Replacing the Bronica SQ - Rollei 6000?

[Mackinaw]

One more Rollei story,

When I was working (Natural Resource management), I had access to a Rolleiflex 6003. I helped out with aerial photography of the Michigan State Forest system (about four million acres). We cut a hole in the bottom of a Cessna (a real bitch getting approval by the FAA) and flew over the forest with the Rollei pointed straight down. We mainly shot Kodak CIR film with the 70mm back. We took literally thousands of pictures over a several year period. We had no room to fiddle with controls with the camera mounted in its cradle, so the built-in motor of the Rollei along with automatic exposure made it all possible.

I’ve personally owned a Hasselblad 500 CM many years back, and it is a great camera, but I like the Rollei better. I now own a used 6006.

Jim B.

 

[Takkun]

Jim,
I swear I already read your story about this. Might have been in one of the numerous threads over on APUG/Photrio I've stayed up all night poring over...

Very adventurous stuff, and I'm envious of that sort of work.

I've only done something similar once: my first year of architecture school, the photo professor invited me to cut class to help him photograph a bridge site for some government agency (I think the county DNR). We drive down to KBFI and, to my surprise, jump in a door-less helicopter helmed by an joker pilot who liked to scare newbies like myself. I'll tell you, it was the fright of my life hanging out of the side of a chopper banked at what felt like 45º, let alone with two Nikon D3s hanging off my neck.

Anyway, it was decided. I bit the bullet and grabbed a 6008 Pro with the standard 80mm lens, and looking at a 150mm EL lens. Not bad for mostly free. I suppose I can always sell it again, if need be.

On to researching liPo batteries I suppose...

 

[Mackinaw]

.....Anyway, it was decided. I bit the bullet and grabbed a 6008 Pro with the standard 80mm lens, and looking at a 150mm EL lens. Not bad for mostly free. I suppose I can always sell it again, if need be.

On to researching liPo batteries I suppose...

As for batteries, NiCads have a well-deserved bad reputation, but they can fool you. I have one NiCad that is easily 15 years old that works perfectly. I use it up, put it in the charger, and it charges up like it's brand new. Go figure.

Jim B.

 

[Takkun]

Funny how those things work. Though I think it's a Li-Ion in there, my mother uses a first-generation iPhone that's now pushing 12 years old and still does just fine for talking.

Though they seem to promise half-yearly life, reading about exploding LiPo packs had me just get a NiMH replacement kit off the 'Bay. That's assuming the one included is kaput, but we'll see. It's a bit amazing that DW-US still services and sells parts for the 6000 but hasn't thought to 3D print or otherwise manufacture new battery pack enclosures. Seems to be one guy building battery holders for off-the-shelf cells, but sounds like Li-Ion cells don't always play nice.

Come to think of it, 3D printing has got to be a boon for building battery packs for older, otherwise serviceable electronics, unless of course they have some sort of counterfeit protection.

 

[Mackinaw]

There's some guy on eBay selling Li-Ion batteries for 6000 series cameras, but I've read some bad things about them. I actually sold Eric, at Rollei USA, several old 6000-series NiCads I had lying around. He sends them to Dave Feely, who re-cells them to NiMh, then sells on the Rollei USA website.

Jim B.

 

[Takkun]

Yep, that's the one I had in mind. That actually discouraged me from buying one of the kits I looked at that came with one, and opted for one that included OEM packs I can re-cell.

From what I've read it sounds like the Li-Ions won't work with the AF model because of current draw, and can be hit and miss with older models. Maybe circuitry, or maybe just doesn't stay put with a good connection. Either way, I didn't risk it.

I'm already missing my Bronica (and the potential to find a cheap super-wide lens), but the sort of quirky and enthusiastic base dedicated to keeping these things working makes me feel like it's the right decision.

 

[Takkun]

Well, amazingly the package made it all the way from Nagoya to Seattle in under 24h, and the FedEx courier actually managed to figure out my intercom. Thanks to everyone that nudged me toward the Rollei. I think it would have been a case of 'the one that got away' if I hadn't.

Mackinaw—you're right on those old NiCds. after jury-rigging a charger, I got a full day of shooting out of it, but tonight I'm re-celling it just to be safe.

Quirky piece of kit. But then again, considering I own an M5 and a 680, it suits my style just fine. In-body spot metering with a WLF is a match made in heaven. It's a bit bigger and hellaciously noisier than the Bronica, but oh well. I still think the SQ-A is a gorgeous piece of industrial design, but this is a looker, too.

My biggest beef is with the otherwise brilliant film backs. Reversible inserts that don't need to be threaded? Heck yes. Built in dark slide? Oh, baby. No interlocks? Uh oh. I shot half a roll blank with the slide closed, and then ruined the whole roll opening it with the back off the camera. The Fuji would have flipped out with beeps and flashes.

Otherwise a fun addition to my oddball collection. A hassy would be nice and lenses are plentiful, but I couldn't really justify a body at twice the price. Lack of digital back isn't too much of an issue, considering if I really want to go down that hole, someone's still making adapters for the Fuji.