Ok so I got the rolleiflex but...

[mike kim]

It seemed perfect when I saw it in the shop, but when I came home I took a look through the taking lens with a light, and saw white dust/speckles in the inside that don't look like fungus or lens separation. Is this lens haze? Should I be worried about it and return it to the shop? When I tested it with the roll of film, the photos looked ok.

 

[rogue_designer]

Just looks like dust between the elements to me, but I'm no expert.

If the price was good and the photos seem unaffected then I'd probably keep it as is. You'll likely notice a loss of contrast or increased flare when shooting into the light, but nothing absurd, and a hood will help minimize.

 

[KoNickon]

Mike, what matters is whether the pictures look good. That could be haze or possibly fungus, and you may want to get the lens cleaned at some point. But (and I know this is hard to do, because I do it myself) don't obsess over it. Do you have a lens shade? That will go a long way toward counteracting any sort of flare you might get from the haze/fungus.

Judging from the shutter and aperture dials in the picture, that is a mid-'50s camera. So after 50 years in God knows what sort of conditions, I am not surprised the glass isn't clear. You might want to mention it to the shop where you got it, and see if they'll give you some sort of refund for the trouble of getting the lens cleaned. I wouldn't return it, myself.

 

[dreamsandart]

Hi Mike,

With a Rollei working condition is everything, and the taking lens is at the top of the list. A bit of dust inside the lens of a used Rollei shouldn't degrade the photography, even some 'cleaning marks' on the front element lens has little if any effect. One thing you should inspect for on a 50s/60s Rollei and especially the 3.5 models is lens separation. Shows up a crescent 'moon' shaped light areas coming off the side edges. They may not have any effect on the image at first but usually increase over time.

BTW, I would highly recommend a thorough cleaning and adjustment of the camera, they usually need it. Top choice for doing this would be Harry Flennor at Oceanside in California. It was my dream to find the perfect Rollei and have him do the work on it and as it happened the perfect Rolleiflex I got from him. Amazing work, the overhaul may cost as much as the camera itself and takes a couple months or more to get back to you, but you have the confidence of a 'new' camera.

 

[Ash]

If you want to investigate (like I have with mine), peel back the leather from either side on the front, unscrew the 4 tiny screws and lift off the front plate. The front element will unscrew and you can look between it and the shutter to see whether there's anything you can clean off. If you wind on before removing the front, then set to B and press the shutter once the front is off, you'll then be able to inspect the front of the rear element/group as well.

 

[VictorM.]

You did test it and the pictures looked good so it's probably not something to worry about. But, I would take it back to the seller and see if they're willing to do something about the price or have the lens cleaned professionally. I used my Rolleiflex with Planar for about a year before I noticed the rear elements had started to separate. The separation is pretty obvious, but doesn't seem to affect the pictures, only the resale value. The serial number on your Planar is only a few numbers away from mine: 1958330!

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Eew. That's either fungus or separation. You may not "see" a detrimental effect...until you shoot that into a moderately strong source of light, then you'll very probably see a "flare-like" effect in the highlights, possibly bleeding into the shadows.

If you're fine with that, then you've got nothing to worry about. If you're not, I suggest you take a closer look and see what that really is. I say, if they have another one that is just like this one, but clean, just swap it.

In any case, good luck; I hope it works out.

 

[jano]

It looks like a fingerprint on the inside. My Iskra II came with one of those on the rear element, I just wiped it clean. 🙂 But it could be worse... ?

 

[mike kim]

I don't have the confidence to open the lens or the camera. 😱
I'll go back to the shop tomorrow and ask them to find out what it is... and if possible, clean it. The problem is I'm travelling for nearly two months next week, and I wanted to take the Rolleiflex. Well, I guess I could have it cleaned after the trip...

I'll keep you updated.

Oh, and thanks for the recommendation dreamsandart, but even though I'm american, I live in Argentina so it wouldn't be so convenient. 😛
Looking for a reputable repairman here will be a quest though.

 

[mike kim]

Today I went to a camera repair shop and they told me it was lens separation and that nobody in Argentina could repair that. So I went back to the shop where I bought the Rolleiflex and explained it to them. I decided to pay $100 more and take a 3.5F they had (I already knew of its existence and price, so it's not like they wanted to rip me off) with incredibly clear lens without even cleaning scratches and in better shape overall. It's beautiful! They said I could try the camera and take it back whenever I wanted if something was wrong with it, so I'm quite satisfied.

Thanks for the advice everyone, really. I'll post pics later.

 

[VictorM.]

That sounds like a much better deal!