Rollei TLR users..look what I found!

R

Rob

Guest
Thanks for all the great help with my Rolleiflex questions from
my previous thread. Since I never find those around here I was
going to pick up a Yashicamat 124G for $100 to $200.
Decided I would check out my favorite places to buy cameras...
Antique shops and Antique malls... Went to a small town about
40 miles away to a couple places I know...Well, I spy a brown
case that says Rolleiflex on it....heart pounding now...its in a
display case so have to get them to unlock it... Turns out it is
a Rolleiflex 2.8A version 1 with Zeiss opton Tessar F2.8 lens.
This model was made in 1949-1951. Only 7,870 were made.
Its the only Rolleiflex with that particular lens...While looking
at it...Heart really pounding now...they have a price tag of
$174 with case, 4 filters, series 5 filter holder with series V hood and original metal lens cap...its a few minutes to closing and they tell me that they can knock 30% off if I buy it now for $122!
I faint! They revive me, take my money and I leave happy!
I had no idea what model this was, they all look the same to me.
Googled for the info I got...Checked Ebay and found that a
Rolleiflex 2.8B model just sold for over $3,000! I faint again!
Mine is in remarkable shape and the shutter is working, just
cleaned out the dust inside and out. Oh I did not pick up the
Nikon F2 with DP11? finder with 24mm AIS lens for $200 I
found today...yet...And there is another camera show coming
here this Sunday, and a local camera repair shop has a free
shutter check on their electronic shutter tester.
So I will see how far off the shutter may be.
Rob
 
Nice ! Wish I could find deals like that, but then again, my bedroom is already taking on the appearance of a camera store. Maybe it's better I don't....
 
Get that thing to a reputable repair person for a nice thorough CLA, and estimate of it's value. Wow, that is great.

Wow, $122, I'll give you the original $174 for it🙂. Without the CLA.
 
$122 ??? well, what can I say, i'm totally yellow of jealousy. Congratulations.🙂

I don't know the difference between the A and B models as collectibles, but if it's like you said about the "B", it might be worth selling it to a collector...and getting a newer planar/xenotar version overhauled for the price... plus the MF film scanner of Jorge Torralba...blus a load of film and processing...🙂
Not that this rollei would be a bad picture taker! not at all...

If it's worth alot, you should certainly have it proffessionally CLA'd - even if it's working ok, just for the receipt, so you can prove it's in great working condition. Looks much better at an auction than the usual BS that "everything seems working but not tested".
 
😱

That may be a once in a lifetime find ! You also have me green with envy 😀 Congrats !!!

What Pherdi says may be a very good idea, by having it properly serviced you'll increase its price even more. The 2.8 Tessar Rolleis may not be the ultimate choice when it comes to sharpness, but sure some collectors would be more than interested 🙂

Time to start writing your letter to Santa ! 😉
 
I will run it by my local camera repair shop guy for just an evaluation of it and he can test the shutter speeds. I can
borrow a price guide at the camera show for info as to
value. I have found a couple Rollei experts and I have Mark
Hama locally if needed. If this thing is worth much, it will
go up for sale since I am not a collector but want it to use.
The 2.8B they only made 1200 or so of them so it is one of
the rarest. They only made 7800 or so of the 2.8A so its not
as rare. I realize why I am liking these cameras now. My eyesight has changed and for anything close I now have to remove my
glasses. I can shoot this without my glasses on.
Oh even the self timer still works but it takes like 40 seconds
to finish!
 
Great deal. I think that beats my Rolleiflex with the f/3.5 (and four 35mm cameras, one a Pentax SV, and a 450 preset) for $25.00 about 25 years ago.

Congratulations! Now, unless you already have a wet darkroom and just love it, consider the suggestion for one of the better Epson scanners that do MF and/or LF film. They are nice.
 
Congratulations! That's just awesome!

Comments:

* It has been said in this thread, but it bears repeating - with a camera that has significant collector value, I would ONLY have it CLA'd by someone who comes highly recommended on Rollei TLR cameras. Consider it an investment. Don't let just anyone work on it - they may be VERY competent, but with high-end Rollei and Leica collecting, provenance matters - the repairer has to be someone in good standing with the cognoscenti, if you know what I mean. It's important to the collectors, so if you plan on selling at any point, you might want to look into this.

* Insurance! Check your homeowner's insurance. 'Nuff said.

* Think carefully if you want this to be a 'shooter'. I am not saying that you should not - obviously, it is a high-end classic camera probably capable of making wonderful photographs, and it is yours to do with as you wish.

But if I found that I had purchased a solid-gold hammer at a garage sale for a quarter, I would probably not use it to pound nails. I would probably clean it up, sell it, and buy a nice Craftsman hammer to pound nails with.

