My wish-list to Rollei Braunschweig

[thomas_diekwisch]

There are rumors about a new Rollei medium format 6x6 autofocus SLR

circulating. At the same time Rollei seems to struggle with its

sales. This looks like quite an investment in technology - so I

thought I'd post some ideas about how current systems can be improved,

at least IMHO. I have the perception that Rollei is listening in on

our threads - they are just not talking to us or responding... But

some suggestions might sink in, I suppose (grin...).

 

1. I'd like Rollei to improve their 6008i light metering system. I

don't mean to add more complications to a multi-zone algorithm but

rather improve on the basic metering. It seems to me that in bright

light the camera tends to over-expose by 2/3 or 1 f-stop. In low

light situations the camera tends to underexpose. This is using the

spot or the average light meter. I can almost be certain that if I

adjust the ASA setting or the exposure correction dial in bright light

to underexpose by 2/3 I get correct exposures. And I know that in dim

light I often have to set the shutter speed dial 1 stop towards the

longer times if I use the manual setting and the camera read-out. One

guess is that is because the silicium blue cells in the Rolleis are

not sufficiently corrected for the enhanced red sensitivity of the

cell and thus tend to underexpose the red-shift during evening hours

and overexpose during bright and blue-rich mid-day situations. I have

never done any real science on it but that has been my experience.

Rollei might answer - yes - why - you can bracket. But you might

loose an important shot. And it's no fun to shoot 3 slides for every

image you want to shoot if you use the standard bracketing procedure.

Why can't they just adjust the exposure algorithm or build in a

stronger blue filter in front of the photo cell like everybody else.

This will reduce light meter sensitivity a little but clearly enhance

photographer's satisfaction.

 

I'd like to get feedback on this one though: It might be just my

personal experience with my camera and I might have to get it fixed.

There was a similar tendency in the SLX and 6006 however, so that's

why I believe it's genuine to the system. By the way, my SL66E and SE

which uses similar technology are quite on the money in bright light

while they have similar problems in low light. My 20 year old Minolta

system (X-500s) however is dead on.

 

2. Build a longer or better sun-shade for the 2.8/180 Tele-Xenar and

increase the internal flare reduction. I love the lens but flare is a

problem more often than one would like. The existing shade might

still be used for the 2.0/110 Planar.

 

3. High up on my wish list is a 5.6/600 Schneider APO-Tele-Xenar.

This would be really big and heavy, but I don't like the 8.0 on the

current 500mm APO Tele-Tessar that much.

 

4. Can't wait for the TLR Wide and Tele to come out. If they do.

 

5. Why not invest time, energy, and patience into a good dealer and

service network in the U.S.. and rebuild trust?! I know I am wearing

this one out but I guess many of us want Rollei to succeed and are

quite happy with the overall concept and quality - so, we keep on

bringing it up.

[wayne_crider3]

Being the owner of an older 6006 body, I'd like a rail accessory that screwed into the bottom of the camera that would support a bellows with some movements so that cheaper view camera lenses could be used for perspective corrections.

 

2nd.. Maybe offering custom factory upgrades for older stuff, like for exp comp.

3rd.. Factory organized rental outfitters.

4th.. Pull the motorized part out for a cheaper/lighter/smaller camera. Better handhold ability would be nice.

 

BTW, how close are they to going out of business? Their marketing dept sucks.

[vijay_nebhrajani]

Hello,

 

Deja Vu. I was thinking of a post on similar lines myself. I agree with you, Tom, and I would like to add some of my own observations.

 

1. The meter; the 6008 is a digital camera, and it should be a matter of a firmware upgrade to linearize the metering. Light sensitive devices have different sensitivity to different wavelengths, but even if Rollei were to assume a "daylight" color balance and linearize the meter, the results would be better. My observations, by the way, agree with Tom's.

 

2. Agree again. Rollei also needs to work on the problem of attaching a lens cap if you have a skylight filter permanently on - this is a big problem with all lenses that use BAY-104 caps.

 

3. Agree again. And at a reasonable price; tele lenses are easier to correct and require fewer glass elements - why can't they be made cheaper is beyond my comprehension. And IMHO, 500/5.6 is equally acceptable, provided it takes a Longar.

 

5. True. Rollei needs a good dealer/service network badly. I hope they understand and do something about it. May I add, Rollei needs to actually implement the "worldwide 3 year warranty" it claims on its website...

 

NEW POINTS:

 

6. A prism that has 2x or 3x magnification like Blad. Prism should have high eyepoint, and moving one's eye around should not cause weird reflections to be seen. Should be easy to do (perhaps not inexpensively).

 

7. Redesign lenses so they don't use wires and soldered joints, rather use flexi PCBs. This would enhance reliability manyfold. In general, Rollei should be worrying about reliability issues much, much more.

