Show off your TLR!

miragem5 said:
Nice family portrait Colton , your Autocord is the first model version 2 with the old style time settings like the one I have, I keep an old good working light meter which I use just for that camera.
The Rollei I would gladly swop for my Kb4 any day , the toyocaflex looks interesting , looking very much a Rolleicord clone.
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Thanks :)
I pretty much never use a light meter, except if I'm using an auto exposure camera.
The Minolta is quite nice, but the 3.5F is on a whole other level.
What lens is on your K4B?
 
Hi Colton , my Flex and Cords are Xenar equipted and very sharp f8-16 very much like the Autocord glass . As for light meters I always use one as unless I am using asa 100 film as I am too slow at figuring out how many stops +/- I should use . One day I will get rid of some of my TLR collection and get a 5 or 6 element 3.5 or 2.8 Flex as I love the results I get from the 80 2.8 I have for my Mamiya C system .
 
Hi Colton and Miragem5.

I have a Rolleiflex T and a recently acquired Rollei 3.5f Planar (which I haven't used yet). I think my favorites, however, are still the Autocords and the Mamiyas.

Where the latter trumped Rollei is in the design of the film plane. The Minolta Autocords draw the film from the top, straight down over the film plane, only bending the film over a roller AFTER exposure. The Mamiyas have a straight film path from top to bottom, never bending it over a roller.

The Minolta solution makes so much sense and is something that Rollei could have done very easily, so I have always wondered why Rollei didn't correct this one glaring defect in their design. (Certainly, the film feeler feature wasn't that important. I suppose it's possible that the roller helps to flatten the film, as long as film isn't left in one position long enough for the roller to put a kink in it.)

Anyway, now having a Rollei with a Planar, I feel that my range of TLRs is complete. No more GAS here! (At least for now ... .)

- Murray
 
CMur12 said:
Hi Colton and Miragem5.

I have a Rolleiflex T and a recently acquired Rollei 3.5f Planar (which I haven't used yet). I think my favorites, however, are still the Autocords and the Mamiyas.

Where the latter trumped Rollei is in the design of the film plane. The Minolta Autocords draw the film from the top, straight down over the film plane, only bending the film over a roller AFTER exposure. The Mamiyas have a straight film path from top to bottom, never bending it over a roller.

The Minolta solution makes so much sense and is something that Rollei could have done very easily, so I have always wondered why Rollei didn't correct this one glaring defect in their design. (Certainly, the film feeler feature wasn't that important. I suppose it's possible that the roller helps to flatten the film, as long as film isn't left in one position long enough for the roller to put a kink in it.)

Anyway, now having a Rollei with a Planar, I feel that my range of TLRs is complete. No more GAS here! (At least for now ... .)

- Murray
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The Minolta film is definitely interesting. I'm not sure it makes a big enough difference that would have warranted Rollei to change their design though.
If your 3.5F Planar is anything like my 3.5F Xenotar, you might just forget all about your Minoltas and Mamiyas :)
I've shot with a C330 w/80/2.8 (Blue Dot) and it is a very impressive lens, but the Xenotar on my 3.5 might be the best medium format lens that I've ever used.
 
miragem5 said:
Hi Colton , my Flex and Cords are Xenar equipted and very sharp f8-16 very much like the Autocord glass . As for light meters I always use one as unless I am using asa 100 film as I am too slow at figuring out how many stops +/- I should use . One day I will get rid of some of my TLR collection and get a 5 or 6 element 3.5 or 2.8 Flex as I love the results I get from the 80 2.8 I have for my Mamiya C system .
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I kinda want a pre-war Automat with a 3.5 Tessar :)
 
Swift1 said:
The Minolta film is definitely interesting. I'm not sure it makes a big enough difference that would have warranted Rollei to change their design though.
If your 3.5F Planar is anything like my 3.5F Xenotar, you might just forget all about your Minoltas and Mamiyas :)
I've shot with a C330 w/80/2.8 (Blue Dot) and it is a very impressive lens, but the Xenotar on my 3.5 might be the best medium format lens that I've ever used.
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I need to run some film through the 3.5f. I'm a little discouraged because it feels like it needs a CLA. (Shutter release is a little stiff and shutter speeds seem "reluctant" if not actually "hesitant.")

Bending the film over the roller (as Rollei does) isn't an issue if one shoots an entire roll in a single session (which isn't difficult with only 12 exposures). The problem is when the film is left sitting in the camera. In that case, I would be inclined to sacrifice/skip the next frame to avoid the kink.

In truth, I have been very happy with the images I have produced with all of my TLRs. I have never found any of them lacking in any way. I just got the 3.5f because I felt like I had to experience a Planar- or Xenotar-equipped Rollei. Who knows? I may yet be blown out of the water by the images rendered by this camera and lens.

- Murray
 
CMur12 said:
Wow, a Kalloflex!

I've never seen one of these in person, but I've heard great things about them.

- Murray
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I kicked myself the otherday as there was a very nice one on our NZ Trademe site which I had on my watch list and then I missed the closing of the Auction , It sold for a silly amount like $64 NZ dollars. I am sure it would have got well with the rest of my TLR family. They are about as rare as Minolta Autocords down this way.
 
I just got my Kalloflex and I am running the first roll. I got a good deal as the camera looks and works great. I'm very impressed by the camera construction and handling. It is actually vey portable and the combined knob lever makes shooting a little quicker.
 
My most recent acquisition.

1954-55 Rolleiflex 2.8C w/ Zeiss Planar 80/2.8

_DSF0549web.jpg
 
JPD said:
It's a II, type 5, actually. Some authors of collector's books gave them letters that don't really fit the models. :) Nice example.
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Thank you for the clarification. Outside of the curling leatherette and some very minor paint loss, this camera looks (and works) perfect.
 
I rediscovered medium format after a long brake with Leicas.

My beater 'Cord II. Made in 1939 (judging from the lens' serial number).

Bought it a couple of years ago for 25€... had a sluggish shutter and a broken aperture. Fixed the aperture (a blade was snapped in half) with Scotch tape (I taped both parts of the blade back together) :D
The opening is maybe not perfectly round at f16 and f22... but it works just fine. The Compur was cleaned with lighter fluid and is now the most accurate shutter of all my cameras ;)
I'm amazed how sharp a good Triotar can be (yes, even wide open!) if everything is clean and well adjusted. It's a pity that my front element has some cleaning marks and some kind of cloudiness/haze/stuff around the borders (from the front) that I'm not able to clean or even polish out... maybe I should try some Cerium Oxide... but it doesn't seem to affect pictures.
Yesterday I flocked the interior chamber with black velvet (It really cuts down the reflections and stray light inside!)... wasn't able to test it yet on film, only with a ground glass. So far the contrast seemed great, even against _really_ strong light sources.
Next modification in line: Mamiya RB67 focusing screen (just bought one on eBay) + new mirror.
I'd love to transplant a Compur Rapid into the 'Cord, but I'm not sure if it can be done :rolleyes:
 
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