Tell me about Rolleiflex....

Hi there

I hope it's ok that I ask all the stupid questions about the Rolleiflex cameras.... I'm a newbie

Shooting on a leica R8 on film and love it, but I have started to look on the Rolleiflex cameras.

How are they to shoot with? I'm thinking the mental side of it. with my Leica I can move around, change exposure and so very fast. how is that compared to the rolleiflex?

Why should I choose a Rolleiflex compared to other MF systems? what does it do for you in your photography.

Which model is the best? there are many different. As I understand it there are models with lightmeters and others without.. I think I'm interested in the ones with. What are they called?

There are also different lens options. How big is the difference?... I know the aperture.. but are there no-gos or other stuff I need to be aware of?

And last... what are reasonable price?

Thanks in advance

N

As a Rolleiflex (no meter) and Yashicamat (Csd meter user it doesn't bother me whether it has a meter or not,I usually have a hand held meter anyway.

The Rolleiflex is far better made than the Yashicamat and if they have a Planar or Xenotar lens are slightly better than the Yashica's or earlier Rollei's with a Tessar.

You'll get conflicting reports about how good lenses are, Tessar's and Yashinon's are OK, very sharp stopped down to f11/f16 but softer at the edges/corners at wider apertures., while the Planar/Xenotar lenses are far sharper at wider apertures.

The disadvantage is the fixed lens, however I like the discipline of working simply with the square format and don't hanker after a camear with interchangeable lenses, I had two Mamiya's a C33 & C3 in the past.

TLR's are fast to work with, it doesn't take long to adjust to the viewing screen.

Ian

I have used Rolleiflex T (with Tessar 75/3.5 lens) for about 2 years and only few months ago I finally decided to sell it and get Mamiya 6 .

When I first got the Rolleiflex I got to like it very quickly - the camera is well done, purely mechanical. The way one uses the camera is very different compared to SLR. you are looking down while focusing/composing, the image is left-right mirrored. It takes a while to learn how to move the camera to level it or get a different view. I really liked the coupled shutter/aperture lever on the T. The camera directly showed EI values like a light meter, so it was very fast to set it to correct shutter/aperture combination after you took the reading with the light meter. Of course it is possible to de-couple the setting of the shutter and aperture values.

The lens on the T was great for portraits at around f/4 to f/5.6 and got really sharp stopped down. The camera is rather light and robust - not much to go wrong. If you need to focus closer than 1 m you can buy rather cheaply a set of dedicated close up lenses (consists of 2 close up lenses and 1 parallax correcting lens for the viewing lens) in 3 strengths I, II, III. I sued the I quite often.

I loved the automatic film-loading feature - the camera automatically notices where the film starts. And it really works. The shutter is relatively quiet, but not as quiet as the shutter of the Mamiya 6.

One great advantage for travel is, that for most cases when you need a tripod - a small table top (Manfrotto 709B is great for this - small and strong) tripod does the job even if you put it on the ground. Because you are viewing the the top there is no need to to lie flat on the ground, get dirty and look like an idiot . Also the tripod mounting point is pretty much exactly in the center so even a lightweight or not very strong tripod can be used to hold the camera. There are no vibrations from the shutter of course.

I used the camera also with studio flashes a few times using the X-sync connection. Worked perfectly too.

Comparing the Rolleiflex T to Mamiya 6 - sure the Mamiya 6 has sharper lenses, but for enlargements up to A3 there is no difference to be noticed. Still the Rolleiflex was more joy to use, people liked it too (even if you photograph somebody - you are not pointing a camera to his/her face - much less aggressive).

*******

For other Rolleiflex models - there are Planars and Xenotars (performance is the same) that are either F/2.8 or F/3.5. These both should be a bit sharper wide open than the Tessar. The F/2.8 models are more pricey than the F/3.5. There is also rather ignored Minolta Autocord that also sports a Tessar 75/3.5 lens. I have read very high praise on that lens. The camera is supposed to be well made too.

I would say - if you will like using TLR, you will love the Rolleiflex independently of the model.

EDIT: The main difference compared to other MF systems is the fixed lens. TLR is not really a "system" camera. The prices vary a lot - I payed for the "T" about 200 euro (that was on the cheap side), but invested in some accessories and CLA later on. $400 - $600 could be a reasonable price for "T" in a good shape with the case. The "F" models, in particular the f/2.8 in a good shape go beyond $1000. Minolta Autocord in a good shape around $300. Watch the eBay for a while to get a better idea.

