Who else here travels with their Rolleiflex?

JWMster · Mar 7, 2018

I'm a fan of a monopod, but yeah... I do that, too. 1/30 with an RF and probably TLR and (maybe) a SLR with mirror up. Slower than that and it's mo' bettah luck.
Looking into even smaller, more portable and light weight supports for travel, too. You can blow a bunch of $'s with trials... so I haven't yet.

taomeister · Mar 7, 2018

TheFlyingCamera said:
1/30th? I've pulled off 1/8th and even slower hand-held... 1 second if I can brace on something. No slapping mirror also makes a big difference.

That's true, I have attempted 1/8th a few times, but usually only if I'm leaning against something or hold my breath. I would not attempt that with a mirror-slap camera without mirror lock up for sure.

TheFlyingCamera · Mar 7, 2018

taomeister said:
That's true, I have attempted 1/8th a few times, but usually only if I'm leaning against something or hold my breath. I would not attempt that with a mirror-slap camera without mirror lock up for sure.

Believe it or not, I've done that with an RZ67, pointed straight up, no less...If it wasn't 1/8th, it was no faster than 1/15th. So it can be done, but you have to have rock-steady hands. Which apparently I do.

Down Under · Mar 7, 2018

Second post for me. A late(r) model Rolleicord (V* series) with a 16 exposure kit (or a 24 exposure kit is super economy is your goal with film is your goal), a lens hood, one or two B&W filters and a UV, would be a perfect minimalist travel outfit. Even with a small monopod/tripod added, the total weight would still be bearable on treks and the lot will easily fit into a backpack even with a laptop.

Carrying an RB or RZ on an overseas trip would be the end of me...

Food for thought.

TheFlyingCamera · Mar 8, 2018

ozmoose said:
Second post for me. A late(r) model Rolleicord (V* series) with a 16 exposure kit (or a 24 exposure kit is super economy is your goal with film is your goal), a lens hood, one or two B&W filters and a UV, would be a perfect minimalist travel outfit. Even with a small monopod/tripod added, the total weight would still be bearable on treks and the lot will easily fit into a backpack even with a laptop.

Carrying an RB or RZ on an overseas trip would be the end of me...

Food for thought.

The RZ is not the horrible beast to carry you'd imagine, but the Rollei is definitely lighter and more convenient. I've hauled the RZ and three lenses and two backs to Mexico City (see above image). And in an earlier incarnation, I took a Hasselblad with three lenses, three backs, and a Hassy Superwide to Spain. My point is not to derail the focus on travel with a Rollei (I've taken the 2.8E, the Tele, and a Lomo Belair X/6-12 to Italy, and to Mexico, which is also a bagful), but just to say that travel with medium format in general is not the back-breaking ordeal lots of folks make it out to be.

Sirius Glass · Mar 8, 2018

TheFlyingCamera said:
,,, but just to say that travel with medium format in general is not the back-breaking ordeal lots of folks make it out to be.

+1

Down Under · Mar 9, 2018

Okay... I stand corrected.

But I will still travel with my Rollei - no big deal, it's just that I don't own an RZ!

TheFlyingCamera · Mar 9, 2018

ozmoose said:
Okay... I stand corrected.

But I will still travel with my Rollei - no big deal, it's just that I don't own an RZ!

I don't think anyone here would discourage you from travelling with a Rolleiflex - they're awesome travel cameras. Whatever you travel with, do please post shots from your travel here when you get back!

film_man · Mar 15, 2018

I've been taking a medium format camera pretty much with me ever since I got into medium format gear. I've travelled with my Hasselblad, Bronica SQB, Mamiya C330 and even the RB67. I have always carried a 35mm camera as backup, in case of failure. Having just got a Rollei myself I look forward to taking it with me in a couple of weeks on a trip. I have top say, the Rollei is probably the smallest of them all I have had and smaller than some of the 35mm cameras I carried around (think F5).

