Rolleicord vs Rolleiflex

[Esprit S4]

[DPurdy]

[olipop]

Xenar and Tessar are indeed good lenses, and were for nearly three decades fitted to 'flex and well as 'cord cameras.

[keyofnight]

[DPurdy]

I guess it depends on who you talk to. I have never owned a Cord but I have talked to people who repair them and was told that a cord is on a par with the Yashica for durability.

[rolleiclubleader]

As a once professional user of : Yashica >> then >> Rolleicord >> then >> Rolleiflex I enjoyed the Rolleiflex most. Aside from the known difference in Lens Quality ( mostly an academic question once the image was used in print ) I preferred the Rolleiflex because of handling ease: Film winding crank and bigger focussing knob. In professional durability terms ... hard to say on the ednd they needed service sooner or later. I used to shoot on average 12 rolls per day. Not sure if that was a lot in those days , I just did my job

[JanBoettcher]

"As far as I'm concerned, the Rolleicord is a well-made, robust camera with fewer complications."

Well, the 'Cords are just about as sturdy as the 'Flexes, but
- the Cords do lack some features (for example a twist and backswing of a Flex-crank not only transports the film but cocks the shutter too, the 2,8/3,5F have coupled meters, DOF-indocators, film feeling mechanism ...)
- internally there are several points where adjustments are easier done in the Flex via screws than with shims (and/or wedges and the like) in the Cord

The T ... some days ago I bowsed the website of some calssic camera repair guy poopooing the T and I read his claims about cheaper build etc.. Well, the T was cheaper than the contemporary E or F but not "cheap". All this talk about the "many" plastic parts, I can hardly stand it (and he can hardly prove it!).

Let's see ...

They all have in common some electrical insulation for the meter and flash sync, two rigid + two spring loaded gliding pieces for the focusing cams, the bright screen in the view finder, one window for f-stop and shutter speed and the letherette covering (you count)

3,5F and 2,8F: two spring loaded gliding pieces in the crank (probably to give a positive feel of friction) (2)

T: two bands for f-stop and shutter speed, two rollers for the f-stop band and a "base" for the bands to glide on (5)

So, depending on the way you judge, "the T has three (3) more plastic parts" or "the T has way more than twice as many plastic parts".

Yes, the band for the f-stops may break and you're in deep doodoo if you don't have a proper spare part, the band with shutter speeds is less prone to failure, as it goes around a wider curve without the rollers and yes, the rollers may collect dirt and get stuck some 50 years after the camera's production (stressing the f-stop band even more).

[rolleiclubleader]

The MASTER spoke , thanks Jan , your replies are as always spot on !!

[Eddie Vaughan]

I have also read that the Rolleiflex T contains plastic parts and is less robust than the more expensive Rolleiflex models, but I have not yet seen proof of it being less reliable than other models and requiring more frequent repairs or servicing. If eBay auction descriptions serve as any guide, then the usual problems described for Rolleiflex Ts are those that are commonly found among old cameras, including other Rolleiflex models: hanging shutters, sticky self-timers, and lenses blemishes. They afflict old Rolleicords also, but probably no more. I figure that, aside from their greater cachet among collectors, the advantages of expensive Rolleiflex TLR models over Rolleicords or the Rolleiflex T have much much less to do with their durability than with their better lenses and greater user convenience.