Keep in mind - that there is a good chance that the camera will need a CLA. That would be around $200 I guess (depending on what is needed to check or adjust). I payed around 160 euro for shutter CLA in Germany.

let me say it this way:
My girlfriend ("Stine" in here) stated the other day: "If I had to go to a desert island for a time, and only had the chance to carry one camera, then there's no question: I'll bring my Rolleifles 3.5Planar"

And she has other nice cameras too.. (from Nikon - to the big rolleiflex SL66 - to Bergheil - to Sinar - to field camera...)

She absolutely loves it! Dependant - easy to use - great images!

A fair "warning": You'll get SO much attention with this camera. If you don't want attention - go for another one! ;-)

IF you don't have a camera yet - and you're from DK then PM me.... I have a friend that is a rollei collector, and he has bice cameras for sale all the time (I bought my mint Rollei 2,8T planar and my Rollei T from him..)

gandolfi said:

My girlfriend ("Stine" in here) stated the other day: "If I had to go to a desert island for a time, and only had the chance to carry one camera, then there's no question: I'll bring my Rolleifles 3.5Planar"

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And I have often stated on threads here that if I could only keep one of my cameras it would be my Rolleicord V.


Steve.

One difference between Rolleiflex and your Leica is the Rollei's bigger negative and much higher image quality.
Another difference is that with your Leica you view through a little viewfinder window in boxes. With a Rolleiflex you view a large viewing screen and do fine focus with a pop up magnifier.
There are no reasonable prices for Rolleiflex. They are priced unreasonably.
It is a camera some love and some don't love. I love my 2 Rolleis and have unreasonable money tied up in them. But they have good resale value on ebay so you can get your money back.

Hi All

Thanks for the very fast and passionated replies. I know all about the benefits from MF. I have a Hasselblad 3IIHD digital system I use in my job. I seek this because I want to be passionated with my photography again... not that I'm not in my job.. it's fantastic, but I want to find my passion for my own small more "artistic" projects again and develop me as photographer in general.
One of the ways for me to do that is to get back to where it started and get "slowness" into it again - just make it completely different for what I do on a daily basis.

One question about getting the right exposure without the meter. I shoot a lot of Street portraits and so.. I'm a photojournalist and rely a lot on my meter..... Yes I'm the new generation How do you do without.. a hand meter? using the zone system?

But keep it coming with all your views on the topic.

Flyfishdk said:

Hi All

Thanks for the very fast and passionated replies. I know all about the benefits from MF. I have a Hasselblad 3IIHD digital system I use in my job. I seek this because I want to be passionated with my photography again... not that I'm not in my job.. it's fantastic, but I want to find my passion for my own small more "artistic" projects again and develop me as photographer in general.
One of the ways for me to do that is to get back to where it started and get "slowness" into it again - just make it completely different for what I do on a daily basis.

One question about getting the right exposure without the meter. I shoot a lot of Street portraits and so.. I'm a photojournalist and rely a lot on my meter..... Yes I'm the new generation How do you do without.. a hand meter? using the zone system?

But keep it coming with all your views on the topic.

Click to expand...

I'd be another one who would keep the Rolleiflex if I was to keep only one camera. A Rolleiflex and a hand-meter, and everything becomes possible ! The fixed lens is more an invitation to think about your photography than a limitation.

My current project needs me to be very fast if I want to capture the things taht happen when they happen, and the 'flex is the best tool for this (The EOS3 is not on par, too many things to worry about)

There are varying degrees of depending on a meter. I am young enough to have always had meters in my main cameras and sort of depend on them.

With the old cameras without meters. I have a separate meter and use it once in the lighting I will be shooting in. Then I leave it alone till lighting conditions changes.

Without a meter at all, such as if I forgot it, you can either use your DSLR to meter or just guess within 2 stops and fix it when you print or scan as film is more forgiving than digital. Many of the rolleis have exposure tables on them as well, which might be helpful. You can also play a game of guessing, then checking with a meter to provide some confidence while sharping your skills.