* It sounds like you got the score of a lifetime - and congrats again! Consider that although you got it cheaply, you could not REPLACE it cheaply. You have already heard, no doubt, of the several RFF members who have had cameras stolen from their parked cars and so on. I only have to think about how much that would hurt me if such a camera were stolen - or bashed against a tree while I was out traipsing in the woods - or fell over on a tripod in a sudden burst of wind - and I get all queasy and want to put the camera gently into a vault somewhere to protect it.

I love collector cameras - and the value they represent - but I use my cameras - all of them. If it were ME, I'd consider selling the camera and investing a tiny part of the proceeds into a camera that was just as good as a shooter, but worth MUCH less in terms of collector value. So that when I nick the paint or even (gasp) drop it through my fat fingers, I don't sit down and cry like a baby. I'd prefer to let the collectors fondle the collector cameras while I go out and shoot my Yashica TLR with near zero collector value.

But that's just my opinion of what *I* would do...

And congrats again, what a great score!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
NEAT camera!

If you decide to pamper it instead of shoot with it, I would recommend a Minolta Autocord over a Yashica Mat as your "user" option.... you can probably get it cheaper, and the lens is very good. Just make sure the focusing isn't overly stiff before you buy it....

Having said that, if it was me, I'd use the Rollei.

🙂=
 
rick oleson said:
Having said that, if it was me, I'd use the Rollei.
Click to expand...

I know what you're saying - and I can't disagree because everyone is different - and of course it is his camera to do with as he pleases.

But to me - if I happen to drop my Canon FTBn on the cold hard cement while out shooting, I will be bummed out - angry at myself - even sad. But it is quite replaceable, and we're talking about a couple of hundred dollars, tops. A TLR worth literally thousands - how could anyone stand to hear that crash and tinkle of broken glass if it came to a sad end? It would destroy me.

Nor could I stand having a camera that just sat on a shelf - worth a huge sum, but just sitting there doing nothing. I am kind of a collector, but I *do* take all my cameras out at one time or another to use them.

So that's why *I* would sell to a collector and buy a 'shooter' with part of the proceeds.

That's just me.

I was in Belair, California once as a young man. I happened to be driving by a grocery store and I saw a woman in a ragged house dress, her hair in rollers, cigarette dangling from her mouth, loading groceries into a classic but very beat-up old Rolls Royce Silver Shadow - faded paint, dents and dings all over, missing hubcaps, and a coat hanger for a radio antenna. I guess whatever floats yer boat, eh?

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Thanks guys. If it is valuable I would sell it not shoot it....
I am no collector. If I cant use something, I have no need for it hanging around...
Thanks for the autocord tip, they seem to be rare around here..
No wet darkroom anymore but will get a nice scanner soon.
Seems like this Harry Fleenor? guy is about as good as it gets
for Rolleiflex work...Bill, yeah I would hate to damage it by using
it...Reminds me of a time I was shooting a waterfall standing in
a stream with my tripod setup. Guy comes over with a nice Blad
on a crappy tripod and sets up near me...He starts fishing around
for something in his bag I hear an awful crash..His blad went
face first into the rocks from about 4 ft high...Gimme those cheap
cameras!
 
When you click on 'Attach File' you pick your file from your hard drive and then upload it. It will let you know if there is a problem with the file. Try to keep it less than 500 pixels wide, so it doesn't create a scroll problem for viewers. Then DON'T PREVIEW or it will lose your photo for some reason. Just trust it and post.

Hope that helps!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Rob said:
Thanks guys. If it is valuable I would sell it not shoot it....
I am no collector. If I cant use something, I have no need for it hanging around...
Thanks for the autocord tip, they seem to be rare around here..
No wet darkroom anymore but will get a nice scanner soon.
Seems like this Harry Fleenor? guy is about as good as it gets
for Rolleiflex work...Bill, yeah I would hate to damage it by using
it...Reminds me of a time I was shooting a waterfall standing in
a stream with my tripod setup. Guy comes over with a nice Blad
on a crappy tripod and sets up near me...He starts fishing around
for something in his bag I hear an awful crash..His blad went
face first into the rocks from about 4 ft high...Gimme those cheap
cameras!
Click to expand...

Don't forget - if you get an Autocord, you're getting a great TLR, according to all I hear about them. But you live in Atlanta, right? Guess what...

http://www.markhama.com/

Now, I have never dealt with Mark Hama - well, I did buy one item from him via eBay, no trouble there. But he has a most excellent reputation for repairing Yashica TLR's - he used to work in Japan for Yashica assembling them!

Seems like a natural, but hey, just offering a suggestion!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
There's no reason in the world to sell it. Use it, that's what it's made for. If you go for cheap cameras, you'll get cheap results. Don't let your lucky bargain get away, you'll kick yourself later.
 
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