Rollei vs Hassy vs Contax 645 (?) HELP!

In Hasselblad sections of photo.net there are 13 threads on jammed Hassy. I just searched the titles in a haste. In Rollei there are two: none for Rollei 600x but for a TLR and SL66.

 

So much for a myth/legend.

Lakhinder, My apologies. I didn't mean to sound rude to you!

 

I was just trying to point out that a certain procedure, which is not at all difficult to follow (even someone as inept as myself figured it out the first time around), is preceived as a fatal flaw, and thus dissuades people from exploring a certain camera brand. You are right that people experience the jam, but their numbers are minuscule compared to those who don't. Other such "flaws" abound. For example, in the Leica Forum (of photo.net) there are people, some of them long-term users, who burn hole in their shutter curtains because they don't want to use a lens cap. Now that's an expensive fix, but it doesn't stop people from buying the camera. With the Rollei, and similar products, the battery drainage issue (running out of juice, and also dying in colder temperatures) has, I'm sure, caused more picture losses than has the Hasselblad jam. I don't have empirical evidence, just anecdotal. Sorry if this has turned into a long paragraph! I'm not trying to defend the Hasselblad brand, just trying to get people to focus on the positive aspects of a tool.

Allison, your choice may be guided by your style of shooting. I love the square also and therefore the 645 is out. My style is slow paced so the Hassy with its necessary attention to details such as how you switch backs and lenses is not a problem, neither is hand-held metering. As far as the rollei goes, I've been tempted and even though I can afford it, I choose to stay with the Hasselblad because I can buy great lenses for very cheap on the used market. Who knows how long it will be before the dreaded digital revolution will finally take over. I would rather not have invested many thousands in the Rollei system when the Hasselblad has essentially the same lenses. I too am surprised at your poor luck with the 501. Perhaps you should pick up a used but not abused 500c/m body for about 300.00 and surely you would have better luck, there are very few who have mechanical problems with these. Bob.

Vic, please do not worry about it. You were very graceful in your last note. Thanks.

 

I have a lot of respect for Hasselblad cameras. But every now and then when brand issues come up, I feel the subjective gets mixed with objective views. And I like to point out some things which if were happening in some japanese system, people would jump up and down!

 

The Hassy shutter cocking discipline irked me most actually when I added a bellows to the lens. The thought of adding an extension ring on top of that made me wonder just how complicated the order of removing extensions can be! And then the mechanical reliability starts going down by an order.

 

My setup would not cock the lens simply because the bellows had its cocking lever off by a few degrees of orientation! So the coupling would not transmit the necessary effect. The bellows worked okay by itself. The lens worked okay by itself. But not together! Yes the system was ready for servicing. But look at the failure!

 

I agree with you, we should focus on the positives of the current camera Allison has. And that was my advise to her too: that she should stay with what she already has, as cameras are expensive gadgets. And they are simply gadgets, not the actual photography, or the photographs! Equipment debates always end up in mud!

 

Lastly I share the sentiments expressed so well by Robert Nancarrow in the post immediately above. He has given such practical advise which I would like to follow if I were a current owner of Hassy system. The equipment debate has a new frontier: digital vs film ;-)

 

BTW: I also have heard anecdotes about Rollei batteries. If I had to travel to Antartica for an extended tour, obviously I might have to choose some other camera than a Rollei.

Lakhinder, you are right! When doing macro photography with Hasselblad, one can encounter some or all of the problems you mentioned.

I found a very good solution:

1. I got myself a spare part lens barrel of a Zeiss/Hasselblad Makro-Planar lens with its long focusing helicoid. 2. I also got myself some Zeiss Luminar lenses from the used market. 3. I had a mechanic make me a threaded ring to adapt the Luminar lenses to the lens barrel.

 

The combination is rather small, lightweight and has only one single mechanical interface with the camera.

 

The best thing is: the Luminar lenses are tiny, so they do not obstruct the lighting of my macro subjects. This works very well for me.

 

In the Rollei 6000 system, the solution is similar: get a normal extension ring plus the Rollei shutter adapter plus a Zeiss Luminar lens. Then have a mechanic do an adapter ring and start shooting.

Well, all I can say is I'm gonna have to actually go see one, and hold one and see how they feel. Since I live in the south finding these cameras to try isn't so easy for me, but I will probably make a day out of it and go to Atlanta. I think that getting a used hassy body and a used a 150 lens might help me in the meantime. Thanks to everyone for acting as my camera therapists. Of course I will let ya'll know what I decide. Thanks for all the help and advice.

Allison

Allison, It is worth reading this article. I read it every time I lust for something in the photographic world.:

 

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/chasing-magic-bullet.html

Allison,,

 

You mentioned going to Atlanta.....

 

KEH (www.keh.com) doesn't have a showroom, but their warehouse is located there. I

would imagine that if you called them, they would pull a couple of systems out for you to

see.

 

I think that they have to ship it to you (I might be wrong about that). I am sure that they

would have to charge you Sales Tax if they did sell to you in person.

 

jmp

Thanks John. I have been to KEH before and I think that they would let me a couple of bodies and such. They are so nice and so easy to deal with. I actually live a quarter of mile inside the Georgia line, so I actually would have to pay sales tax...=).

 

In response to the chasing bullet article. I tend to agree with the overall theme of the author's argument. But, I think some people can overthink and obsess over the small things. I just try to enjoy what I do and hell, I just want something that works and takes a decent picture, lol. =)