Playing with a new toy at the beach...

Just picked up a Rolleicord V at the end of last week. It's in awesome shape with it's original case. Got it for only $112 on Ebay :D It's going to need a CLA as 1/15 and above shutter speeds a slow but, can't complain too much at that price for the condition it's in. Came in the mail yesterday and I took it out for a spin on the beach today. Had to stay 1/30 or faster but, no biggie. Pushed the Neopan to 1600 and was golden. Took a little getting used to though. This is the first camera I have ever used where you have to remember to cock the shutter. Anyway, here's a few shots from my outing. Nothing serious shot wise, just wanted to play a bit and see how she handles. All shots completely unedited except a slight horizon leveling on 2 of them.

Show us the camera too!
Good stuff!
Brian
:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by mtbbrian

Show us the camera too!
Good stuff!
Brian
:thumbsup:

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I'm sorry. Don't know how I could forget that!...LOL Just a minute, the digi is charging.

Here's a quick snapshot. The leather case needs to be cleaned still and restitched in the corner. But the leather is still in great shape. The hood was just purchased in another auction. It all started by searching for a Bay 1 hood for the Yashica when I came across the 'cord and couldn't resist :D

Nice!
I have always wanted a TLR!
Brian

Brian, you GOTTA try one! Sooo much fun. Took a little getting used to the reversed viewfinder but, I LOVE it now! I hadn't even touched another camera since getting my Yashica. So light and quiet. Easy to handhold. I've been able to handhold, using the selftimer, down to 1/8 occasionally on the Yashica and consistently at 1/15. The funniest part is the looks from everyone. There were a group of seniors just sitting watching me shooting today. You could see them talking about the camera and going through the motions of shooting with a TLR. When I finished, one of the old guys gave a nod. Made my day :)

Aaron

Cameras are like a lot of things, you know...
So many cameras, so little time...
Not to mention money!
:D :rolleyes: :p
If you ever come to a point with the Rolliecord, that you get bored with it or don't like it any more, you can send it my way for an extneded visit!
Brian
:thumbsup:

Cool camera, Aaron! I didn't know there were any Rollei's for that cheap. How does it compare to the Yashica? Your photos look good.

I'm glad you're getting along with the TLR design...it's not for everybody (me). Keep posting those photos! :thumbsup:

Paul

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Originally Posted by mtbbrian

Cameras are like a lot of things, you know...
So many cameras, so little time...
Not to mention money!
:D :rolleyes: :p

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Well, luckily thanks to digital prices for film cameras are CHEAP :D

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mtbbrian

...If you ever come to a point with the Rolliecord, that you get bored with it or don't like it any more, you can send it my way for an extneded visit!
Brian
:thumbsup:

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Not likely...LOL Especially once I get this little guy CLA'd. The Yashica will go long before the Rollei. Not that the Yashica isn't a great camera. I love it. Does beautiful work. The Rollei though just fits my hands perfectly. It weighs absolutely nothing and just seems more intuitive in hand than the Yashica. Seems a lot easier to shoot handheld too due to the location and firing of the shutter release. Can't wait to try doing multi exposures too :D

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

Well, luckily thanks to digital prices for film cameras are CHEAP :D

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As true as this is, you add in the cost of film, processing and the cost of a good print it adds up!
For example:
The photographs I did for the group exhibit I am currently a part of (see my blog), a roll of Tri-X cost $4, processing it another $5 and each 16"x20" print cost $47.
And I shot them all with a Holga!
Is it worth it?
Hell Yeah!
:thumbsup:
Of course, some day soon, I'll have a darkroom of my own, so I can print them.

Brian

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Originally Posted by photophorous

Cool camera, Aaron! I didn't know there were any Rollei's for that cheap. How does it compare to the Yashica? Your photos look good.

I'm glad you're getting along with the TLR design...it's not for everybody (me). Keep posting those photos! :thumbsup:

Paul

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Thanks Paul :) The TLR viewfinder definitely took a little getting used to. Now that I am used to it though, they are such fun little cameras.

As for the differences with the Yashica? The build quality, from the outside anyway, is a good step up from the Yashica. The tolerances are definitely tighter and overall it just seems more solid. It's just a hair smaller and lighter than the Yashica, though not a big difference. I like the ergonomics of the Rollei better. It's nice having the focusing and the film advance knobs on the same side so you don't have to change hands after every shot. One big difference from the Yashica is that you need to manually cock the shutter of the Rollei. This is fine be me though as I always forget to lock the shutter on the Yashica before putting it into my camera bag and I sometimes accidentally fire the shutter :mad2: :mad2: :mad2: Optically, the Yashinon and Xenar lenses are supposed to be very comparable to eachother. I'll have to take em out with the tripod for comparison some time. One big strike against the Rollei though is the viewfinder is VERY dark, even compared to the Yashica. I will definitely need to look into getting a bright screen for it.

Price wise, from watching Ebay, with the exception of the Va and Vb models, Rolleicords can be had left and right for under $150. Step-up to the Va or Vb or a Rolleiflex Automat (MX version or older) and you're looking at around $200.

Oh, one other very cool thing with the Rolleicord is the EVS system. Take your initial reading, set your shutter speed ad aperture and you're good to go. Now say you want to swap from f/3.5 to f/11, it will automatically change the shutter speed to compensate! You can adjust in 1/3 steps. I've only taken it out once but, this was very handy.

