Camera Talk

Hi, all -

About a year or so ago (maybe a bit more, my memory for these things has gone foggy) I started in to buying Rolleiflexes to work on, shoot, and ultimately sell. Went through several iterations of this, got busy at work and home, and set it aside. Fast forward to yesterday: Cleaning out the basement (long-needed, and the boy is interested in N-scale trains again, so the room is needed) and uncovered the last of the project Rolleiflexes, which I'd forgotten I had: A circa-1939 "New Standard" Rolleiflex:

Rolleiflex "New Standard" by Scott --, on Flickr

Obviously I'd worked on it. The shutter was disassembled and cleaned/lubed. Testing it yesterday, everything still sounds appropriate, no stuttering and one second sounds about right. The camera was in horrible shape when I received it, with the dirtiest glass I'd ever seen:

Rolleiflex 'New' Standard by Scott --, on Flickr

The old Tessar cleaned up wonderfully in Windex and peroxide, though, with nary a mark on it:

Rolleiflex 'New' Standard by Scott --, on Flickr

The mirror was in bad shape, too:

Rolleiflex 'New' Standard by Scott --, on Flickr

I replaced it with a homemade first surface, which was thicker and not much better than the original. Required fettling the adjustment of the viewing lens.

I apparently ran a roll of film through it at one point as well:

img159 by Scott --, on Flickr

img165 by Scott --, on Flickr

img162 by Scott --, on Flickr

Not bad, but I expect more from a properly-adjusted Rolleiflex. There's a guy on eBay now selling replacement first surface mirrors for TLRs. Gonna buy one. I hate the screen in this camera. Going to swap it for a Mamiya screen. When it tests out, it'll get dressed in new leather. And I think I'mma keep this one for a while. I kind of have the TLR fever again. Shooting picture quickly sounds like a fun alternative to large format again.

Stay tuned.

Scott

You always shoot excellent impromptu portraits, and you did a great job with this one.

Regarding the mirror, you can use a mirror from one of the Polariod cameras. It will need to be re-cut. I have a mirror that you can have, although you will have to cut it yourself.

I'm amazed that you were able to get that lens element clean. From the first photo, I thought it was too far gone to save. I guess it was just decades of oxidation.

Thanks, Mike, for the offer. I already ordered the pre-cut one off eBay, though, and it arrived yesterday. Already installed. Wonderful effect it has. Need to find a cheap RB67 screen now.

Japanese Post is amazing. I bought an RB67 screen on eBay last week (like, Tuesday) and it's in the state today. Will be delivered tomorrow. Not sure how they do that.

Anyway, will get the new screen cut down and installed to replace the coarse Fresnel that's in there (it's kind of scratched a bit and has a middle rangefinder spot which I find incredibly annoying). Tweak the viewing lens and put some film through it!

Picking this project up again. I installed the new screen - scratched it a couple times in the cutting. Apparently my new Starrett square has a burr along the edge. Still usable, but not perfect. Anyway, screen's in, and is loads nicer than the Goodman screen it came with. With the new mirror and screen, the viewing lens needed adjustment, which I did this afternoon. Ran a roll of Tri-X through it, and the negatives look sharp. Drying now, will be scanning soon. But I think, for a while at least, this will be a go-to user camera.

Scans to be posted shortly.

Here they are, hot off the presses:

img248 by Scott --, on Flickr

img249 by Scott --, on Flickr
(Shot at minimum focus distance and wide open, the edge of the shade is what I was trying to keep sharp to prove focus adjustment)

img250 by Scott --, on Flickr

img253 by Scott --, on Flickr

img257 by Scott --, on Flickr
(Not sure what's going on with the right side of the frame on that one...)

This is what I expect out of a well-tuned Rolleiflex. The one of the boy on the sofa was shot at f/4, 1/10 second. The others between f/5.6 and f/8, except the lamp shade. And, this is Tri-X 400 in Adanol 1:100. First halfway decent results I've gotten from a 400 film in ages.

Next up is to shoot the hell out of this camera, then decide if I want to recover it. It's a war-scarred camera, and I wouldn't bother touching up the paint. As much as I'd like to put new leathers on it, I'm not sure they'd look right. Hmm...

Thanks for looking,
Scott

Great work and results, Scott. I think what your last photo probably has is a slight touch of light leak from a loose rolling. All good shots other than that.

PF

Scott,

Very nice project with great results. Thanks for documenting it. I think that the last two portraits are outstanding.

Best,
Dennis

Thanks guys. Shooting portraits with the Rolleiflex is a lot more instant gratification than large format, that's for sure. And cheaper. And easier.

I have a Bronica SQ-A on the way here (fingers crossed for tomorrow...), and I'm looking forward to shooting in square again.

Well, shoot. Took the Rolleiflex to the Hill School with the kids this morning (photos will be posted to a separate thread soon) and on the last frame (apparently - didn't know this until I pulled the film out the tank) the shutter stuck open. I just ran it through all the speeds, and it's now sticking open on all speeds. I have no idea what happened, as the hsutter's been working fine for a year, but I'm starting a new job on Monday, and the Bronica will be here tomorrow, so it looks like the New Standard is getting mothballed again. Drat.