Jump to content

Rolleiflex 3.5F no Meter


clark_roberts

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

I going to purchase a Rolleiflex 3.5F that does not have a meter. Here's my question

if I have the right meter parts for it could you install the meter into it, does it have the leakages

and wiring inside already just to hook it up to have a working metering like to other Rollei's that

already have them.

 

Thank you

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"if I have the right meter parts for it could you install the meter into it, does it have the leakages

and wiring inside already just to hook it up to have a working metering like to other Rollei's that

already have them."

 

- No. A big fat no.

Just buy a handheld meter. It'll be far more versatile and accurate than any built in meter.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The answer is basically no, it isn't pre-wired, etc. Now to the question of whether or not a person could install one...probably a skilled engineer with micro components could, it wouldn't be anything like the ones in other models, either in size, accuracy, or looks. So if one ever wanted to sell the modified camera, it would be considered totally defaced and probably worthless junk. I think if you even had to ask the question, that you lack the skills to successfully accomplish the task and to not have the resulting body look like a Frankenstein looking Rolleiflex.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll also tag on and say that if you want a metered one, you're far better off just getting one.

 

Chances are any meter "parts" you find are because the selenium cell in the meter is dead. Selenium cells were used in their day because there either weren't other options, or the ones that existed had their own issues. In particular, I find that the small in-camera ones tend to only really work outside(even if they even work at all and are accurate there) and those are conditions where I personally can often go meterless. I've been shooting the snot out of my Hasselblad the past week and getting decent negatives by eyeballing EVs and setting them-you can do the same thing on a 3.5F.

 

Basically, I see the metered Rolleiflexes these days as having more collector value than anything. If you are collecting Rolleiflexes(I don't fault you-I collect them, although I mostly play in the earlier, more affordable ones) you need the metered one. Trying to make a metered one from a non-metered will kill its collector value in both categories, and the result is you get a meter that doesn't really offer you anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a Yashica metered TLR. If you've seen the Yashicas, you'll realize that they borrowed a lot from the Rolleiflexes in terms of design. Given what I've seen inside the Yashica, I really doubt that it would be easy to add an original equipment meter to a non metered model. There's not a lot of wiring outside of the meter housing itself except the battery wire, but there are mechanical connections between the meter and both the aperture and shutter speed knobs.

 

Not having a meter may seem like a huge drawback to a camera but to be honest I don't have a ton of faith in that Yashica meter anyway. So when in doubt, I compare it to a meter app I have on my phone or what the Sunny 16 rule would dictate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From "The Rollei Way by L. A. Mannheim, P220: "This model [3.5F] is also obtainable without the exposure meter. This can be built in subsequently and then affords the full coupled meter operation". This suggests to me that the bodies were pre-wired for the metering - the Rolleiflex T certainly was, as here:

 

Rolleiflex T Series TLR medium-format Rollei camera Manual

 

However I totally agree with what others have said, that it would be futile to try to retrofit one now. The chances are the parts would be inaccurate or defective anyway. Much better to leave the camera as is and use a hand held meter.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I've been working on the 3.5F and dug a little deeper into the camera, I did find out that while

there's the bracket and contact's for the meter there's no wiring that goes from the bracket to

the cell housing if I want to put one in. What I have to do is wire it up first then attach the meter cell and

the mechanism that goes into the focusing knob. I might try it later but for know I'll use my handy meter,

so I don't have to take the baby apart, I already have done that and it's working smooth and did I say

quiet, I'm outside taking pictures and when I click the shutter button I here nothing, a lot different than

the Hasselblad's ka-plop!

 

 

fullsizeoutput_5f00.thumb.jpeg.1c4b85d8dc15c50b86bc81dbc4c6bb40.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...