New here, and new to the Rollei

[Jammy]

Just wanted to say Hi
I've been into photgraphy for a while but have recently been given a couple of TLR's on long term loan.
A freind very kindly lent me two of his Grandfather's Medium format TLR cameras.The two are a Czech made 1960's Flexaret Automat and a German made 1950's Rolleiflex. It's been some years since their owner passed and they have been sitting unused in an attic darkroom for a considerable time and while the Flexaret has at some-point sustained a considerable and fairly inexplicable amount of damage the Rolleichord, although very cosmetically ruff, appeared in almost working order. The only non-cosmetic problem which is apparently fairly common in these cameras when they are left stood, is that the shutter is dragging. In this case when set to a one second exposure the shutter stayed open more like three seconds.
Having watched a few youtube videos and read a few posts and having checked with my freind that he didn't mind. Also I have worked as a technician on various cctv equipment for years. I carefully dismantled the camera. I soaked the shutter in lighter fluid several times. A surprising amount of gunk was washed out.Than I flushed the mechanism again. this time with several syringes of isopropanol alcohol which in a matter of minutes evaporates away leaving a dry shutter mechanism.
With the precision oiler I applied a tiny, tiny amount of Low viscosity PTFE based oil to the gears in the timing mechanism and put the shutter back together again.
One second on the shutter now seems to be one second. Result.
Putting the camera back together was surprisingly easy. While it was apart I took the time to thoroughly clean the mirrors and the film transport. It was all fairly pitted with sixty years of grime but it all seems to work. The lenses look like new.

I ran a roll of Tri-X 400 through it and developed it in Spursinn HCD-2 (because that's all I have at the moment) and Scanned.
I'm quite please with the results. My exposures wern't quite Ansel perfect which could be my shoddy metering (first time I've done it manually) or the shutter might still be dragging a little.
As scanned:




I need to be a bit more accurate with my exposure next time and I was also caught out by the reduced DOF of MF so most of the shots arn't in sharp focus.

A bit of a PP tweak and I'm pleased with the tonal results for a test roll.
There's somthing about this set-up that has an instant classic look to it and I'm really exited about taking it out of the garden. But as you can see I have a two week old son and it might be a while before I'm allowed to go exploring 🙂







I have many questions and a lot of my googlings brought me back to this forum so I thought I should sign up and say Hi.

 

[blackwave]

That extra "h" pains me 🙂

I'm a big advocate that the camera doesn't matter, it's all the photographer, etc. However, when I picked up my first Rollei TLR things changed for me. I think it was the combo of higher quality negatives than I was used to, square format, hand-holdability (new word!), and a focal length perfectly in my comfort zone sweet spot. Those are highly personal criteria for me, but any way you slice it, they are beautiful tools.

On another note, I hope you plan on printing (wet or digi stuff.. just get it on paper!) That's where negatives like these really sing.

 

[Jammy]

That extra "h" pains me 🙂

Dahm it! I'm always doing that.
And I called it a Rolleiflex at the top.

I've been doing a fair bit of printing recently. I do find my monochrome digital images have been coming out over sharp, I'm working on that. But I recently blew up some box-brownie prints of my Grandads and they came out really nice. I think the Rollei's will look great printed on Lustre.

Has anyone used these much for lanscape? I'm wondering if I can get a cokin P or A system on this camera somehow.

 

[NY_Dan]

Nice job repairing your Rollei!

You can see my own shooting efforts on the following links to Blurb books I made with my Rolleiflex. Book 6 was with an Instamatic. You can do a lot with a simple camera. I like the h in Rolleichord -- makes it musical.

1) COME SEE COME SAW: http://www.blurb.com/books/5301658-come-see-come-saw

2) FOUR: http://www.blurb.com/books/3965689-four

3) NEVER SEEING NOTHING: http://www.blurb.com/books/3218037-never-seeing-nothing-photographs

4) INSOMNIA -- NY AT NIGHT WITH FLASHBULBS: http://www.blurb.com/b/3525816-insomnia

5) FEAST YOUR EYES: http://www.blurb.com/books/5092075-feast-your-eyes

6) IF YOU SEE SOMETHING -- INSTAMATIC PHOTOS: http://www.blurb.com/books/4998753-if-you-see-something

