Using Rolleiflex, an oddity?

inlarry · Jun 27, 2012

Seems everytime I go out in public, or especially on vacation I get these kind of looks, stares, and questions about my gear. Funniest was when a cop pulled me over and was looking thru my back windows and saw my Autocord and Holga sitting back in the seat. His question? "Are those really cameras?"

More generally though, anything big and noisy seems to attract a lot of attention in this age of camera's the size of a credit card with almost silent operation. Bronica, Nikon's, anything with an audible "click" gets people staring...especially when you gotta turn something to wind the film, which it seems nobody under 25 seems to even know what film is anymore.

But, best is using one of my old folding pack Polaroids. Seems nobody anymore remembers that a Polaroid ever came in anything but a spit-it-out the front format, let alone having to pull it, time it, and peel it.

Rolleijoe · Jul 2, 2012

I remember when we lived on Maui, we took a trip to Mookai and I had my 1945 Rollei TLR with me for taking pics, loaded with Neopan 400. All was fine until the trip back, when one of the "inspectors" wanted me to open the camera, so she could look inside!

I told her there was film in it, and opening the back would ruin it. It took one of the guys there, who was more friendly (and agreed with me), to just let it go. The whole thing only lasted about 2 minutes, but seemed like forever.

Steve Smith · Jul 2, 2012

I have had a few "I used to have one of those" comments about my Rolleicord.

Steve.

GRHazelton · Jul 2, 2012

Sounds familiar. Shortly after 9/11 I flew with my Pentax LX, loaded with film. At the carry on inspection I was told to turn the camera on. When I told them that it was a film camera and didn't "turn on" they did relent; perhaps they felt the camera wasn't big enough to hold much. On other occasions I was refused hand inspection for film, told rudely that the x-rays wouldn't hurt the film.

TheFlyingCamera · Jul 2, 2012

Generally, X-rays DON'T hurt your film unless it is fast film (over 800 speed) or getting multiple doses in a relatively short period of time (say 6 or 8 scans in 24 hours kind of thing). Your film gets more radiation exposure while in flight than it does going through the carry-on scanner.

BrianShaw · Jul 2, 2012

Rolleijoe said:
All was fine until the trip back, when one of the "inspectors" wanted me to open the camera, so she could look inside!
I told her there was film in it, and opening the back would ruin it. It took one of the guys there, who was more friendly (and agreed with me), to just let it go. The whole thing only lasted about 2 minutes, but seemed like forever.

Same thing happened to me many years ago. They were friendly but less forgiving and kept insisting on the camera being opened... so I removed the waist-level finder and showed them the mirror compartment. That seemed to satisfy them.

Roger Cole · Jul 2, 2012

TheFlyingCamera said:
Generally, X-rays DON'T hurt your film unless it is fast film (over 800 speed) or getting multiple doses in a relatively short period of time (say 6 or 8 scans in 24 hours kind of thing). Your film gets more radiation exposure while in flight than it does going through the carry-on scanner.

Carry on, yes, checked no. Just a point for those who might not have realized that - never check film. That stuff gets X-rayed with a Roentgen-rammer.

Vaughn · Jul 2, 2012

rolleiman said:
...but one person left me a bit speechless when he asked "why has it got two lenses"?.......er...."One for film, one for digital" I replied.......my inquisitor went away seemingly very impressed.

I must remember this one!

TheFlyingCamera · Jul 2, 2012

Roger Cole said:
Carry on, yes, checked no. Just a point for those who might not have realized that - never check film. That stuff gets X-rayed with a Roentgen-rammer.

That's why I said carry-on. Yes, checked baggage scanners will royally screw up your film. I know this from personal experience. I had checked my 4x5 film holders in my suitcase to save carry-on weight and bulk. Weeeeelllll..... I forgot I had several sheets of 4x5 color negative film still loaded. I got to my destination, shot it, and when it was processed, well... the rest is history as they say.

GRHazelton · Jul 2, 2012

TheFlyingCamera said:
That's why I said carry-on. Yes, checked baggage scanners will royally screw up your film. I know this from personal experience. I had checked my 4x5 film holders in my suitcase to save carry-on weight and bulk. Weeeeelllll..... I forgot I had several sheets of 4x5 color negative film still loaded. I got to my destination, shot it, and when it was processed, well... the rest is history as they say.

Even so, we are supposed to be given hand inspection of film if requested. Better safe than sorry. But my experience has been that the TSA folk aren't cooperative in that regard.

