Rollei-Swirly Bokeh Question

[liamlumiere]

Hi

I recently picked up a Beautyflex Rectus MX at a flea-market and shot a roll of Portra 160 with it. It had a lot of swirly bokeh, which I like in certain circumstances and aware it's not everyone's cup of tea 🙂 but very soft wide open at 2.8.

This is my first experience with a TLR and feel smitten to delve further into it so now searching for a Rolleiflex. Specifically one that has the best of both worlds; lots of swirls in the out-of-focus areas yet very sharp on the subject, wide open.

Does anyone have similar taste in this look thus having experience with a particular model or the technical knowledge on which Rolleiflex would give me these results?

I read somewhere that the fewer elements in the lens, the swirlier the Bokeh so it could be a case of going for one of the older models but it has to be as sharp as possible wide open, I know there'll be a trade off somewhere.

Thanks a lot, any experiences welcome!

Incidentally, here's a shot from the Beautyflex, anyone know anything about this camera? I can find very little info on it on the net. I love how it renders the bokeh but it's just too soft wide open.

 

[Scrambler]

Triplet lenses are more swirly but some Tessar type lenses have been caught swirling when wide open and up close. My Yashica with Yashikor triplet swirls and is sharper than your example. In 35mm the 1940's and 50's Leica fast 50s swirl and are sharp but better corrected lenses normally don't.

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

If you want sharp right across the frame wide open, any decent Biometar, Xenotar or Planar should suffice, but you won't necessarily get much in the way of swirl, although I do not find any of the Rolleis out of focus rendition to be unpleasant.

If you really must have superb sharpness with the swirl you also desire from a Rollei TLR, the only one that will excel at both, that I personally am aware of, is the 135mm Sonnar. You can find a couple of example images right here at RFF in the following discussion.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49260
Cheers
Brett

 

[Scrambler]

 

[Mablo]

This one has surprisingly swirly bokeh to come from a Rolleicord. It's shot at f/4 from memory:

 

[aizan]

look on flickr for rolleis with xenars and xenotars. there might still be a guy called "sharp bokeh" on there.

 

[f16sunshine]

Triplets! Look for a triplet.
The sample below is from a Yashica "A" that my niece now uses. Th Yashicor Lens is a Triplet Optical scheme.
The biggie will be sample variation. If you get one that looks like it's in good condition but is not sharp move on.
Some are quite sharp on center and swirl like a boilermaker 😛
I believe there is a Triotar lens version in one of the older Rollei Models. Personally I never sought one out. Just look for a nice inexpensive Yashicamat!
My tastes are different. I like the Rolleiflex f2.8D. Sharper out to the edges and not swirly. I've tried the Rolleflex 3.5 models as well. The f2.8 gives that one open aperture with a portrait character.
(Warning... once bitten by the Rolleiflex bug you will want to try them all.)

Yashica A. Fuji Acros @50. Tmax Dev @6.5mins

Acros@50Tmaxdev 6.5mins013 by Adnan W, on Flickr

 

[hamradio]

My ancient Rolleiflex Original K1/614 with uncoated 3.8 Tessar has a pretty decent, reserved swirl. Here's a super quick and realllly dirty scan.

 

[mfogiel]

As said above, try the tessar version, or for the real sharp/swirl, you have to go to Tele Rolleiflex.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Earlier Rolleicords came with a Triotar lens- nice swirl machine.

 

[f16sunshine]

Here is the most Swirly image I could find from the Tele images I have online.
It's still very sharp on the focus point.

This one at wide open and minimum Focus distance with the f4/135mm sonnar which really is not all that close!

tmax400@400008 by Adnan W, on Flickr

 

[grandallj]

I can get moderate swirl with my 2.8C/Xenotar:

Alexandria Cemetery 8 by GRandallJ, on Flickr

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I get swirl with my 2.8E Planar when shot wide open, have an appropriate background, and appropriate foreground/background distance relationship.

I can post examples later when I'm home from work.

 

[z.bruce.li]

Early Rolleicord with Triotar will definitely get you the swirly background when wide open. I used to own such a camera, probably Rolleicord II.

 

[Crazy Fedya]

I took this photo with Ikoflex mounted 75/3.5 Novar, a triplet. It is long gone to a better home, but I still enjoy images taken with it. If this is your cup of tea, then you should look for one, they are not that expensive, around $100.

 

[DominikDUK]

My Rolleiflex Tessar gives me swirly bokeh but it requires a busy background to be visible. Triplet designs and some derivatives are the main swirlers but there are also some double gauss designs that are famous for that effect namely the Helios 44 and the Biotar.
Petzval lenses are also quiet good at producing that effect. The Biometar for the Kiev 60 and 88 has the swirly Bokeh as well-

On a Rolleiflex the Xenar, the Tessar and the Triotar are suitable lenses shot wide open with a busy background