don_lindich

I am a big fan of Rollei TLRs. I currently have a 3.5 Planar, and I

also have a Bronica system using the latest PS lenses.

Despite what everyone says about the Rolleis being the ultimate, the

Bronicas might be a tad sharper... but just a tad, if any!

Where I see a difference is in the colors. The Rollei colors just

don't have the snap and saturation my Bronica PS images give

me. Don't get me wrong... they are good, but they lack when compared

to identical stuff shot in the Bronica.

I would like to get another Rollei TLR with a multicoated lens. I know

the GX has it, but I have also heard that the camera is

not as well made as an E or F series Rollei, feeling more like a

Rolleicord. That aside, how does the GX lens compare to lenses

such as the Mamiya 6 lenses or Hasselblad lenses? If the body has

suffered in comparison to prior years, is the lens

substandard too?

Last bot not least, I have heard that some F-model TLRs had MC lenses.

Is this true, and what should I look for?

Has anyone ever compared the on-film results from the Rollei 2.8GX

with its modern HFT Planar lens to contemporary mf system camera

80mms, like a Zeiss Planar 80 mm 2.8T*, or a Bronica Zenzanon-PS 80mm

2.8? I am a long-time lover of Rolleis and have considered making the

financial stretch and purchasing a GX as it will probabaly be my last

chance to own a brand new Rollei TLR. However,I would expect that for

$3,000+ that the on-film results be at least as good as any 6x6 out

there. I currently have a 3.5E Planar and while it is very sharp, I

think my Bronica PS80mm may be a bit sharper... as well it should be,

given the advances in optics and computer design in forty years. When

it comes to color rendition, the multi-coated Bronica lens wins hands

down. I haven't heard much about the GX... only that it is not as

well made as an old E or F series Rollei. I have a Bronica system, so

the lack of flexibility in the Rollei doesn't bother me... but I want

the pictures to be at least as good technically as a Hasselblad 80mm

or a PS Bronica 80mm. Anyone own both and done a side-by-side

comparison? Please email me if you have some feedback!

This is a good deal... and the IV was a later model. If you can't

ante up for a Rolleiflex I'd say go for it!

Bronica has a nice student program, too, 51% off of list. You can get

a complete SQ-B outfit for $1240. Check it out at their webpage at

www.tamron.com. I have heard Hassy has a deal for students too.

Since you are on a budget, though, this may not be good for you. What

do you need out of a system? If you tell us we may be able to give

you better recommendations. If you just want to get your feet wet and

can't afford additional lenses anyway, look for a Rolleiflex with

either a 3.5 Planar or Xenotar. It was my first MF camera and I

loved it, just bought another! You can't change the lenses but you

get Hasselblad league optical quality with no mirror slap. I have

used both Hasselblad and Rollei TLR and to me they are the same image

quality wise... and the people I have seen voting one way or the other

choose the Rollei quite often! It will hold its value, as well... you

should be able to find a nice user one for under $450.

<p>

Rollei TLR Club

http://www2.magicalights.co.jp/dmakos/rolleitlr/index.html

Don't know much about Profoto but I have some Broncolor stuff now and

to be honest I am not all that impressed with it... I got much better

results, especially with color, with the Balcar stuff I used before.

(Seems that the emperor has no clothes!) The prices of some simple

accessories, like $127 for a sync cord and $170 for a P70 reflector,

and $900 for a flashtube totally insult your intelligence. A lot of

the stuff isn't interchangeable and the system sometimes seems like it

was designed without any interchangeability at all in mind. (For

example, some heads take 1600WS, some 3200WS, but the 3200WS uses a

pyrex... with Balcar all heads/tubes take a full 3200WS.) They also

don't support older gear at all... kind of like, "the hell with you,

buy new! If you have a Universal lamphead that they made for years

you can't even get an umbrella bracket for it! And when you could the

silly thing was $90!

<p>

On the plus side, if you turn it down 1/3 stop it shows 1/3 stop on

the meter... nice, and it holds it there. (Balcar never drifted

output-wise for me but it was harder to dial in exactly the level I

wanted.)

<p>

I don't have that much invested in my Bron stuff, fortunately, and

will be investing all my lighting dollars in Balcar in the future.

Hope this helps. Email with questions if you like.

Can't give you any input on the AF part, but I can tell you that using

a bad sf filter cost me about $1000 in film and processing and a week

of work. It's my fault, I broke one of the cardinal rules I adhere

to: test stuff before using on jobs! It was more like an

out-of-focus filter than a soft focust filter. It was a Hoya, which

the guy at the mail-order filter store swore was as good as a softar.

It looked the same but definitely didn't perform the same. From now

on, nothing but the Softars for me!

A friend of mine got a Beattie Screen for his SQ-A. His stuff in the

studio looked slightly soft, so he did a test with a 250mm focused at

a distant object. The Beattie screen was off by fifty feet! Stick

with the Bronica screen!