Use of rolleiflex TLR

Simple question about the use of rolleiflex (TLR).

Do you know professionnal photographers who still use rolleiflex TLR?

Perhaps you. It's only to have an idea.

Thank you.

Michel Le Mandat

Cervin Robinson, a noted architectural photographer based in New York, shoots mostly 4x5 but carries a Rollei TLR for some of his shots. He uses it particularly for images that include people.

I'm not a noted pro, nor a pro photographer anymore - used to be! I still carry TLR's including Rollei because they are easy to use, quiet, non-threatening to the subjects, and given some planning, the TLR still produces excellent results - although the user sometimes gets in the way :-). BTW: 6x6cm IS an excellent "people" format!

Dear Michel,

 

I´m a professional photographer, also a teacher and researcher of photography. Although I use 6x7 - 6x9 in studio, and mostly 135 outdoors with slides, I prefer to carry a Rollei TLR with me when travelling without car. Then I have an old (but excellent for b&w´s) Rolleiflex X. It´s not so expensive that it would be no (big) catastrophe if somebody steals it. In studio I sometimes use very flexible and handheld GX (because of having hot lights and because of GX´s excellent spotmeter). Also sometimes, but very seldom, I take "60´s-style" portraits with Tele-Rollei. Tele is also worth of trying on city and street scenes when you want them with "packed" impression of perspective. By the way, as a vintage Rollei I have an early automat which owner was a famous finnish press photographer (Johannes Kangas) from 1937 to 1972. I have some of his negatives - they are axcellent. But also this Rollei is in full condition, of course it´s lens is only for b&ws. Well, when I start to recall, my old teacher (Erkki Ala-Könni) photographed with Wide-Rollei in 60´s. His photos about most Northern part of Finland (Samí-Lapland)) are going to be a part of an exhibition "The Northern Glow" at Tampere Art museum, Finland, next year. So, quite many reasons to respect Rolleiflex-photographers and still use Rolleis... To be curious, what kind of idea is behind Your question??

 

With best regards

 

Hannu Sinisalo

Tampere, Finland

I shoot mainly corporate newsletters and for golf clubs. Most of my work are done with a 35mm SLR and 6x9 rangefinder. But when I need to move about fast and light, I use either the Rolleicord V, Vb or the Rolleiflex 3.5F or 2.8GX.

 

The TLR is best suited for environmental portraits. This is where its strength lies. Fitted with a Rolleikin, the TLR becomes very flexible. I can revert to 35mm film which has a wider range of emulsion and the Rollei TLR becomes a short tele portrait camera. The wonderful thing is, the leaf shutter allows me sync at any speed when I use fill-in flash.

 

Previously mentioned in another thread some years back, well known professionals who still use the TLR are, Helmut Newton, David Bailey and Peter Gowland just to name a few. There are many other pros around the world still using them and they sometimes participate in the forum pages of the Asia TLR Club.

 

Dave Wyman who does editorial photography shoots regularly with his Rollei TLR. His site has full of links to other TLR using pros.

I'm sure quite a few pros no one's ever heard of use Rollei TLRs. For a couple we've heard of, Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon.

There are many professionals who use the Rolleiflex TLR. If you want

to see how they are using these wonderful cameras visit

http://people.we.mediaone.net/wymanburke/Rollei_Links.html

 

The site has links to all kinds of Rollei TLR made photographs by

professional photographers.

I mentioned the classic greats Ernst Haas and Werner Bischof in a previous response as great examples of professional use of TLR. Shame on me for not mentioning Arthur Grace, a Washington DC photojournalist. He has published two books in the last 8 years using Rollei TLR's, COMEDIANS, a superb behind the scenes look at several artists including Richard Pryor and Whoopie Goldberg, and CHOOSE ME, which covers the '92 Presidential election.