Rolleicords?

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Matt McGrattan - 27 Jun 2004 11:18 GMT

Hi,

I've been using a couple of medium format cameras for a little bit - a
Lubitel 1 and a Fuji rangefinder (GS645)...

I've been finding myself using the Lubitel a lot (even though it's
ostensibly a much poorer camera than the Fuji) because I like the TLR
layout and viewfinder and also because I like the 6x6 square shots.

Anyway, at some point soon I'd like to pick up a better 6x6 TLR and
I've spotted a few Rolleicords around for low prices on eBay. Often
fairly basic models with Triotars can be had cheaply...

Are these any good? Am I likely to see a significant improvement from
the Lubitel?

What would be a reasonable price for one (either in UKP or US $)?

Thanks,

Matt

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Photodad2 - 27 Jun 2004 11:34 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Matt

I am not familiar with the Lubitel, but I use a Rolleicord III (c. 1953).
It has been a great camera for me. How many 50+ year old cameras do you
know that still work flawlessly?

One of my biggest photographic regrets is that I sold my Rolleicord Vb years
ago when I got out of the wedding business. It was an incredible camera,
with a sharper lens than my III, interchangeable hoods, and other
improvements that made it much easier to use.

If you can afford the $200-$300 dollars (US) that a Vb costs, that's your
best bet. But you can get a III like mine for less than $100 US, and it's a
good camera also.

Walt

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Martin Francis - 27 Jun 2004 12:09 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
> What would be a reasonable price for one (either in UKP or US $)?

I only used a Rolleicord once, and that was to test it before I gave it to
someone as a gift. The negs were rather sharp, though falloff seemed
apparent at wider apertures.

I bought it (a rather old, tatty one- 1930s, perhaps) for the princely sum
of ?30 from a local camera seller.

Signature

Martin Francis http://www.sixbysix.co.uk
"Go not to Usenet for counsel, for it will say both no, and yes, and
no, and yes...."

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David J. Littleboy - 27 Jun 2004 12:11 GMT

> Anyway, at some point soon I'd like to pick up a better 6x6 TLR and
> I've spotted a few Rolleicords around for low prices on eBay. Often
> fairly basic models with Triotars can be had cheaply...
>
> Are these any good? Am I likely to see a significant improvement from
> the Lubitel?

I'd recommend holding out for a real Rolleiflex. Check out the bargain grade
'flexes at KEH.

http://www.keh.com/hmpg/index.cfm

That 2.8D Xenotar looks real nice...

David J. Littleboy
Tokyo, Japan

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Stacey - 27 Jun 2004 19:13 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> I've spotted a few Rolleicords around for low prices on eBay. Often
> fairly basic models with Triotars can be had cheaply...

I'd step up to at least a tessar/xenar model. Also the early ones had
uncoated lenses which need care to use without getting flare problems. I
have a cord V with a coated xenar lens and it's nice. The other problem
with those old rolleis is they have an extra dim focus screen which is all
but unuseable IMHO. I upgraded mine with a Maxwell screen but they aren't
cheap. For the price of a good screen installed into a cord, you can buy a
minoltacord which already has a brighter screen and a lens that is just as
good.

Signature

Stacey

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Lassi =?iso-8859-1?Q?Hippel=E4inen?= - 29 Jun 2004 22:22 GMT

>... The other problem
> with those old rolleis is they have an extra dim focus screen which is all
> but unuseable IMHO. I upgraded mine with a Maxwell screen but they aren't
> cheap. For the price of a good screen installed into a cord, you can buy a
> minoltacord which already has a brighter screen and a lens that is just as
> good.

A few days ago I was lucky enough to get a Rolleigrid to my old 'flex.
It's only a slab of plastic, but still the effect is pretty stunning.

-- Lassi

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Stacey - 30 Jun 2004 01:26 GMT

Lassi Hippeläinen wrote:

>>... The other problem
>> with those old rolleis is they have an extra dim focus screen which is
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> A few days ago I was lucky enough to get a Rolleigrid to my old 'flex.
> It's only a slab of plastic, but still the effect is pretty stunning.

Almost anything is better than the -ground piece of glass- those old
rollei's came with!

Signature

Stacey

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KFritch - 30 Jun 2004 13:16 GMT

The viewing screens on the later Rolleis like the Vb and 3.5F weren't all that
bad.
Oddly enough, though, I've found that in really dim situations, the older
MX-EVS is best for me since I can fit a focuspot to it. These were made by
Kalart and seem only to fit the older 3.5 rolleflexes.

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