Not a gambling man but I bought a Rolleiflex 2.8E, blind.

[lxmike]

I am not a gambling man, nor am I rich, but I did something out of the ordinary for me, I bought a camera blind! A Rolleiflex, it was hidden away in plain sight on Ebay, badly photographed and badly described. It came with mint boxed and cased Rollinars 1 and 3, plus original case and mirrored lens cap. BIN £470, email exchanges occurred and I deduced that it was 2.8E. I pulled the trigger! I have spent the last two hours gently cleaning the camera. Bad points: the glass on the meter knob is cracked. Good points: shutter seems very accurate through out, compared to my Rollei Automat, the glass is very clear with no marks haze and fungus. Obviously I will run a roll through to check spacing etc and then shoot with the camera for a while before I send it for a CLA. This less than cautious approach to buying is new to me and something I would not recommend but hey ho I now have a 2.8E

 

[Godfrey]

It's been forever since I sold my last Rolleiflex but I still remember how wonderful they are to shoot with. Looks like you happened on a nice one that needs minimal work to enjoy! Good luck with it!

G

 

[lxmike]

It's been forever since I sold my last Rolleiflex but I still remember how wonderful they are to shoot with. Looks like you happened on a nice one that needs minimal work to enjoy! Good luck with it!

G

Many thanks, hopefully spacing etc goes well with the first roll, thank you for your kind words.

 

[skopar steve]

I recently bought a rolleiflex 2.8 E because I have always wanted one. It was listed on photrio classifieds and on craigslist albeit the state south of me. I talked the seller into a meetup an hour or so away from me. This way I can see it in person before a large outlay of money. The camera is solid with clean glass, and smooth focus.

He brought 2 with him. One was a 2.8 planar, the other a 2.8 Xenotar. I choose the later and have been very happy with the results this camera produces. This was not as good a deal as yours, but buying one sight unseen would make me nervous as hell. Good luck and enjoy your new camera. Hope it brings you as much joy as mine has brought me.

 

[lxmike]

I recently bought a rolleiflex 2.8 E because I have always wanted one. It was listed on photrio classifieds and on craigslist albeit the state south of me. I talked the seller into a meetup an hour or so away from me. This way I can see it in person before a large outlay of money. The camera is solid with clean glass, and smooth focus.

He brought 2 with him. One was a 2.8 planar, the other a 2.8 Xenotar. I choose the later and have been very happy with the results this camera produces. This was not as good a deal as yours, but buying one sight unseen would make me nervous as hell. Good luck and enjoy your new camera. Hope it brings you as much joy as mine has brought me.

many thanks for your kind reply I will let you know how I get on with mine.

 

[valdas]

Within the year I bought 2.8D and 2.8F (12/24 version). Both at very good prices (2.8F - 790 EUR!). I have them serviced and new screens installed with the idea that I can sell them with quite a bit of profit. But now I am so unwilling to part ways with them...

 

[lxmike]

Within the year I bought 2.8D and 2.8F (12/24 version). Both at very good prices (2.8F - 790 EUR!). I have them serviced and new screens installed with the idea that I can sell them with quite a bit of profit. But now I am so unwilling to part ways with them...

If I buy another camera a divorce will be on the cards

 

[wlewisiii]

I do get tempted by the thought of a 3.5 Tessar but I'm quite happy with my Cord III. I hope you enjoy your 2.8E though and I look forward to lots of photos 😀

 

[lxmike]

I do get tempted by the thought of a 3.5 Tessar but I'm quite happy with my Cord III. I hope you enjoy your 2.8E though and I look forward to lots of photos 😀

Many thanks, I'm planning to shoot a roll this weekend, a Spanish Tall Ship Galleon is moored on the Tyne river this weekend.

 

[hap]

If I buy another camera a divorce will be on the cards

It's like the old (paraphrased) joke. " I got a rolleiflex for my wife......good trade"

 

[santino]

If I buy another camera a divorce will be on the cards

You just have to hide it in your car (spare wheel compartment) 😁

 

[lxmike]

It's like the old (paraphrased) joke. " I got a rolleiflex for my wife......good trade"

Its like the old Canadian lonely heart advert, 'wanted potential wife, must be able to shoot fish, skin and fillet catch and have own boat, please send picture of boat'.

 

[lxmike]

You just have to hide it in your car (spare wheel compartment) 😁

Unfortunately we are a one car family and the car is hers!!!

 

[DownUnder]

Rollei TLRs are for life. I have four. My oldest I bought new in 1966, a 3.5E2 without a meter. Paid CDN $195. It had sat unloved on a shelf in a pharmacy (= drug store) in Canada, the local dentist had ordered it but died before it could be delivered. His widow kindly gave me the deposit on it, which greatly helped a 19 year old on a tight budget to acquire the finest camera so far in his life.

It goes on working well (after two minor services) but has a small egg-shaped separation bubble in the Planar, which doesn't seem to affect the images. Shutter speeds are spot-on, as reset in 2002 by a German technician in Melbourne. Clicks ultra quietly. Winds film like a trooper in the field. Win-win for me.

Also two Ts I bought in the '90s to do 16 on 120. These each have a 16 exposure kit and I get a 17th by carefully winding the film when loading. The Ts have Tessars which give beautiful mid-tones. They use Bayonet 1 accessories which are cheaper secondhand than for the big Rolleis.

By far my favorite is a Rolleicord Vb I bough from a deceased estate. Mechanically A1 but it has a rough exterior. It came as a kit with many amazing accessories, some useful, a few quirky, a 24 exposure kit that makes vertical images, good for mini landscapes.

Not only are these beaut cameras for life, but they easily turn into a passion. Even an addiction. Be careful if the 'bug' bites you. It can be expensive, 'tho not as much as getting into Leicas or vintage Contaxes or especially Hasselblads.

So yes, beware. Alas, no reliable medical vaccinations exist as yet to Rollie-proof our systems.