Want to Buy WTB: Rolleiflex 3.5F or Rolleiflex 2.8E

Helge said:

Dropping a brand new Rollei and getting lucky, is entirely different from manhandling a sixty year old camera with aging of materials and several decades of vibration and operation.

The case is probably going to be ok, if visibly good, but the mirror alignment, the shutter, the lens and other mechanics depends on the random temperament and intelligence of previous owners.

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Should have noted that I bought camera used.
My study was destroyed by fire three years ago. Rollei survived fire, and after thorough professional cleaning to remove soot, back to normal, except that meter is o longer accurate.
I had a friend who assembled Rolleis in Germany. Years ago he tweaked my shutter mechanism, so that camera was even better than new.

I bought a 2.8E knowing it had lens separation around the edge but the price reflected it. Everything else on the camera looked excellent and have never seen any affects in photos. If and when it gets worse or starts showing in pictures I will attempt to re-glue the elements myself and if that doesn't work the rest of the camera will be worth close to what I paid for parts. I did have a 2.8C at one point that looked like hell but had the Schneider lens and worked great. Wish I kept that one.

campy51 said:

I bought a 2.8E knowing it had lens separation around the edge but the price reflected it. Everything else on the camera looked excellent and have never seen any affects in photos. If and when it gets worse or starts showing in pictures I will attempt to re-glue the elements myself and if that doesn't work the rest of the camera will be worth close to what I paid for parts. I did have a 2.8C at one point that looked like hell but had the Schneider lens and worked great. Wish I kept that one.

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How did you like the C, I just acquired one but it definitely needs a lens cleaning

Srahimian24 said:

How did you like the C, I just acquired one but it definitely needs a lens cleaning

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I likes it because of the Schneider lens. It was very sharp with good contrast.

I have a 3.5F Planar that I'd like to sell. It's been in my family since purchased new in the 60s. I inherited it and recently had it CLAed by Paul Ebel. He was not able to fix the meter, which he said is pretty common. Everything else works great.

I've shot a fair amount with it over the years, before it became mine, and always enjoyed it. But except for occasional use of a Holga, I mainly shoot 35mm. So I've decided to let it go.

John

Sorry, I missed that this was a really old and already resolved comment, please delete or ignore my message
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I own a 3.5E and would never swap it for any F, 3.5 or 2.8, because the really important feature to me is the exposure lock. I learned how to operate medium format cameras with a Hasselblad and I started to think and work in EVs at that time, so any medium format waist level finder camera must offer the option of setting exposure based on an EV scale and it must be able to lock it for me to be really happy with it.

Could I do without? Of course. But I love and use the function much more than any of the newer features an F might offer. I have to say though that the screen was terrible and has been replaced by a Maxwell screen when I had it serviced by Harry Fleenor some years ago during lengthy construction job in the USA.

I would be interested in a 2.8E, but the additional weight and the high price tag keep me from it, since I honestly do not think that it will offer that much benefits over my 3.5E (Xenotar, btw)

Srahimian24 said:

This is very interesting information! Thanks for all the help.

I found a 3.5F type 3, the lenses are in great shape, leather is a little worn but not too worried about that.

If anyone has a 2.8C I would be interested in one, thanks again everyone

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davela…..has a 2c. Good seller. Give him a ring.