Rolleiflex TLR Meter Diffuser

[nasser1]

<p>I've seen Rolleiflex Tlr users use a white plastic sheet on the camera meter! I've used My rolleifex-f without this diffuser thing and have no problem with exposing my film.<br>

What does this diffuser could help me with?<br>

<br />Nasser</p>

[Niels - NHSN]

The plastic plate turns the 'reflected ligt meter' in your Rolleiflex into an 'incident light meter'. Try google the two concepts if you

are not familiar with them. I personally prefer incident metering when possible, but that is with a handheld meter. I have a hard

time imagining that an in-camera incident meter would be useful.

[dhbebb]

<p><em>I have a hard time imagining that an in-camera incident meter would be useful.</em><br>

It would be used by turning yourself and the camera through 180 degrees to face the light source instead of the subject, setting the exposure and turning 180 degrees back. I have a metered Rollei, I have never used the incident metering attachment, but would imagine it would be as quick as using a separate meter, maybe faster.</p>

[Robert_Lai]

<p>I use it all the time on my 3.5F. I would use a hand-held meter with the incident light measuring dome, otherwise. <br>

If you do use the Rolleiflex diffuser, beware that the prongs that clip it on are a point of weakness. If you keep putting it on and taking it off, one of these prongs will eventually break off. I leave mine on all the time, for that reason.</p>

<p>As for incident vs reflected light metering, for most scenes they should give the same results. However, when you have an extreme situation such as snow scenes, or say a black locomotive against a brightly lit background, then the incident metering gets you the right exposure. Reflected light metering will turn into medium gray whatever it is you happen to be pointing at when you meter.</p>

[nasser1]

<p>All my understanding was that these small fly eyes in these cameras were reflective! Now I understand! So thy work as an SLR camera? </p>

[dhbebb]

<p><em>So thy work as an SLR camera?</em><br>

Not really, because all modern SLR cameras with metering work on the TTL (through-the-lens) principle. The meter on a Rollei TLR is in theory just like a separate meter, except that it is divided into 2 parts, the measuring cell which is on the front of the camera and the rest of the meter mechanism, which is installed on the focus knob (and connected to the cell by a wire inside the camera). It does not measure any light after it has passed through a camera lens.<br>

The cell requires no battery because it is a photo-electric selenium cell (photo-electric means it MAKES electricity). These cells sometimes stop working when old, accuracy may also not be perfect, but if you can check the reading against another meter you know to be accurate and this is OK, then why not use it!</p>

[henryp]

<blockquote>

<p>So thy work as an SLR camera?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>As David observed, not really. But you can use the <a href="http://bhpho.to/1dMaBpf">ExpoImaging ExpoDisc</a> to simulate an in-camera meter. <a href="http://thedigitalstory.com/2007/04/expodisc-as-an-incid.html">Instructions</a>.</p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

[q.g._de_bakker]

That ExpoDisc is meant to make an in-camera meter work somewhat like a handheld incident light meter, isn't it Henry?<br><br>The Rolleflex meter diffusor is a similar contraption. What it does is change the metering characteristic/method from reflective (without diffusor) to incident (with diffusor).<br>You handle the camera either way as if it is a handheld light meter. As was mentioned, the meter is attached to the camera, but is not, nor can it be turned into, an in-camera, TTL meter.<br><br>I sometimes use the Rolleilux: a tiny 'handheld' attached to a Rollei lens hood. Just because it is such a quirky little thing.<br><br>None of the above will turn the Rolleiflex into a camera with built-in, through the lens meter. You will have to make sure that when metering the meter is pointed at the thing you want to meter, or hold the camera such that it catches the incident light the way it should. And you have to keep track of exposure compensation needed by filters you may have on the taking lens and apply that compensation to the reading the meter gave before setting the camera's aperture and shutterspeed.