Rolleiflex model T prism options/adaptions

Justyjust · Sep 2, 2021

I recently brought a Rolleiflex T and I'm search and also considering alternatives prism's for my TLR, the reason I want the prism is for shooting 5 x 4.5 which is adaptable with the camera.

I've been searching and come across a Rolleiflex 45 degree SL66 prism can this be adapted to fit my model, I been struggling to find the standard prism in the UK also 45 degree might be a better fit.

LibraryTroll · Sep 2, 2021

There was once an adapter that somebody made that would allow the use of Hasselblad V-system or the Kiev prisms on the Rolleiflex / Rolleicord with removeable viewing hoods. I seem to recall buying mine many years ago from Rollei USA to use with a late model Rolleicord V and a Hasselblad chimney finder with adjustable diopter. You probably don't want to know that it works beautifully and that they are sadly no longer available or manufactured as best as I can tell.

I found this Pinterest link as an example: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/777504323145754560/

This may have been the company that made them originally: http://www.baierfoto.de/tlr_engl.html Unfortunately, the website has a note from 4 December 2020 stating Baierfoto is no longer in business while the website remains for reference.

ic-racer · Sep 2, 2021

No adapter needed, the "T" takes the same prism as the others.

Justyjust · Sep 2, 2021

LibraryTroll said:
There was once an adapter that somebody made that would allow the use of Hasselblad V-system or the Kiev prisms on the Rolleiflex / Rolleicord with removeable viewing hoods. I seem to recall buying mine many years ago from Rollei USA to use with a late model Rolleicord V and a Hasselblad chimney finder with adjustable diopter. You probably don't want to know that it works beautifully and that they are sadly no longer available or manufactured as best as I can tell.

I found this Pinterest link as an example: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/777504323145754560/

This may have been the company that made them originally: http://www.baierfoto.de/tlr_engl.html Unfortunately, the website has a note from 4 December 2020 stating Baierfoto is no longer in business while the website remains for reference.

Thanks for the information I have found someone that does make 3d printer adaptor on eBay, it's a shame the company isn't operating but I guess it has a limited market

Down Under · Sep 2, 2021

Confirming what Justyjust (#4) has posted.

Baier Fototechnic in Germany once manufactured an adapter to mount Hasselblad (and possibly other) prisms on a Rolleiflex. I had one and used it for years, but sadly it was "lost" during one of my Asian journeys. I miss it as I used it on my four Rolleis with a Hasselblad prism and a chimney finder, which work beautifully.

The bad news now... Baier no longer makes or sells this adapter. They ended production in late 2020 and apparently no longer sell any photo accessories.

The old Rollei prism is still available and can sometimes be found on Ebay. I have one and it fits my two Rolleiflex Ts and Rolleicord Vb but for reasons unknown, not my 3.5E2. Mystery...

Mark Crabtree · Sep 3, 2021

The interchangle finder is just one of the reasons that the T is my favorite Rollei.The original Rollei prism is nice and readily available I use it for almost every shot since I prefer the eye level point of view. Many original prisms have some issue with separation, but it is generally not very noticeable in use. A Hasselblad handles better with a 45 degree prism, but I much prefer the standard prism with the Rollei.

Justyjust · Sep 6, 2021

Mark Crabtree said:
The interchangle finder is just one of the reasons that the T is my favorite Rollei.The original Rollei prism is nice and readily available I use it for almost every shot since I prefer the eye level point of view. Many original prisms have some issue with separation, but it is generally not very noticeable in use. A Hasselblad handles better with a 45 degree prism, but I much prefer the standard prism with the Rollei.

Thanks for the advice hopefully tomorrow I will be picking up a Rollei standard prism, I feel it's the best thing suited for the 5 X 4.5 shots.

millardmt · Sep 28, 2021

Mark Crabtree said:
The interchangle finder is just one of the reasons that the T is my favorite Rollei.The original Rollei prism is nice and readily available I use it for almost every shot since I prefer the eye level point of view. Many original prisms have some issue with separation, but it is generally not very noticeable in use. A Hasselblad handles better with a 45 degree prism, but I much prefer the standard prism with the Rollei.

This is interesting. I myself just took delivery of a standard eye-level Rolleiflex prism, and I'm disapponted to see a pair of quite conspicuous thin black lines running straight down the middle of the finder. Is this the separation of which you speak? They're quite distracting!

Thanks, and sorry for my interruption.

Marc

Individual One · Jan 6, 2022

There is the ebay guy, although his version requires removing and replacing the plate on the bottom of the viewfinder to install it on the adapter. Rather than dismantle my finders I printed an adapter in carbon reinforced nylon that is separable to install the viewfinder. It works nicely with a Hasselblad 45 deg.
Bruce

Sirius Glass · Jan 6, 2022

Individual One said:
There is the ebay guy, although his version requires removing and replacing the plate on the bottom of the viewfinder to install it on the adapter. Rather than dismantle my finders I printed an adapter in carbon reinforced nylon that is separable to install the viewfinder. It works nicely with a Hasselblad 45 deg.
Bruce
View attachment 294952

A HasselRollei or a RolleiBlad?

Canuck · Jan 6, 2022

Nice job and design!!

Ian Leake · Jan 6, 2022

Individual One said:
There is the ebay guy, although his version requires removing and replacing the plate on the bottom of the viewfinder to install it on the adapter. Rather than dismantle my finders I printed an adapter in carbon reinforced nylon that is separable to install the viewfinder. It works nicely with a Hasselblad 45 deg.
Bruce
View attachment 294952

That's pretty good. Would you be willing to share the adapter design?

