attack_donut
member
Reged: 16/12/2006
Posts: 131
Loc: East Coast
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Hi gang-
I know there are a ton of rolleiflex clones out there (heck, I own one, the yashica-a) but since I can't afford a real rollie, does anyone know the (more or less) order of clone makers, from good to bad?
Not intending to start a flame war, I'm just curious what would be the next step down from a rollei, and ones to totally avoid (I presume seagull, a chinese maker, would be one to avoid)
Thanks for the advice.
AD
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Storms arise and eclipse the sun, the march of kings has begun.
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Benchista
Wich Tyler
Reged: 11/08/2000
Posts: 36162
Loc: Everywhere and nowhere, baby
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Hmmmm, big subject....
At the very top, the Zeiss Ikoflex and Minolta Autocords.
Next, the best Yashicas, and the MPP Microflex - these are very close to the above group.
Next, most of the rest of the Yashicas, and the Ricohs and MPP Microcord and Rolleicord.
Next, lots of others
next, the Seagull.
Last of all, the Lubitels.
I've left out the Mamiyas, which are excellent tools but rather different to the rest, and obviously the Rolleiflexes. In truth any of them from Seagull upwards are capable of good results - the best have somewhat better lenses and are easier to use and better-made.
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Nick
www.nbrphoto.com
Light and Shade II - the new blog
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attack_donut
member
Reged: 16/12/2006
Posts: 131
Loc: East Coast
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Thank you kindly for the enlightenment.
Focusing on the bottom of the barrels for the moment:
Seagull is chinese, so I assume the optics are naff, lubitel are russian? I thought they made good optics?
What about the czech guys...flexaret (I think they are called)...equal to the russian stuff?
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Storms arise and eclipse the sun, the march of kings has begun.
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mike_j
nobbut a beginner
Reged: 23/08/2005
Posts: 1255
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I have had a few TLRs (still have an MPP Microcord) and if I were buying one I would worry more about mechanical reliability than the make and model providing you avoid the absolute dogs. I have had winder problems with Minolta and Yashica and it was a designed-in feature of the MPP Autocord I think. All the shutters tend to run slow, after all they probably haven't had any attention for 40 years and you wouldn't expect a watch to be at it's best after that time without cleaning.
They can all pretty well give very acceptable results and are great fun to use in a limited way. If the style of shooting really grabs you you will have to save up for a recently serviced Rolleiflex.
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Wheelu
journeyman
Reged: 31/10/2007
Posts: 59
Loc: UK, up North
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Most of the cheaper "clones" have three or four element lenses. You can get excellent results out of a four element lens, but you do need to stop it well down.
I have compared my 1957 Rolleicord (Schneider Xenar f3.5) with my Bronica ETRSi and the Zenzanon lens blows the Xenar out of the water between f3.5 and f8. Once you get to f11 there is not much in it.
Conclusion, if you do buy a 4 element lensed "clone" be prepared to shoot well stopped down.
I know that the more expensive TLR lenses, e.g. Planar, are much better, but then you might be paying more for the camera than you would for a more modern and convenient design of MF SLR.
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My Flickr Site
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