Any Rolleiflex TLR users here?

One MF TLR I haven't seen mentioned is Seagull. I have a model 4A-109 and it's been a great shooter for me. They have a reputation for somewhat spotty quality control but mine seems to have come out of the factory on a good day and I'd say it was worth the purchase price. Sharp lens, at least on mine.

I love the output of the camera but I don't shoot with it as much as it deserves, but I haul it out when I'm in the mood to "get serious".
 
This is a quickie scan of a print from my Seagull. This is one of the few from this roll that doesn't show light leaks. I discovered when I finished the roll that it hadn't wound onto the takeup spool evenly, my fault for being in a hurry when I loaded it and not getting it aligned right on the edge; the color roll I shot just before this was perfect.
 
Just got a first scan from the FP4+ on the Rolleicord yesterday at the Ciutadella Park. Exposed at EI 250 in Diafine, one think I LOVE about FP4 in 120 is they finally came out with a sticky label... in mint flavour ! No more 'ecs...' taste while sealing your exposed roll :)
 
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Lebenon is about as far into the woods as you can get in CT. I needed to pick up my son at school, and just jumped on a back road which I though was going in the right direction (it eventually did). As I drove past farms, an old auto junk yard (looks like a good photo adventure) and lots of woods, I came across an old shack right on the side of the road and had to stop. I thought this may turn out to be a mistake because as soon as I got out of my car 3 guys in full camo strolled out of the brush, guns in hand. They apparently had an unsuccessful day hunting and just hopped into a pick up and drove off. Well, the shack was falling down, the roof was half collapsed, one wall was down, and this is what I found inside. As I went back to my car I heard some noise in a field. I was semi afraid to look for fear of getting my head blown off, but there were about 12 turkeys bopping around looking for something to eat. As I drove away 2 deer crossed the road infront of me. I guess the home team won that day.

Yashica Mat 124G on Kodak VC 160.
 
Nice shots, everyone!!

Hmmmm. There *is* a real affinity between RF's and TLR's. I wonder if we should have a TLR gallery (??)

Gene
 
Doug 2, the Rollei SL66 is a very funky camera! A classic. I would love one of those, but I suppose I don't really need another camera.
 
Nice shots, indeed! Taffer, it seems the Yashica will go to a good place :) I should try FP4 once in 120 format...

I have some wicked techpan, 2 rolls, a bit over their lifetime...maybe this weekend i'll run it through the rolleicord. Just who will develop it correctly...?And what EI should i use for a manageable contrast...?
 
I agree with Gene, there does indeed seem to be a large number of us that use TLRs as well as RFs. I wonder if this is a natural tendency of the folks here being more likely to appreciate older camera equipment in general, the fact that we can obtain RFs and TLRs fairly inexpensively and thus simply shoot with what we can afford, or a combination of the previous factors. In my case, I picked up a TLR because it was one of the cheapest ways to get into MF. I started into RF because I wanted a better quality fixed lens in a compact camera than the current crop of point-and-shoots offers.
 
... I probably threw any prospect of resale out to window

Not so! Just let me know. (I wouldn't mind seeing a photo of your modified SL66.)

Great kitty shot, Doug!
 
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"you're right -- threading 120 film can be a bit tricky when you're used to 35mm..."

I'll say --I can load about three rolls of 36 exposure 35 mm film in the time it takes me to load a single 120/620 roll. I even lit incense wands to the film-tank-loading-deity, only to fog the film with little burning incense glowing end dots!:D
 
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One of the most useful features of any TLR is being able to keep your head up and both eyes open when you are shooting. I shot this toward the end of a wedding reception with a Mamiya C330 and 80mm lens. I had the camera focused and the photo already framed when out of the corner of my eye I saw a bridesmaid start elbowing and pushing her way toward the front. She lunged at the bouquet and I shot just as I saw her arms reach out in the viewfinder and the bouquet start to arc down.

I don't think I would have gotten the shot at all with an SLR and with a rangefinder I probably wouldn't have been able to time the shot as well since I couldn't have seen the unexpected movement outside of the frame.

Mamiya C330, 80/2.8 MamiyaSekor, Sunpak 544, 220 Fuji NPS.

-Paul
 
A winter evening shot from our 12th floor apt balconey in Toronto in 1974. Ektachrome transparency with my Rollei 3.5F Planar TLR.

Gene
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Rolleicord V (bought 2 years ago used) and Yashica D (bought used around 1980)-great for portraits
 
I have no personal experience with any TLR except my Yashica 635. But I am told that the Minolta Autocord is a fine weapon, and the Airesflex Z, though rare, sometimes shows up - some of them had Nikor lenses on them (marked as such). Supposedly quite sharp.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Great photos everybody ! I love that cat and that wedding shot ! :)

Thanks for the tips on loading 120 film I'll try some of them. What surprised me about FP4 is that Ilford got a step ahead and put mint flavour in the sealing sticky paper, cool and nice detail from them !

The Autocord is also on my list and I was really interested in them some time ago, their only weak point seems to be the focusing lever, built on Zamak (even though on my previous job I saw that material daily in the shape of kitchen cabinet handles), but I hope someday I'll get a good deal on one.

I'm now waiting to use that Yashinon on Pherdi's Yashica D, hehe ;)
 
I've a seagull myself that's only seen one roll but it's a blast to use! Really fun and different from what I"m used to. And for anyone looking to try TLRs w/o busting the bank I suggest looking at Seagulls. you can get a brand new one for only about US $90 or so.
 
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