he can check out that part of your film back. Best of luck and let me know it it works out, I need to send my back to him for that repair. Meanwhile, I have put a strip of gaffer's tape on the back and I hope it's working, I haven't processed anything since I discovered the problem, although I keep shooting with the camera. Despite all the setbacks I have had with it, I just love it. BTW, as far as I know the spacing problems were caused by the film inserts, not the back. And I heard that Rolf is doing the Hy6 repair work for Paepke, probably why you haven't had any response from them.

I am still willing to send my newer (grey buttons) back to Dave if it is still needed.

sergepole · Apr 5, 2025

Could you please send pictures of the little pieces of foam to me
and to Dave Feely at Key Camera [keycamera@yahoo.com]. Dave
has added some foam, but maybe not enough.

Thanks so much !!

Best --
Serge

Pieter12 · Apr 5, 2025

sergepole said:
Could you please send pictures of the little pieces of foam to me
and to Dave Feely at Key Camera [keycamera@yahoo.com]. Dave
has added some foam, but maybe not enough.

Thanks so much !!

Best --
Serge

Please share with the rest of the community!

sergepole · Apr 10, 2025

Pieter -- Looks like Dave @ Key Camera has tken some vacation until the 15th. You hear
anything from him ?

Sent the attached image to Dave .. looks like a light smear in lower right & maybe a similar (but less so) on the lower left.

FWIW --
Serge

NortheastPhotographic · Apr 10, 2025

I do miss my Hy6, surprised to see this thread pop up again. I have recently filled the space with the Mamiya 6, and I have to say the lenses absolutely hold up.

Pieter12 · Apr 12, 2025

So, about 30 minutes into a photo session my 6060 film back went kaput. It would no longer advance the film, although the motor spun. It is going to Dave Feely next week. For what it is worth, the back had been to the factory for a repair of the dark slide, and then to Dave because the factory left a roller (for the slide) loose inside the back. It had been working fine until a few weeks ago when it developed a light leak along one of the dark slide bar slots. Luckily, I had brought a digital camera and was able to finish the shoot.

sergepole · Apr 22, 2025

Pieter12 said:
OK. Maybe I can help. How long ago did you correspond with the factory? I'm curious if they are even still in business. I can tell you a couple of stories about the incompetence and how misleading the factory has been in my experience. I know Dave, he has worked on my Hy6 gear a number of times. Mainly he has no support from the factory--they rarely have any parts, they won't send him a service manual.

But back to your film back. I experienced light leaks and transport issues with a brand new one from Eric at Rolleiflex USA. It went back to Germany under warranty, the issues were not completely fixed. Do you have any examples of your light leak? if it is not the same as what I had, I would be willing to send mine to Dave for a comparison. Here is what the light leaks from my back looked like:

View attachment 395643
The leaks were fixed by the folks in Germany, but the back is still suspect--I get unexplained spacing issues with some of the inserts, which have been to the factory, too. Sometimes I wonder if I should just give up and go back to the 6008i.

Feel free to contact my by PM if you'd prefer.

P.S. is Eric still in business as Rolleifex USA?

Pieter12 -- Dave is back from vacation. He (and I) would welcome your e-mail or phone call. I am serge@ia-64.com & (410) 507 - 4036.
Dave is trying to contact Eric, but without much luck. Dave has some parts. Dave also has my Rollei Hy6 + 80mm lens so he can run
film through (which he has with my back & still gets light leaks). Suggest your sending both of your 6060 backs to Dave & identifying
which one is "good" so Dave can do a "A" versus "B" against my 6060 back, as well as repairing your back, which is having problems.

I would make a nice offer for one of your 6060 backs when Dave verifies it is working.

I can Paypal funds to cover your shipping costs

Best --
Serge

Klaus_H · May 2, 2025

The company DW Photo GmbH in Braunschweig is in liquidation.

See Nothdata Company information:

Pieter12 · May 2, 2025

Klaus_H said:
The company DW Photo GmbH in Braunschweig is in liquidation.

See Nothdata Company information:

I hope the parts go to someone who can make them available.

sergepole · May 2, 2025

Spoke w/ Dave today .. he has received your package ... he is focused on getting things together for a photo swap meet this weekend, but will put all three of our backs on the front burner later next week. Sorry to see DW Photo go under, but am not surprised as they stopped responding six or so months ago. Do you have a photo of where you put the tape on your 6060 in order to stop/mitigate the light leaks ? Would help Dave's searching for root cause of your (and maybe my) light leaks.

Best --
Serge
PS FWIW, I scan with a Nikon Coolscan 9000 & have found a fellow who can service the Coolscans here in Maryland. Also, for the very occasional super
best scan, I send the original off to Nancy Scans in New York (she & her husband, John, have a Heidelberg Tango, and know how to get the most out of it.

sergepole · May 2, 2025

Caution: There is a bogus Nancyscans in New York The REAL Nancy Scans is NancyScans, 124 Hudson Avenue Chatham NY 12037 U.S.A. Email: jolson@nancyscans.com. Phone: (800) 604-1199

Pieter12 · May 2, 2025

sergepole said:
Spoke w/ Dave today .. he has received your package ... he is focused on getting things together for a photo swap meet this weekend, but will put all three of our backs on the front burner later next week. Sorry to see DW Photo go under, but am not surprised as they stopped responding six or so months ago. Do you have a photo of where you put the tape on your 6060 in order to stop/mitigate the light leaks ? Would help Dave's searching for root cause of your (and maybe my) light leaks.

Best --
Serge
PS FWIW, I scan with a Nikon Coolscan 9000 & have found a fellow who can service the Coolscans here in Maryland. Also, for the very occasional super
best scan, I send the original off to Nancy Scans in New York (she & her husband, John, have a Heidelberg Tango, and know how to get the most out of it.

Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of the back with the tape. I just put a 1/2" wide strip of gaffer's tape horizontally across the back just above the bar that moves the dark slide. I discovered where the leak was coming from by shining a small, bright flashlight into the back (attached to the body, no film insert, no lens, shutter set to B so the interior of the back was exposed) and saw a pinpoint of light coming through the lower right side by the dark slide bar. The bit of tape solved the problem until Dave can fix it.

Anaxagore · May 12, 2025

Klaus_H said:
The company DW Photo GmbH in Braunschweig is in liquidation.

See Nothdata Company information:

Not surprising. Rolf Daus retired and was probably the last person using the factory for repairs… when he managed to get spare parts. Paepke now also repairs AF/AFD lenses and Hy6, which they did not do before Rolf’s retirement. It is quite sad that no new Hy6 will ever be produced, improved, etc.

Anaxagore · May 15, 2025

Pieter12 said:
I hope the parts go to someone who can make them available.

same, but I also wonder about the patents and IP they were able to buy back after the 2 bankruptcies of the past 2 decades..

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

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