Okay, I'll stop rambling now :o

Aaron

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Originally Posted by mtbbrian

As true as this is, you add in the cost of film, processing and the cost of a good print it adds up!
For example:
The photographs I did for the group exhibit I am currently a part of (see my blog), a roll of Tri-X cost $4, processing it another $5 and each 16"x20" print cost $47.
And I shot them all with a Holga!
Is it worth it?
Hell Yeah!
:thumbsup:
Of course, some day soon, I'll have a darkroom of my own, so I can print them.

Brian

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Very good points. I just stocked up on Neopan 400 which is $2.74 at Adorama. Processing my own film I guestimate a little under a dollar or so in chemicals per roll???? Now I just need to get some sort of closet darkroom set-up going. I find that the cost of film though has actually HELPED me though. I used to just go out and fire off a few hundred shots everytime I went out. Didn't pay the closest of attention to composition because my whole mindset was do it in post processing. With only 12 shots a roll now, I do my best to make sure every shot counts. I pay much more attention to what I'm doing now and get much more immersed into the shot.

Cost wise, here's another way to look at it. These cameras will last forever with a little bit of maintenance. Now a basic DSLR kit is what $700 now? $2000 and up a really good DSLR? Plus then there's another $700 for Photoshop to do your post processing. Then the kicker, how much longer until that DSLR and software are obsolete? Now after a good CLA and some maintenance, I will have about $300 into the Rollei. That's a difference of $2400 over a good DSLR and software which buys a hell of a lot of chemicals and film. Not to mention for archival purposes, negatives will last a lot longer than any digital media (either due to the media breaking down or due to the media being obsolete and no longer having the means to read the media).

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

Well, luckily thanks to digital prices for film cameras are CHEAP :D

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I wish, take a look at the large format film, it's is still anything but cheap!!!

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Originally Posted by freygr

I wish, take a look at the large format film, it's is still anything but cheap!!!

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You got me there :( I've been eying 4x5 field cameras and Speed Graphics on Ebay but, just can't justify the cost of film given that I still want to be able to experiment a lot. MF seems to be the best compromise. I suppose once you're more confident shooting and concentrating more on the print making side, than a large format would be the way to go.

lovely aaron.

you know me and my love for black and white (not the ability to shoot it, but to just look and reminisce...)

the first one shows good clarity close up but not so much further away ( i don't mean dof). is this the norm or as you get better (no sarcasm intended) with the new camera will it change ?

i noticed the same with the last one, the other close ups you posted are superb.

a leather case !!!!!!! :cool:

love the shot of the camera.

reminds me so much of the cheap stuff we used to use when we were kids (the family camera that is). was some kind of kodak ~ was there any other camera then ?? (well other than the professional ones).

i love watching those old 50's films ~ especially the boxing ones where there was always some guy in a white panama at the side of the ring (with a cigar) with a great big camera with a flash that seemed twice as big as the camera !! i am surprised that those fighters didn't suffer from cornea damage !!!!

still i just love those b & w's.

you can post away to your hearts content and i will love everyone. don't expect any negative critique though 'cause i won't have any. well other than "thanks a lot."

:D :D

Thanks 3L :D I'm glad you've liked em so far :D:D:D

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Originally Posted by threelions usa

...the first one shows good clarity close up but not so much further away ( i don't mean dof). is this the norm or as you get better (no sarcasm intended) with the new camera will it change ?

i noticed the same with the last one, the other close ups you posted are superb.

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The first shot was a screw up on my part. IIRC, it was shot at f/16 and 1/30. I should have set for hyperfocal when instead I just focused outright. The DOF ended up coming just short of focus to infinity. The last shot was just a play around shot, I think at either f/5.6 or f/8. This was literally a screw around shoot. I had about 20 minutes after work the other day to try out my camera so I went down to one small section of the beach and fired off a roll using various shutter speeds and aperture settings to make sure all was well at 1/30 or faster. Good news is all the handholdable speeds are good to go so I can hold off a bit on a CLA :D

After lookin at your shots, I really need to get my 2 rolls of 120 developed. I picked up an old 40's Kodak TLR for $20 off of ebay last Christmas. Got it all lubed & cleaned, and now I need to go use it more!

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Originally Posted by Xia_Ke

Thanks 3L :D I'm glad you've liked em so far :D:D:D



The first shot was a screw up on my part. IIRC, it was shot at f/16 and 1/30. I should have set for hyperfocal when instead I just focused outright. D

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is that, like, when you can't sit still because you have to squint ??

:p

carry on the good work...

:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by jorgemonkey

After lookin at your shots, I really need to get my 2 rolls of 120 developed. I picked up an old 40's Kodak TLR for $20 off of ebay last Christmas. Got it all lubed & cleaned, and now I need to go use it more!

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Sweet :) What did you end up getting? An old Duaflex? I had looked at a couple of those as they were so cheap but, most of the ones I saw I think were 620 instead of 120 :confused: Might have to take a closer look at them at that price. Let me know how you like it and make sure to post some shots once you get then developed :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by threelions usa

is that, like, when you can't sit still because you have to squint ??

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You're close :p CLICK HERE