value of Rollei TRL

M

marcoinhawaii

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Found a few Rollei's in pretty mint condition at a local consignment shop...

what are they really worth? Both are minty in what seems to be org. leather cases. Aside from a bit of dust in the viewfinders, the cameras seem to work as well as the meters in both cameras. Caps included...

1st Rollei is the Xenotar 3.5 75mm...asking price is $900

2nd Rollei is the Planar 3.5 75mm...asking price is $1100

both are in very good shape. No visible probs but don't know much about Rollei TRL other than the value is high, etc...

are prices reasonable? What is market condition for these cameras?

note change in title...mistakenly put TRL...late night....
 
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The consigner has left plenty of room to haggle. Offer 50% of the asking price for either one, and don't go up much more than to 60%, and you'll be in the ballpark. Although, there is another thread on RFF about the Rolleiflex prices going insane lately, so somebody from the Eastern hemisphere may buy them out from underneath you at the prices asked.

By the way, it is not TRL ("Total Request Live" or "Technology Readiness Level"), it is TLR (Twin Lens Reflex).
 
I think those prices mentioned are in the ballpark provided the cameras are in good working condition. Many shooters seem to prefer Planar over Xenotar but in my humble view you can't see any difference between them in the images. They are both first class lenses.
 
if they're the F model those prices are okay. maybe 800/900 respectively for the 3.5f is the highest i'd go if it was in great condition, near mint. if it's the e models i wouldn't go over 650 on either in very good working condition.
 
I have purchased 2 Rollei f2.8 D's in the last year. The total for both was $1000. The Planar model I just sent for a full CLA to Karl Ehlers for $250 or so. These cameras vary widely in what people think they are worth. In use I think it's a $1000 camera all day long. In a shop I would not pay more than $600.
 
marcoinhawaii said:
Found a few Rollei's in pretty mint condition at a local consignment shop...

what are they really worth? Both are minty in what seems to be org. leather cases. Aside from a bit of dust in the viewfinders, the cameras seem to work as well as the meters in both cameras. Caps included...

1st Rollei is the Xenotar 3.5 75mm...asking price is $900

2nd Rollei is the Planar 3.5 75mm...asking price is $1100

both are in very good shape. No visible probs but don't know much about Rollei TRL other than the value is high, etc...

are prices reasonable? What is market condition for these cameras?

note change in title...mistakenly put TRL...late night....
Click to expand...

They're OK prices... I'd make sure they are either guaranteed or have been serviced for those prices though. Things described as minty or mint (cameras are manufactured and assembled, coins are minted) always scare me a bit; if it's your word that's fine of course, but if it only refers to the cosmetic condition and you are planning on shooting with the camera be careful.

Will the store let you run a roll of film through in the store? I've run into a few jamming/cocking issues with Rolleiflex (totally fixable) that you don't see with simpler/cheaper TLRs. Also, for any camera that age checking the lens with a flash light while the shutter is open is a good idea. Some dust, small scratches are no big deal but sometimes a light can reveal some rather big issues that were invisible when simply staring at the front element.

They're great cameras though, I love my Rolleiflex (a cheaper Automat model still has an awesome lens though) If you like that way that one has to operate it, you can't go wrong. I don't think there are any cameras that have a quality of fit and finish that definitely exceeds that of Rolleiflex cameras.
 
Whilst the asking prices are probably a bit on the high side I think the dealer has left some "wriggle room" there so the advice to bargain a bit is good. I think $600 for a 'mint' 3.5F is very much on the low side and that you'd need to be prepared to go into the $800-1000 range, depending on condition. The 3.5 Xenotar isn't as "fashionable" a lens as the Zeiss 3.5 Planar but it's just as good in most people's opinion. That may be why one camera is priced at a premium to the other. You might not see any real difference and in that case I'd go for the Xenotar. (see further comment below)
If he's sticking a bit on reducing the price enough, see if there are other things he can throw in to sweeten the deal. I see the cases are included - they can go for $150 upwards - but are there any lens hoods or filters or close-up lens sets etc? Instruction books can be downloaded from the 'net here <http://www.butkus.org/chinon/rollei/rolleiflex_35-28/rolleiflex_35-28_splash.htm> if they're missing.

A very useful accessory is the Rolleifix which is a quick release tripod mount and recommended to avoid any bending or deflection of the bottom door of the camera. Fairly scarce so don't pass up on it if there's one available. Be aware that the different models take different filter and hood sizes. I think the 3.5/75 are probably all what is called "Bay II" (for 'bayonet 2) but if you're negotiating on 'accessories' make sure they fit the lens on the camera you've chosen.

But remember you're really buying camera condition and, primarliy, the lens. The Xenotar is made by Schneider and the Planar by Zeiss. As they're both 3.5/75 and both have stellar performance I'd say there's essentially nothing to choose between them so go for the best one. Zeiss has a bit of an aura about the name as they also made the 2.8/80 Planars, but people who use the 3.5 Xenotar swear by them. Watch out for any sign of lens separation around the edges of the lens. Not fatal if it's minor (mine has it but it doesn't affect the image at all) but almost impossible to fix economically. The prices would suggest they're both quite OK but have a good look at a strong light source at maximum aperture.
 
Before you declare those "minty," you should see if everything works smoothly, including the focusing and film transport.

"Minty" is a meaningless term today that means that a camera either 1) doesn't look horrible, or 2) who knows what people think it means.

In any case, I think the prices are OK. A little high, but not overly high.
 
ZeissFan said:
Before you declare those "minty," you should see if everything works smoothly, including the focusing and film transport.
Click to expand...

I agree. One thing to watch for is if the small wheels on either side of the lens that control the shutter speeds and lens apertures operate freely. If they're overly tight or hard to move then it can be a pain. They may free up with use, but if the cameras haven't been in regular use I'd check it anyway.
 
I agree that the Xenotar is the better deal, but it's still high. As others have said, make sure everything is working properly -- don't forget the shutter. Count on $200 for a CLA for either of these, so if they need work you should factor that into the price.

Great cameras, by the way, and they live up to their reputations.
 
I agree with Leigh's and Mike's remarks. Also, when discussing values for Rolleis I believe it is important to consider the location involved. It's not too surprising that a lot of the discussion on this forum is US-centric (which is fine, I would think most of the members are probably US-based) but the same model of Rollei will often be found for different prices, on ebay for instance, depending on where it is to be found. Having said this I can't speak to the usual values of these models in Hawaii, but I have purchased half a dozen Rolleicords or Rolleiflexes over the last twelve months or so.

Regards,
Brett
 
a rollei is worth as much as you will enjoy using it.
They aren't an investment at thousand bucks.
So make sure they work well and make sure that's what you want to use and it's easily worth 1000$. But buiuy it because it looks good and never bother loading it, then it's a big big waste of money.
 
you'd be surprised what you'd find in Hawaii. Lots of money in certain pockets around the islands. Funny, I once met an older man in our building who was telling me he wanted to get rid of his Leica stuff he got in the '60s. He couldn't focus the stuff after the 1980s so it sat in his closet. Seemed he wanted to give it away! I inquired about it a few days later but his son came and took it all.

I once went to Goodwill (a second hand donation shop) and found a NIB Polaroid Land Camera. It was priced too high for the shop (and it used one of those hard to find batteries) but what stuck me is someone gave it away!

Sadly, the Rolleis are not give aways. Going to the shop today to inspect the cameras more and shoot a roll of film through it.
 
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