Rolleiflex T advice

[astrosecret]

I have recently located a rolleiflex T late model in what seems to be mint condition and have a few questions regarding this model.

I have owned many rolleiflex's and rolleicords but never a T model so looking for some more specific info

I am drawn to this late model 3 T as i have heard this has updated coating for the tessar lens. Is this true or just a rumor? Anyone know exactly when this happened in regards to serial #s?

I have stayed away from the T model in the past as everyone has noted it may become an expensive paperweight if something breaks. I have heard of the belt mechanism for aperture/shutter speed failing, but as i am just using it for pleasure, i am not going to be putting it through the ringer. will no one, for example, want to or be able to service the shutter if it is slow?

It's not cheap but I don't often come across model 3 versions of this camera in what seems like mint condition, but I can afford it. If I want it, is it worth trying out? I can't view the item in person but I can return it if need be.

 

[Rob-F]

The T has more than updated coating. Its Tessar is recomputed; better. I think It's a great Rollei. I like the sidewise action of the shutter release. The hood is removable, so a prism can be used. The vulnerable part is the plastic tapes that are used to convey the movement of the shutter and aperture controls. It has been said that there are no replacements. But I can't recall ever seeing any complaints of one actually breaking. You might check with Harry Fleenor at Oceanside camera repair to ask how much of an issue that really is.

I like the T. The next time I want one, I'll buy one.

 

[Nitroplait]

I have a T model "4" from the last batch with "white face" front plate and a Xenar lens instead of a Tessar. It was made on request from the British Ministry of Defence and Rollei made more cameras than ordered and the remaining were sold to the public.
I am very happy with the camera.
I can't answer you questions, as mine have not needed service, but I have never heard "everyone" -or anyone for that matter- say it is unserviceable. I suggest you backtrace a couple of those "everyones" to see if the claim ends somewhere credible.
I can't see why these models should be unserviceable. I follow a camera tech on Instagram who from time to time shows a serviced T model in his feed.

 

[astrosecret]

I have a T model "4" from the last batch with "white face" front plate and a Xenar lens instead of a Tessar. It was made on request from the British Ministry of Defence and Rollei made more cameras than ordered and the remaining were sold to the public.
I am very happy with the camera.
I can't answer you questions, as mine have not needed service, but I have never heard "everyone" -or anyone for that matter- say it is unserviceable. I suggest you backtrace a couple of those "everyones" to see if the claim ends somewhere credible.
I can't see why these models should be unserviceable. I follow a camera tech on Instagram who from time to time shows a serviced T model in his feed.

Thanks. I think I read there is some belt-type part which changes aperture/shutter that is non-replaceable. i have heard about these xenar/white face T's and have always wanted one but i already have a 'cord xenar. but have been missing a tessar for a while now

 

[KoNickon]

I am interested in getting a T myself -- never have so much as held one, but it has a lot of fans here.

As for the overall quality of the camera, I had several Rolleis serviced by Krikor Marelian (Krimar Photo), who I gather is now retired(?). Anyway, he said to me that the T was not up to the quality of the other Rolleis. Whether he was referring to these tapes or not, I don't know.

 

[benlees]

I used a T for awhile and found it underwhelming. I prefer a Rolleicord over it. The T almost felt, dare I say, cheap. Rolleicords (I've had a few) feel tight, light, and unintrusive. Any difference in the lens was merely technical to my eyes- though using a hood is recommended for both. But if you want a T, you want a T. If you don't pay too much you can always sell it for what you paid.

 

[rayfoxlee]

John Phillips' 'The Classic Rollei' manual lists only models 1,2 & 3, so I assume the white-face is treated simply as a cosmetic change to the faceplate. As for the belts, Philips describes the belts as being marked with the two basic scales and the EV scale. He says that 'in practice they proved reliable' but whether this is fact or just hearsay, I know not.

I bought a black Model 3 last year and had it serviced by Newton Ellis. At the time, I asked whether a belt could be mended should one break and was told that they had some success with repairing the belts. There really isn't any reliable commentary that I have able to find on the question of breaking belts.

As far as use is concerned, in many ways I think it is nicer than the Automats. I also have a 3.5F and the more complex winding mechanism of that camera does result in a different and not quite as smooth crank operation as the T, IMHO. The T's shutter button has a fairly sharp click as it returns from releasing the shutter. Apart from that, the T is a really nice camera with an excellent Tessar or Xenar lens.

Ray

 

[Dan Daniel]

Servicing the T is not difficult. Confusing and somewhat uncomfortable because of the way the flash socket is part of the front plate retention in a completely dumb manner, but eh....

