C41 Film Developing at Home (It’s Easy, Try it!).
The Rolleicord III is the perfect partner to one of my portable vintage 6×6 folding cameras. The Rolleinar close focus lenses make this camera work for me and I think they will be on the Rolleicord most of the time. I can with the Rolleicord as I can see to compose clearly. In theory it is but I can’t use these cameras when trying to photograph with the camera at waist height. Yes I know you can say it is the same as using a Hasselblad, Mamiya RZ67 or Mamiya 645 camera with their WLF (waist level finders). I really appreciated the TLR camera view of the world. The Rolleicord III camera was the perfect introduction to TLR cameras for me. The best I could do was some Rolleicord selfies! Once life is back to normal I will link some Rolleicord portraits here. I’ve not yet had the oppotunity to photograph any models due to the virus lockdown.
These are called Rolleicord bay 1 mount and also fit other TLR cameras with the same bay 1 mount. The Rolleicord III camera bundle I bought interested me mostly because of the Rolleinar close focus lenses it came with.
Rolleicord III with Rolleinar 1 lenses attached (+ Rolleicord lens hood) Rolleicord Rolleinar close focus lenses For that 1 meter or closer the Rolleicord can help if fitted with a Rolleinar close focus lens kit. Objects at 1 meter or further distances are fine but usually no closer. Folding cameras are rangefinder cameras so are great to photograph distance subjects. To have the excuse to buy a Rolleicord TLR camera it needed to offer me something different (or extra). TLR cameras such as the Rolleicord are compact when compared to say a Hasselblad 501C or the Rolleiflex SL66E. (See the YouTube video on my favourite small cameras if interested – ). Small enough to carry when out running or cycling.
A tiny 6×6 medium format folding camera that is similar size to a Leica camera body. A great example is the vintage Voigtlander Perkeo camera. These little cameras offer excellent value for money and in a very compact setup. In recent months I’ve really started to appreciate vintage folding cameras. KMZ Iskra 6×6 folding camera captured with my Rolleicord III + Rolleinar 2 close focus lens TLR camera vs Folding camera Vintage folding cameras Therefore the Rolleicord also offer great value as an introduction to Rollei TLR cameras.
(To put that in context Leica iiia cameras are excellent value for money compared to a Leica M Film Camera). The more basic Rolleicord model is priced much lower and similar to a Leica iiia camera cost. I have only really looked at the popular Rolleiflex f2.8 cameras in the past which can come with a price tag similar to a Hasselblad camera. What did surprise me is that some Rollei TLR cameras can be quite affordable. This is different to SLR and rangefinder cameras which are used at eye level. To take a photo you use the waist level finder and look down into the top of camera to focus and compose. Leaf shutter lenses are quiet and can be used at slower shutter speeds handheld due to no mirror slap vibration. If you have used large format cameras such as the Intrepid 4×5 Camera you will recognise the lens is similar in design.
It is a leaf shutter lens meaning you can sync flash at up to 1/500 when connecting via the PC sync port. The camera comes with a Compur-Rapid shutter that offers shutter speeds of 1 second to 1/500 second (+ bulb mode). The lens that captures the images (the “taking lens”) is a Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 75mm f3.5. It is a medium format film camera that takes 120 film and gives 12 6×6 images per roll. The Rolleicord III is a 1950’s twin reflex camera, produced from 1950 to 1953.