ike k Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 Folks, I'm getting addicted I just acquired 3.5F/T4 Plannar, and now I can not stop and thinking to get another TLR.I know I was asking the FX earlier but still out of my price league so I would be looking for the older F series. I wonder between those 2.8, do you think E and F series would be much different? in lens coating, sharpness, etc? If I can get late F model would this be better? and the serial number what should it start? 24***** or 28***** or 3******.Thank you for any informative post, I can not wait till I get one.Have a nice weekend everyone!. Ike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olivier_reichenbach Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 I can understand your addiction. Besides the coupled aperture-shutter speed dials and the non-removable WLF, I don't think there is any difference between the 2.8E and 2.8F. You might want to have a look here: http://www.rolleiclub.com/rollei/index2.htm Have fun. I do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 Get one from a dealer; or one that is actually checked out; and works from the start.....<BR><BR> It is far more important to get one that is not butchered; not a combination of missmatched lenses; doesnt have a tweaked focusing board; has no sticky shutter; has no ill adjusted feeler roller; has no dirty screen. It is very common for folks to unearth an old Rollei; remove the front lens; squirt lighter fluid in; and get the shutter unstuck. Then the camera goes on Ebay; and works for a week or two; then gums up again. Another gambit is swapping front elements. This makes a camera that maybe looks better; with an unscratched lens. But the camera many times musstracks in focus. Sometimes it works ok; sometimes the hack fails. This adds more punch to the Xenotar versus Planar story; since the hacked camera is missaligned.<BR><BR>A Rollei at the C level and above has a great lens. The variation between a Xenotar and Planar is way less than the variation due to hackers; missaligned cameras; missmatched lenses.<BR><BR>Here I paid 100 bucks more for an E3; and got a mint Xenotar model; with removable hood; and clean bright mirror; with no dust. I paid 500 for it 25 years ago; and it has never required a cla; since it gets used. I tried it out at Franks camera; and shot film in it; and went home and developed the film. Focus tracking was excellent; focus accuracy great; shutter synch great. I was willing to pay the extra 100; to get a camera that I checked out. <BR><BR>MY older two Rollei's were bought as junkers; and rebuilt myself; a decade earlier. I removed the shutters; and had a pro shutter guy repair them; Marty Forscher. There is alot to removing a shutter and lenses; repairing the shutters; and realligning the affair.<Br><br>There are great Rollei's and junk ones; for each model year; due to use; miss-use; fungus; being dropped; being hacked. I would rather use a Rollei C that is in great condition; than a hacked Rollei 2.8F Planar; that missfocuses; misses frames; and has a sluggish shutter. Stress getting a good unit from the start; that has NO problems; NO past history of being hacked; NO baggage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 IKE; I mention the misstracking Rollei's story; because I have checked out a friends Rollei F model; that has this problem. It was bought off of Ebay; and looks great to the eye. At infinity; the taking and viewing lens both are aligned. At a closer distance; such as 10 meters (33 ft) the film focus is off with respect to the viewfinder. At 1 meter (3.3 ft); the focus is way off between the two. This problem is not fixable with a cla. Here the taking and viewing lenses have been missmatched; to create a nice looking camera. In production; the Rollei's were built with matched sets of taking and viewing lenses; the focal lengths are close; so they focus and track together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike k Posted June 6, 2004 Author Share Posted June 6, 2004 Kelly, Thanks for the valuable info, I'll take that as a caution allert on this issue.However if buying from store I don't know where to go cause not so many local store here carry those even none.Ebay is one of few choices I could go and I know we have to be all aware on Ebay, I usually ask the sellers many things such as warranty before I can confide myself buy theirs.But dealing with individual is another story, and I don't take persons who sell as is only (except if they sell for really cheap). BTW How can you tell that those lenses have been misplaced? or changed? with my naked eye I couldn't tell but the good thing I live in OC,CA and go to Mr. Fleenor is my option on this. Thanks and the search has begun. Ike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_elek Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 Marty Forscher was "legendary" in the 1960s and 1970s for his work. He helped Life photographer George Silk turn a camera used at horse races into something portable for 35mm film. Marty created the shutter for this camera using two razor blades. Now, that's amazing. Silk used the camera to take some great shots at the Olympics and the famous shot of the kids in Halloween garb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 Ike; a local store allows one to shoot images; and have the focus checked. I got mine at Franks camera; up in Highland Park; 25 year ago. I shot images wide open at infinity; and closeup; and went home and processed the film; and checked the negatives focus; versus what I focused on. Today Ebay has better deals; but one should do ones homework. Getting a used camera from B&H or KEH is a good option; you will pay more; but they have a reputation to guard; and are not fly by night operations. Used Medium format equipment varies radically in price today; since digital has added alot of equipment being dumped. Here I buy alot off of ebay; but sometimes one gets real duds. There are also camera stores in Santa Barbara; Westwood; OC too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 Mike; it is funny how Marty Forscher wasnt shy about custom modifing a camera; for a specialized application; and folks at that time didnt cry about cameras being modified; to become a more usefull tool. <BR><BR>Today there are about 100 Speed and Crown graphics on Ebay at one time. In another thread a fellow brought up the question of modifying one for a wide angle lens; and the peanut gallery all cried; saying they are historical; and no cameras should be modifed; since they are no longer made anymore.