john_kelly18

<p>Thanks for all the great responses. A Rolleifix is on my shopping list. I'm scouring eBay, where I see they go for ridiculous money, but perhaps I can poach one relatively cheaply. I also see a $40 Chinese cloth strap with scissor clips. I have a single scissor clip, attached to one end of the rotten leather strap. Here's a question: Will a Rollei panorama head work as a tripod attachment, or do you need a Rolleifix for the panorama head to work?<br>

Finally, here's a link to a story I wrote about <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/through-a-lens-brightly-some-of-us-are-obsessed-with-obsolete-old-film-cameras/2013/09/29/6a6090e2-271f-11e3-b75d-5b7f66349852_story.html">my growing obsession with old cameras</a>, of which the Rolleiflex is the latest example.</p>

Thank you for the enthusiastic responses. The slower shutter speeds do seem sluggish. I've seen on this forum that there

are folks on the West and East coasts who can clean and repair the Rolleis so after I get my test roll back I may send it

off for some TLC. Perhaps this lovely machine will inspire me to learn how to develop my own film.

An acquaintance recently gave me her father's Rolleiflex, a 2.8E Planar (serial number 1655409). I'm somewhat familiar with medium-

format, having taken ownership of my father's Mamiya C3 and its assorted lenses. I've done a fair amount of surfing on the Rollei, but still

feel I lack a basic understanding of the camera's qualities. I'm almost done with the first test roll, so it's possible I'll discover the camera

doesn't even work, but in the hope that it turns out to be in fine shape I wondered whether someone could fill me in on one basic thing:

What is the camera best suited for? I see discussions of Planar vs. Xenotar, 2.8 vs. 3.5, coated vs. uncoated, etc. Are there applications

where my particular camera will shine? Are there types of film that will show the camera to its best advantage?

I'm excited about the camera. It feels so pleasing in my hand. I am a little worried by the cost of things associated with Rollei, compared

to the Mamiya. (It lacks a strap, lens cap and tripod adaptor, and those things are on my shopping list.) But I suppose it's like the

difference between buying parts for a Mercedes and buying parts for a Toyota.

Thanks in advance.<div></div>