Rolleiflex Old Standard...

Vince Lupo

Vince Lupo

Nobody's Mentor
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I've been bitten by the film bug yet again, hopefully this time it will stick.

I'm thinking of getting a Rolleiflex Old Standard -- does anyone have any words of wisdom regarding this model? Use? Handling? Anything to look out for when choosing one?

I've owned many Rolleis in the past (2.8E, 2.8F 12/24, Rolleiwide, 3.5F) but I've always been curious about these early Rolleis.

Many thanks in advance for your responses!
 
Look for a clean lens and a good shutter. The mirror will need to be replaced in all likelihood, and even with a new mirror, the viewfinder won't be very bright. I still have not figured out how to attach a neck strap to it.

And you have inspired me to load a roll of film into mine.
 
Greyscale said:
Look for a clean lens and a good shutter. The mirror will need to be replaced in all likelihood, and even with a new mirror, the viewfinder won't be very bright. I still have not figured out how to attach a neck strap to it.

And you have inspired me to load a roll of film into mine.
Click to expand...

Ha glad I inspire someone!

Looking at photos of it, I guess you need to get one of those special Rollei straps with the slit/hole arrangement on the ends. Not sure if a scissors type strap would work.
 
Vince Lupo said:
Ha glad I inspire someone!

Looking at photos of it, I guess you need to get one of those special Rollei straps with the slit/hole arrangement on the ends. Not sure if a scissors type strap would work.
Click to expand...

I was able to fit a small split ring into the strap lug, and I have now attached a vintage hippie strap to it.
 
Can someone explain to me about the two film indicator windows? I know there's one on the bottom and one on the back. When loading 120 film, do you line the "1" up with the bottom window or the back one? Then after that do you set the counter and does the camera automatically stop at the next number when you advance to the next frame?
 
Oh, and chance are that the spirit level will be rattling around inside of the mirror box. I am one for two on this.
 
Vince Lupo said:
Can someone explain to me about the two film indicator windows? I know there's one on the bottom and one on the back. When loading 120 film, do you line the "1" up with the bottom window or the back one? Then after that do you set the counter and does the camera automatically stop at the next number when you advance to the next frame?
Click to expand...
You line the number 1 for 6x9 in the red window, make sure the frame has been advance past 12 (there will be a red dot in the counter window). Then press the small button above the film advance to set the counter to 1. The ruby window is only used when loading.
 
A new mirror and a new screen help a lot. They feel sort of delicate (especially the pop-up chimney) but they seem pretty robust in actual use. Mine came out of a thrift shop looking like someone had used it through the war and then put it away. Cleaned up fine and, despite a little stiffness here and there, works well to this day. I rigged up a strap using the ends of a small binder clamp. It's not pretty, but it works.


I do find there's something special about uncoated lenses in general, and the Tessars on these are really very good. Oddly, perhaps, but I love how they do with color film - Ektar is just lovely in these, to wit:


49651756848_9415bb496d_c.jpg
 
Love my Old Standard! Wish they had kept the spirit level on newer models. Mine is still attached. I need a lens/shutter CLA but it works well enough to take out occasionally:

lakelanier-5216s3s.jpg
 
Many thanks guys -- yes I can definitely appreciate the 'Old World' quality and look about them. I picked up a Heidoscope a few weeks ago and an Old Standard would go nicely with it.
 
Some old standard Rolleis had two windows. One for films with only 6x9 numbers and one for films with only 6x6 numbers. These days that's not a problem with 120 carrying both sets of frame numbers. Just line up the 1 in either and there rest SHOULD be taken care of by the winding mechanisms.


Also SOME old standards were build to take 620 film. That's at least something to check before making a purchase.


I bought a second Type 622 half a year ago, and I've failed to run a film through it. So far. I should correct that soon-ish.
 
Mr_Flibble said:
Some old standard Rolleis had two windows. One for films with only 6x9 numbers and one for films with only 6x6 numbers. These days that's not a problem with 120 carrying both sets of frame numbers. Just line up the 1 in either and there rest SHOULD be taken care of by the winding mechanisms.

Also SOME old standards were build to take 620 film. That's at least something to check before making a purchase.

I bought a second Type 622 half a year ago, and I've failed to run a film through it. So far. I should correct that soon-ish.
Click to expand...

Ah okay, I understand. So lining up the '1' on the back window should work just fine then.

Sounds much easier than the 120 back on the Heidsoscop -- with that one, I have to remember to wind on two frames at a time after each exposure.
 
Yes,
Line up the 1 in either window (Mine are marked B1 film 6x6 and B2 film 6x9),
Reset the frame counter to 1 and you're ready to go.
The mechanism, if working correctly, will automatically wind enough film with each crank. No need to look at the numbers again.

If you do get a bit of overlap between the frames. wind the first frame number a little beyond the window to build up more thickness on the take-up spool.
Or do use the red window at the back and only advance as far as the next number.
 
If you want an authentic strap, go to a leather shop and get a matching strip of leather. Then have them drill the hole and cut the slit. Viola!
 
I am not sure that there was an original strap for the Old Standard, I think that the "lugs" are to secure the camera into its original case, and the case had the strap on it.
 
I have three. The earlier 4,5 and 3,8 models, and the 3,5. All with good mirrors and shutters. There are two different sun shades, one slip-on and a clip-on. The clip on type can have a Rollei slip-on filter mounted inside. The cameras can of course use any 28,5 mm shades and filters.
 
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