Individual One · Jan 6, 2022

Ian Leake said:
That's pretty good. Would you be willing to share the adapter design?

I think the design is not quite ready for sharing / commercialization. My design currently works only for Hasselblad products. It is incompatible with Soviet 45deg finders due to the different relationship of the prism housing to the base plate. In spite of what a lot of people believe they are not identical, or at least my sample is not. Having sold stuff on the internet before I know that there will be some impossible to satisfy idiots who will expect universal compatibility, including with metered finders. I am currently working on another version that is more universal, that will accomodate metered finders, and be case compatible. That puts some overall volume constraints on the design, and I must be very confident in the adapter to not accidentally release. The current version is very strong, but I don't want to hear about anyone carrying their assembly by the viewfinder and having the camera fall off.

Ian Leake · Jan 6, 2022

Individual One said:
I think the design is not quite ready for sharing / commercialization. My design currently works only for Hasselblad products. It is incompatible with Soviet 45deg finders due to the different relationship of the prism housing to the base plate. In spite of what a lot of people believe they are not identical, or at least my sample is not. Having sold stuff on the internet before I know that there will be some impossible to satisfy idiots who will expect universal compatibility, including with metered finders. I am currently working on another version that is more universal, that will accomodate metered finders, and be case compatible. That puts some overall volume constraints on the design, and I must be very confident in the adapter to not accidentally release. The current version is very strong, but I don't want to hear about anyone carrying their assembly by the viewfinder and having the camera fall off.

That's fair.

Individual One · Jan 7, 2022

And FYI Ian, I can receive messages from you but am currently unable to reply as I am below the 20 post threshold for messaging. I have contacted the admin to see if this can be lifted.

Sirius Glass · Jan 7, 2022

Individual One said:
And FYI Ian, I can receive messages from you but am currently unable to reply as I am below the 20 post threshold for messaging. I have contacted the admin to see if this can be lifted.

Post 11 more times and you will be able to PM.

Individual One · Jan 7, 2022

Thanks, I got the admin to fix it.

AgX · Jan 7, 2022

ozmoose said:
The bad news now... Baier no longer makes or sells this adapter. They ended production in late 2020 and apparently no longer sell any photo accessories.

Baier stopped completely, thus also with his main business, Pentacon Six repairs, as he did not find a successor.

Individual One · Jan 7, 2022

I wish him well in retirement. I would like to have contributed as much in my career to the general good, even if it was only in such a small corner of technology.
Bruce

Individual One · Jan 8, 2022

Version 2 permits all sorts of curious combinations.

jspec1594 · Sep 16, 2022

Individual One said:
Version 2 permits all sorts of curious combinations.
View attachment 295143 View attachment 295144

This looks amazing! If you do end up having any for sale, count me in. I've been trying to find something like this considering that the Baier one can't be purchased anymore and the 3D printed one I've purchased on eBay doesn't inspire confidence.

polka · Sep 18, 2022

This is what I did a long time ago to adapt a Kiev60 metering prism to my Rolleiflex T. I presented it here :

Id help Kiev TTL Finder on Pentacon Six TL

Has anyone used this Kiev TTL Finder for 60, 6C, 6S, on a Pentacon Six TL pentacon six tl $_57 by a.rodriguezpix, on Flickr

www.photrio.com

You can mount and dismount it like a WLF finder on the rollei side, and you can also dismount it on the Kiev side to put it back on the Kiev 60 body.
POLKa

Individual One · Sep 19, 2022

jspec1594 said:
This looks amazing! If you do end up having any for sale, count me in. I've been trying to find something like this considering that the Baier one can't be purchased anymore and the 3D printed one I've purchased on eBay doesn't inspire confidence.

I may end up selling some through a third party such as Shapeways but I will have to get them to print one for my testing before releasing a product. I have had other items printed by them in nylon and they were very good. Otherwise, I could print them myself for sale. I have found that quality matters with carbon reinforced nylon filament. My first examples were printed with premium filament and are great. Then I bought some less expensive filament and layer adhesion plus brittleness became an issue. I would definitely not trust a prized camera to that stuff. Also, care must be taken to print with the most favourable layer orientation for strength considerations. Some people are bound to get that wrong. So, I won't be releasing the model for people to print themselves as there are certain to be problems.

jspec1594 · Sep 20, 2022

Individual One said:
I may end up selling some through a third party such as Shapeways but I will have to get them to print one for my testing before releasing a product. I have had other items printed by them in nylon and they were very good. Otherwise, I could print them myself for sale. I have found that quality matters with carbon reinforced nylon filament. My first examples were printed with premium filament and are great. Then I bought some less expensive filament and layer adhesion plus brittleness became an issue. I would definitely not trust a prized camera to that stuff. Also, care must be taken to print with the most favourable layer orientation for strength considerations. Some people are bound to get that wrong. So, I won't be releasing the model for people to print themselves as there are certain to be problems.

Thanks for replying. This totally makes sense. I think that was my issue with the one I got from eBay. Out of curiosity, have you considered machining it out of metal?

Individual One · Sep 20, 2022

jspec1594 said:
Thanks for replying. This totally makes sense. I think that was my issue with the one I got from eBay. Out of curiosity, have you considered machining it out of metal?

As a retired machinist I could make it out of metal, but also as a retired machinist I don't have a vertical machining center for my use anymore. I don't think there is much reason to use metal for this part. Carbon reinforced nylon, and especially continuous carbon reinforced nylon, can be adequately strong for this part, is much less expensive, and can be used as printed. No painting or anodizing to worry about.

Rolleiflex model T prism options/adaptions

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