 

8. Use cleaner manufacturing lines for lenses - seen a lot of dust on many samples.

 

9. Move the depth-of-field preview elsewhere; the strap and DOF button hinder each other in the current setup.

 

10. Build connector and software that would allow PC based master control functionality using the same socket - and retain the MCU. This would allow the camera to be programmed via software (cheaper, not portable), or MCU (more expensive but portable). Also while they are at it, enhance MCU functions.

 

11. Redesign the current 90 degree finder. It is dim, and has too much barrel distortion.

 

12. RTFM - Rewrite the F***ing Manual ;-)

 

I think I covered most of what I have been thinking about - if I remember something else, I'll post it...

 

Cheers,

[ian_gordon_bilson]

As an ex-professional user of the Rollei 6006 Mk 1 : I would like to see the entire enterprise erupt into flames and crash into the sea..

[robert_c_harvey]

Sad to see such a formerly great company in it's present pathetic shape! I've owned and used so many of the TLR; phenomonal cameras! It seems now there are nothing but problems with some of the newer models! And service is spotty at best! Has anybody noticed that the 6008 kit used to sell for $4500.? Now the same kit is $3000. I guess they are trying to be competitive with other medium format manufacturers. I read the wide and tele models are a no-go. I would love to have one, as would a lot of photographers! I guess there's just not enough of us; basic economics.

Robert

[l_a_k_h_i_n_d_e_r]

I would like the MLU button (on my 6001) to be a toggle switch like Fuji 680III. Currently if you lock the MLU, it is a pain to undo it. Small issue though.

 

I have never liked the two Red buttons on the 120 Back-- one can open the Back by mistake!

 

I want my Rollei to have a flexible flash fill system like Nikon :-) Matrix metering is welcome too 8-)

 

But the lens changes above, are they not Zeiss and Schneider issues?

[moses_sparks]

All technical wishes aside, if Rollei expects to SURVIVE, much less compete with their Swedish nemesis, the dealer/service network has to be a number one priority.

 

That, and an agressive marketing campaign.

 

I have toyed with the idea of buying an extensive Rollei system for a couple of years now, because I honestly think their products are light years beyond the other available options, but the total lack of support for professional use, and their virtual invisibility in the market always stops me.

 

I am not going to spend 10-15,000 dollars on a system from a company with no apparent interest in their own future!

 

The latest proof of this for me: 2 days ago I was in Samys Camera in Los Angeles. Anyone who knows the photo market knows that Samys is the largest retailer on the West Coast for high end professional equipment. Anything you could ever want is always in stock there.

 

The manager of the Pro Dept is a friend of mine, and I went in to ask her if she cold arrange a loan of a 6008i with some backs and lenses, as I was once again flirting with the idea of buying the system and wanted to give it a thorough test drive.

 

She told me they no longer carry the system at all!

 

The reasons: No customer demand, no reliable supply of service, parts, and accessories, and no support from the manufacturer.

 

The few items she had left in stock were being sold cheap to make more shelf space for the Hasselblad, Mamiya, and Contax systems that were in constant demand.

 

This is indeed a sad state of affairs, to have what is arguably the best MF system in production, and no apparent means to effectively market it.

 

Things that make you go "hmmmmm?"

[bobby_cranford]

I recently purchased a 6008i system for Kurland Photo. It was definitely a leap of faith since I live in the Southeast and Rollei dealers are non-exsistant. I made my decision based on trying the other cameras available, not liking them, reading the internet reviews and comments on Rollei and talking to Eli Kurland. Rollei USA was basically useless when I called. Their attitude was that they are strong in the Northeast and well, that is the way it is.

 

It is a shame since the camera really is a nice product. Most of the comments about the camera's features are about minimal upgrades in most cases. The root anxiety over the camera here in the U.S. seems to be the lack of a dealer and service network. I am just an amatuer photographer, so I am not dependent on the camera to make my living. I can understand the concerns of working professionals who need the camera to make their living. Without a rental network, they are somewhat hamstrung.

 

It would be nice to see someone from Rollei marketing actually join into these threads like Kornelius Fleischer from Zeiss does. Actual feedback from the manufacturer to comments and rumors would do a lot I think to improve Rollei's image in the US market.

 

The camera is very nice. It is expensive, but less than a comparable Hasselblad system. Hasselblad definitely wins in the availability department.

 

Hey Rollei, if you are listening, how about letting us know. We are ready to support you.

[lennart__str_m]

Well, the new Rollei would be a 2000 version of the SL 66.

 

1. Equipped with a rail that provides tilt and shift options like the Fuji GX 680, but as

a 6x6 camera it would be much smaller/lighter than the Fuji.

