Swapping Planar with Xenotar lens on Rolleiflex 2.8E?

Can theses lenses be interchanged either with cells only or whole shutter assemblies without major adjustments?

campy51 said:

Can theses lenses be interchanged either with cells only or whole shutter assemblies without major adjustments?

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Probably physically possible, but the new lens will probably not be in register with the viewing lens.. If you have the lenses and camera, do the experiment and report back.

I have a damaged 2.8E with good Xenotar and saw a 2.8E planar for sale with lens separation and thought about swapping the lenses.

You will need to adjust:

- taking lens register (distance the shutter [lens node] to the focal plane [which is different for each design])
- lens focal length (the viewing lens' focal length needs to be adjusted to match the taking lens, which is done by adjusting the separation between the front and rear group)
- calibration between the 2 lenses (so the both focus to infinity at the same time)

If you are not sure how or why you need to do these, you should probably fine someone that does.

Swap both the taking lens and the viewing lens.

You can swap just the lens groups. The shutter is the same dimensionally, including distance front to back for lens spacing.

Be prepared to have to do some tweaks for basic shutter board distance off of focusing rails. I don't understand all the issues that cause the shims to change camera to camera. Most likely everything will be fine, but just be aware of this. All in all, there are no significant mechanical differences between a Planar and Xenotar Rolleiflex

Contact me if you actually do make a swap. I need the leftovers, no matter the condition. I have a 3.5 E with an etched front element. And yes I agree that you should swap the entire set and keep taking and vievwng lens pairs together.

F4U said:

Contact me if you actually do make a swap. I need the leftovers, no matter the condition. I have a 3.5 E with an etched front element. And yes I agree that you should swap the entire set and keep taking and vievwng lens pairs together.

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Mine is a 2.8, won't fit 3.5