Rolleiflex Old Standard paintwork

gordonrgw · Aug 1, 2024

Hi, I've just bought my second Old Standard - another 622 (Yes, I know!) It's in beautiful original condition, lens cap and all. However, it differs from it's slightly younger sibling in that the paintwork on the WLF is matt and textured rather that the glossy finish of my other 622. Is this just a difference in the factory finish or has the paint had some sort of reaction over time (or has it had a custom paint-job!)? the Rolleiflex nameplate is the usual glossy finish..

Mr Flibble · Aug 1, 2024

Crinkle paint was just another finish they used next to smooth satin.
Living Image Camera Museum mentions this in one of their restorations of a Rollei Old Standard.

Romanko · Aug 1, 2024

I love my Rolleiflex 621!
Could you please share a photo of your camera as I don't have another Rolleiflex to compare it with?

gordonrgw · Aug 1, 2024

Ah, I didn't know there were different factory finishes, thank you and will check out their site..

Here's a picture of the Rollei..

Romanko · Aug 1, 2024

She's a beauty. Mine looks different, it has glossy finish on the top similar to that on the lens board. The paint on your camera looks original. So now you have two slightly different Rolleiflexes of the same model. It is a slippery path (don't ask me how I know).

Have you tried shooting it yet?

gordonrgw · Aug 1, 2024

Romanko said:
She's a beauty. Mine looks different, it has glossy finish on the top similar to that on the lens board. The paint on your camera looks original. So now you have two slightly different Rolleiflexes of the same model. It is a slippery path (don't ask me how I know).

Have you tried shooting it yet?

Yes, my other Old Standard has a glossy finish too.

I've not shot with her yet, I'm going to give the optics a good clean and run a roll through once I've finished the roll in the other one. It is a verrry slippery path indeed, I have already sourced the appropriate lens hood for it so just awaiting that to arrive too..

Romanko · Aug 1, 2024

I found a generic lens hood that fits the lens but it is too long and gets into the frame. Is yours an original Rolleiflex? Could you please post a photo here once it arrives?

gordonrgw · Aug 1, 2024

Romanko said:
I found a generic lens hood that fits the lens but it is too long and gets into the frame. Is yours an original Rolleiflex? Could you please post a photo here once it arrives?

Yes, found an original one, if you're stuck for one - the originals don't seem to come up too often - Zeiss Contaflex cameras also take 28.5mm push-on filters and hoods and the Zeiss 1110 slip-on hood fits and it's not too long - although I think it may show slightly in the viewing lens.

JPD · Aug 1, 2024

The finder of the original Rolleiflex had this kind of paint, and so do the finder flaps on my 4,5 and 3,8 Standard, except the top part like on yours. My 3,5 Standard has glossy paint.

JPD · Aug 1, 2024

They take 28,5mm lens accessories. There is a clamp-on hood made for this camera, and it lets you use the old style Rolleiflex-filters inside the hood, clamped in place. There is also a simpler push-on Rolleiflex/cord hood, but with it you can't use the larger outside diameter filters like on the photos, but you can use normal 28,5 push on filters.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52675548300_63fa54df1d_w.jpg

gordonrgw · Aug 1, 2024

JPD said:
They take 28,5mm lens accessories. There is a clamp-on hood made for this camera, and it lets you use the old style Rolleiflex-filters inside the hood, clamped in place. There is also a simpler push-on Rolleiflex/cord hood, but with it you can't use the larger outside diameter filters like on the photos, but you can use normal 28,5 push on filters.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52675548300_63fa54df1d_w.jpg

It's the clamp-on style that I have coming..

JPD · Aug 1, 2024

gordonrgw said:
It's the clamp-on style that I have coming..

Excellent. And these old style filters go inside: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204738141779 Uncoated, but good filters.

gordonrgw · Aug 1, 2024

JPD said:
Excellent. And these old style filters go inside: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204738141779 Uncoated, but good filters.

Haha, yes, I have some on my EB watch list!..

gordonrgw · Aug 1, 2024

Quick check and clean of the optics, nothing untoward for a 90 year old, couple of minor cleaning marks on the front of the taking lens, but no major haze, dust or fungus. Looked like a couple of small bits of fungus on the mirror but they cleaned off easily, I heard the mirrors can be prone to degradation, however this one once cleaned looks like new. I'll leave it out in sunlight tomorrow. The viewfinder is a pain yo reinstall, the springs that keep the pressure on the ground glass are quite strong and it takes a bit of dexterity to reseat the glass, hold the finder down and replace the screws.
From the look of it I think she's spent most of her 90 years in her ERC so she'll definitely get an outing sooner rather than later.
All in all this one is in a far better condition than my other one. Now I'll have to buy another as a spare for these two..

Romanko · Aug 1, 2024

gordonrgw said:
Now I'll have to buy another as a spare for these two..

Oh, I wanted to buy a camera that I could use every day but it turns out I got a rare collectable. And I still need a camera I can shoot every day ...

gordonrgw · Aug 2, 2024

Romanko said:
Oh, I wanted to buy a camera that I could use every day but it turns out I got a rare collectable. And I still need a camera I can shoot every day ...

Ah, she's not becoming a shelf queen, she's def on the shooting rota..

JPD · Aug 2, 2024

gordonrgw said:
Ah, she's not becoming a shelf queen, she's def on the shooting rota..

I have them with the three Tessar versions, but I find them hard to focus so now they are shelf royalties.

Rolleiflex Old Standard paintwork

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