Which Medium Format Camera Meets My Needs?

baachitraka · Dec 13, 2024

albireo said:
Ah wow I think I paid 80 euro shipped for mine some years ago. To be honest, on my Va I have a cheaper Chinese screen bought off ebay which is also a massive improvement over the old stock screen. I will look up the seller I used and share

Do you have that original Va screen with you now?

albireo · Dec 13, 2024

baachitraka said:
Do you have that original Va screen with you now?

I've just moved so it's probably here somewhere, but I'd have to check where.

I think this is the guy I used for the mirror some time ago, hope it's fine to post a link https://www.ebay.de/usr/marty1107.

I see there are other options now, and some of them are in the EU.

baachitraka · Dec 13, 2024

albireo said:
I've just moved so it's probably here somewhere, but I'd have to check where.

I think this is the guy I used for the mirror some time ago, hope it's fine to post a link https://www.ebay.de/usr/marty1107.

I see there are other options now, and some of them are in the EU.

I am interested on that original Va focusing screen and if you are selling please consider me as potential buyer and like to see the photos of screen, if possible.

baachitraka · Dec 13, 2024

albireo said:
I've just moved so it's probably here somewhere, but I'd have to check where.

I think this is the guy I used for the mirror some time ago, hope it's fine to post a link https://www.ebay.de/usr/marty1107.

I see there are other options now, and some of them are in the EU.

Thanks for that ebay link.

runswithsizzers · Dec 13, 2024

baachitraka said:
Focusing on the ground glass should be sharp albeit not so bright and uniform.

Did you unscrew those four screws to remove the hood?

Curious to see some photos of the camera...

Once I learned how the focusing hood is attached, I had no problems getting it off. I did notice someone has replaced one of the four slotted pan head screws with a flat head cross-point/Phillips drive screw. I should have measured the diameter and pitch while I had them out.

I think I will take the hood off again, and try to clean the haze/film off of the mirror. The haze seems to be slightly oily or waxy?

I am sitting with a sick relative today. Maybe tomorrow I can get few photos of the camera, and also take some photos with the camera!

runswithsizzers · Dec 14, 2024

I was able to use my new Rolleicord V to take a few shots today. (click on the photo above if you want to see more)

Below is a photo of the mirror. The streaks on the mirror glass were made by a soft hair brush I use to dust off negatives. Not sure what kind of haze it is, but seems to be slightly oily(?) After I finish the test roll, I think I will try to clean the mirror. If I screw it up, hopefully a replacement mirror will not be too expensive(?)

Sirius Glass · Dec 14, 2024

Looks like you got a good one! Enjoy!

baachitraka · Dec 15, 2024

Yes, look very good. Carefully clean the mirror and do not loose those screws.

Good after market focus screens are expensive but the cheaper ones are bright but difficult to see since those Fresnel lines are more pronounced.

henryvk · Dec 16, 2024

Idk about the fancy focusing screens but I've never had an issue with my ~25€ one from China. It has a split-prism which works exactly like you expect a prism to work.

albireo · Dec 16, 2024

henryvk said:
Idk about the fancy focusing screens but I've never had an issue with my ~25€ one from China. It has a split-prism which works exactly like you expect a prism to work.

I have one of those too. They're good, but the Oleson screens with the microprism patch in the centre (no split screen in my sample) has the uncanny ability to really lock into focus perfectly on my cameras. 80 euros well spent IME.

baachitraka · Dec 16, 2024

henryvk said:
Idk about the fancy focusing screens but I've never had an issue with my ~25€ one from China. It has a split-prism which works exactly like you expect a prism to work.

But the area apart from split-screen are kind of very difficult to see through these after market screens (this is my experience)

If money is not the problem then go for the expensive ones or stay with the ground glass.

baachitraka · Dec 16, 2024

albireo said:
I have one of those too. They're good, but the Oleson screens with the microprism patch in the centre (no split screen in my sample) has the uncanny ability to really lock into focus perfectly on my cameras. 80 euros well spent IME.

How about the area outside of the microprism?

albireo · Dec 16, 2024

baachitraka said:
How about the area outside of the microprism?

I am not sure actually. I never use the area outside the microprism to focus.

I'll mostly keep the camera at belly height, look down AND pull up the magnifying loupe. At the height I keep the camera, this results in only, and exactly, the microprism circle of the image being visible through the magnifier. The area outside the microprism is not visible. That's how I focus on what I find relevant. I'll then recompose and shoot.

I will try your method and let you know.

henryvk · Dec 16, 2024

Huh, I never thought about *not* using the loupe to focus but maybe I'm an outlier here.

Do people do that?

runswithsizzers · Dec 16, 2024

So far, I have used the factory ground glass on my Rolleicord V for only one roll of film, so my mind is not yet made up.

My initial impressions are:
a. using the factory ground glass (in combination with the flip-up magnifier), is probably going to be OK for focusing on subjects in the middle of the viewfinder, and,
b. the edges and corners of the viewfinder are so dim, the edges are not only worthless for focusing, but actually are a problem when framing.

