Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/04/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I used to have a bunch of Rollei TLR's but am now down to two. I can tell you they are *great* for shooting people unobtrusively. Not only in standard chest position, but you can also use a little trick. Just turn the camera 90 degrees either way. You still have a square image to focus with, compose, and shoot ... but you are facing directly away from your subject. The Compur leaf shutter is nearly silent. And this camera type is so archaic that most people don't know how it works, or what exactly you are doing looking down into that thing at your chest. And, as someone once said on the Rollei list, the cameras are built like tanks and if necessary you can use the camera to defend yourself from those who don't like their picture taken. The Zeiss Planars and Schneider Xenotars found on later models are also excellent optics. If you don't want to spend much and still get the best lens, get a 2.8E model. The F is more expensive and offers few advantages -- the main one being the meter is coupled to the setting dials. On the E, you read an EV and set the aperture and shutter from that. E models in excellent condition go for about $500 on ebay. Johnny Deadman wrote: > on 27/4/00 9:19 PM, sam at salex@idt.net wrote: > > > I wonder if street shooting using a TLR Rollei would effective. You DO look > > down, but you ARE composing. . .hmmm. . .interesting. (strange, I had one > > for a while, but never took it to the street.) > > I bought (and still have) one for exactly that purpose but have been too > busy with Human Traffic to try it out. And now another project is opening > up! Codename Jerusalem... watch this space! You heard it here first. > -- > Johnny Deadman > > photos: http://www.pinkheadedbug.com > music: http://www.jukebox.demon.co.uk