<BR><BR> In the 1960's; there were more photographers; and way less collectors of cameras; today; it is reversed; the collectors now call any modifying of a camera to be "butchering"><BR><BR>I had my Nikon F of the early 1960's modified so it could use a motor drive; and a meter finder. Today the collectors consider this as evil; since my camera was modifed ; and is now worth less; to a collector/fondler. I bought my camera new as a tool; and not a collectors piece; so I had it modifed to shoot with a motor drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly_flanigan1 Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 <b>JAY</b><BR><BR>Who do you recommend to buy a Rolleiflex TLR from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskar_ojala Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 As Kelly says, condition is a lot more important than serial number; both E and F series are good, but watch out for cameras in bad condition. Buying from a reputable dealer might be the easiest route. You might also consider older models or 3.5 models, as in some parts of the world the F models tend to get expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j._mose Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 Koh's Camera www.kohscamera.com is a reputable and known seller of Rolleiflex cameras. I purchased my 2.8F 12/24 from Jimmy Koh in 1998 and it is still as good as new. I doubt he is the cheapest but all his cameras are CLA'd which is worth something! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h._p. Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 I personally went for an E2 because I had bad experiences with my F series meters years ago when I used them for press work. That's not to say it's common for the meter to give trouble but 'once bitten, twice shy' as they say. I'd definitely buy a model with a removable hood because, in my experience, you get a brighter image on the screen, especially in bright sunlight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_marvin Posted June 6, 2004 Share Posted June 6, 2004 FWIW the non-removable hood on the 2.8E (or earlier) opens and closes much more easily than the removable hood on an E2 or F, so, if you don't plan to use a prism.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike k Posted June 6, 2004 Author Share Posted June 6, 2004 Folks, It is said that the model E does not have the removable hood but can I still have the screen changed? and replace with Maxwell screen? Thanks again for the infos. Ike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiblanke Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Ike, <p> screen exchange can be done with every Rolleiflex, it just requires a bit more work than with a removable finder. At least from the Automat on the finder is held by 4 screws, if you remove them, you can take the finder off and reach the focussing screen - easy work. You just need another one of the same size / thickness and can exchange them this way in less than 10 min. Or have a repair store do that for you as well as a mirror exchange: My Rolleiflexes still have the original screen (2.8e, 3.5e and Automat), but new mirrors. Until now I did not have a need to get a new screen since the brightness has been improved with the new mirrors more than enough for my needs. <p> Kai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mskovacs Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 I believe only the type 1 "E" cameras like my 2.8E have the fixed viewfinder. It is retained with four slotted screws and easy to remove. The type 2 and 3 "E's" have the removable viewfinder and presumably accept the prism finders. My source is <a href=http://www.rolleiclub.com/rollei/tlr/036.htm>HERE.</a> <p>What I don't like about the F's is the extra stiffness in the controls which arise from the coupled light meter. Its also just one more thing to go wrong, especially if you don't care about the selenium meter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jay_. Posted June 7, 2004 Share Posted June 7, 2004 Unless you are a collector, I can't see any intelligent reason anyone would own more than one Rollei unless the second was a Rolleiwide (or a Tele-Rollei but that is less sensible since the 6x6 negs can stand some cropping). That said, I have owned 3 and currently own two. I am admittedly a collector. I have a 2.8F Planar which is my first and mainstay Rollei. I later got a 2.8C which I immensely disliked the articulated magnifier that won't stay put in the right spot for my eyes, and sold it. Later I happened across a nice clean Automat/MX IV for next to nothing that had just been CLA'd by Harry Fleenor, and couldn't resist. The Opton-Tessar really sucks compared to the Planar, but the MX is a smaller, lighter camera and used from f/11 it makes a nice walk-around camera or for landscapes while hiking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskar_ojala Posted June 8, 2004 Share Posted June 8, 2004 <i>The Opton-Tessar really sucks compared to the Planar,</i> <p>Perhaps you have a bad sample, the better Tessars have amazing center sharpness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_philllips Posted June 11, 2004 Share Posted June 11, 2004 Planar is Planar is Planar. A step jump in lense coatings didn't occur until the models you say are out of your price range. Best value? An E series 2.8 used in conjunction with a decent handheld meter, IMHO. E2 and E3 are nice with removable finders, but relatively few were made and a price premium often attaches due to collectibility reasons. In any event, buy condition condition condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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