Name that Rolleiflex

[digitalox]

Hope this isn't to OT.

I impulse bought a little rolleiflex on ebay and am still waiting on it to arrive. Meanwhile I was trying to find out a little more about it since the ebay desc. is pretty sparse. I have google and googled to no avail - best I can tell its a model T.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3865838442&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

Can anyone tell which one it is?

Thanks,

Scott

 

[RubenBlaedel]

Did you get the snr. number
have you tried identifying it by looking it up on
http://www.rolleiclub.com/rollei/tlr/index.htm
or
http://www.rolleiclub.com/rollei/tlr/031.htm

 

[dcbeattie]

Looks like the Model T shown on this page.. You'll have to check the lens and such.. Serial numbers are listed also.. http://www.rolleiclub.com/rollei/tlr/index.htm

 

[digitalox]

Thanks those are great images of Rollei's and should help.

I don't have the snr. I already emailed just about getting the shipping tracking # for this and have yet to hear back, so I don't think I'll get the snr until it arrives.

And not but a few months ago I was thinking seriously about saving up for a new, modern, SLR to add to my arsenal. Look what yall are doing to me!

 

[Rob]

Let me know if it is a bay1 mount. I have a Rollei lenscap,
hood, 1 Rollei filter, 3 series V filters with a bay1 adapter
I will let go at a great price.
Rob

 

[digitalox]

Thanks Rob! I definantly will.

 

[Azinko]

Yes, thats a Rolleiflex T,......note lack of the wheels for aperture and shutter and also the angled shutter button......should have Tessar lens. This was their 'economy' model,......was about £100 when 3.5F was about £170.

 

[digitalox]

Thanks Azinko! Do you have any idea on the picture quality. Desc indeed says it has a zeiss tessar 3.5, should be OK you think?

 

[Azinko]

The great thing about Rollei's is that they did'nt really make any bad ones,......apart from the Rolleimagic possibly!

The Tessar does not have the performance of the Planar/Xenotar as fitted in the 3.5F (for the first couple of stops ayway) but unless you are thinking to make really massive prints you will be OK,...the T was a serious camera placed above the Rolleicord in the range.

The name plate can vbe removed and replaced by one with a meter cell,.....the meter movement fits in the focussing knob,...internal wiring is already in place as far as I can remember.

Some later T's were covered in grey leather. Many were used by some serious people,...UK armed forces/gov depts/hospitals, industry etc.

 

[doubs43]

The Rollei "T" is a fine camera and capable of excellent results. My father used one for years for wedding photography and it always did well.

He used to say: "Weddings are one thing you MUST get right the first time and every time. When the wedding is over, it's too late to take them again." Pop always used equipment that he trusted and with hundreds of weddings to his credit, he never messed one up. He used Speed Graphics (4x5 & 2 1/4 x 3 1/4), RolleiCords and RolleiFlexes and later he used 35mm for all but the group shots.

You're gonna like that Rollei. 🙂

Walker

 

[digitalox]

I can't wait to get it now!!! I hope it really is in good working condition.

 

[Azinko]

Scott,.....

It looks like you got a terrific buy!.....if its in half good nick you got a lot of camera for only about £70 ,....I did'nt realise they were so cheap !

When you get the camera be a bit patient with yourself as you get used to the viewing screen with its laterally reversed image,.....it takes a couple of days to get your brain adjusted!!

this is a great camera for discrete and unobtrusive use as it does not need to be raised to eye level,.....far better than any 35mm in my view,..heresy on a rangefinder forum I know! Most people will NOT know you have taken a shot.

 

[RubenBlaedel]

the tessar 3,5 is also on one of my rolleis the tlr automat from about 1953 and it performs very well especially with a shade on!
I think it is single coated
After I got the rollei tlr I hardly use 35 mm slr any more - I use rangfinders like leica and for 6x6 now a super ikonta. I use a hasselblad when diffent lenses are required BUT no camera makes me happy 🙂 like the rolleflex trl - can not explain but it is such a nice way to look at your morif and it weighs practically nothing when you look at the comfort you get - the automats, the rolleicords and the Ts might have been cheap editions but they are great performers with good lenses - just imagine how a canon G5 digital will do in about 40-50 years from now

 

[denishr]

Rolleiflex T is one heck of a picture taker. Don't be upset by comments about it being of "lesser quality" than 3,5F with Planar lens. I have one, and the only limitation I found out about it is the operator 🙂
I've taken some stunning shots with it, BTW.

Denis

 

[denishr]

BTW, here's mine - it also has the light meter, which is accurate and working well.

Denis

 

[Pherdinand]

The tessars and xenars are very good performers. Much more important than the tessar/planar difference, is to have the focus well calibrated. If the focusing is smooth and there are no dents on the lens board, it should be fine, but it's easy to check with a ground glass (frosted tape, copy paper, whatever) in the film gate. If the focus on the screen, the distance scale and the focus on the ground glass in film gate is coincident, it's fine.

Also, even if it works well when you receive it, it could happen that after a few rolls the shutter begins to fail or to slow down. This happens when the camera was not used for a while and then it was exercised by the owner before selling it to see if it works. Don't get desperate; a shutter overhaul with checking/adjusting the focus is a relatively cheap job compared to the picture quality you can get from such an old beast. Unless you want it for the shell only, it certainly deserves a good CLA.

Good luck with it.

 

[digitalox]

Thanks again for all the help everyone.

Nice shot of your Rollei Denis. Do you have any images taken from it up on the net?

Good ideas Pherdi, I will check the focus and see if anyone around here can do a CLA

 

[Bertram2]

No Haze ?

No Haze ?

Thanks Azinko! Do you have any idea on the picture quality. Desc indeed says it has a zeiss tessar 3.5, should be OK you think?

Among the Rolleiflex junkies there are some who like the T model best because of the Tessar which they rate higher than the Xenotar which is nothing else than a Schneider-Planar.
So you can't do wrong with this lens, if it is clear and unscratched. The latter is said by the seller but the question is if it is clear too, no haze, important at 50yo cameras.
Let him confirm it before you bid !
Best,
Bertram

 

[FrankS]

Scott,

Here's a shot taken with my Rolleicord with f3.5 Tessar lens. Excellent performer tho the scan may not do it justice.

 

[denishr]

Thanks again for all the help everyone.

Nice shot of your Rollei Denis. Do you have any images taken from it up on the net?

Sheesh, Scott, I didn't see your question there... Sorry...

Anyway, here's the link to some shots with my Rolleiflex T.

Denis