Here is a good example of what one might accomplish using a Rollei for street photography; http://vivianmaier.blogspot.com/2010/01/blog-post.html

As for metering, Rolleis that have them aren't going to handle quite as fast as cameras you might be used to with highly integrated metering systems. But, it doesn't really matter, and you actually gain in thinking more about what you're doing.

Usually the light you are dealing with doesn't change all that much. So you can for example, meter a scene in the sunlight, set the camera and just shoot. Occasionally, you might need to open or close a stop, and you determine that by looking at the light and using the meter in your head. If you encounter a radical change in lighting, like moving from sunlight to deep shade, you do another meter reading and keep going.

Rollei's are lovely to use. They are compact and light, and versatile to work with in spite of being "limited" to one lens.

I agree with Stine, if I had to choose just one forever, it would be a Rollei.

Anything and everything you could possibly need to know about Rollei TLR's can be found here! An absolutely fascinating site and a mine of information. (I too am considering either a Rolleiflex or Rolleicord).

I owned a lot of cameras in my life, including a Weltflex TLR, Seagull TLR, a Rolleicord Va and Vb, and a Rolleiflex 3,5F (with meter). The Rolleiflex is my most loved and most used camera. May be I payd to much (~500$). After some hundred rolls need a CLA (150$), but it is worth that all.
Usage is a joy, the camera works silent, the Planar lens ist very sharp at f/5.6 and usable wide open. The screen ist bright, the shutter causes no vibrations. The only disadvantage is the fixed lens, which I reduced: I bought the Mutar lenses which are rare and expansive. But they are quite sharp at f/8.

I have a beat-up old Automat, with a Zeiss-Opton Tessar 3.5 lens. I love it to death.
It's big but not too big, and not too heavy. The shutter is whisper quiet, which is great for taking pictures in cafes, the subway, etc. I can use it pretty quickly since I only need to adjust shutter speed, aperture and focus. It actually makes a nice P&S camera, although you only get 12 6x6 frames so shooting randomly is a waste of film in my opinion.
The coating is coming off my lens and it has a general softness to it, but I don't like very sharp photos anyhow, and I get a lot of compliments on the photos it takes

dpurdy said:

There are no reasonable prices for Rolleiflex. They are priced unreasonably.
.. they have good resale value on ebay so you can get your money back.

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that's why I asked him to PM me...

"My guy" is resonable in his prices..
Sold me the 2.8F for about one third than it is sold for out there....

I have a 3.5F and an MX-EVS (aka 3.5C, I think). The former has a Planar lens; the latter a Xenar (Schneider's version of the Zeiss Tessar). I started with a YashicaMat 40 years ago and have moved through Nikon SLRs and Leica rangefinder. All are good fun, but the Rollei is something special. Be warned though, even cosmetically pristine versions (which could fetch $1,200-$1,500 on E-bay) will probably need a CLA. Users can still be had under $1,000, but figure in a CLA too. The best known techs, Krikor Maralian (Krimar Photo) and Harry Fleenor (Oceanside Photo) now run ca $400 for a full overhaul. On the other hand, these cameras were designed for professionals and to be serviced from time to time, rather than thrown away, like most products today. So a CLA or overhaul will bring the camera back to "like new" operation, and you should be good to go for many, many years, if the camera's shutter is "exercised" once a month or so. Be careful not to get into religious arguments over whether the Zeiss Planar or the Schneider Xenotar is the better lens. By all reasonable accounts, both are excellent in real world photography. Have fun.

Flyfishdk said:

As I understand it there are models with lightmeters and others without.. I think I'm interested in the ones with. What are they called?

Click to expand...

I have a Rolleiflex SLX (an SLR) with WLF, 80mm f/2.8 planar, 6x6 and 6x4.5 backs. It has a built in meter and is shutter priority automatic. It's a nice compact design, but the battery pack (NiCd) is poorly designed. If you inadvertently put it in upside down, you can't remove it.

If you want a coupled meter you need an "F" or one of the modern FX or GX models. Don't worry about which lens, 2.8 or 3.5, Xenotar or Planar, you won't notice any practical difference. Handling a TLR is VERY difference from a 35mm. You just have to try it before you know if you like it. They were used extensively in journalism in the 50's and 60's so they could be used very quickly and efficiently (and they didn't have coupled meters back then!).

