[rollei_list] Re: The Rolleicord, with Xenar Schneider lens

  • From: Allen Zak <azak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 20:20:22 -0400

Carlos, I’ve been working on that lately.  The Ohio State University chief 
archivist has invited me to assign all the materials to their institution, 
whose interns will do all the work of compiling, filing, whatever these people 
do.  All I have to do is give them posession.  Even though I would retain 
copyright, I just can’t let go.  

Another reason I liked the V was that the EVS system was not locked and could 
be ignored, if necessary.  Later models had the functions coupled.  You’d have 
to press in on a tab to unlock it, something of a nuisance.  But I never had an 
opportunity to handle a IV, and now it is irrelevant.
Initially, I went for Rolleicords rather than 'flexes because they were more 
affordable, but in time I got to appreciate their virtues and actually 
preferred them for many purposes.  In the end, I transitioned to ‘flexes, which 
I used happily until succumbing to the digital.  I still have the one MX-EVS, 
and maybe one day will take it out for another spin.  Something else hard to 
let go.

Allen           

On Oct 14, 2014, at 6:58 PM, CarlosMFreaza <cmfreaza@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Allen, the "slide show" did not work to me, I open and enlarged each
> photograph. BTW, it would be very interesting and a contribution to
> the history if you organize your valuable work following some
> criteria.
> 
> The perfect Rolleicord to me would be a Rolleicord IV (it already has
> double exposure control) with a focusing knob for the left hand; the
> Rolleicord V adds the EVS and it could make decisions more complicated
> because you know the system is there, you have no options with the IV
> contributing to the camera simplicity; I look for optical quality and
> mechanical simplicity in the Rolleicord.
> 
> Carlos
> 
> 2014-10-14 16:13 GMT-03:00 Allen Zak <azak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>> Thank you Carlos,
>> Glad you could work your way through that web site.  I have yet to get the 
>> “slide show” to function.
>> In fact, I have a boatload of historically relevant material from the 1960s 
>> and 70s; social and political movements, personalities, artists, 
>> entertainers, lifestyles, etc.  Now with more time on my hands, I must sort 
>> out and categorize all those prints, negatives and slides, a chore which I 
>> have neglected for decades.  This happens to many photographers, I’m told, 
>> who hadn’t expected to be as old as they find themselves.
>> 
>> ;-)
>> 
>> Allen
>> 
>> On Oct 14, 2014, at 1:58 PM, CarlosMFreaza <cmfreaza@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> 
>>> Excellent work Allen, they also became a valuable historical testimony 
>>> today.
>>> 
>>> Carlos
>>> 
>>> 2014-10-14 13:13 GMT-03:00 Allen Zak <azak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:
>>>> My first TLR was also a Ciroflex, also in poor condition (did they ever 
>>>> come
>>>> any other way?) which during the mid 1950s I used to earn enough money for 
>>>> a
>>>> Rolleicord V.  That was with me until it got trashed in a caving trip for
>>>> which purpose it was very much not the right camera.  That was replaced by 
>>>> a
>>>> Va that I used all through my college years.  By then my skills had 
>>>> advanced
>>>> enough for me to discern it had an excellent Xenar lens, but when I sold it
>>>> off did not realize they didn’t all come that way.  Over decades a
>>>> succession of ‘cords came in and out of my hands, all with okay Xenars, but
>>>> it wasn’t until the late 1980s that I found another standout Xenar, this
>>>> time on an MX-EVS 'flex.  Suffice it to say I still have that one.
>>>> 
>>>> Of all my ‘cords, however, I must say my favorite for handling was the V.
>>>> The one I liked least was a III because no matter what handling drill I
>>>> attempted, there was always a double exposure on every roll or two.  Once I
>>>> lent it to someone with the faint hope it might not be returned, but
>>>> unfortunately, it was.  Actually, that took place during this event, my
>>>> photos of which now on display as part of an exhibit at the Ohio State
>>>> University Tompkins Library.  Although I had the Rolleicord with me, I used
>>>> a Kodak Retina IIa 35mm for everything, so was willing to farm out the 
>>>> ‘cord
>>>> for the occasion.
>>>> 
>>>> The exhibit:
>>>> 
>>>> http://library.osu.edu/innovation-projects/omeka/exhibits/show/civil-rights
>>>> 
>>>> my Selma to Montgomery photos:
>>>> 
>>>> http://library.osu.edu/innovation-projects/omeka/exhibits/show/civil-rights/sections/selma-to-montgomery-march
>>>> 
>>>> About the photographer, pix, slideshow, etc.
>>>> 
>>>> http://library.osu.edu/innovation-projects/omeka/exhibits/show/civil-rights/sections/item/195
>>>> 
>>>> The web site is a little clunky, but the exhibit itself looks pretty good.
>>>> To be honest, my part of it was shoehorned into a presentation that was
>>>> basically about events and movements culminating in the 1964 Civil Rights
>>>> Act.  My pix were from the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march that resulted in
>>>> the Voting Rights Act, but hey, their decision, and I’m all for the
>>>> exposure.  They did a good job of presentation, I believe, although the
>>>> prints and slides look much better in the original.
>>>> Some of you have seen these before, I believe.
>>>> 
>>>> Allen Zak
>>>> 
>>>> On Oct 13, 2014, at 2:15 PM, Richard Knoppow <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "CarlosMFreaza" <cmfreaza@xxxxxxxxx>
>>>> To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>>> Sent: Monday, October 13, 2014 9:41 AM
>>>> Subject: [rollei_list] Re: The Rolleicord, with Xenar Schneider lens
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/itarfoto/15340496717/
>>>> 
>>>> Carlos
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> My first "real" camera was a Rolleicord IV bought new just after they had
>>>> been discontinued. Before that I had a Ciroflex in rather poor condition. I
>>>> had that Rollei for many years until a burglar got it. I got another used
>>>> one later. I have 'flexs but find the 'cord better ergonomically. Its 
>>>> nearly
>>>> as fast as a Rolleiflex. One can speed up rapid shooting by making a 
>>>> plastic
>>>> push-on crank for the film winder but I don't usually need that. The
>>>> Rolleicord fits in the palm of the left hand and does not need to be
>>>> "tossed" as does the Rolleiflex. The Flex of course has some added features
>>>> such as a faster finder lens and eye level focus arrangement. It also has a
>>>> self-timer which is sometimes useful but I think the IV version of the
>>>> Rolleicord is a perfect "simple" camera, it has everything you need for
>>>> general shooting and nothing extra to get in the way. Also, both of my
>>>> cameras had exceptionally sharp lenses. I think the Xenar used on the cord
>>>> must be at least as good as the Tessar found on the Rolleiflex. Its also
>>>> light which can make a difference if you are carrying it for any length of
>>>> time. Unfortunately, F&H saw fit to make the camera fancier in later models
>>>> until there was not so much difference between it and the Rolleiflex. The
>>>> trouble is that in making is "better" they actually made it worse, at least
>>>> IMO.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Richard Knoppow
>>>> Los Angeles
>>>> WB6KBL
>>>> dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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