7) EXPOSED!: http://www.blurb.com/books/4701949-exposed

8) ISTANBUL 13 DAYS: http://www.blurb.com/books/4162573-istanbul-13-days

9) EYE TOURIST: http://www.blurb.com/books/4171747-eye-tourist

10) FEW ARE CHOSEN: http://www.blurb.com/books/2979234-few-are-chosen-photographs-2010-2012

11) CHICAGO CALLING: http://www.blurb.com/books/5416200-chicago-calling-dan-wagner

 

[shortstop]

That extra "h" pains me 🙂 I'm a big advocate that the camera doesn't matter, it's all the photographer, etc. However, when I picked up my first Rollei TLR things changed for me. I think it was the combo of higher quality negatives than I was used to, square format, hand-holdability (new word!), and a focal length perfectly in my comfort zone sweet spot. Those are highly personal criteria for me, but any way you slice it, they are beautiful tools. On another note, I hope you plan on printing (wet or digi stuff.. just get it on paper!) That's where negatives like these really sing.

I agree with you. I have several cameras from 135 to 4x5 but Rolleiflex is a magical camera. high-quality images, but light and easy to use, simple with its 75 mm lens (perfect focal lenght for me) maximum strength and reliability and so many other things that you appreciate using it.
Enjoy your Rollei.

 

[Jammy]

You have a fantastic eye Dan, very good. I've never had the guts or the time in the city to do much street.
Infact I seem to prefer where possible to have no-one in my shots at all.
I like looking in woods and open country for Natural or accidental arrangements that create a feeling.
Some of mine:
Wetlands.jpg by jammybstard, on Flickr

Skipworth Common - 140711 (98 of 123)-Edit.jpg by jammybstard, on Flickr

DSC_0780-Edit.jpg by jammybstard, on Flickr

DSC_0777-Edit.jpg by jammybstard, on Flickr

Skipworth Connon - 140711 (71 of 123)-Edit.jpg by jammybstard, on Flickr

Flyover 1.jpg by jammybstard, on Flickr

Epson Scan Tri-X Diafine Test Roll029.jpg by jammybstard, on Flickr

Epson Scan Tri-X Diafine Test Roll (8).jpg by jammybstard, on Flickr

Most of the digital shots were PP in SilverFX which I liked at the time but now seem over the top. I need to re-visit them.
I'm hoping the Rollei will work well in the woods.
I will need a filter system though. Does anyone use filters on their Rollei's? I have some BAY 1 filters. But I would like to get a square system rigged up.

 

[NY_Dan]

Jammy, I like your nature photos. I use filters on my Rollei -- mostly a 1.5 yellow. But for black and white photos with green foliage I would want to have green and red filters available. My photo preference is for shots with people and urban landscapes. (no knock on landscape lovers 🙂 )

 

[farlymac]

Nothing at all wrong with landscapes. My favorite genre. And your's look great, Jammy. Every time I take my Rolleiflex out for some fun, I come back wishing I had taken more film with me.

PF

 

[shadowfox]

Jammy, those are some righteous B&W landscape shots.
I like the post-processing.

 

[Jammy]

You're very kind. I really struggle with colour. I've had a few good ones but It never seems to look right no matter how much I fiddle with it. Strangly B&W often looks more like I remember it.
The bottom one was my first attempt at developing my own film, there's nothing contrived about all those water marks and scratches 🙂 It's pure lack of skill. I actually found the medium format I did for the first time last week much less hassle.

I checked some of the bits that came with Rollei and found these two filters:

Pitted like the camera but I think they'll clean up ok.
I can't find any info on Walz WR1 or WB
I assume the WR1 is the sort of filter you might use on foliage or to darken a blue sky (Not much chance of that in Yorkshire fifty weeks of the year).
The WB would probably be a portrait filter I imagine or possibly for high-key landscape.
Anyone have any more info?

The other thing I found was a “Rolleinar 1” close-up lens which I didn't realise I had.

That looks pretty cool. I was concerned this camera would be no good for close-up work so hopefully this'll clean up too!

 

[JPD]

But for black and white photos with green foliage I would want to have green and red filters available.

The Rollei - grün (green) filter is more like yellow-green and excellent for green foliage and with people in it. It also darkens the blue sky a little. Perfect in the summer.

