Any Rolleiflex TLR users here?

[jshelly]

Just purchased a Rollei F 2.8 Planar from a friend of a friend that used it as his backup for weddings from days gone by.

Just had it CLA'd and replaced the focusing screen with a maxwell and I'm in love with the camera.

I must be crazy, I've gone from digital back to mf film.

🙂

 

[Scarpia]

What about the Agfa Flexilette.

http://www.enter-net.de/auktion/photo/248fexilette.htm

Im interested to know about the 35 mm TLR.

Thanks 😉

I have one of these which I bought new in Germany more than forty years ago. It seems to still work perfectly including the slow speeds, however I haven't taken a picture with it in many years. The waist level viewfinder with eye level magnifier easily converts to a sports finder in addition to which there is a split image rangefinder built into the viewfinder.
The camera is all metal and weighs a ton. The Apotar lens is a three element lens, but quite sharp, nevertheless. When I first joined RFF I posted a picture of my flexilette, but as I am in my summer home now I don't have access to it at the moment. I also have the special UV filter which fits over the entire lens assembly.
Kurt M.

 

[ajvo]

Hello, I also an avid user of Rolleiflex cameras (I collect then too) Picture result with this camera is absolutely fantastic. Give a look at my Rollei collection in my website www.sheafferscorner.com
Most of my cameras are Canon LTM and also some Nikon Rangefinder.
Good luck with your beautiful rolleiflex
Antonio

 

[x-ray]

Used Rollei TLR's since the mid 60's.
Mostly for fun now.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=5045

 

[harry01562]

pricing

pricing

"I am looking at a 2.8 F Planar 120/220. What kind of price range do these generally go for?

I just found one on a weekend trip. Stopped into a photo shop that I remembered had some used gear (in a mall, no less). First thing that caught my eye was a pretty Rollie. It's a 2.8F 120/220 with working meter. It has some cosmetic issues, but lens looks great, and functions all seem to work fine. Price was very reasonable, and I took it home. I paid under $500 Canadian. If I had left it at that price, I would have hurt all the way home.
It's here with my 3.5E Xenotar, a Yashicamat and (2) Ansco Automatic Reflex model 2's. The last because I read about them when they first came out, and WANTED one. They are beautiful cameras, but the lenses are just good. The Rollie lenses are probably as good as I'll ever use.
Now I just have to run some film through the new stuff that's starting to clutter my clutter.... and I'm sure most of you know what I mean.
This thread has been fun, and it seems a lot of us RF'ers are TLR'ers, also.

Harry

 

[Pherdinand]

a 2.8F with working meter, for 500$? Canadian?? In a shop??? Man, you made the deal of the year there.

 

[harry01562]

deal

deal

a 2.8F with working meter, for 500$? Canadian?? In a shop??? Man, you made the deal of the year there.

:angel:

My Xmas present. And I thought the same thing. I almost didn't buy it, being broke, as usual.... Some things you gotta do.

Harry

 

[Russ]

Joe, something I've been seriously thinking about for my Seagull is one of those binocular harnesses you can find in sporting goods shops instead of a neck strap or a grip. Might look a little goofy but it's gotta be better than a sore neck from hanging a brick around it.

Doug

I put a standard Tamrac camera strap on my Yashicamat. It works great. It's their better leather padded one that I use for all of my SLR's. I made the attched snap, of a guest at a wedding reception shoot. She is learning to use her new "Mat".

Russ

 

[DougK]

Good job Russ, bringing another one into the fold 😀

I usually use a neoprene strap for mine, and finally figured out that if I make the strap longer, I can sling it diagonally across my chest and let my shoulder take the weight; it'll even reduce the camera bouncing around while I move about :bang:. Novel concept, I know. For all the good grades I got in school, sometimes it's the simple stuff that really throws me for a loop.

 

[Uncle Fester]

I have a Rolleiflex 2.8E with the Xenotar lens. It is an incredible shooter. I don't want to start a Planar vs Xenotar war, so I'll just say that the Xenotar is a very fine lens, and let it go at that. The reason I got a Rollei with the Schneider lens rather than the Zeiss was a question of availability. I wanted a 2.8 Rollei and this was the first good one that came along that I could afford.

