My First Outing with a Rolleiflex

I have just acquired this beauty.

I have been searching for a good medium format, and since I started to play with a Semflex, a TLR was the obvious choice. Seeing the world through a chest-level windows feels very mellow, less intrusive when one wants to explore a city.

Easter Monday, a beautiful weather, it was a good day to meet and get to know each other.

I put three films in my bag: Kodak Gold 200, Kodak Portra 160, and Fomapan 100. These are the films I use and know the most.

Let’s play…

I first loaded the Kodak Gold 200, and headed to the Vieux Port and Panier neighbourhood.

Twelve frames were gone in the blink of an eye. I then loaded some Portra 160 and kept on roaming in the streets.

Everything looked so beautiful through the focussing glass. The camera is so smooth. It felt like I was using it for ages, perfectly sitting in my hands against the chest, not too heavy on my neck.

Five o’clock in the afternoon and there was no way that it would stop now. The light was getting a bit more gold, and I only had black and white left. Nevermind. Here is some Fomapan 100.

During my roaming in the streets with such a camera, I made lots of friends. Mainly older people who were tickled by the view of the old TLR.

Overall it was a fantastic experience. I understand now the fuss about Rolleiflex, it is no hype, it just makes sense. It is just the beginning of a great journey.

A big thank you to Mael, from Opto Méca, who gave back all its glory to this camera.