Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: KevinA on July 06, 2011, 07:52:23 pm
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I like for fun shooting with TLR's, I have a couple. There is nothing like going out armed with only a TLR, a tripod, light-meter and a few rolls of film. It makes for great relief after fretting about pixels, noise, AF and deadlines and all the other nonsense digital has thrust upon us.
I thought about reacquainting myself with a Rolleiflex 2.8F like I used way back, after all since "digital" the bottom has fallen out of the film camera market, a few quid should get a decent outdated camera like a 2.8f............ you would of thought.
Bugger me no, they are fetching lots of money, a very rough one will cost you a few hundred quid. Hasselblads also look to be fetching more than a few years ago. Any decent condition TLR is fetching in the hundreds. As for picking up something like the later TeleRolleiflex at a bargain price, dream on. They look a better future proof investment than anything digital.
Now how much do I really want a Rolleiflex f2.8, now the shock has subsided yes I still do but not yet.
Kevin.
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I think it's a matter of supply and demand. The big price dump happened when everyone was going digital and couldn't get rid of their film junk fast enough. The film aficionados who scooped up the equipment back then at rock bottom prices don't have much external incentive to sell it again later on (especially not at a significantly lower price level), except for those who eventually get tired of film at some point.
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The top-end Rollei TLRs have increased in value quite remarkably in recent years, and have now outstripped their Hasselblad counterparts from the same era. Which is quite a turnaround, because the Rollei 2.8F was always a cheaper option secondhand than a 500 C/M. A really nice 2.8F will now ask well over £1,000 - but it has to be good, with the ever-ready case, lens hood etc. Xenotars fetch a little less than Planars, generally.
I sold mine in mint condition back in 1990 for £300 - and now wish that I had kept it, as you do.
John