Rolleiflex, Rolleinars, and Whatnot

Bokeh Guy · Aug 9, 2009

This weekend I decided to make the switch from a Hasselblad to a Rolleiflex. Since my local camera store doesn't have a stock of Rolleiflexes on the shelf with the D700s, D3s, Mark 5 whatever, I bought a 2.8F sight unseen (except for a few pics).

Could someone tell me about hoods, rolleinars, and filters? For example, metal or rubber hoods, UV filters? And best places (and prices) to find rolleinars?

(Have to admit, this is much more fun than tracking down the Hassey stuff.)

archphoto · Aug 9, 2009

Congrad's with your "new" 2.8F, they are wonderfull camera's, I have one.
What comes with the camera ?

It greatly depends where you are located where to get "things" for your 2.8F.
KEH might have something when you are living in the US, in Europe there are several places that might have something....
Filters could be bought from B&H (baj. III)

You could try ebay, both US and German (.de), but "Buy Now" prices are overly inflated most of the time.
Mind you I have not been hunting for any Rolleiflex gear lately, I got my set pretty well complete and if I want to go close-up I use my Rollei SL66 SLR that is more suited for close-ups.

Good luck,
Peter

Andrew Horodysky · Aug 9, 2009

You may also want to check out Krimar Photo, in Northern New Jersey. They specialize in older Rolleiflexes -- repairs and sales -- and may carry accessories you'd be interested in acquiring.

http://www.krimarphoto.com/

Congratulations on your recent purchase.

Best wishes,

Andrew

Bokeh Guy · Aug 9, 2009

Hey guys,

Thanks for the info.

The 2.8F is on its way. I don't believe that it's coming with any hoods or filters. Are the metal hoods better than the rubber? And do you put Rolleinars over the UV filters (and do you put UV filters on these things at all?).

dpurdy · Aug 9, 2009

If you bought the camera off ebay would you be willing to share the link? Be fun to see.
You can buy an adapter that goes bay 3 to 49mm so then you could buy regular 49 mm filters and shade. The Rollei accessories are better but they are hotly contested and expensive.
You can buy a new off brand bay 3 hard lens shade on ebay for less than a used Rollei shade. I have both soft and hard and I like the hard better just for the reason of setting the camera face down to load film the lens shade props it up and allows gravity to keep the back door open.
The Rollei lens shades are outer bayonet while the filters are inner bayonet so the shade will fit over most filters. Some filters can be stacked and some can't. CC filters are stackable. The shade will fit on with the Rolleinars in place if you do it in the right order. You will definitely want a Rolleinar once you know for sure you like the camera.
Dennis

Lightproof · Aug 9, 2009

The Rolleinar for the taking lens is built like a filter. It has a male bayonett on the rear side and a female one on the front side. You can attach filters to them. Just make sure to first mount the Rolleinar lens, then the filter.
The rolleinar part for the viewing lens has no front side bayonett, so you will have to set the polfilter by just looking through it.

My only filter without the front side bayonett is the polfilter.

The whole system of accessories (filters, shade, rolleinar) is well constructed, but you have to practise a bit. For example, I always use the lens shade. When I want to add the rolleipol, I have to adjust it when it is on the viewing lens, unmount it, unmount the shade, mount the rolleipol on the taking lens, remount the lens shade.

The cheapest way to get filters is in combination with a second 2.8F in a less-than-perfect condition: I now have the lens shade, lens cap, a set of B&W filters (red, orange, green, yellow), a soft filter, two rolleinars, the polfilter and a rolleifix plus the original boxes for everything. I use all of these occasionally (except the soft filter, but you can remove the glass and fit something more useful in the aluminium ring). These things alone from several internet stores would have been more $$$ than I could have justified.

When you want to use a neck strap with your F, get into this topic. It is not *that* easy to attach a normal strap to it.

archphoto · Aug 9, 2009

Lightproof is right.

If you can not get a hold of the original strap: there is a way around it if you don't intend to take it off : the part for the strap on the camera consists of 3-4 parts that are helt into place by 2 screws each side.
Take out these screws and be carefull not to loose the spacer ring at the rear end and a shim (if there is one) on the front.
Now the "real" part can be seperated so you can attach permanently a strap to it.
Optech #A should fit, the diameter of the pin is 2.4mm.
Be aware that these 2 parts hold the back into place aswell.

Peter

Sirius Glass · Aug 9, 2009

Bokeh Guy said:
(Have to admit, this is much more fun than tracking down the Hassey stuff.)

Yes, Hassey stuff is just much to easy to find unless you are after the A2035 film back.

Steve

Bokeh Guy · Aug 10, 2009

Wow, thanks for all the info. It's all a great help.

Gotta admit that I went kinda crazy this weekend - bought a mint 2.8F with a Xenotar lens and a mint tele. Got approval from the wife when I sold a Mamiya 7ii lens and an M6 TTL that I hadn't used in three years. Those covered the premium over my allotted budget.