 

2. Matrix-metering as well as centre-weighed and spot-metering.

 

3. Bracketing.

 

4. Backs that can shoot 6x6 and 6x4,5 on the same roll.

 

5. Digital backs.

 

6. Schneider lenses exclusively. Many of them named APO��.

[william_carter1]

I too have noticed the overexposure in bright light situations. And I'm really looking forward to TTL fill flash that actually works on the new 6008.

 

Here are two questions for pure speculation: (1) where the heck is the AF button going to be on the new body? Presumably, they'll integrate it into the shutter release, so it autofocuses when you push the button halfway (if they take this route, they'd also better take the Contax 645 approach and allow switch-over to manual focus simply by manually turning the focusing ring). But which shutter release button? One option would be one of the shutter release buttons that falls under your right index finger when holding the camera with the grip (if the upper one if for AF, then the lower one can be a "normal" shutter release not involving AF, thus allowing you to activate AF with one button and release the shutter with a different one, a la the Contax 645). Another option is to co-opt one of the exposure lock buttons that you activate with your right thumb. I think using the "up" position (the one that only lock in the reading as long as you hold it) works better here and I think it's more ergonomic. (2) Are the new AF lenses going to be Zeiss, Schneider, or both (presumably, whichever brand they are, there'll be a 50mm, 80mm and 150mm to start)? If they're based on the Zeiss lenses for the Contax 645, presumably they'll also carry over the faster maximum aperature of those lenses as well (e.g., the standard 80mm Contax 645 lens is f2.0 instead of f2.8). Or are the differences in leaf-shutter lenses such that Zeiss (assuming the first AF lenses are Zeiss) will be building the new AF lenses from the ground up? And, finally, will the AF lenses be of reduced weight and have a screw-in filter mount rather than bayonet, but be of arguably lesser durability, along the lines of the EL lenses?

[thomas_diekwisch]

Just moved from Dallas/Texas to Chicago - thus the late reply. Thanks for all postings. Hopefully somebody at Rollei reads them and has some impact on product design. Anyway, I thought I'd add some kind of a response...

 

I definitely know where Ian Gordon Bilson is coming from when he writes after his 6006 experiences "I would like to see the entire enterprise erupt into flames and crash into the sea...". Sometimes felt like adding gasoline... Just kidding, but anyway.

 

Moses Sparks hits the nail on its head when he is writing "I am not going to spend 10 -15K on a system from a company with no apparent interest in their own future." I guess that's the most intriguing issue - all the Rollei customer service issues are screaming that the company must take care of its customers in order to take care of itself and that this is apparently not happening. BTW, Samy's has been one of the stores I have been frequenting as well and I have gotten similar responses. Anybody in the photography business knows about Samy's importance for the West Coast Pro market. But it's not only Samy's that is lost for Rollei. And it is not for one subjective arbitrary decision but for years of trouble...

 

On a technical level both Vijay and William Carter have confirmed my observation about the inaccuracy of Rollei's light meter. Thanks for sharing. Hopefully Rollei works on it in future models since it seems to be a general problem. Looks like all of us are seeing similar things to improve. What a wonderful customer research tool for Rollei and suggestion box to improve their product line... if they'd just listen...

 

Other posts elsewhere have frequently requested an improved flash system. Which has apparently been incorporated into the new 6000 series autofocus. After all the press glitter for previous models and the sometimes disappointing realities I surely hope that Rollei does better on the new model.

 

I guess the frustrating issue is that Rollei has all these wonderful technical features and that it makes the rest of the 6x6 pack look like dinosaurs. And then there are all these flaws and service issues that ruin the whole thing. Kind of like some of the new Mercedes cars in which the electronic fails after half a year... But that's another chapter.

 

Lastly, I have not seen much from Kornelius Fleischer as of recently. Hope he comes back. And I am sure a similar person establishing a link between us on the Web and Rollei will be more than appreciated.

[desmond_kidman]

Hello,

 

Your submission hit the nail on the head for me about Rollei shooting themselves in the foot.

 

I have a Hasselblad system, but I admire the Rollei system for many reasons: features, non-reverse-curl film backs (which seems it must yield better film flatness), but I can't come to trust the company. When I made my initial choice of Hasselblad, I was choosing between SLX and Hasselblad. How many times over the years have I reflected on the trouble I saved myself, as well as money (due to the depreciation of the SLX system).

 

A history of making changes in the system that are not totally compatible, obsoleting models, and the service stories, have kept me away from what must be the most thought out system.

 

I would dearly miss the 250 sa, the 100, and the SWC, but I could make the plunge, or have 2 sytems, if they clearly demonstrated that they had their act together.

 

Armando