Rolleiflex T advice

[charjohncarter]

Thanks ozmoose, I tried maybe for the third time to look up 'belt failures' and all I got was the possibility that it could happen. I've had mine since the late 70s and Mr. Fleenor did a CLA like I said about 10 years ago, but I don't know if that includes a belt change.

I love mine I don't care about the arguments for and against. Here is one I took about 13 years ago:

2006 Rolleiflex (645 mask) Tmax400 by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[hanskerensky]

My guess is that those ribbons are mainly damaged during a service job while re-installing the frontcover without extra care. Main culprits are the levers sticking sideways out of the shutter.



Kit Version of Rolleiflex T (57) by Hans Kerensky, on Flickr




Kit Version of Rolleiflex T (19) by Hans Kerensky, on Flickr

 

[Mark C]

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.

Good info. Thank you. I had one apart a few years ago but had forgotten that. That particular camera was a disaster, almost like it was purposely sabotaged, and maybe it was since it was in the trunk of a repossessed car. The T is lovely camera though.

 

[KoNickon]

Great pictures in #22 -- thanks for those, Hans. Thus demonstrating further why you shouldn't open up a Rollei unless you really know what you are doing!

 

[JPD]

I did an unscientific test of my 3,5B (MX-EVS) with Tessar and my 3,5F with the six element Planar in the 1990's. The Planar at 5,6 was as sharp as the Tessar at 8. Both very sharp lenses, but with a little different character. The Planar is more "clinical".

I have never had a T, but missed a chance to buy a new in box one in the early 90's. I'm still a little curious about the recomputed Tessar, but can only imagine that it's closer in sharpness to the Planar while still having the Tessar character. It's probably sharper at 5,6 than the earlier Tessar version.

 

[astrosecret]

so heres my model 3 T being serviced overseas hoping to receive it within a couple weeks 🙂

looks like a big job—dont try this at home folks

 

[astrosecret]

mr. T has arrived

 

[Dan Daniel]

Looks sweet. How does it all feel?

 

[astrosecret]

it feels wonderful but i have to echo dan’s previous comments about the wind mechanism—it just feels clunkier. but in operation, works just fine. with an automat, a planar/xenotar or a ‘cord, you just feel the film advancing very smoothly and i guess with the T i would describe it as feeling like a ratcheting mechanism.

i also dislike the aperture/shutter speed being coupled, similar in operation to the 2.8C and first model F’s. but it feels much smoother and lighter action than those models coupling mechanism. to be honest my favorite f stop/shutter mechanic is on the rolleicord. idiot proof. The T is in a middle ground.

looking forward to seeing how the first roll comes out

 

[JPD]

With the "Rollei Werke" and focus knob marked in both Meters and Feet it makes the camera fairly "new", and not long before the "White Face" front plate. You'll get used to the coupled setting lever.


I hope you will love the improved Tessar.

 

[charjohncarter]

Buy a Sekonic L-308s. It has an EV mode, so AP or SP is (almost) automatic. It is in the words of Dickens (David Copperfield): Bliss.

 

[vitaly66]

This evening I was watching "From Russia with Love", the 1963 James Bond film now available for free watching on youtube.

You may see James using his Rolleiflex T at about the 1:00:00 mark.

Turns out his is a special model. It has a tape recorder built into it.

 

[astrosecret]

here is what looks like a very nice late model T, the description is wrong it's a model 3!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rolleiflex...707829?hash=item2180602eb5:g:kVQAAOSwwCNf2QwQ

i don't see them come up too often and it looks like it's in excellent condition! maybe a hundred dollars or more than one should pay but a bird in the hand... you are almost guaranteed to get one of the excellent late model bright and beautiful rolleiclear screens with the large center microprism. or at least a late model split image screen.