Where to buy a minty Rolleiflex

E

ediz7531

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Hi all,

I'm looking to buy a minty Rolleiflex to commemorate a special occasion. I already have a 3.5F which I adore, so I'd be looking at a 2.8D/E/F.

These days I try to stay away from eBay as it's too risky and my buying record there has been hit or miss. Ideally I'd like to buy from a shop that gives some sort of guarantee/warranty. Any suggestions would be welcome. For reference, my experience with KEH/Roberts Camera has been A-Ok overall, but in the last year or so I've found their ratings have been below my expectations.
Cheers,

Eder
 
There's a fellow, bherman from Shrewsbury, MA, who regularly posts really nice Rollei items in the RFF classifieds. Perhaps reach out to him and see what he might have?
 
almost impossible these days but perhaps you can find someone. i’d recommend finding a gx. i have bought from dealers like koh and igor (horrible) don’t do it. just trust me, they arent mint and are poorly described if you know what youre talking about and looking for. kohs cameras will function very well he was a rollei certified tech but they are always cosmetically fair including the lenses which are often cleaned inside and out and you can tell. he doesnt describe the lenses fairly.

best bet is to find a very good looking one IN PERSON and give it a class A overhaul from bill moritiz or paul ebel or oceanside if you like spending more than you should. i have returned pretty much every online rollei purchase i’ve ever made from dealers.
 
astrosecret said:
almost impossible these days but perhaps you can find someone. i’d recommend finding a gx. i have bought from dealers like koh and igor (horrible) don’t do it. just trust me, they arent mint and are poorly described if you know what youre talking about and looking for. kohs cameras will function very well he was a rollei certified tech but they are always cosmetically fair including the lenses which are often cleaned inside and out and you can tell. he doesnt describe the lenses fairly.

best bet is to find a very good looking one IN PERSON and give it a class A overhaul from bill moritiz or paul ebel or oceanside if you like spending more than you should. i have returned pretty much every online rollei purchase i’ve ever made from dealers.
Click to expand...


Are GX models made to the same quality standard as the earlier Rolleis?

Thanks all for some good suggestions here. I will look into these.
 
I've heard good things about Petrakla, but the selection tends toward the pre-War era (a good thing in my book).

The build quality of the GX is like a Rolleicord with some modern plastic bits. Still very good!
 
ediz7531 said:
Are GX models made to the same quality standard as the earlier Rolleis?

Thanks all for some good suggestions here. I will look into these.
Click to expand...

they were all great cameras when they were manufactured. now, harder to find pre gx models in similar working condition. the 2.8f were studio workhorses. ran hard most into the ground. the gx is an excellent camera but not made exactly like the f models. many of the castings used for F had been destroyed by the time later rolleis were manufactured. imo the GX is the best rollei they ever made and the 3/4 gen F’s and rolleicords (Vb) are right behind
 
Look in the RFF Classifieds

Look in the RFF Classifieds

Another recommendation for Brad Herman (bherman) here on RFF. I have a 3.5 F Whiteface from him that had been serviced by Krimar. Works great, meter is accurate, and it looks mint. Came with case, tripod adapter, several filters, proxars, etc.

I have a 2.8F Whiteface from Jan Pedersen here on RFF. Again, looks mint, meter works, everything functions as expected - even the self timers of both my cameras.

Incidentally, I didn't set out looking for the Whiteface models. I just wanted the cleanest cameras that I could get.

I would suggest looking in the RFF classifieds. Those who sell here usually know the history of their cameras very well.
 
Precision Camera in Austin, Tx, has one listed on their web site. I just acquired my first Rollei from Garland Camera near Dallas. Cannot believe how quiet the shutter is compared to my Leicas or the thunder clap from a Blad.

My understanding is Precision Camera gives all their used cameras the equivalent of a CLA before listing them for sale.
 
Dan Daniel said:
Best as I can tell, this guy has a stockpile of parts and cameras. He goes through each camera, cleaning and replacing parts as needed. Sure looks nice, and I haven't heard any complaints about the actual cameras. Pricey!
https://magicflexcamera.com/rolleiflex

Here's his instagram where he'll show in progress shots, etc.
https://www.instagram.com/magicflexcamera/
Click to expand...

I don’t have first hand experience with Magic Flex but going by their socials, they go to a remarkable level of detail overhauling the gear they sell. Pricey, but looks like a good option if you’re after ‘perfect’.
 
"Minty"?

"Mint condition". "Nearly Mint". "Mint". These are terms, which all make sense.

Some years back that other word began to appear on eBay. Sellers started using "minty", because it was a way of talking up cameras that weren't "mint", in a way that made them sound "mint" (even though they were not). They're still doing it. I avoid such sellers, I prefer to deal with people who say it, as it is.