The bands need to be treated carefully in reattaching the front plate, but this is simple. Just drop straight and don't crimp them going down.

Other than the bands, the camera is metal and some typical plastic parts for Rolleis of that era (rolleicords started getting more plastic parts at this time, also). The shutter is a Snchro-Compur like others. Wind mechanism is clunky and not typical for other Rolleis, but not hard to understand.

I wouldn't let serviceability stop you from buying a T. As with any Rolleiflex, condition is the single most important concern.

 

[Nitroplait]

John Phillips' 'The Classic Rollei' manual lists only models 1,2 & 3, so I assume the white-face is treated simply as a cosmetic change to the faceplate. ...

My understanding is that the last 4650 T's were white faced and with Xenar lenses, supposedly 1150 of these were sold to the public. I think version 3 is generally considered to be the last production of T's with the Tessar, therefore the Xenar models would be 4th version, although the literature is not alway clear on this.

I used a T for awhile and found it underwhelming. I prefer a Rolleicord over it. The T almost felt, dare I say, cheap. Rolleicords (I've had a few) feel tight, light, and unintrusive. Any difference in the lens was merely technical to my eyes- though using a hood is recommended for both. But if you want a T, you want a T. If you don't pay too much you can always sell it for what you paid.

Well, I have the exact opposite experience. Rolleicords in my hands are distinctively discount. Poor ergonomics and overpriced compared to Japanese alternatives (both then and now).
Rolleiflex T feels and operates IMO between the Cord and the top tier Flexes - as they were intended by Rollei. The T ergonomics is much nicer than the Cord.

 

[astrosecret]

thanks for all the amazing info. i will probably overpay for it but the heart wants what the heart wants.

i dont think my cords are especially fragile but they are very light. i liked the feel of E and F 3.5 models the most. one thing i do love about the cord is the right hand focus which most people dont feel one way or another about. the feel of my cords always felt less fragile than my flexes to be honest, lighter and less complex. i enjoy the way the aperture and the shutter speed changes as well, it never gets rough or sticky like some flexes over time.

 

[D.O'K.]

I have a T, a 3.5F and a Rolleicord Vb. All excellent in their ways--but if forced to choose only one, it would probably be the T.

Although not up to the paradigm build quality of the 3.5F it's still solid and very well made--not "cheap" at all. It has an equally good viewfinder. The winding is slightly easier than the F, and it's notably lighter and more comfortable to carry around for long periods. For me, it's also got the most ergonomic shutter release.

And try as I might (including viewing the negatives with a 7x loupe) I can't detect any difference in lens quality after c.f5.6: and very little when opened wider than that.

Admittedly there have long been stories about the belt being the weak spot--but even if the part is no longer available it's such a simple thing it's hard to believe it couldn't be fabricated (re post no.7, I wonder if Newton Ellis did that?)

Subject to the condition of the particular camera I wouldn't hesitate to buy another!

Regards,
D.

 

[astrosecret]

did all T’s have improved and better coated tessars, or only late ‘model 3’

seems they ran for almost 20 years in production so im betting its true late models have some kind of improvement

 

[Nitroplait]

All T’s w Tessar have the recomputed version. Coating may have improved over time but nothing that should make any significant difference.

 

[DownUnder]

The Rolleiflex T is a fine camera. It was an 'amateur' model designed in the 1950s for the German snapshooter market, but many pros realized what a good lens the recomputed Zeiss Tessar was and many bought them as backups.

I've owned two since the 1990s and they just go on and on. One of the (many) good features about the T is you can easily get a 16 exposure kit and start shooting perfectly fine 4.5 x 5 cm images. In this day and age when 120 roll film prices seem to be going through many roofs, this is a great accessory to have.

The Rollei prism is rather cumbersome and top-heavy for me, but it's good for fading eyesight.

The Ts also use bayonet 1 filters and close ups (the latter are called Rolleinars) which are plentiful and not particularly expensive.

There is a learning curve with any Rollei you buy. I found my T was easier to learn to use than the more expensive 'pro' models. You can download a copy of the original instruction manual (in English) from somewhere on the 'net which may help, but in every way it's an easy camera to learn to shoot with.

Re those shutter system belts, I discussed this with a repair shop owner in Singapore a few years ago. He told me he can easily repair or replace the belts when doing a CLA on a Rollei or as an independent repair, taking about 30-45 minutes. He also said he had a small stock of new belts - and also added he has never had to replace one on any T he repaired.

