I had a Rolleimagic camera several years ago; it was given to me as a
present, almost unused; the lightmeter worked perfect and the camera worked
fine after a CLA., this first version was called Rolleimagic "I" when F&H
introduced the second version, the"Rolleimagic II", this name is engraved
on the camera front panel; however the "I" is "Rolleimagic" only. The
Rolleimagic has three modes you can select with the right wheel pressing a
button on the left side to release each one of them. The "green" mode is a
manual "B" shutter speed and within this mode you can select f stops from
f3,5 to f22. "The "A"is the full automatic mode,, the Prontor shutter works
from 1/30 sec to 1/300 sec choosing speed and f stop according a internal
needle position linked to the lightmeter via a mechanism, there is an upper
button and a scale to select the film speed and a window with a needle, if
this needle is between two red marks the exposure is right to release the
shutter. The "orange" mode is the manual flash mode, the shutter speed is
about 1/30 and you can select the f stops from f 3,5 to f22, you can also
use this flash mode like a sort of fixed shutter speed manual mode.
Focusing is made via the left wheel, the mechanism moves both Xenar 3,5/75
lenses first element to focus the subject (yes, the Heidosmat is also a
Xenar lens). The camera has a little hole to attach a shutter cable release
and it can use the Rolleiflex T masks for 16 exposures, if the big
Rolleimagic Gossen selenium lightmeter does not work, you only have the B
and Flash modes.The "Rolleimagic II" camera is almost the same, however it
has a improved Prontor automatic shutter, the speeds are from 1/30 to 1/500
and it offers a full manual mode from 1/30 to 1/500sec.I took very nice
color photographs with the Rolleimagic in the Auto mode, I liked to use
it, the exposure was right, but I lost most of them in a moving; Icould
save only one; I also lost this Roleimagic in a divorce agreement...(but I
kept the best 'flexes).
Last year I saw a pretty cheap Rolleimagic in a local auction site. The
seller showed photographs about a "Rolleimagic II" saying it was in good
condition and it was working fine, it looked nice indeed. It was my
surprise when I received it, it was not a "Rolleimagic II" with the full
manual mode option, it was a "Rolleimagic", the version I. The lightmeter
did not work as I suspected immediately, but the camera worked fine for
the B and Flash modes and had a fixed quick shutter speed and a small fixed
f stop at the "A" mode. The seller offered to return my money, she did not
know the difference between the "Rolleimagic" and the "Rolleimagic II" and
uploaded some images from the internet and she thought the camera worked
fine because she could cock and release the shutter. I saw the lenses were
very clean, the focusing screen was clean , the transport mechanism worked
fine, the focusing mechanism worked fine and the camera had a very good
shape in general and I decided to keep it, taking in mind the price too. I
"discovered" the "A" fixed f stop is f11 and the shutter speed is between
1/125 and 1/300 by comparing the f stop size at the B mode and the 1/30
shutter speed at the Flash mode.
I'll try it with a roll of film some day...
Carlos.
;
