Rolleiflex TLR

Hello all,

I'm looking to invest in a Rolleiflex wide and/or Tele

I already own a 2.8 F and I love it.

 

can some users tell me if there is any interest to buy the "new" version of these 2 camera instead of the 60's one

I have read that the never version are not so well built like the old one. Can someone who own or had use both old and new version can tell me differences.

 

also I try to register in the Rollei Club forum,

www.rolleiclub.com/forum

and it is impossible, there is an error in one php script, and no email to contact someone

if there is a rolleiclub user can he tell the admin that there is an error.

I'm a member of the Rollei Club, just logged in without trouble. I don't know about the quality of newer compared to older models of the wides and teles; I'd love to have a wide-angle Rollei, but the price has held me back! A fast look at eBay shows a tele at $3298.49 CAD and a wide at $5932.07 CAD. Too rich for me! Not many of these were made, so they're very rare.

If you can afford them, I wouldn't worry about older and newer versions; the main difference seems to be in the lenses. The older teles had a Zeiss Sonnar; the newer a Schneider Tele-Xenar; the older wides a Zeiss Distagon, the newer a Schneider Super-Angulon.

As for me, I'm happy with the wide and tele lenses on my Mamiya C330s. Entirely different from a Rollei of course, but the lenses are just fine.

While visiting the factory many years ago I was told that for the FW the Distagon was replaced by the Super-Angulon because it needed a type of glass that was no longer manufactured. A reason for choosing the modern FW or FT would be the modern light meter. The Selenium cells of the classic cameras are often unreliable. The classic Wide Angle as an additional Newton finder, the FW has not.

 

The new ones do not have the automatic film transport, you have to align the film against a mark just like that Swedish camera. Also some cog wheels are made of steel instead of brass and the feel is less smooth. The release is less smooth partly because it activates the light meter switch. I own the classic Tele and Wide and a 'modern' GX.

 

Ferdi.

Edited June 28, 2018 by fwstutterheim

The new ones do not have the automatic film transport, you have to align the film against a mark just like that Swedish camera.

 

At least it's better than the 1957-1970 versions of that "Swedish Camera" where you have to use a peephole and manually start the counter(something that I think F&H got away from in the 1930s even on the Rolleicord).

 

I'll say that with full disclosure of the fact that, even though I love Rolleiflexes, mine mostly sit idle now in favor of a Swedish camera.

Well for what it is worth, I have a very late 2.8F from the 295 series and an early FX with brown cowhide that I bought new. I have now spent more money servicing my old 2.8F than the FX cost me new and 10 years later the new FX has not needed service. I don't use camera light meters so that is a moot point for me. I do miss the self timer though the 2.8F self timer has now twice stopped working and needed service. I prefer the arrow and red dot system of film starting as the feeler roller in the 2.8F went out of adjustment and I needed to put tape on it to get it to read my favorite film, it is currently being readjusted by Mr. Fleenor. Personally I prefer Schneider lenses to Zeiss. My Xenotar on the F out performs all the Planar models I have had. The FX Planar with the HFT coating is now on par with the Schneider Xenotar. My 90mm Schneider Super Angulon for 4x5 is one of the most stunning lenses I ever had. The rollers on the interior of my FX are black and the film mask is matt.. so there is less of the roller reflection of earlier Rolleis. The film transport and focus are much more smooth and effortless on the FX than the F ever was. The shutter button does have a learning curve to use as it does kind of catch where it is supposed to turn on the meter. You can learn to recognize that spot and the next little effort will trip the shutter.

I happen to have a classic Wide for sale, absolutely MINT condition, Includes the flat glass plate and a Maxwell Bright Screen.

I'm looking to invest

 

Just a caution, invest is not a particularly appropriate word when talking about old cameras. o_O

Just a caution, invest is not a particularly appropriate word when talking about old cameras. o_O

 

Hmm... tell me about it... I

"invested thousands of

bananas in 110 cameras...

http://bayouline.com/o2.gif