Go for it if the price is right. The lens has its own unique character and the camera is easy to use. Not having the Rolleiflex Automat film feeder system means loading 120 is easier and less complicated.

I believe the Rolleicords also use the same belt system, but I could be wrong in this. My Vb is a fine shooter in its own right but the flicky shutter release level does annoy me, so I use it rather less than I should as I've found the Xenar to be also a truly good lens.

 

[Dan Daniel]

I believe the Rolleicords also use the same belt system, but I could be wrong in this.

Yep, you are wrong 🙂 No belts on Rolleicords. There are 6x4.5 kits for the Rolleicords Va and Vb, by the way. The internal film masking frame looks sikilar to the one for the Ts but they aren't interchangeable. And unlike the T, the frame counter system won't change automatically; you need to swap out a 12 frame disk for a 16 frame disk on the Rolleicords.

Many a day I wish that Rollei had made a 6x4.5 kit for an E or F model!

The belts are indicators only. The actual change in the mechanism is happening as with other Rolleis- mechanical connection between the dial or lever and the shutter block. So the belts are not some special esoteric design. You could make a loop out of plastic and write numbers on by hand, and with some fussing you'd be able to tell what shutter and aperture you have set again.

 

[benlees]

My understanding is that the last 4650 T's were white faced and with Xenar lenses, supposedly 1150 of these were sold to the public. I think version 3 is generally considered to be the last production of T's with the Tessar, therefore the Xenar models would be 4th version, although the literature is not alway clear on this.



Well, I have the exact opposite experience. Rolleicords in my hands are distinctively discount. Poor ergonomics and overpriced compared to Japanese alternatives (both then and now).
Rolleiflex T feels and operates IMO between the Cord and the top tier Flexes - as they were intended by Rollei. The T ergonomics is much nicer than the Cord.

Fair enough. Rolleicords are discount; that is their point! But they are still great. The T should have felt better, I guess. I never paid more than a $100 for a Rolleicord; a little bit more than I paid for a D, a 124, and the Autocords (my favourite of the bunch).

 

[DownUnder]

Fair enough. Rolleicords are discount; that is their point! But they are still great. The T should have felt better, I guess. I never paid more than a $100 for a Rolleicord; a little bit more than I paid for a D, a 124, and the Autocords (my favourite of the bunch).

When was that? 1980? And in what condition were these precious bargains?

Respectfully said - come on, man, get real!

BTW I do agree with you that the 'cords are "still great" and yes, the Ts are better, if only for the crank wind. Also Ds, 124s, and Autocords. So I guess we do agree on a lot...

 

[DownUnder]

Yep, you are wrong 🙂 No belts on Rolleicords. There are 6x4.5 kits for the Rolleicords Va and Vb, by the way. The internal film masking frame looks sikilar to the one for the Ts but they aren't interchangeable. And unlike the T, the frame counter system won't change automatically; you need to swap out a 12 frame disk for a 16 frame disk on the Rolleicords.

Many a day I wish that Rollei had made a 6x4.5 kit for an E or F model!

The belts are indicators only. The actual change in the mechanism is happening as with other Rolleis - mechanical connection between the dial or lever and the shutter block. So the belts are not some special esoteric design. You could make a loop out of plastic and write numbers on by hand, and with some fussing you'd be able to tell what shutter and aperture you have set again.

Thanks, Dan. My error duly noted. Your correction appreciated.

I have 16 and a 24 exposure kits for my 'cord Vb. Both came with separate counter disks marked 12 and 16. unlike the T which, as you said, clicks automatically from 12 to 16 when the kit is inserted.

Re belt repairs, good advice from you here, but much too complex and complicated for me - I 'll send my Ts to Singapore for servicing if ever the awful day comes when the belts give up the ghost. Some home repairs are just not worth the effort.

May I say, in a most complimentary way, as well as an author and photographer of most excellent books, for which I am most envious, you are our Rollei TLR film resident expert par excellence and I (along with many others) greatly appreciate your input in all these threads.

 

[charjohncarter]

I worry about the belts as many above have. Has anyone ever had a belt fail? I had a Fleenor CLA about 10 years ago at that time did he change the belts?

 

[DownUnder]

I worry about the belts as many above have. Has anyone ever had a belt fail? I had a Fleenor CLA about 10 years ago at that time did he change the belts?

If you adjust your settings with care, chances are good your belts will never fail. Mine have been going strong since I bought the cameras in the 1990s. A friend has a grey-body T from the 1950s which she uses often, and has never had any problem with a broken belt.

It's really the luck of the draw, I think - but to answer your question, no, I've not heard of this happening from the (many) T users I've met.