michellemandat

You need various lenses for taking pictures in Portugal. For me, after a trip I suggest lenses to cover 24, 35, 85 and 200mm. More useful are 35 and 24mm in account of narrow streets in towns. Useful also for landscapes. Details and streets scenes, even portraits if you can with 85mm.

a very good camera when it's in a good and functional shape. You will take pleasure to take pictures with it, more pleasure that with modern and cybernetic cameras.

I must take pictures (slides 100 ISO) for a friend of little metal

statues (4 or 5 inches high). My equipment: Nikon F4 plus 28/105 AFD

plus SB25 and SC 17 cord. I plan to put the flash on a tripod

sideways at the recommanded minimun distance. Is't a good way?

Thanks for your advices.

Problems with these old cameras concern shape. An autocord in good shape (lens, shutter, focusing) is better than a rollei with a slow shutter. You must find a camera working well with a clear lens and a clibrated shutter Yashica, Rollei, Minolta...even Rollei's are better than the other when they are well working.

Michel

Bayonet 1 like a Yashica mat. It's the most common bayonet.

Michel

Question is in the title. For more one year I use a Sunpak 433D non

AF and I am very satisfied with it, even in matrix measure. I plan to

buy another flash TTL to assist the first and give more "relief" on

pictures of statues. SB 28... is expensive for me so I look for

another brand. SB 24 is scarce (second hand) here in France.

Thanks for your answers and your experiences.

Michel

Thanks for these answers.

Since april, I found a lens shade of the diameter of the lens and I painted, like I planed, the interior of the camera with black mat. Smoke disapeared in most photographies. I spend to find a more mat. I am surprised by the quality of the pictures taken with this camera. Not a rollei indeed but an excellent TLR IMHO.

Michel

Mel,

Generally I read the answer at my questions.

I don't find any lens hood for my rollop. The diameter of the lens is rare (40,5mm) and a square model is required like rollei hood. I'm always searching one. So I took pics from a shady place, sun back, and "smoke" appeared.

I plan now to paint film chamber with black matt paint for scale model common here in France and to build a hood with copper cord.

Thanks

I own a Rollop automatic. Lens is an Ennit 80 f2,8. Some of pics

taken with it presents blurred and white "smoke" zone like if dry

weed is burning. I suspect two reasons. Lack of shade on the lens or

default of black matt painting in film chamber causing reflections

which are always on below right side of negative. Black painting is

between bright and matt.

Advices, doctors, please because except this problem on one negative

in three lens is very accurate.

Thanks.

In a recent trip in Italy I used 24mm, 35mm and 85mm. So 20, 35 and 85 are the best choice for good quality shots (slides). Wide angle is very useful in Italy, in towns, specially 24mm or more like 20mm. Be carefull with distortion with zooms.

Avoid several cameras not for security but for dexterity.

Nikonian and MF user.

And good trip.

Kara,

In a quantary! Dilemma between two excellent cameras. No differences to take good shots. Go to the most clean lens and less expensive.

Michel from France

Adrian,

Before searching (expensive) solution for that, do a test with a roll of slides to appreciate damages.

Most of rolleis have alterations on their lenses, Xenar, Tessar, Xenotar and Planar. I don't know forty years old rolleis which are not concerned by optical alterations. Mine ( 2,8C with Planar and Automat 4 with Xenar) have few but they have.

I would like to know the results of your 3,5F.

Michel

2,8 F : BAI III

3,5 F : BAI II

 

Michel

Chuck,

Look at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/2786/camera.htm#list3

you will find some informations about ENNAGON on a medium format camera.

Howewer I think that these cameras, Isolette, Balda, Franka, Ikonta, Adox, Dacora need first a good CLA before tests. I own a dozen of little foldings buyed at low prices for their shutters were not accurate.

I had overhauled them without difficulties and then they are all in good condition, shutters functional, lens cleaned....