One good thing about the Hassey stuff is that it was so expensive to acquire that it gives you some freedom of choice when moving to another system.

AgentX · Aug 10, 2009

There's a guy selling "for rollei" neck straps on the 'bay for $30. They're cordura with leather at the ends and original-style clips. Can't vouch for the quality, but it's something.

But I just threaded small triangular neck-strap split rings onto the small post in the center of the strap lug, then attached a normal strap to that. Worked pretty easily. Still, I might like the regular strap for the easy on/off without leaving the quick-detach strap ends stuck on the camera flapping around.

There are also "Gordy's" leather camera straps with thread attachments.

(Edit: Brand-new 2.8E owner here, bought online for $550...extremely happy with it but accessory prices aren't thrilling me...luckily it works pretty well without too much need for other stuff.)

Bokeh Guy · Aug 10, 2009

Agentx,

Thanks. I'll take a look at Gordy's. I use a couple of his on my Leicas.

dpurdy · Aug 10, 2009

ONe thing to keep in mind regarding the Rollei strap is that the alligator style connector is hinged so that it is unlikely to damage the sides of the waist level finder. If you just thread another type strap connection through there, there is a good chance it will constantly rub the sides of the WLF and wear off the paint... thus reducing it's monetary value. I prefer to keep my camera in a LowePro case without the strap.

AgentX · Aug 10, 2009

Thought they looked cool myself, but the fact that they're not clip-on/clip-off detracted from the appeal for me...plus I worry about leather dye bleeding...

The leather sure looks cool on the Rolleis, though...especially with the contrasting thread bindings.

Bokeh Guy · Aug 12, 2009

Hey, what about UV filters and Rolleinars? Do the Rolleinars screw on to the UVs? (My Rolleiflex is probably on a boat somewhere).

dpurdy · Aug 12, 2009

You will have to put the UV on the Rolleinar if it is like mine. The Rolleinar has to be placed properly on the lens to work right. You are waiting for your ship to come in. I hope it is exactly what you want.
Dennis

Bokeh Guy · Aug 19, 2009

My "new" 30-year old 2.8F came in and it looks like it came right out of the factory. Wow, a whole lot lighter than the Hassey.

I also bought a "mint" tele, but when it arrived the focus mechanism didn't work and the shutter speed dial wouldn't budge a millimeter let alone an inch. First time that the camera didn't come as described in the ad.

dpurdy · Aug 19, 2009

Congratulations on the 2.8F and sorry about the Tele. When I first got my current 2.8F it was visually mint but there was a rattle in it and the focus would hang up. I had gotten a really good deal on the camera and the lens was pristine so I decided to send it in to H Fleenor and he fixed the focus easily and only charged 40 dollars. Everything about the focus mechanism is replaceable but it could end up costing you a bunch if it is serious. On that same 2.8F I took the front cover off once to get to the lenses and when I put the cover back on I misaligned the shutter speed dial and it wouldn't budge as you say. I took it back apart and got it right. The fact that you have both focus issues and shutter dial issues would cause me great alarm that someone who shouldn't have was messing around in the camera. I would have to wonder why and wonder is the camera comprised of original parts... or is it rebuilt by someone from some spares. I would look into returning it.
Dennis

archphoto · Aug 19, 2009

Congrad's with the new 2.8F.

When I got mine in it was for repairs, it took me a week to overhoal the camera.
After that the previous owner did not want the camera any longer, so I kept it.

The Tele: I would send it back.
How much did you pay for it ?

A focus mechanism on a Rolleiflex is realy hard to mess-up. Could it come from the transport ?
If you hold the camera in front of you, looking down onto it, check if the front is paralell with the back, if not it has been bumped.

As for the strap: if the 2.8F is this mint I would use the original Rollei strap on it only, it would be a pitty to loose paint anywhere !

Have fun !

Peter

Bokeh Guy · Aug 19, 2009

Thanks for the comments.

I sent the tele back pretty pronto. I had read that focusing issues could become enormous problems. This camera didn't focus at all although the focus knob motion was fluid. I called the seller and he said that he had just had the camera fixed. Frankly, that caused me to want to send the camera back even more.

The 2.8F is great and even came with the original case (have to black-shoe-leather it to make it cool). Cool camera. Really, I'm surprised more people don't have these.

Vaughn · Aug 19, 2009

Congrats on the 2.8F! I just got back from a camping cross-county trip with my family...no room for the 8x10 (and it would have been rough to use while touring NYC, DC and Boston). So I took my 2.8F -- and a Diana Camera for even more fun. I began photography 30+ years ago with a Rolleiflex 3.5 (MX-EVS) and fell in love with the square!

Vaughn

Lightproof · Aug 19, 2009

Congratulations!

I like it when people put mint things into service again.

Rolleiflex, Rolleinars, and Whatnot

Andrew Horodysky

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