It's a bloody stupid term. Why on Earth would you want a minty camera, anyway? You may find it does not mean, what you really think it does...
 
all of ‘magic flexes’ stuff is priced higher than a gx cost new. he has disclaimers like ‘The lens was cleaned internally: no significant scratches.... also nothing what will affect excellent picture quality.’ nope never would i send him that kind of money. show me the lens lit properly so i can see what im spendjng $4k on. the camera is 50-60 years old.. this is what sellers say when they dont want to be liable for ‘small’ issues with lenses.

many of the japanese sellers actually do a great job of showing and describing the camera on ebay, way better than that guy does. i have always had good experiences with japanese dealers on other items and would actually be pretty confident buying from them and getting an overhaul in the states.

like one poster said here, buy from someone who uses these, here on rff or photrio or in person. there are camera stores that do resell these and you can inspect them there. you are in SF stop by seawood photo. buying in a dry climate like socal, az, utah etc can help prevent ending up with a lot of internal haze if the camera has lived there its whole life. this is why i’ve settled on picking up cameras locally in LA as many are absolutely pristine inside save for some dust. cameras from the east coast always have issues. one example: oil from the shutter liquifies and evaporates inside the lens and leaves a film caked into the lens elements. often a tech goes in to clean it and ends up scarring the element by attempting to remove it.
 
astrosecret said:
all of ‘magic flexes’ stuff is priced higher than a gx cost new. he has disclaimers like ‘The lens was cleaned internally: no significant scratches.... also nothing what will affect excellent picture quality.’ nope never would i send him that kind of money. show me the lens lit properly so i can see what im spendjng $4k on. the camera is 50-60 years old.. this is what sellers say when they dont want to be liable for ‘small’ issues with lenses.

many of the japanese sellers actually do a great job of showing and describing the camera on ebay, way better than that guy does. i have always had good experiences with japanese dealers on other items and would actually be pretty confident buying from them and getting an overhaul in the states.

like one poster said here, buy from someone who uses these, here on rff or photrio or in person. there are camera stores that do resell these and you can inspect them there. you are in SF stop by seawood photo. buying in a dry climate like socal, az, utah etc can help prevent ending up with a lot of internal haze if the camera has lived there its whole life. this is why i’ve settled on picking up cameras locally in LA as many are absolutely pristine inside save for some dust. cameras from the east coast always have issues. one example: oil from the shutter liquifies and evaporates inside the lens and leaves a film caked into the lens elements. often a tech goes in to clean it and ends up scarring the element by attempting to remove it.
Click to expand...


The items on that MagicFlex site seem interesting, although as you state I did note the caveats on the items descriptions. Their prices seem comparable to buying one described as Mint on eBay by a Japanese seller and then sending it to Paul Ebel for a CLA. I do know Seawood photo! Neat store. I'm definitely willing to be patient on this search.
 
Sarcophilus Harrisii said:
"Minty"?

"Mint condition". "Nearly Mint". "Mint". These are terms, which all make sense.

Some years back that other word began to appear on eBay. Sellers started using "minty", because it was a way of talking up cameras that weren't "mint", in a way that made them sound "mint" (even though they were not). They're still doing it. I avoid such sellers, I prefer to deal with people who say it, as it is.

It's a bloody stupid term. Why on Earth would you want a minty camera, anyway? You may find it does not mean, what you really think it does...
Click to expand...

I happen to like the word minty for describing a camera in mint condition. So we can agree to disagree 😉
The meaning seems to have been conveyed well enough given the helpfulness of people's responses.

Cheers,
 
astrosecret said:
they were all great cameras when they were manufactured. now, harder to find pre gx models in similar working condition. the 2.8f were studio workhorses. ran hard most into the ground. the gx is an excellent camera but not made exactly like the f models. many of the castings used for F had been destroyed by the time later rolleis were manufactured. imo the GX is the best rollei they ever made and the 3/4 gen F’s and rolleicords (Vb) are right behind
Click to expand...

This is an interesting comment. I have a perfect condition 'Cord Vb Type 2 and always wanted a 'Flex but never acquired one and was curious is there a discernible difference other than weight/heft, difference in glass and ergonomics.

I guess what I am asking is there such a contrast in aesthetics and shooting that it would be worth it having both? I never held a 'Flex and have always been curious.
 
Sarcophilus Harrisii said:
"Minty"?

"Mint condition". "Nearly Mint". "Mint". These are terms, which all make sense.

Some years back that other word began to appear on eBay. Sellers started using "minty", because it was a way of talking up cameras that weren't "mint", in a way that made them sound "mint" (even though they were not). They're still doing it. I avoid such sellers, I prefer to deal with people who say it, as it is.

It's a bloody stupid term. Why on Earth would you want a minty camera, anyway? You may find it does not mean, what you really think it does...
Click to expand...

Mintish ... ? 😉
 
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