I like to compose rather precisely, and I am finding it to be a struggle to see what is happening at the edges of my frame.

baachitraka · Dec 16, 2024

Actually focusing on the ground glass will yield a sharp image albeit uneven brightness and many will prefer to stay with ground glass.

baachitraka · Dec 28, 2024

Update on focus screens: Cheap after market focusing screen with a split-screen is very good for that money.
As mentioned by another photographer here, split-screen helps you to focus anything at the center with ease and if you want to improve the brightness across the screen you can use rolleigrid, provided you can tolerate those Fresnel lines.

runswithsizzers · Dec 28, 2024

I removed the viewfinder from my Rolleicord again today and cleaned some film / haze off of the mirror. I don't know what it was, but it cleaned off pretty good. I will shoot another roll before I decide if cleaning the mirror made it any easier to focus, or if I still want to get a third-party focusing screen.

I would like to know more about the Rolleigrid. I assume those were made out of plastic(?) And any that were made by Rollei are going to be old, possibly dirty/damaged, and probably rare?

Has any third party made a new and improved version of the Rolleigrid? Or is it more practical and effective to just replace the whole ground glass Rollei screen with a third-party plastic focusing screen that has the Fresnel screen built in?

baachitraka · Dec 28, 2024

Rolleigrid is not a permanent attachment rather place it on top of the focusing screen.

Question, Does it improve the brightness across the screen? Yes, but the Fresnel lines are more pronounced so the improvement is compensated by those Fresnel lines.

How much to pay? Perhaps less then 20 euros/dollars.

Kodachromeguy · Dec 28, 2024

runswithsizzers said:
I would like to know more about the Rolleigrid. I assume those were made out of plastic(?) And any that were made by Rollei are going to be old, possibly dirty/damaged, and probably rare?

Ten years ago, I bought a Rolleiflex 3.5E that had its original glass screen with a Rolleigrid on top. The fresnel was coarse and hard for me to use to focus the camera. I recommend you replace your screen with a modern plastic screen. Don't waste time with an add-on grid. Also, make sure the entire optical path from viewing lens to screen is clean.

baachitraka · Dec 29, 2024

Rough comparison between after market screen with and without Rolleigrid vs Original Rolleicord Va (I presume it's original)

1st is original Rolleicord Va, 2nd after market with Rolleigrid and the 3rd without Rolleigrid.

I have removed the original ground glass and I presume it will be even darker.

Very cloudy day here...just for info.

runswithsizzers · Dec 29, 2024

baachitraka said:
Rough comparison between after market screen with and without Rolleigrid vs Original Rolleicord Va (I presume it's original)

1st is original Rolleicord Va, 2nd after market with Rolleigrid and the 3rd without Rolleigrid.

I have removed the original ground glass and I presume it will be even darker.

Very cloudy day here...just for info.

Thank you for posting the examples, but I am having trouble understanding what I am looking at. You say your first photo shows the original viewfinder of a Rolleicord Va. I would be delighted if the viewfinder in my model V looked as bright as what you are showing for the Va. The viewfinder of my Rolleicord V looks much more like your last photo than your first photo.

Does anyone know, Did Rollei really improve the viewfinder screen that much between the Rolleicord V and the Va?

My second question: Your photos seem to show the aftermarket screen resulted in a dimmer viewfinder (compared to the original), which is the opposite of what I would expect. Has it been your experience that the aftermarket screen is not as bright as the original screen in your Va? And if so, which brand of aftermarket screen?

baachitraka · Dec 29, 2024

I just want to show the difference between the usage of Rolleigrid with the after market screen. Many years ago I bought this screen and it is equally bad as original ground glass of Rolleicord II. That said, I have Rolleicord Va and Rolleicord II.

Now I have no idea whether those after market screens have improved in the meantime.

Atleast in the screen in my Rolleicord Va is brighter and uniform and lets see what other owners of Va can say about that...

baachitraka · Dec 29, 2024

runswithsizzers said:
My second question: Your photos seem to show the aftermarket screen resulted in a dimmer viewfinder (compared to the original), which is the opposite of what I would expect. Has it been your experience that the aftermarket screen is not as bright as the original screen in your Va? And if so, which brand of aftermarket screen?

yes, my after market screen is terrible. I left it because of split-image and use occasionally rolleigrid to see what's across the frame and its not so pleasant to shoot that way.

Axelwik · Jan 2, 2025

runswithsizzers said:
Once I learned how the focusing hood is attached, I had no problems getting it off. I did notice someone has replaced one of the four slotted pan head screws with a flat head cross-point/Phillips drive screw. I should have measured the diameter and pitch while I had them out.

I think I will take the hood off again, and try to clean the haze/film off of the mirror. The haze seems to be slightly oily or waxy?

I am sitting with a sick relative today. Maybe tomorrow I can get few photos of the camera, and also take some photos with the camera!

Maybe a little late to the show here, but I had a Mamiya TLR and didn't like it at all and got rid of it. I gave TLRs another chance with a comparatively lighter and smaller model, the Rolleiflex with a 3.5 Tessar and it's a much better camera for me. Much more compact and easier to carry and no interchangeable lenses to futz with. Sometimes I combine it with a Hasselblad SWC if a wide perspective is needed. I have a Hasselblad 500 C/M with several great lenses, but hardly ever use it - might go up for sale soon.

Which Medium Format Camera Meets My Needs?

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