Kalloflex TLR

Funny this thread should pop up now. And me stating they appear for sale on ebay (I don't live in the States so Craiglist etc is a no go) nor apug, nor RFF very often. In fact not seen one the whole of 2011. And what happens? One popped up today. And I convinced the seller to lift buyer restrictions (UK only), and now I'm the winning bidder. Fingers crossed its in serviceable condition.
 
Congratulations and welcome to the smallish club of Kalloflex fans! (Or is the "fan" designation still aspirational at this point?) Please give us a full report when it arrives. If it turns out to require service, chances are it will repay the attention many times over.

How do you like your Flexaret? I haven't come across one, and a multitude of models seems to exist.
 
Thanks. If its non-functional I'll talk to Ross, and I will no doubt get it fixed. I love the results my Kowa Super 66 system can provide me with, so you may say I'm a Kowa fan, if not yet a Kalloflex fan.

The Flexaret is a simple yet attractive little TLR. Similar to a later model Rolleicord in use I'd suspect. The Belar lens is a Tessar clone and not a bad one either. It has auto-cocking, and frame advance, the latter more exact than my Rolleiflex. The shutter on mine is a Prontor SVS, 1- 1/300s + B. EV coupled, but with an easy override. The finders can be a bit dim with age, but are quite easy to replace, and Rick Oleson supplies fresnels for them, I have one and it works a treat. One model had crank wind, but they quickly dispensed with that (IV). If interested look for a model III, V or Va (mine). The Va has an option for 135mm inserts. Otherwise they are more or less the same. The later models are more or less the same, but have grey leatherettes, not to my taste really.

Some Flexaret images: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezzie0304/sets/72157625881641668/
 
Picked up the Kalloflex today. Compared to David's it looks like a basket case. Its very tatty and worn. First time I've bought a camera of ebay without pestering the seller with questions, and it shows. Oh well, it set me back $150 or so, I won't cry for more than a week or two.

All the bare metal is corroded, and very matte. The leatherette is composed of three different types of whatever. There are Zeiss bumps allover. The shutter is gummed up. The lenses have cleaning marks in s p a d e s (read: scratches). The shutter speed lever is everyting but smooth, the focusing knob is slightly warped and scrapes. The mirror is full off dust. Do I think I'll like it? Yes, I do.

Edit: Why does s p a d e s (when wriiten normally) get sensored?
 
Ezzie said:
Picked up the Kalloflex today. Compared to David's it looks like a basket case. Its very tatty and worn. First time I've bought a camera of ebay without pestering the seller with questions, and it shows. Oh well, it set me back $150 or so, I won't cry for more than a week or two.

All the bare metal is corroded, and very matte. The leatherette is composed of three different types of whatever. There are Zeiss bumps allover. The shutter is gummed up. The lenses have cleaning marks in s p a d e s (read: scratches). The shutter speed lever is everyting but smooth, the focusing knob is slightly warped and scrapes. The mirror is full off dust. Do I think I'll like it? Yes, I do.

Edit: Why does s p a d e s (when wriiten normally) get sensored?
Click to expand...


So let me get this straight: the vendor paid you 150 bucks to take this off his hands? Just kidding. Enjoy!
 
Here it is, after a couple of hours of TLC. Needs bucket loads more if she´s ever to look good, but hopefully done enough to get her going. Removing the front lens group was easy enough, and cleaning the shutter blades too. Removing the finder and cleaning the mirror a simple enough task as well. And a thorough clean and she´s good to go I hope.

In time I need to address some corrosion here and there, and the Zeiss bumps and the three suit leatherette. Hope Morgan supplies leatherettes for these.


Kalloflex by Eirik0304, on Flickr
 
Nice cameras David and Ezzie, I would love to have a right-hand focusing with left-sided shutter release.

I would love to see some photos from them guys...I already love your squares Ezzie.

And btw, if ever you decide to unload these off your hands, keep me in mind. 😀
 
Ran a roll of GP3 through the Kalloflex yesterday, and there seems to be hope for the old girl yet. A bit early to shed a verdict, but shutter and lens seem to be OKish. I think maybe the faster shutter speeds may be a tad slow. Both lenses seem to be askew in the horizontal plane, ever so slightly. But I can´t see evidence of it on the pictures I´ve taken so far.

How does she handle? Quite well really. I prefer the dials for aperture and shutter speeds on the Rolleiflex, but the levers work OK, and the top read out is more or less equivalent, if slightly less legible than on my 2.8E3. The shutter release is missing the threaded button, making it a bit difficult to trigger gently. Its not your regular threading either, rumour has it its early Leica type (whatever that is). The focusing knob and film advance crank being on the same side is genius, I like it a lot (I knew I would). The screen is OK, not brilliant. The corners are dim in ill-lit situations. The two pictures (link below) were taken in the open with bright sky, but the subject matter was all in the shade, not a optimal situation, and I had to guess at the framing. Not sure how my other TLR´s would have performed there.

