Help! Is my Rolleiflex working right?

[x-ray]

Ok I got my 3.5F out and checked. When you're in the green numbers for example green 8 seconds you can't open your aperture up past f8. At green 15 seconds you can't open up past f11 and green 30seconds you can't open up past f16. When you move the shutter speed to 1 second or shorter (red 1 to 1/500) you can set the aperture at any f stop.

Your camera is operating correctly. Set your shutter speed at the red 1/60 and you should be able to set any f stop.

 

[KoNickon]

Great work, x-ray -- I learned something. I've never played with the green numbers before. Let's hope the original poster's problem is hereby solved!

 

[x-ray]

Great work, x-ray -- I learned something. I've never played with the green numbers before. Let's hope the original poster's problem is hereby solved!

If that doesn't work then there's a problem. The differential gear system that couples all of that data with the aperture, shutter wheel and meter is one complicated little device. Mine is shightly out of sync. It still functions but I'm going to send it to a tech to get it functioning properly. It's actually a planetary gear system much like the differential in your car but very small.

I learned something too. I was not aware that there was a coupling or lock on a few of the early f's. I've owned several and never seen or read a reference to that. I can always learn something new.

Hope this works!

 

[sr1200]

Does your camera has a an exposure meter? If it does check this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHZDc1w7o7Y

I so hoped this would work, but alas, it didn't fix it.

 

[sr1200]

Ok I got my 3.5F out and checked. When you're in the green numbers for example green 8 seconds you can't open your aperture up past f8. At green 15 seconds you can't open up past f11 and green 30seconds you can't open up past f16. When you move the shutter speed to 1 second or shorter (red 1 to 1/500) you can set the aperture at any f stop.

Your camera is operating correctly. Set your shutter speed at the red 1/60 and you should be able to set any f stop.

Opposite with mine now. BEFORE the CLA, I recall it worked just as you describe. NOW, I can set any green shutter speed, 2 sec to 60 sec, and also any aperture. However, I cannot select "any" aperture when I am in the red (fractional) shutter speeds. Example, MAX for 1/60 is f8. The camera will not go to 1/125, 1/250, or 1/500.

I tried the trick in the video posted earlier and thought for sure it was the culprit, but alas it is not. I will have to send it in for repair. 😡

 

[x-ray]

Did it work properly when you got it back from the cla? I've been inside mine and can't understand how that could happen. I'm not doubting your word but am totally puzzled. It's a complex mechanism but very straight forward in the way it works.

When you're in the 2-30second range does the shutter fire? If it fires it it bulb or an actual timed shutter speed like 1/2 second or so?

 

[sr1200]

Honestly, I don't know the answer. At the time I was living in Korea (earlier this year) and was referred to a "very qualified Rolleiflex repairman" in Seoul. I only had about two weeks before I was to return to the US but thought "ok, I'll knock this off the list). Never caught the issue.


I just made a video. it's crappy but you'll get the point. Once I get it uploaded I'll put the URL up.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

We are all rooting for you sr1200!

 

[sr1200]

https://youtu.be/m7NI_pifYfs. Here you go!

 

[Dan Daniel]

OK, look, the meter coupling was not set right when the camera was reassembled. It needs to have the front panel pulled, the meter coupling gears, aperture, and shutter speed all set to specific places for re-assemby.

It needs to go to the shop. Sorry, but this is just how it is.

Take a look at this- https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rolleiflex...957606?hash=item466fb6bce6:g:1v4AAOSwsS1Zi7~o

It is the part that connects the aperture and shutter dials to the meter block on the side. Just to give you an idea of what is going on. The limits in motion are actualy coming from the meter coupling, not the aperture and shutter dials themselves.

 

[x-ray]

OK, look, the meter coupling was not set right when the camera was reassembled. It needs to have the front panel pulled, the meter coupling gears, aperture, and shutter speed all set to specific places for re-assemby.

It needs to go to the shop. Sorry, but this is just how it is.

Take a look at this- https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rolleiflex...957606?hash=item466fb6bce6:g:1v4AAOSwsS1Zi7~o

It is the part that connects the aperture and shutter dials to the meter block on the side. Just to give you an idea of what is going on. The limits in motion are actualy coming from the meter coupling, not the aperture and shutter dials themselves.

I'm pretty certain you're correct about this. I opened up my 3.5F to disassemble and clean the lens and encountered the same issue when reassembling. Let me first say and please excuse how I state it, "It's a reAl bitch" reassembling the front but I did it. It took about 3 hours to figure out how to re engage the self timer and get the aperture, shutter speeds and planetary gear all back in sync. It turns out the wheels are spring loaded which complicate things.

For a good tech it shouldn't take 30 minutes to fix. It's not major fortunately.