which rolleiflex twin lens reflex

[mjs]

Sometimes the choice gets made for you. At an estate auction yesterday I bought what quick research says is either a Type I or II Rilleiflex Automat, dating from the serial number to early 1939. The serial number is 804993. It has a 7.5 cm f/3.5 Tessar in Compur-Rapid taking lens and the Heidoscop-Anastigmat f/3.1 viewing lens. The lenses don't appear to be coated, so I'm going to have to remember that. It seemed to work out for photographers like Robert Doiseneau, so it'll certainly be all right for me! It seems to be in mint condition in a perfect leather "everready" case, and there's also a flash attachment. I think that $80 was fair for the best of the three at the auction.

Is there any advice anyone wants to give me for playing with my new toy? Any "Dont do this or it breaks" comments?

Mike

[eddym]

Originally Posted by mjs

Sometimes the choice gets made for you. At an estate auction yesterday I bought what quick research says is either a Type I or II Rilleiflex Automat...

A Rilleiflex??? Really?? Wow!!!

[arigram]

Btw, do you pronounce Rolleiflex the same way you do with other german names like Leica and Carl Zeiss (where "ei" sounds like "ah-ee")?

[Mark Antony]

I've always said Roll–ee-flex, Lie-ca and Z-eye-ss.

I'd love to know from native Germans how to say them, for years I owned a volks-wagen only to learn i had a folksvaargon or VW (vee double you) should be fau vay :-)
Mark

[Rolleiflexible]

Mark, I gather it is Roll-eye-flex,
but I still say Roll-ee-flex.

[Slixtiesix]

Hi Mark,

Rolleiflexible is correct, the right pronounciation is "Roll eye flex"
"Z eye ss" is also right, but Leica is "L eye ca".

By the way I own a Folksvaagon too

Greetz from Germany

[Slixtiesix]

@Mike

it is important that you never try to set the 1/500 sec when the shutter has already been cocked. Doing so can damage a spring in the shutter mechanism of the compur-rapid. It might be very difficult to set the time with a cocked shutter anyhow, but some people try to force it and then it brakes.

Good luck with your new Rollei

[Vaughn]

I have enjoyed using the meter on my Rolleiflex. But last week in the Southwest (USA) I was adjusting either the f/stop or shutter speed (can't remember which) and I heard a metalic "ping!" and the meter stopped working (the meter still registers, but the needle with the circle at the end no longer moves). Fortunately I carry a Luna Pro SBC in my kit.

But I think that any Rollei (cord or flex) in good working order will serve one very well.

Vaughn

[mjs]

Thanks for the tip. I don't think I did that but I was running through shutter speeds/aperture combinations under the theory that a workout would either loosen everything up or tell me to get it CLA'd before taking it out -- and the CLA won. After a couple of dozen firings, the shutter blades didn't close completely and now the winder doesn't want to wind.

Recommendations for a place to send it for a CLA, and a guesstimate on what one might cost?

Mike

Originally Posted by Slixtiesix

@Mike

it is important that you never try to set the 1/500 sec when the shutter has already been cocked. Doing so can damage a spring in the shutter mechanism of the compur-rapid. It might be very difficult to set the time with a cocked shutter anyhow, but some people try to force it and then it brakes.

Good luck with your new Rollei