Inherited a Rollei 3.5F

[JohnWolf]

My mother-in-law left me her 3.5F Planar when she passed away. She bought it new in 1961. I used it a few times over the years, but it's been sitting unused on a shelf for the last few decades.

I just got it back from a CLA with Paul Ebel. He cleaned it up very nicely and got everything working well except the meter. The meter is responsive but he could not make it accurate, which he said is common. I'd use a handheld meter, anyway, so no big deal.

I'm not sure yet if I'll keep it. I shoot a Holga for the lo fi look, but am more of a 35mm shooter.

A few shots below from the first test roll after the CLA, all with HP5+.

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[Guy Pinhas]

Great images and a great inheritance! Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[Dan Daniel]

Looks nice.


I'd suggest that you hold on to it fora year or so. See if it grows on you. Run a roll through it every few weeks. You might start to enjoy working a bit slower with a different look and feel than a Holga. And when it comes to medium format, that Rollei is about as good as it gets. There are different cameras out there 'equal' to the Rollei F, but nothing better.

 

[Agiknee]

Looks great! Thanks to your post I looked up Paul And gave him a call, he’s a wonderful guy to talk to. Gonna send him my 3.5f. I’ve been meaning to get a CLA. I was going to sell it but I recently realized that it’s too beautiful of a camera to let go. I got mine for close to peanuts 15 years ago and have been shooting it since.

Enjoy that camera !

 

[JohnWolf]

Thank you, guys.

Dan, yours is sensible advice. I'm going to give it a few rolls and maybe try a small project before deciding.

Agiknee, Paul is a respected name in the Rollei TLR service world. He's a great guy to chat with. Good luck with your servicing.

John

 

[Richard G]

Beautiful John. Nice story. Have to hang onto it surely. Petronius’s shots from the year of shooting a little Rollei is a wonderful series. Understand your liking of the Holga. I have Michael Kenna’s book Holga. The front cover image of a white dove against the inky river shadow beneath a bridge is stunning.

 

[Wouter2]

Keep it and use it. A Rolleiflex is demanding and challenges your photography.

 

[Bill Clark]

Thanks for the story of the history of the camera with your family.

Rolleiflex are great cameras. They produce a different style of photography as compared to others, especially the modern cameras.

 

[Richard G]

Looked at your Holga page. Some lovely shots. My favourite is the gym shoe.

 

[teddy]

Strong images. Why don't just keep it until you know how to use it well? The square format will teach you a good photography discipline. Thumbs up.

 

[JohnWolf]

Thanks again, everyone.

Richard, I appreciate your comment about the Holga pics. I started using one when the lockdown began and it's been a wonderful isolation camera. A big fan of the lo fi look.

The thing about the Rollei is that I'm not sure I can find a place for it in my photography. My interest is mainly street/documentary and for that I favor small, light, nimble cameras.

I must say that using this really makes me appreciate what NY Dan and others do with their TLRs on the streets.

John

 

[mccurleyphoto]

John, I viewed your Holga Journal. Very nice images. You have a good eye for the square format and I agree with the advice you received from Dan. Maybe even try a Rollei Journal for a year as well?

 

[raid]

Congrats on the images and on the Rolleiflex 3.5F. I agree with what several people have said above. If you can do it, keep and use the Rolleiflex for a while and see if it grows on you or not. I cherish some old photos of my children that I took with my 2.8D, 3.5F, and Tele-Rolleiflex cameras. The 3.5F is a very good camera.

 

[Dan Daniel]

The thing about the Rollei is that I'm not sure I can find a place for it in my photography. My interest is mainly street/documentary and for that I favor small, light, nimble cameras.

Look at Robert Doisneau's work. Jerome Leibling. Many others. Yes, it is different, but again you might find the difference has some strengths?

One thing I suggest is that you spend time just looking through the viewfinder. Play with it, get used to the reversal. With a little time and practice, it becomes second nature to follow action easily.
And I am still surprised at how people simply do not react to TLRs. I've stood three feet from someone taking a phoot while they look at me and look away without a concern. So sure, it isn't 35mm but you might find that its discipline leads to other interesting images.

 

[Godfrey]

I enjoy your photos, John. You have a singular vision.

I hope you find the Rolleiflex enjoyable at some point. They're lovely old cameras and can make beautiful photos. I had a few Rollei TLRs and used them for years, but sold the last in the early 2000s and went to Hasselblad as I wanted a MF system camera with changeable lenses. I've never regretted doing that, but I do miss my last Rolleiflex MX/Tessar. Although not the match of the 3.5F in performance, the MX was my favorite.

But: "Equipment is transitory. Photographs endure." And your photographs are lovely regardless of what equipment you use. 🙂

G

 

[JohnWolf]

Thanks again, everyone.

With gear I tend to consider it in terms of the funds it represents and if I could make better use of those funds. (Toward a Q2, maybe?) Especially now that I'm retired.

And then there's the prospect of gear taking you in an unintended direction. I know that has the potential to open creative doors but it can also be a distraction. Already my beloved Holga is feeling threatened. 🙂

Anyway, like most of you suggest, I'll give it some time.

John

 

[Richard G]

David Bailey was asked what was his favourite camera. “Twin lens Rollei.” I read somewhere it’s a very human camera. I think Joel Myerowitz mentioned in the film on Vivian Maier how quickly she must have established a rapport with her subjects. If ever I manage a decent shot of my wife it will have been taken with the Rolleiflex I reckon. Don’t use it much, but I like to have it.