photo:rolleitlr
Rollei TLR film cameras
introduction
the relatively compact Rolleiflex TLR designed by Reinhold Heidecke to be as compact as possible to compete with the new Leica 35mm camera
the first was introduced in 1928-29 and drove the popularity of 6×6 twin lens reflex film cameras in the 1930's and made his new company Rollei world famous from his factory in Brunswick, Germany
the 6×6 format Kodak Brownie had made “snapshots” easy from 1900 onwards and Leica had just started making 35mm cine roll film cameras popular with their 1925 camera
the 1st two models used 620 film and shot 6 photos per roll (12 after modification)
later models from the 1932 Rolleiflex Standard and onwards were designed to use the 120 film roll format which required a larger film chamber, but which was specifically designed to allow Rolleiflex's unique automatic film loading system which was introduced in the 1937 Rolleiflex Automat model
they were very popular for street photography, travel, and portraiture as well as for family photos
they were generally used hanging at waist level allowing the photographer to compose and focus by looking down and then look up to engage the subject and then capture the moment
a 4x4cm Rolleiflex Baby TLR using 127 film was introduced just before WWII
the Rolleiflex camera factory finally closed in April 2015 following insolvency auction
1)
general notes on Rollei TLRs
Rollei bayonet lens filters
automatic compensation for parallax by moving frames under the ground glass
models from the 1960's onwards used a glass plate to help keep the film flat but these tended to attract dirt and cause image artefacts, and the design encouraged them to fall to the ground and break when being removed for cleaning, thus these are hard to find
optional quick-release tripod plate “ Rolleifix ” (highly recommended)
4 main model groups of the 1960's and 1970's:
brief timeline of models
1929:
1932:
1937:
1950:
Rolleiflex 2.8A TLR
Rolleicord III TLR
1952:
1953:
1955:
Rolleiflex 2.8D TLR
Rolleicord V TLR
1956:
1957:
1959:
Tele-Rolleiflex TLR
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close focus to 2.6m - closer if use the optional Rolleinar 0.35 close-up lens
detachable finder hood
1st version had Flat glass and a pressure plate having three positions: 35 mm film, 120 film with, and 120 film without Flat glass
Transition version adds 12/24 exposure capability
2nd version: removes flat glass
did not sell well
Rolleiflex 3.5E-2 TLR
Rolleiflex 3.5F TLR
1960:
1961:
1962:
Rollei Magic II
Rolleicord Vb TLR
1966:
1984:
1987:
Rolleiflex 2.8 GX TLR - adds TTL exposure and flash metering (SCA 300) and replaced the automatic film loading system with a similar transport mechamism as the 1958-1975 Rolleiflex T model
Rolleiflex 2.8 GX Edition TLR
1988:
1991:
2003/2004:
Rolleiflex 2.8FW
Rolleiflex 2.8FT
photo/rolleitlr.txt · Last modified: 2017/04/14 16:34 by gary1