I don't have same advice than Mr Heartland about ENNAGON. I use a rare "DACORA royal" (rangefinder folding 6*6) which is as sharp as other cameras like Isolette or Ikonta with three or four elements lenses. Many problems of sharpness on these cameras are caused by a bad adjustement of the lenses to infinite or internal elements fixed wrong side up by an awkward potterer. Comparision with Tessar and Heliar is dependent on the condition of all the lenses. In clear, a cleaned Novar on a camera adjusted is better than a dirty Tessar on a non adjusted camera.

 

Michel from Paris, FRANCE

Avoid medium format cameras like TLR with light meter. They are old and no accurate. So Yashica 635 is a good and economic choice.

Michel

Roddy,

Early morning in Paris and good light for shots!

You need to clean lenses with optical fluid. If you are handy you must try to set down internal lens with a piece of steel of appropriate diameter and then clean internal face on the lenses, shutter being open. It's not difficult. I do that with all my TLRs, Rollei for example, and some foldings.

I can warrant you that the contrast will be better.

Bonne journée.

Michel

Go to AGFA Isolette, folding cheap, good lens and after you'll see if you go to another camera. I own an Isolette (compur1/500 and Solinar lens 4 elements) which is as good as a Cord, a Yashicamat...for 50$.

Paul,

- You need a hood, a collapsise one, rollei or other brand BAI III.

- You need a good internal and cerebral calculator to determine speed of the shutter and aperture. Read for that indications on a film box. Sun f16....you see. Not light meter. No, no, you are in 1953 with this camera not in 2002.

Test camera with film for slides. Xenotar is as good as Planar for me if they are in same condition.

Be carefull not to set I/500 after cocking the shutter at another speed (risk of breakdown). Read manual.

After using many rolleis, for me 2,8C is the better camera made by Rollei with the Automat 4. I own these cameras.

Good shots.

Michel from Paris, France.

Hello, Todd,

The best thread of the month!

I like it for thruth. For me in the back of the bus there is a group of old good and very good TLRs with unknowned names like Semflex, Rollop, Microflex...You don't know but you'll know.

And Weltaflex, Flexaret, Flexora, Photina, Wirgin where are you?

Merci, Todd

Michel

David,

Common problems with old cameras is about shape. You'll never find all the new samples of different brands to compare them in absolute.

So I think that all depends if the cameras (ie lenses and shutters) are or are'nt working. A Weltaflex working is better than a wrong Autocord.

I use many of medium format cameras, Rollei 2,8C, Rollei automat 4, Isolette Agfa, Ikonta, Semflex and a new coming a Rollop automatic 2,8. Don't ignore foldings for practical reasons (cake of soap cameras!) and, on some models, performant lens and excellent shutter like Isolette with compur and Solinar lens.

Bye, from France.

Michel

Carlos,

The only camera TLR built today at this price is Seagull made in China.It's sold with different names, Eastar, Phoenix and maybe Texar.

Quizas lo fabrican Texan people!

Bye and adios.

Michel

Yesterday in a fair near Paris, I bought a new companion for my TLR

team. It's a Rollop automatic with an ENNIT 2,8/80mm and a Prontor SVS

(1/300).

I am not collector but only user of old cameras. I saw only two Rollop

automatic in my life, once on E-BAY and mine. Rollop is a rare camera.

After a quick CLA - it's in good shape - I am searching some advices

about its performances by users.

Thank you.

From France, Michel.

Jeremy,

For me most important thing is to find a camera in good shape. Although I am very fond of Rolleiflex I think that Yashica, Minolta, Ikoflex can compete with Rollei, except those equiped with Planar and Xenotar. Avoid Seagull for fragility of the shutter.

I don't recommend cameras with lightmeter thinking that they are old and not really accurate for slides.

Michel

Your rolleiflex is good for both color film and slide. Clean the lens for best results. I don't use filters (coloured) for portraits in B&W because the high nivel of contrast of rollei lenses when they are clean. For me it's superfluous. Even for old persons I use rolleisoft to soften ripples and peel defects. I own an Automatic with a Xenar and a 2,8 C with a Planar. I owned many rolleis with Tessar, Triotar, Xenotar and Planar.

Michel

Simple question about the use of rolleiflex (TLR).

Do you know professionnal photographers who still use rolleiflex TLR?

Perhaps you. It's only to have an idea.

Thank you.

Michel Le Mandat