SOME RANDOM DUDE

I finally got a chance to take some photos with our Rolleicord that we recently purchased. This little adventure has required quite a bit of commitment as we needed to purchase a handheld exposure meter as well as have the camera fixed and cleaned from head to toe. As you can imagine, your local corner-store does not carry 120mm film so we have to go to and stock up on film at specialty photography stores. Surprisingly, 120mm film is not too expensive, but I would assume that will change as film in general becomes more rare.

As the title suggests, shooting with a camera this old has been quite a learning experience. All the “modern” conveniences of my 1975 Nikkormat FT2 are greatly missed - I can only imagine how much greater the shock would be if I have been using a state-of-the-art camera all this time. Basic features such as a light meter and film advance aids - things you take for granted on cameras nowadays - do not exist on the Rolleicord. This makes you be conscious of every procedure in the photographic process. I have already forgotten to advance the film at least two times with four roles of film. I am assuming I will eventually learn from my mistakes.

In addition, because our model was made to use 6×9 film and 120mm film is 6×6 format, we are only able to use two-thirds of film. This equates to eight exposures out of the twelve that you are supposed to get. Those four lost exposures can add up very quickly - unfortunately there is not much that can be done about that. The viewfinder on the camera is absolutely huge, unfortunately it is on the dim side and there is no aid to help you focus. I have had quite a hard time getting perfect focus on my shots so far, but I think I am starting to get a better feel for it with every role I shoot. With a camera this old, the mechanics still were not advanced enough for fast shutter speeds. The fastest shutter speed this camera shoots is 1/300 of a second. This can be problematic as you need to make sure you have the absolute correct film for the environment you are in or you are not going to get good results.

Another interesting feature about this camera is the actual process of advancing film. On the bottom of the camera there is a small window which shows you the frame you currently are on. The problem is, the number you are looking at is on the actual role of film. Because of this, you can only open this window in shaded areas without risking unwanted exposure to the corner of your film. The first two images below are perfect examples of that happening.

As you can see, the focus is not crisp and the exposure is far from perfect. This has nothing to do with the camera and everything to do with me. I feel as though the more I shoot with this camera, the more I am forced to acknowledge that my skill of taking a photograph is quite lacking. With my dependence on automation up to this point, I am unable to bring out the full potential of this amazing camera. I must admit that shooting with the Rolleicord is quite cumbersome and time consuming. I could take ten quality shots with my SLR in the time it would take me to shoot one with my Rollei. However, I feel as though my relationship with this camera is half pleasure, half education. Honestly, it is not always enjoyable to go out to shoot, knowing that at least half the shots taken are going to be complete failures. I notice myself at times wanting to abandon this camera for the comfort of the better results I get with my Nikkormat. That being said, I am desperately trying to hold back that impulse and slowly re-educate myself on how to take a photograph. 120mm film, camera, film, medium format, medium format camera, Nikkormat, Photography, rollei rolleicord