JWMster · Mar 15, 2018

film_man: Which Rollei (since you have a 6008 and(?) a TLR)? Just curious.

film_man · Mar 15, 2018

JWMster said:
film_man: Which Rollei (since you have a 6008 and(?) a TLR)? Just curious.

I meant the TLR as this is what the thread started about. The 6008 is a paperweight right now.

Tubaphone27 · Mar 21, 2018

My Rolleiflex 3.5E is my primary medium format travel camera. I have a Mamiya 645 1000s with prism, meter, and power winder but the Rolleiflex is so much lighter and covers 90% of my needs that the Mamiya stays at home more often.

cluttered · Mar 22, 2018

I've just finished an overseas trip with a Rolleiflex 3.5F. At this stage I've developed the film rolls but have yet to print from them.

As a travel camera, it's a little heavy, but other than that it worked well. Ideally I'd take my Pentax 67ii, but then I'd also need to take at least a couple of lenses, so this time I kept it simple with the Rollei. I'd happily take it with me on a future trip. For metering, I used the inbuilt meter when I was in a hurry, but when practical I'd use my Gossen Digisix 2 which is tiny but accurate.

iakustov · Mar 23, 2018

I have been to Rio in October last year and brought Rollleiflex 2.8D with me. I was asked many times by other tourists what the camera was and how cool it was to shoot with such an old camera now.
Mine is in perfect condition for its age, and I think it could outlast even my children.
I took Manfrotto Compact MKC3-H02 tripod, Minolta autometer III with spot attachment, cable release and bay III to 46mm adapter with filters. In the end it was very compact as if I have taken 35mm RF camera with lenses with me.

dodphotography · Mar 26, 2018

I shot 21 rolls in France recently with two Rolleis (2.8C and a GX). While I’m new to Rolleiflex I’ve handled about every type of camera you could think of. While I loved the results from the trip, I don’t enjoy handholding a Rollei. I find the process of framing to be awkward and much prefer a Hasselblad. However, I was able to shoot at low speeds and I haven’t been able to make handheld pictures in a long time. While I certainly prefer tripod work it was so liberating to be away from One on this trip.

JWMster · Mar 26, 2018

dod: Was it the WLF that you didn't like (and the backwards-ness of it), or do you just prefer an SLR... straight ahead view?

Uncle Bill · Apr 28, 2018

I've traveled to New York City on a few occasions with a Rolleicord IV and either an Olympus OM-1n or a Leica M4-2 and it has to be the perfect travel kit because my bag can fit under the airline seat.

Argenticien · May 1, 2018

Hats off to you for accomplishing this handheld. I've made nearly the same photo at a cathedral in Spain (https://flic.kr/p/K2Gghh), with a Bronica S2, but not handheld. I propped the camera upon a pew, pointing straight up, and used a release cable. (There also exists an iPhone snap by my wife, from minutes later, showing me standing next to a large, multi-lingual "Quiet Please!" sign in said cathedral with the distinctly non-quiet Bronica.)

To the original question: I have a 'flex 2.8E, but I do not do much major travel with it. The Rollei inspires in me a bit of FOMO WRT wide-angle compositions, being limited to the fixed 80mm lens. With the Bronica, I carry the normal lens and a 50mm (and may some day get a 40mm) so I know I have the flexibility to shoot wide. The weight penalty is, obviously, substantial. As a lesser concern, also my 'flex is somewhat a family heirloom, and travel offers so many ways to have things lost or stolen. I by no means regard the Bronica as disposable, but it would not as much break my heart if it were lost, and it's cheaper to replace than the Rolleiflex.

--Dave

TheFlyingCamera said:
Believe it or not, I've done that with an RZ67, pointed straight up, no less...If it wasn't 1/8th, it was no faster than 1/15th. So it can be done, but you have to have rock-steady hands. Which apparently I do.

Who else here travels with their Rolleiflex?

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Who else here travels with their Rolleiflex?

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