Other issues: Its got the best film loading of any 120 camera I´ve tried. Very easy to locate the spools. Its frame spacing is generous, as it starts the first frame earlier on the roll, and the last later than any other 120 camera I´ve tried. Good, unless you are scanning, in which case your (like mine) film holder isn´t wide/long enough. Its got a 75mm lens, not an 80. That´s good, at least if you´ve already got an 80mm TLR. The viewing lens is an f3.0 (taking lens is f3.5), which is good. Its got feet to stand on, saving the bottom leatherette and the combined rear opening and closing mechanism and tripod mount from abuse. On the subject of the back opening and closing mechanism, it is nifty as it pulls the back tight, but combining it with the tripod mount means that the camera needs to be dismounted before changing film. It has no light sealant flocking, as its constructed to be light tight without it. The film counter is up top, next to the finder.

Oh, and as to not get arrested for cross posting, I´ll link to the pictures on the TLR picture´s thread, rather than repost them here:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1642474&postcount=956
 
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Used to have one:
IMG_0075.jpg


IMG_0067.jpg


It a heavy and well made, and since I have other TLRs plus I dont use them as much as others - I dont have it anymore.
Lens is good and capable:

img233.jpg


img214.jpg


img220.jpg


img221.jpg


Nice cam but I prefer others better.
 
Nice stuff. You still have the SIX don´t you?

At the end of the day the Rolleiflex is better. But I like the Kallo already. I see myself taking the Kalloflex along with me in my every day messenger bag, and adding the Rolleiflex when I know there´ll be something special. The Kowa Super 66 will be the tripod queen from now on. The DSLR will see use when on holiday for colour use, and sports type shots. And to be quite honest, I don´t really see the need for much else. Ok, apart from the odd panoramic from my DIY 6x17, and the odd 35mm stuff furnished by the trusty SP1000, and the odd landscape from the out of a trouser pocket 6x6 folder, and .........
 
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Yes, I still have the SIX with bunch of lenses. As far as Rollei - I sold mine as well. Good, but just didnt do anything special for me. What I still have is one of these:
IMG_0014.jpg


I restored it a bit and it works great and I like the way it draws best.
img461.jpg




Plus its pretty rare - at least as rare as Kallo, yet much lighter to carry. 😉
 
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Nice, they too saw the advantage of keeping the focusing and film advance on the same side. I need to talk to Morgan and order some new covering material, which colour however, need to ponder that one.
 
I´ve ordered a couple of sheets of green seal grain leatherette from Morgan. Hopefully I will be able to redo the covering myself. Technically it has worked without fault through three rolls of film now. Shutter speeds, 1/30s through to 1/500s all used and found to be in order. There is hope for this lady yet.

Some shots from the Kalloflex:

GP3 EI 125 in Caffenol-C-M





Rollei Retro 400 in Caffenol-C-L





 
Ezzie said:
I´ve ordered a couple of sheets of green seal grain leatherette from Morgan. Hopefully I will be able to redo the covering myself. Technically it has worked without fault through three rolls of film now. Shutter speeds, 1/30s through to 1/500s all used and found to be in order. There is hope for this lady yet.
Click to expand...

Bravo, it's no small thing to get her running again. The combined wind-on and focus are pure sex. Once you get her tarted up with a glam new frock she'll be a charm and a delight to the eye as well as in use. Congratulations on your stewardship of a clever example of the technology of its time.
 
PMCC said:
Bravo, it's no small thing to get her running again. The combined wind-on and focus are pure sex. Once you get her tarted up with a glam new frock she'll be a charm and a delight to the eye as well as in use. Congratulations on your stewardship of a clever example of the technology of its time.
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Thank you indeed. The camera had been lying about for over 10 years without use. I don't particularly like tools, even beautiful ones, to live their lives on a shelf. They need to be used. Had there not been signs of corrosion under the leatherette, I might not have done much about it. But having two aluminium bodied cars, I know that the stuff corrodes very nicely indeed, given the opportunity, and it needs to be stopped.
 
paulfish4570 said:
looking very good, Ezzie. definitely a look that is different from that of the flexaret ...
Click to expand...
Thank you Paul. I agree. The first shot of the silo reminds me more of my other Kowa than anything else. Let me know when you are ready 😉
 
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Keith said:
Wow ... I have to ask. Do they do one for Pisceans?


IMG_0014.jpg
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Now that you mention it Keith, this one ought to fit me to a T, Aires as I am. Thanks a bucket, now you've gone and given me another bought of GAS.
 
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