Evil Leica's fit of jealousy?

[h._p.]

I may have mentioned that I am in the process of aquiring a

Rolleiflex. Well it arrived today but sometime between my arriving

home and getting around to opening the box, Evil Leica snuck in and

kneecapped the new arrival! <g>

 

Actually, the slow speeds were totally screwed. It isn't as big a

problem as it might have been as I bought it from a dealer whose

downstairs neighbour is a Rollei repair specialist so, if the post

office does its bit, I should have it back by Wednesday. It's in

jolly nice condition apart from the shutter problem and the

viewfinder is superb.<div></div>

[m_.]

>>Evil Leica does his best to measure up to the new boy but even with his meter on his head he's not in the same class :-))

 

Harvey, let the time tell. I love my Rolleicord but never the same as to my Leica. Shiiiiiiii...don't say it too loud.

[eric friedemann]

Harvey-

 

1. Leicas are like that.

 

2. If I were to buy a reasonably-priced, used Rolleiflex, I would expect that it would need to be serviced.

 

3. Here's a post of mine from a while ago about Rflexes:

 

Not precisely on point, but I had a photography professor in college who has shot album covers for blues and jazz greats and also has photos in the collections of the big museums in N.Y.C., Chicago and L.A. Then too, the guy is a world-class B&W printer.

 

The discussion in this story took place in the early 80s. At that time, Rollei TLRs hadn't gained the cult/collector status they have now and there were no new $3K RTLRs on the market. One day, before class, the professor was holding one of his frequent companions, a Rollei TLR. Being a complete dumba$$ (I can still be a dumba$$, but slightly less frequently), I asked the professor something like, "(w)hy would you want to shoot with that old thing when you could shoot with a Hasselblad?"

 

Rather than slap me, which would have been appropriate, the professor patiently gave me an explanation. "I have a Hasselblad that I use occasionally, but I like Rolleiflexes better. I've been shooting this camera (the RTLR he was holding) since before you were born. (On a later occasion, he quietly reminisced that he had used that RTLR to photograph Thelonious Monk and other jazz greats as a younger man in N.Y.C.) I'm more comfortable photographing with this camera and I can do anything with it that I can do with a Hasselblad and an 80mm lens."

 

Seeing that I was about to say "but," the professor opened a 16x20 clamshell box. He produced a series of 15"x15" B&W images printed with black border on 16"x20" paper that he had made with the RTLR.

 

It was a moment of seeing that someone had done something that I loved to do better than I even knew was possible and probably better than I'll be able to do it in my whole life. I was so stunned by the quality of his work, I wanted to cry. To this day, I've never laid eyes on technically better B&W prints. The images were excellent and I couldn't get over the contrast and bottomless sharpness of the photographs.

 

I asked about the film and printing materials, thinking maybe he had some special process to overcome the deficiencies of the lowly Rollei TLR. He said, "Tri-X, D-76, fiber-based Polycontrast, Dektol."

 

This was an object lesson in how it is the brute skill of the photographer that produces fine printed images. Also, I learned that there isn't a better 2 and 1/4 camera/80mm lens combination than the Rollei TLR.

[mskovacs]

Is that a meterless 2.8E2 or E3 with a Xenotar?

 

Check those old scissor straps carefully. They tend to break right at the top edge of the metal/leather interface. Check the focus carefully with some tests, better yet attach a note for the repairman to check it out for you as well.

 

Eric, that story is great.

[prime lens]

Harvey --

 

What a beautiful photograph of gorgeous equipment!

 

Eric --

 

It really is a great story. I think that "it's not the kitchen, it's the cook." That said, a good cook chooses suitable equipment.

 

The inspirational power of an exceptional mentor is impossible to overlook. Those who exemplify the best often motivate others to emulate them.

 

I loved my Rolleiflex 3.5F Planar like no other piece of photographic equipment I've owned (except the trusty Rollei 35). Since I'm not doing my own darkroom work, the difficulty and expense of getting first-rate prints induced me to decide to let go of the 3.5F, but I still feel ambivalent about it!

[grant_.]

The photographer Ralph Gibson once attended a dinner party where the host said 'You take great photos! You must have a great camera!'. After a very satisfying meal Ralph said to the host 'You cooked a great meal! You must have a great oven!'.

[terry_rory]

Looks like a nice bit of kit. (Although Evil Leica has a 'glint' in its lens. Watch it carefully and dont leave them alone together!)

 

Evil Leica has probably had its ego shaken. That particular model has probably seen itself in THAT 1968 Royal documentary with the Queen (and been on a stamp!) and got ideas well above its station...<div></div>

[hadji_singh]

By chance, do you guys have hairy palms?

 

I have a Rolleicord. It's a solid little camera. It's fun shooting with a TLR. Gives one a slightly different perspective on things.

[jim_britt1]

Eric, what a great story. Also, Avedon used the Rollie for a huge percent of

his work. I had one, a 2.8, and it, along with my Nikon F were stolen in

1972...I was devastated. the next day I went to my mailbox and found that I

had one second place in the Nikon Internatiional Photo Contest, a Nikormat

and a lens of my choice. I chose an 85 1.8. Unfortunatly I never again owned

a Rollie. I still have negs from it and they are wonderful to print. I do have the

Hassy with only an 80 and 180 and it's used mostly in the studio type of

shooting.

[andy m.]

Harvey, which dealer did you use? I thinking about obtaining a nice Rollei myself and would welcome info about any good dealers. I am UK based.

[h._p.]

"Harvey, which dealer did you use?"

 

MW Classic in London. Their web site is www.mwclassic.com.

[derek_stanton2]

As Mike said, do keep a careful watch on that strap. When i bought my Rolleiflex a

few years ago, it came with a strap that looked as yours does - used, but in pretty

good condition. I was in Brasil, using the camera/strap for only the second time, and

the leather just snapped, without warning or previous 'evidence' of stress. Luckily, the

camera slid down my hip and into my hand....

 

I see now that Luigi Crecenzi is selling leather straps that work with the Rollei TLRs.

Has anyone tried one yet? I loved his Leica half-case, and will probably try the TLR

strap.

 

Harvey - Think about getting a Maxwell screen for your camera. Although my original

screen seemed to be in fine shape, the Maxwell ground glass with grid lines

brightened things up significantly. There's much more 'snap' - a welcomed

improvement, as my eyes aren't what they used to be.

[paul_neuthaler]

Love my Rolleicord Vb; my M4; my F3, my wife & children.

[grant_.]

in that order?

[eric friedemann]

Kameraleder also makes some sweet straps, but save your hardware:

 

http://www.kameraleder.com/strap.htm

[olliesteiner]

Regarding what Grant wrote:

 

"The photographer Ralph Gibson once attended a dinner party where the host said 'You take great photos! You must have a great camera!'. After a very satisfying meal Ralph said to the host 'You cooked a great meal! You must have a great oven!'."

 

Someone once came backstage to congratulate the incomparable concert violinist, Jascha Heifetz. The fan gushed: "Your violin has such a beautiful tone, Mr. Heifetz!" Heifetz said: "Just a moment", and walked over to place his ear next to his violin, which was resting in its case. "I don't hear anything!", said Heifetz.

[andy m.]

Thanks for the info. Harvey.

[Karim Ghantous]

Grant wrote: "in that order?"

 

LOL... Probably!!

[msitaraman]

See, even the Queen needs a light meter.

[tom m.]

Great cameras inspire great stories. Thanks, Harvey.

[mskovacs]

Any half decent leather shop can make you a strap and rivet it to the old scissor lugs if you have an old strap that you can recycle. I'm going to have one made with a nice sliding pad for the back of my neck.