There's also a Rollei - hellgrün (light green) filter, that only steals half a stop of light, so it's great when you use slow films and shoot handheld.

For romantic summer photos, the Rolleisoft 0 and green/light green filter is a nice combination. Don't use a smaller aperture than 5,6 with the Rolleisoft, for the best effect.

 

[JPD]

I assume the WR1 is the sort of filter you might use on foliage or to darken a blue sky (Not much chance of that in Yorkshire fifty weeks of the year).
The WB would probably be a portrait filter I imagine or possibly for high-key landscape.
Anyone have any more info?

You only need to find information about light red and medium blue filters. Walz was a japanese brand, and should be ok.

The light red filter will darken the sky, water and foliage quite a lot, enhance contrast and the precieved sharpness. Skin will look very pale.

The blue filter can be nice to use for B/W portraits in tungsten, or other kind of warm lighting, for better skin details. For landscapes it would enhance the haze in the distance and make the sky almost white.

These are extreme filters, so not for everyday use. Find a Rollei medium yellow (gelb - mittel), or maybe also a light yellow (gelb - hell) and green (grün). And of course a lens shade, if you don't have one.

The Rolleinar looks good. 🙂

 

[JPD]

I wonder if you don't want another Rollei? When I look at your photos they remind me of the Xenars I had in two Rolleicords (a III like yours, and a IV) that never were bitingly sharp. Most Xenars are fine, like the one I had on a Rolleicord V, but there is sample variation so not all Xenars are stellar performers. It's the same with pre-war Jena Tessars; some are superb but some just ok.

 

[Jammy]

I wonder if you don't want another Rollei? When I look at your photos they remind me of the Xenars I had in two Rolleicords (a III like yours, and a IV) that never were bitingly sharp. Most Xenars are fine, like the one I had on a Rolleicord V, but there is sample variation so not all Xenars are stellar performers. It's the same with pre-war Jena Tessars; some are superb but some just ok.

I'm hoping at the moment that the lack of sharpness in my test shots is because I was shooting wide open at F4 I've since read you can't get a sharp picture with these lenses until stopped down to at least F8/F16. So my hope is when I put the next roll through I'll be getting sharper images stopped down. We'll see.

 

[Jammy]

Double post..

 

[farlymac]

My favorite filter for shooting B&W is the orange. Sure, it's more contrasty than the yellow, but it doesn't blacken the sky like a red. Walz filters are good, I've got sets of them for various cameras. Though I tried to get all Rollei filters for the 'Flex, I didn't mind mixing brands for the Yashica (Walz, Prinz, Spiratone). That way, I wouldn't be missing anything when I take either TLR out for a spin.

PF

Rolleiflex K4A on Tri-X 400 with Or filter


Empty by br1078phot, on Flickr

 

[JPD]

I'm hoping at the moment that the lack of sharpness in my test shots is because I was shooting wide open at F4 I've since read you can't get a sharp picture with these lenses until stopped down to at least F8/F16. So my hope is when I put the next roll through I'll be getting sharper images stopped down. We'll see.

I hope so too. Don't forget to post your new results. 🙂 But not counting the lack of biting sharpness, it looks good in the corners at f:4. Not as unruly "bokeh" as I get with the three element Triotar wide open (but the focus looks spot on on the subejct). But I like that too, it's charming.

 

[miragem5]

Results from my K4b wide open in a dark workshop

Rolleiflex K4b test by steveod2007, on Flickr

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

I'm hoping at the moment that the lack of sharpness in my test shots is because I was shooting wide open at F4 I've since read you can't get a sharp picture with these lenses until stopped down to at least F8/F16. So my hope is when I put the next roll through I'll be getting sharper images stopped down. We'll see.

The edges can be softer than the centre wide open, but I disagree with the assertion the Xenar is an unsharp lens per se. It's probably more likely the issue is with focus adjustment of the camera, or a need to practice using it.
Regards
Brett

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

You'll find some sample images in the following thread made at infinity focus of the same subject with an 80mm Planar mounted on a Hasselblad and the 75mm Xenar of a Rolleicord Va. Both were wide open at f/2.8 & f/3.5 respectively. The Xenar isn't quite as sharp as the Planar, particularly at the edges, but as you can see from the 100% crops, in the centre it's not that much worse either.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127909