5 Frames with a Rolleiflex 3.5F and Rollei Pan 25 in Tretower Castle

I remember one day, I walked into a camera store near the British Museum and handled a Rolleiflex for the first time. It felt precious, a marvelous piece of mechanical engineering, art and beauty made to capture things. I guess it could be used to capture more than images; I felt it could capture spirits, souls and magic and transcend time itself. I had to have one and I then pulled out my .45 and robbed the store – Joke! I pulled out my wallet, realised they were over priced then went to ffordes and bought one.

It arrived and I immediately loved it. I had had a MPP Microcord but lovely as that was, this was extra special. Unfortunately I had to resort to a 3.5F rather than the 2.8 I had wanted, that was far more expensive but outwardly they’re the same so I wasn’t disappointed.

Just think about it, this is a camera used by some of The Greats throughout the years and capturing some of the iconic photographs in history such as David Bailey, Richard Avedon, Robert Doisneu, Fritz hence, Eduard Boubat, Lee Miller, Diane Arbus, Robert Capa, Vivian Maie amongst many others.

And a Camera used by iconic movie stars and rock stars over the years .

It’s so cool, so much cooler than any camera ever made that you want to show it off, and even with camera shy persons such as myself, I wanted to pose with it at every opportunity! Sure I’m no movie star but who cares? It’s just a pleasure to own.

I took it around to Turkey, to Pakistan the Himalaya and Karakoram (as seen here in my post on 35mmc)

I also took it, with a special roll of Rollei Pan 25. A very slow 25 ISO BW Film which is basically Agfapan 25 rebranded, to my favourite and most special place in the whole wide world – Tretower Castle, nestled in the Brecon Beacons, which I visited again a couple of times and shan’t ever return to, as some places there is no returning though probably in the next life.

I bought my Rolleiflex 3.5F with a Rollei bayonet II yellow Filter, lens cap and a Rolleinar II close up filter – a two piece filter with lenses for both viewing and taking lenses.

The close up filter is called the Rolleinar and comes in many different strengths. The Rolleinar I will enable you to shoot head shoulder shots with the 75mm f3.5 standard lens.

The Rolleinar II which I have will be face shots – or close-ups of other subjects.

I wanted a Rolleinar I but for some strange reason, the Bay II Rolleinar’s (along with ALL Bay II accessories) are 3 to 4 times as much as anything Bay I or III (Bay I for the Rolleicord Tessar and Bay III for the f2.8 80mm Planar) so I picked up a bargain Rolleinar II.

Mine was metered, the array of glass bulbs below the Rolleflex logo is where the selenium meter captures the light.

I didn’t bother with the inbuilt meter and just used Light Meter App on my iPhone for the one roll I shot with this camera. The dials at the front are for Shutter speed and Aperture.

I shot a roll of Rollei Pan 25. A very slow 25 ISO BW Film which is basically Agfapan 25 rebranded. It’s gorgeous, wonderful dark inky tones and very fine grain.

I developed the roll in an Agfa Rondinax 60 daylight Tank – great idea, if a bit temperamental, with Rodinal developer. I Scanned using an Epson 4990 flatbed and used Photoshop CS4 to process. Thanking the Great John Garrett for teaching me all I know about B&W and to Don McCullin for being an inspiration.

The negatives were lovely with high contrast and rich blacks, and I was pleased with every shot (I wasted 2 by exposing them accidentally in the Rondinax while loading). Here is a selection from the roll (bar the odd family photo and test shot)

• Rolleiflex 3.5F Mk 1.
• Carl Zeiss 75mm f3.5 Planar
• Rollei Yellow Filter
• Rollei Pan 25
• Rodinal.
• Rondinax 60 daylight tank.

As with most things, I knee jerk and sell things, this I regretfully sold and I doubt I shall ever own one again.

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