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My TLRs: Yashicamat Mamiya C330 Rolleiflex-T Rolleicord IV Yashica 44
Rollei Rollei began as a tiny company with a handful of employees, producing a few cameras by hand in a private house. Within a couple of years, they had moved to a new factory and expanded to become the largest company in Braunschweig. Rolleiflex cameras were sold all over the world, and all but cornered the camera market. Photography became "Rolleigraphie" - the company even published its own regular magazine for enthusiastic fans. Continually improved and upgraded but without changing the basic concept, the Rolleiflex became a legend. Studio photographers began to pack away their clumsy wooden view cameras. Instead of cowering under a black cloth and peering at a dim, upside-down image, here was a new camera that could match or beat the quality for portraits, was faster in use and allowed them to see the model's expression as the button was pressed. The models appreciated them, too - picture sessions were more spontaneous, less posed and a lot more fun! Press photographers loved them. Now they had a camera that could be held
upside down over the heads of a crowd, and the viewfinder was big enough
to compose the picture easily. Not only that, but for reporting jobs, twelve
pictures was plenty. You didn't have to waste a whole 36 exposure film for one
job. The big negatives were easier to handle in the lab, and the prints were
outstanding. Up until the late 1960s, TLRs were the camera of choice with all
the major newspapers. The Rolleiflex had (and still has...) an enviable reputation as an unbreakable workhorse. A press photographer's life could be pretty brutal, and his camera could expect no mercy! If you see an old Rolleiflex with its paint worn down to the brass, the leather scuffed beyond hope, and dents all over it, treat it with respect. It's been to places you wouldn't want to go, and brought home the pictures your grandfather read in his newspaper at breakfast ! Arguably the best TLR ever built, the Rolleiflex 2.8F commands premium prices today. The 80mm f-2.8 Carl Zeiss Planar lens is an exceptionally high performer. Is a Rolleiflex really worth its money? Well, few photographers will ever agree on this point. I'll leave the optical debate to the experts, but the 2.8F and 3.5F models I've handled have a certain almost indefinable impression of true luxury about them. The feeling of precision when you wind film is very reassuring. The focusing knob is silky smooth and free, but stays rigidly in position once you're done with it. The shutter release is as precise as the trigger on an expensive sporting rifle, and the shutter is all but inaudible. These cameras were built by hand, using the finest materials available. Hold one in your hands, and you'll feel the magic. If you buy one and it should develop a fault, it's not the end of the world; plenty of companies specialize in repairing Rolleiflexes. When you get yours back after a full service by an expert, you can be sure it'll be ready for another twenty years of daily, reliable service! There are still plenty of ancient Rolleiflexes in regular use by working professionals. The combination of a lightweight mechanical camera, so reliable as to be almost boring, combined with wonderful Zeiss and Schneider lenses in a rock-solid die cast body, has proven unbeatable. You'd be surprised at the number of Mamiya RB67 and Hasselblad-toting professionals who keep at least one Rolleiflex in their gadget bag, for when the going gets too tough! But you needn't buy an expensive Rolleiflex to enjoy TLR photography; there are plenty of other fine twin lens cameras waiting patiently out there to show new owners what they can do! I'd personally recommend any of my prime TLRs ( Yashica MAT-124G, Rolleiflex-T or the more expensive but highly flexible Mamiya C330 ), but a late model Rolleicord, perhaps a IV like mine or the later V will serve you well, too. Another possible choice might be the attractive Czech-built Flexaret - I have a Flexaret VI, but I haven't tried it out enough to give a valid opinion yet.
Rollei Rumours
Not sure if I'd be willing to sell my house to
buy one, though, although the price will supposedly be the same as for the GX.
Very
Latest... This is the brand new Wide Angle Rolleiflex , the
4.0W, on display in Japan (photo from Asahi-net
- thanks!). It should be on sale this autumn, it won't be cheap, but I suspect
it'll find plenty of friends! No details yet - is it a Carl Zeiss Planar?
Copyright
© 2001 by Mike Graham. All rights reserved. |