Mike

 

[wyk_penguin]

I am curious about where you guys (and gals) get modern straps for your TLRs. I mean those with the Rollei style strap lugs.

I found out about Op-tech, but they are $$$. So does anyone know how they perform? And is a second hand Rollei strap any good? (the scissors clip looks scary..)

 

[palabras]

I am curious about where you guys (and gals) get modern straps for your TLRs. I mean those with the Rollei style strap lugs.

I found out about Op-tech, but they are $$$. So does anyone know how they perform? And is a second hand Rollei strap any good? (the scissors clip looks scary..)

good question: i need one too. the leather one i have seems to be so fragile...

 

[FrankS]

Yes those clips look scary but they work perfectly. If you have an old leather strap with the clips and you no longer trust the leather, replace it with a nylon camera strap. Drill out the rivets holing the old leather strap in and fasten the clips to the new nylon strap. You can use a small heated nail to melt holes into the nylon strap ends (prevents fraying). Use rivets again, or very small nuts and bolts. I know of no substitution for those clips. It has tken me years of keeping my eyes open to finally find them (here at RFF.)

 

[Ash]

Anyone seen that link to DIY'ing things like the dot of tape for a rangefinder patch?

Just realised - they had a paragraph about using ringpulls from cans. you can always use them to allow any 1cm thick strap to work through rollei strap lugs. Just down to your trust of aluminium 🙂

 

[ndnbrunei]

Rolleiflex straps

Rolleiflex straps

I have a Rolleiflex 2.8F that came without a strap so I bought an original one through eBay. It looks great and the crocodile clip mechanisms are fun to play with, but I discovered that I don't want to trust my camera to such a thin piece of leather (even if it is the original item) so now it sits in the cupboard!

Recently i purchased an Op/Tech "Super Classic Strap" which cost me about $14 US (bought it in Singapore) and I have adapted it so I is permanently attached (I used strong cord which I tied in loops to the lugs on the Rolleiflex, I then threaded the Op/Tech strap ends through these and fixed them). The end result is an excellent super strong strap with a comfortable non-slip padded section that goes around your neck or over your shoulder. In my opinion, much better than the original!

Rolleiflex cameras are great. After years of using 35mm, I could not believe the detail in the negatives.

P.S. If you are looking for total camera security, this strap and harness system might suit you.

 

[ndnbrunei]

Missing hyperlink!! oopps!

Missing hyperlink!! oopps!

For a strap and harness system that offers total camera security, you might consider this option...

http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4612619

😉

 

[raid]

I pass.

Raid

 

[rogue_designer]

my daily user is a '59 EIII with the 2.8 Planar. Among my favorite cameras ever.

 

[Vics]

I have two Rolleis, a 1951 model with a F3.5 Xenar and a 1960 model with an F3.5 Xenotar. Both EXCELLENT photos. I think the Xenars were Tessar type lenses built by Schneider rather than Zeiss, but I have read that the two types are indistinguishable in bench tests. Schneider stepped in to take up the slack when Zeiss couldn't keep up with demand. Now, the Triotars on the 'Cords are another type of lens and I have no experience with them.
For repairs and CLA, Harry Fleenor is your man at Oceanside Camera Repair in Manhattan Beach CA. You might want to change the focusing screen out for a Maxwell or Beattie. Harry sells the Maxwells, I think.
After a darkroom session last night, I told my wife that I always felt that Rollei negatives had more to offer than my skills are up to.
Good luck!

 

[rolleistef]

I've got a RolleiflexT. It's the most wonderful camera ever. Ever! The lens sharpness is just incredible. The general design is beautiful, the ergonomic too, the weight as well, the focusing just perfect, the shutter... slightly clicky (esp. the mecanism), the viewfinder is bright and huuuuge, and the advance crank so funny! You know what I mean... 😉
Unfortunetely, it once fell on the floor and, even though it's an incredibly rugged camera (it still work perfectly), the rounded part (I had removed the back) on the bottom back, where the light seal takes effect, broke. I managed to fix it more or less, but it causes light leaks... got to do something more serious :S