Hi guys,
First time posting here.
I have a question about film flatness issue in Rolleiflex.
Recently I bought a Rolleiflex 3.5C (or E in outside Europe), model before F without changeable focusing hood and screen with Xenotar 3.5, was locally CLA in the Netherlands after I purchased. After several test rolls, I realised that approx 1/3 of shots were out of focus towards infinity, not entirely but only the centre of the image. So I suspect it's a film flatness issue.
I have one more Rolleiflex, 3.5MX never notice this problem. So I wonder why...
I know that the back door was damaged when I bought it, tripod base was quite bent towards lens so I bent back, there is no light leaking but this might be a reason, the camera might have a bit off arraignment on film gate (I can't see. just guess)
I saw on the internet that someone mentioned about swap the back door solve the issue. I know about the fact film never gets flat and Rollei also created a glass pressure plate for that. But I just need reasonable condition on this copy. Does anyone have good advice or experience?? Thank you very much in advance!!
It wasn't actually a glass pressure plate. You might be thinking of the early Leica M3, there. Certain models did have the ability to be fitted with a glass plate *between the lens and the film* but they retained a conventional pressure plate behind the film. The glass is more akin to a Reseau plate without the fiduciary markings and yes, it does promote improved film flatness as Modern Photography found back in the day when they did back to back tests with a Tele Rolleiflex with and without the glass fitted. I have a film plane glass myself.
Although it's so obvious it's unlikely to be an issue, it's worth mentioning the standard Rollei back features a pressure plate with settings for both 6x6 and 35mm (for when a Rolleikin is in use). Without actually looking at a back I am not sure, offhand what the likely result would be of shooting 120 with the plate set to 35mm—but it's obviously, best to ensure the plate is in the correct position.
It's quite hard to offer definitive advice with this sort of problem from afar unfortunately. But whereas a Rollei that's quite worn through much use, or mis-aligned due to impact damage may produce unsharpness manifesting Eg top to bottom, or left to right—or even a combination of both—it is impossible for these sorts of parallelism faults to generate sharp images around all corners, but not in the centre. The nature of an out of parallel lens board focus means it just can't happen. So in the absence of that possibility I'm inclined to tentatively agree, that what you have described may be connected to film flatness.
The other, more sinister possibility is that at some point prior to your ownership a charlatan has played around with the originality of the taking lens components. Sellers without scruples will do that if Eg a decent looking Rollei has a front lens glass with much coating damage. By swapping in a front glass—or even whole front group, or (less commonly, because it's usually more intact) some back lens components, they can assemble a clean camera with good looking glass. But if random combinations of untested glass from sundry lenses is cobbled together there's no guarantee it will be as well corrected as an original intact taking lens from Zeiss or Schneider. Sadly it's just impossible to tell when this has taken place if you do not have the full history of a particular camera. (People who do this sort of thing should be drawn and quartered).
I'm sorry the above doesn't provide some definitive fixes to resolve your dilemma. But fixing a camera fault often consists of checking and eliminating possible faults sequentially. In your shoes I would critically inspect the alignment of the back in all planes and its fit to the body. Whilst it is impossible to make a badly distorted back fit as well as a brand new one (fit everywhere, particularly through the radius of the back corners, was *perfect*, new), they don't have to fit that sweetly to exclude light and function very satisfactorily. I have trued up enough bent backs myself to know this much. But...they do need to seat the pressure plate evenly on both sides for it to work correctly. Hence, in the first instance I would either try to improve that yourself or seek the opinion of a local repairer. If the back isn't promising a replacement may be warranted. (Should it end up not improving matters it can be re-sold or retained as a spare).
These sorts of problems are interesting in as much as they challenge one to thrash out the variables looking for the likely cause. Hence I'd be quite interested, please, to be kept apprised of your findings.
Oh and welcome to RFF.
Cheers
Brett
