Rollei Automat users?

I have a Rolleiflex Automat model 2 on the shelf that I may have used once in

the dim past. It was manufactured, according to the charts, between the late

1930s and the late 1940s and has a Tessar lens. Does anyone have experience

with this beast? Does it have any quirks I should know about?

<a href="http://members.aol.com/dcolucci/rolleitlr.htm">Rolleiflex Info Page

Hi Red, fine camera, one to use for sure. I have a few words and photos <a href="http://

www.tonylockerbie.com/classics/view/2007/01">here</a>

The only quirk is remembering to thread the film BETWEEN the rollers when you load it, and not just laying it over the top like in other TLRs. Once you get past that, as the name suggests, it's pretty automatic. Great cameras, rugged and trouble free with a minimum of care.

I have been playing with late Automat, MX-EVS. Beautiful camera and high performace unit in taking photos. Still would be so good to get some day uncoated Automat. These Tony's photos were beautiful!

 

Kerkko K.

I've got an Automat II with Carl Zeiss Jana Tessar without antireflection coating.

 

<p>Its a great camera - very pleasing results from the lens. Having the bay I hood is helpful.

 

<p><img src=http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/327250645_79953ea65b.jpg?v=0>

The Automat and Tessar are a first-class camera and lens combination. My Automat from 1949 has an uncoated viewing lens and a coated Tessar 3.5 taking lens; it produces very sharp photos with a certain "feel" to them that's distinctive. The camera itself, though it looks like it's been through a lot in its lifetime (worn-off paint, dings and dents on the body, a flaking mirror) is smooth, rugged, and extremely dependable. I always enjoy taking it out for a spin.

Make certain your focusing panel has no play. The early Auto finger-sensing system can have issues with modern 120 films, as apparently the backing is thinner nowadays. The Tessar lens is great, as they kept using them (and the basically identical Schneider Xenar) through the Rolleiflex T and Rolleicord Vb in the 70's. Nitpicking with a loupe apart, they will give you top-quality photos now.

I have a 1938/9 3.5 Tessar Rollieflex and its still producing great images. Lens hood is essential as the lens is uncoated. If you don't already have one try to find an original leather case for yours, it will protect in the field.

 

One mistake that i made is that I unknowingly had the little shutter button guard rotated in the wrong position and when I was focusing the lenses the guard got caught on the lens plane. I felt a slight resistance but foolishly kept twisting the knob and the guard snapped off. Seems like a design flaw to me but who am I to question the great German Rollei engineers? I wasn't too worried as my camera is far from mint but still irritating.

 

Absence of the flimsy guard makes absolutely no difference in the field, but my advice is if you feel resistance, stop and look!

 

There is also a slight quirk in that you cannot select the 500 shutter speed unless the shutter is uncocked. ie you need to rotate to 500 before winding the crank.

 

Note also that when you compose the field of vision is slightly narrower than what you will see on film. This is common with many cameras, but as the Rollei is quite wide you can end up with something you were trying to leave out of the image.

I have the same 'flex. It is an excellent machine still.

One thing: When you open the back (or when you close it?) the counter should jump back to zero. I have to check that this happens all the time when i open the back, because sometimes it sticks. If it does not jump to zero, it will miscount the film. If you see it does not jump back to zero, just push the small metal lever on the open bottom, net to the film counter rollers, until the counter resets to zero.