In the 60's my Dad had a Yashica TLR. Always seemed mysterious to me. He dropped it and it was broken so I never got to use it.

In 1972 at Ft Hood, TXD I got to borrow a Yashica 635 or a Yashica 24. I loved the big negatives. By the late 70's I was using a Hasselblad and TLR seem so 'old'.

I used a Rollieflex 4x4 'Baby' in the 80's for Superslides and a few years ago got another Baby which I love to use. I have always wanted a Rolleiflex 2.8 Plannar but having a lot of Hasselblad equipment I never got one. Last spring managed to get one - a 1953 2.8C Planar model for $225 that my brother located in Chicago. I took it to Iraq and it did very well - I took a lot od B&W pictures with it. When I returned from Iraq I sent it to Harry Fleenor for a complete overhaul and a new Maxwell grid screen. It is a superb camera to say the least.

The Maxwell screen turns a 1950s Rolleiflex into a brand new camera! It is just amazing. Earlier I had a custom Maxwell screen made for my grey Baby 4x4 Rolleiflex and it is fantasic as well.

I liked the Maxwell screen so much that I boxed up my 1954 f/3.5 SCHNEIDER Xenar MXEV model and as we speak it is at Harry's Rollei hospital having a new Maxwell screen installed.

Once you look through a Rolleiflex with a Maxwell screen you will never go back. Understand that Maxwell screens are not cheap. Harry charges $199 plus $34 to install a screen (plus shipping). He adjusts BOTH the taking lens and the viewing lens to the new screen to ensure proper focus. Once you use one, the cost is forgotten.

All my Rolleis are meterless - that's the way I like 'em. Can they do everything? No. That's why I still have and use my Hasselblads & 35mm cameras. My Rolleis will out live me and my kids will get them. Consider them an asset.

Steve Smith said:

if I could only keep one of my cameras it would be my Rolleicord V. Steve.

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+1

If I could only keep one of my collection of cameras it would have to be either my Rolleicord Va2 or my Rolleiflex Automat, in fact I could not choose between them, they are my all time favorites, I use them for Landscape,still life, street photography, they are just lovely to use, very fast, with the Flex you have the shutter speed/stop on top of the viewing lensand two wheels, one each side to set them, and the images are just SO Good, they just seem to flow and print so easily and well, GET ONE,Richard

You should also be aware that using a Rollei is a completely different way of shooting from a 35mm SLR, because the pictures are taken from waist level most of the time and not from eye level. Composing on the screen is also different from looking through a prism. Personally, I like it a lot. I find that using a Rangefinder or 35mm SLR makes you feel like being "in the scene", whereas using a waist level finder transforms you into some kind of specator. You know it´s like a miniature world going on there inside the Rollei. A feeling hard to explain if you have not experienced it, but I hope the Rollei users understand how I mean it :-D
If you are used to built-in lightmeters the 2,8GX or FX might be a choice for you. The GX can be had for a reasonable price if you are patient, the FX is the current model and very expensive even if bought second hand. If you do not want to spend much, the Rolleicord Vb is also very neat. I would not care too much about the lenses. As others said, the Planar and Xenotar lenses are better than the Tessars and Xenars, but I would not bother too much whether to a favour a 3,5 over a 2,8 model or a Planar over a Xenotar. The old "Automat" models do have a more old-school look compared to the post-war models because they have older lens designs and no coatings (which can also lead to nice pictures anyway), but all Rolleis are exceptional picture making machines, you cannot go wrong with any model. If you want an overview, I can highly recommend John Phillips´ "The Classic Rollei" or just visit the site of the Rolleiclub.

Best, Benjamin

Hi all

I get the feeling "NEED TO TRY" more and more after all your posts. Now the big hunt is in for the right Rolleiflex. I have got really good help from all of you and I really thank you very much for all the input and informations.

Best regards

Nicolai

PS: please let me hear more

I have resently bought A nice Rolleiflex 2,8F it is fantastic and so beautiful.

I am really considering trying to trade my hassy kit for a rollei 2.8. I got a rolleicord a few weeks ago to see what setup I prefer. I never touch the hassy now. The way that I shoot suits a rollei way more.

just got a mint Rolleiflex T - black version - with working light meter and almost unused leather bag.
2500Dkr or 460$.

Worth every penny... or øre..;-)