TheFlyingCamera · Jul 2, 2012

GRHazelton said:
Even so, we are supposed to be given hand inspection of film if requested. Better safe than sorry. But my experience has been that the TSA folk aren't cooperative in that regard.

Yeah- they can be a real noodge about it when they feel like it. I've decided that the hassle isn't worth it and just let the film go through. I'd rather have to replace a couple rolls than miss my flight because some dingus at TSA decides to swab every roll of film for explosives since I demanded a hand-inspection.

rolleiman · Jul 2, 2012

Apparently some third world countries still have primitive X-ray equipment that could harm your film...also a colleague who insisted on hand inspection of his film found that the security idiots started pulling each roll of film out of its cassette to "inspect" it!.....Airports seem to bring out the worst in people.....They are supposed to grant you a manual inspection, but just try enforcing that agreement!

T-grain · Jul 2, 2012

I cannot remember how many times I insisted on hand inspection! I think only once I was successful in my persuasions in Switzerlans, back in the early 2000's !
But the most intellectually argumented reply-refusal for hand inspection I got in Helsinki a few years back (for hand baggage):"it gets less radiation here than during the flight!" and it was a 3-hour flight only! I had to believe....sadly, I never checked if was just a fake statement or there were some facts too....

Diapositivo · Jul 2, 2012

rolleiman said:
Sometimes I get stopped by former film photographers, regretting selling their old gear, but one person left me a bit speechless when he asked "why has it got two lenses"?.......er...."One for film, one for digital" I replied.......my inquisitor went away seemingly very impressed.

I don't see the purpose in giving an idiot answer to an intelligent question.

Vaughn · Jul 2, 2012

But a wonderful ice-breaker at a party...and then add, "And all seriousness aside, I prefer the bottom one -- it does the film." if they demand to see the digital image, open the waist level viewer and start pointing at things on the GG with one of your 'digits'.

Dan Daniel · Jul 2, 2012

Vaughn said:
if they demand to see the digital image, open the waist level viewer and start pointing at things on the GG with one of your 'digits'.

I had a twenty-something guy approach me to ask about the Rolleiflex. I showed him the viewfinder with Maxwell screen. His jaw dropped, and then all he could say was, 'What an amazing LCD!!'

Roger Cole · Jul 2, 2012

TheFlyingCamera said:
That's why I said carry-on. Yes, checked baggage scanners will royally screw up your film. I know this from personal experience. I had checked my 4x5 film holders in my suitcase to save carry-on weight and bulk. Weeeeelllll..... I forgot I had several sheets of 4x5 color negative film still loaded. I got to my destination, shot it, and when it was processed, well... the rest is history as they say.

I know you did, I just wanted to point out the distinction to those who might not be aware of it.

Roger Cole · Jul 2, 2012

Dan Daniel said:
I had a twenty-something guy approach me to ask about the Rolleiflex. I showed him the viewfinder with Maxwell screen. His jaw dropped, and then all he could say was, 'What an amazing LCD!!'

I had a late 20-something friend ask incredulously of my Yaschicamat, "no batteries? That's not electronic at all?" I explained how it worked.

I agree with not answering an intelligent but merely uninformed question with a smart assed reply. That's making ourselves our own worst enemies. Or perhaps that isn't "smart assed" to most people. My family always took a very dim view of sarcasm and I tend to as well. Just me I suppose. (I'm not above a witty reply, but when I do that I'm usually being intentionally rude or at least trying to get rid of someone annoying, OR engaging in back and forth with a willing participant for fun, not answering sincere questions from strangers.)

That is, I agree IF it's not followed up with a laugh and a serious reply. That's a pretty friendly way to start a conversation if so inclined.

Sirius Glass · Jul 2, 2012

Anything bigger that a 35mm camera gets noticed.

The THWAK of a Hasselblad and the sounds of the focal plane shutter on a Graflex Model D or Pacemaker Speed Graphic will turn the heads of the rest.

benjiboy · Jul 3, 2012

I don't own a Rolleiflex, however I do have two Mamiya TLRs that I love to make pictures with, and I don't give two monkeys f**ks what "the great unwashed" think about them.

inlarry · Jul 3, 2012

Oddly last time ii flew I had (surprisingly) few issues with hand inspection. I had about 20 rolls in a ziploc, which maybe helped. The TSA guys on both sides gave me the "xray- won't hurt it" spiel, but I just told em I had a lot of film of mixed types and would rather be safe. May have helped it was all 120, perhaps the uneducated thought it may be something "special".

Using Rolleiflex, an oddity?

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Using Rolleiflex, an oddity?

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