Would you buy this?

baachitraka · Apr 16, 2021

Nitroplait · Apr 16, 2021

With no other information but that photo? No!
What is the point of asking that? It should be obvious that without information about pricing and return privileges etc. nobody in their right mind would buy any camera.

baachitraka · Apr 16, 2021

https://www.ebay.de/itm/ROLLEICORD-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

There many be someone who prefer to buy the beater and send it for a CLA and use it as a second body.

mshchem · Apr 16, 2021

Buy a Mamiya C series

Ernst-Jan · Apr 16, 2021

For €18 yes... But I think it will need quite some money before it's ready to use.

baachitraka · Apr 16, 2021

For complete CLA it may cost ~15x the current bidding amount.

Down Under · Apr 16, 2021

It depends. After a good dusting and a (gentle) wash, it may surprise its new owner.

The OP has not given us much information to go by. It is a buy it now, and if so for how much? What is the starting bid, 99 cents or $300? Was there any text along with the image? Details, please.

Rolleicords are built like Panzer tanks. A Vb I bought for A$95 some years ago looked equally bad. I found it was generally quite okay, and after I had spent a bit of time cleaning the body and removing the rust (like on mine, the rust on this baby looks to be only on the surface anyway), I put it thru its paces and found everything on it was working. Both lenses were clear (those on the above image seem quite unblemished as well, beneath the dust and grime) and surprisingly all the shutter speeds worked even tho it had been in a bag for 10+ years.

So yes, maybe. It would depend on the price. Start at $25 and see what happens.

However, it is true that a good CLA will cost several fortunes more than I would expect to pay for the camera. So LTBB...

BMbikerider · Apr 16, 2021

The picture has a lot of detail but also a lot of dust and a few stains. (Inside the lower filter bayonet) If the shutter speeds were OK and the crap on the lenses was only surface dirt I may consider it. I would also like a look inside the body and at the focussing screen as well.

baachitraka · Apr 16, 2021

I have requested few more photos inside and as well as the focusing screen. Yet to get a reply...

Wayne · Apr 16, 2021

Yes I'd buy it at that price, but only if I knew how to CLA it myself because it looks like its gonna need it. With no returns, I'd want to be sure I wasn't throwing away more than 25 bucks on a possibly unfixable project.

grat · Apr 16, 2021

Honestly, I look at that camera, and think it's been neglected. It's been exposed to moisture, it's scuffed-- not that these are necessarily terrible, but anytime someone says "I don't know how to test it", I assume the worst, and the lack of pictures of the focusing screen bothers me.

And a pet peeve, it wouldn't take that much to blow/brush some grunge off the lenses.

ic-racer · Apr 16, 2021

I already have one. In fact I had not used it for a while and just processed a roll from it yesterday. I have been thinking my 80mm AF Xenotar on my Hy6 is so sharp. But wow, that Xenar, at is optimum apertures, is just as good to my eye.

Andrew O'Neill · Apr 16, 2021

No. I have enough square format TL cameras, in much better condition.

Grim Tuesday · Apr 17, 2021

ic-racer said:
I already have one. In fact I had not used it for a while and just processed a roll from it yesterday. I have been thinking my 80mm AF Xenotar on my Hy6 is so sharp. But wow, that Xenar, at is optimum apertures, is just as good to my eye.

I think Xenars are one of those lenses with a lot of sample variation that leads to divergent opinions on it. I am in the same boat as you: I have heard plenty of bad things about it, but mine is quite impressive by f5.6 and just about as good as Hasselblad/Rollei planars by f8ish. I almost can't believe I took this picture with it because the small details are so sharp: https://www.flickr.com/photos/132764966@N03/48477618741/in/dateposted-public/

With respect to OP's question, eBay auctions always increase a lot in value in the last hours and minutes. I would buy it for $20, but it's probably going to sell for closer to $75. I don't know if I would buy it for that price.

baachitraka · Apr 17, 2021

I expect the price to shoot all the way up to €100 or more than that.

gone · Apr 17, 2021

Personally, I wouldn't buy it because I prefer the Triotar lens models. You can look at pics from sharp Tessar type lenses all day long, but the 3 element Triotar has a unique signature. Much better for portraits. I've been thinking of buying another one for just that purpose.

baachitraka · Apr 17, 2021

momus said:
Personally, I wouldn't buy it because I prefer the Triotar lens models. You can look at pics from sharp Tessar type lenses all day long, but the 3 element Triotar has a unique signature. Much better for portraits. I've been thinking of buying another one for just that purpose.

True. I got one and they are so good for portraits and prefer to shoot wide-open or just a stop down to have the wonderful swirl bokeh and soft.

Recently picked proxar for closeups.

baachitraka · Apr 18, 2021

There are many brave heads there...

Wayne · Apr 18, 2021

Were you the bravest?

baachitraka · Apr 18, 2021

That said, "Sorry you missed out on this item"

Wayne · Apr 18, 2021

baachitraka said:
That said, "Sorry you missed out on this item"

So the answer is no.

Down Under · Apr 18, 2021

The camera is worth about A$100 (in Aussie dollars) for parts alone. Bits and pieces are often sought after by home repairers and even camera repair shops have one or two old bodies which they cannibalise for parts. The camera back, the ground glass and mirror would be two items a canny buyer could resell quickly on Ebay.

There are times when one has to think laterally. But I do agree, paying more than say $75 for this beast would be a risk.

Would you buy this?

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