Rollei Rolleiflex T
Do brand names matter? In the world of cameras, the names Leica, Rolleiflex, and Hasselblad are certainly at the top of the lists of desirable brand names - this desirability is often evident by the prices that these cameras can command. It's important to note that even in these brand names, there are models of cameras that can deliver top dollar performance for less than top dollar prices. Case in point is the Rolleiflex T. While at first its design may not catch your eye, the image quality will reassure you that it deserves the name Rolleiflex.
Introduced in 1958 as a more entry-level TLR, Rollei reduced the price of the Rolleiflex T by trimming down some of the features found on the Rolleicord Automat. Most notably, the Rolleiflex T does not have the film gate that feels for the start of the film. Instead, the user feeds the film paper through the camera so the the "start" mark lines up with the marks in the camera. The other change is in how the user selects aperture and shutter speeds. Whereas other models have separate wheels for aperture and shutter speed, the Rolleiflex T has a lever that selects both at once by choosing an EV rating. Although this mechanism is designed to be used coupled, it can be uncoupled for intentional over and under exposure.
What the Rollei engineers and designers maintained with the Rolleiflex T was the quality lenses. With the exception of the very last model, the Rolleiflex Ts were outfitted with the Carl Zeiss 75mm f/3.5 Tessar lenses. This meant that image quality did not suffer even though the camera itself is a bit less expensive.
If you're okay with a model of Rollei that is a little more pedestrian than some of its more expensive kin, seek out the Rolleiflex T. You may not get the admiration and knowing glances from passersby, but you will get the same great photographs that other photographers get with their more expensive cameras.
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