It’s been awhile since I did one of my “non-reviews.” To recap, these really aren’t in depth reviews of the cameras I feature. There are people around much more skilled than I am at writing formal reviews. Rather, this series is more about my experiences with the cameras I’ve used.
I think we as photographers all have cameras that we idolize. Sometimes, maybe oftentimes, they’re out of reach for us. Other times, we’ll place them on a pedestal, only to finally get them and find out they’re not what we thought. And every once in awhile, we’ll get one that meets or even exceeds our vision. Such is the case for me with the Rolleiflex 2.8D.
Ever since I first tried a TLR (twin lens reflex), I’ve been somewhat smitten with the style of camera. The waist level viewing. The quiet shutters. The ability to handhold at lower speeds than cameras held at eye level. The square format. The list goes on and on. They just resonate with me.
I started fairly cheaply. My first TLR was a humble Argoflex E. It wasn’t terribly elegant. It didn’t have a lot of features. The lens wasn’t very good. But, it certainly confirmed to me that I liked the style of camera.
I owned (and still have a few) a raft of TLRs after that. A Graflex 22. A Mamiya C330. A Zeiss Ikon Ikoflex. A YashicaMat LM. And others I don’t even remember. I used the YashicaMat the longest. I still have it and enjoy using it. Still, all the while, I longed for a Rolleiflex.
Mention the letters TLR to most photographers and I think you’ll find that they picture a Rollei in their mind’s eye. It’s hard to imagine a camera that is more definitively representative of it’s type than a Rollei. And given the fact that the basic design of a Rolleiflex changed very little from the first Old Standard to the last 2.8 FX, it’s safe to say that the design was a successful one.
Last year, as we were planning our wedding, I knew that I wanted to bring a camera along. Both for myself and as a prop for some of our formal pictures. Photography has been an important part of my relationship with Amanda, so this was a key item for the day for me. Initially, I thought I would just use the YashicaMat. It was the most visually appealing of my camera kit and was a camera I really enjoyed using. But then something happened. I was browsing KEH and came across a Rolleiflex 2.8D that was within my budget. Granted, it was still expensive, but I justified it by saying this was the one decorative item that I would pursue for myself.
The camera was one of KEH’s BGN grade items. I’ve always had good luck with their BGN grade gear, so I went ahead and pulled the trigger. When the camera showed up, it unfortunately had a few problems. The biggest was that the shutter was sticky and unreliable. I called KEH up and discussed it with them. They gave me the option of either getting a refund or they offered to repair it and send it back. I chose the latter option. When it arrived back, it was running like brand new. Kudos to KEH. Seriously, they are a great company and I have nothing but praise for all of the gear I’ve bought from them. And I’ve bought a lot of gear from them!
That was a pretty long intro. If you’re still reading this and are curious about my opinion of the camera, there’s really only one thing I can say. This is my favorite camera to use, ever. It is everything that I imagined such a storied camera would be. It feels wonderful in my hands, operates with the Teutonic precision that one expects of a German camera and the results are simply stunning.
My camera came with the Xenotar lens. If you spend as much time reading Rolleiflex reviews as I did before buying mine, you’ll know that Planar vs Xenotar is something of a Ford/Chevy, Canon/Nikon, etc. rivalry. There are proponents on both sides of the divide that claim supremacy for one reason or another. I think the truth is that there might be slight differences but outside of the realms of connoisseur compulsory disorder, there’s no functional difference.
If there’s one problem I have with the camera, it’s that it has taken on some emotional weight. It was part of our wedding and so it holds a special place in my heart. Because of that, I try to treat this camera a little better than some of the other cameras in my stable. So I’m a little more careful about where and when I take it out.
There’s a big part of me that really wants to take this thing everywhere, though. Seriously, everywhere. If I were to Marie Kondo my camera collection, I’d be left with my Mamiya Sekor 500 DTL (my first real camera — my dad’s camera that he passed on to me when he thought I was old enough), probably my 4×5 view camera (despite liking 8×10 more, 4×5 is more practical and economical), my D800 and the Rolleiflex. Fortunately, I don’t plan to Marie Kondo my collection anytime soon, so I can keep the dozens and dozens of cameras I have. Still, the Rollei is in that first echelon of my gear.
Maybe someday, if the camera gods smile on me again, I can pick up another Rolleiflex. Maybe a 2.8C this time (it was the last model to have a 10 bladed aperture). Or a 3.5F with the 6 element f3.5 Planar, supposedly the pinnacle of the Rolleiflex design. Or maybe even an older model with a Tessar. I’ve always liked the rendering out of Tessar lenses. At any rate, something that I could use as a daily shooter. Whatever happens, the 2.8D will always be with me and will always be my first Rollei. And it will always be the camera that came along when I married the woman of my dreams. It’s hard to imagine a camera that could be more idolized than that!
