PX 125/Microdol X full strength sharpness

Please click on thumbnail (Rolleicord IV, Xenar 3.5/75 at f/4 camera handheld)

Rolleiflex SL 35M Rolleinars

Rolleiflex SL 35 cameras models: SL 35; SL35M; SL35ME; SL 35 E (electronic shutter and smaller than the previous models) were cameras with excellent Carl Zeiss and Schneider optics, however the cheaper Rolleinar lenses line were excellent too, they were provided with modern Japanese design by computer software (Mamiya and Tokina and Kiron and Sigma mainly) and offering zoom lenses no available for the German lenses line initially. You can see in the photograph a Rolleiflex SL 35M camera made in Singapore with a Rolleinar MC f4/80-200mm zoom and a Rolleinar f3,5/200mm prime lens to the left (click on thumbnail, taken with a digital P&S)).

Rollei 35 with Vivitar 283 flash

When the Rollei 35 was designed, most electronic flash units were big too much for the little camera; Rollei preferred to place the hot shoe on the camera bottom to avoid heavy loads on the camera top where some mechanisms could suffer damage. The Vivitar 283 looks big for the Rollei 35, it works with the camera, but the flash-camera combo is uncomfortable to handle due to the Rollei 35 small size and the fact the best position to take the photograph is with the camera bottom up to diminish some horrible shadows risk, a smaller flash is a "must" for this camera (taken with a digital P&S and the camera automatic flash,click on thumbnail).-

Carl Zeiss RB 50/30 aerial camera

Franke & Heidecke as civil firm did not have a significant militar production during the WWII, however they were required for some specific work sometimes like to manufacture the Carl Zeiss RB 50/30 aerial photogrammetric camera used on several Luftwaffe aircrafts for aerial reconnaissance, this camera was provided with motors to work automatically, it took 60% overlapped images that could be used sterescopically too. Anyway this camera needed some parts and accesories to work that F&H did not manufacture.-

TLR ROLLEIFLEX IN THE EVEREST

"Edmund Hillary after his successful attempt on Everest with Alfred Gregory and Tom Bourdillon at advanced base camp" Alfred Gregory was the 1953 Everest expedition official photographer, the Rolleiflex is hanging from his neck; photograph taken by George Band. (Very low resolution image from the RGS, higher resolutions are for sale, click on thumbnail).

"Tom Stobart with cine camera and Alfred Gregory with camera preparing to take images of the Sherpas who had reach high altitude", photograph taken by George Lowe on 30 May 1953 during the British 1953 Everest expedition. The red arrow indicates the Gregory's Rolleiflex camera used for the expedition (Very low image resolution from the Royal Geographical Society, higher resolutions are for sale, click on the thumbnail)

"...I also took a twin-lens Rolleiflex which I used for black and white.Despite being more bulky than the Contax and Retina it was extremely easy to use and with its superb Zeiss lens it was capable of producing pictures of exquisite quality. I took it as the South Col and the final results made the extras effort well worth while. When in recent years these three cameras were stolen I felt I had lost a very real part of history..." (Alfred Gregory, 1953 Everest expedition official photographer).

Diax IIa and other cameras

From left to right: Contax II coupled rangefinder with Sonnar Zeiss 1.5/50mm (1937); Walter Voss Diax IIa coupled rangefinder with Xenon Schneider 2/50mm (1954) and Rollei 35 viewfinder with Tessar Zeiss 3,5/40 (1973). The direct flash light produced some strange reflection on this automatic digital image, click on thumbnail for a larger image.-

220 film with Rolleicord IV

It's possible to use 220 film with a Rolleicord IV, you only need to open the camera back after to shoot the frame 12 (in complete darkness before to advance the film!) to reset to "0" the film counter and closing the camera back again, you could lose 1/2 to 1 frame only. You can see below my first 220 Kodak Tri-X 220 film drying (only B&W film available for 220), you also can see some blank frames, they have nothing to do with the film or camera film transport, it happened because I was taking nocturnal photographs and the cable release did not lock the shutter at the open "B" position. (click on thumbnail)