THE ROLLEICORD BLOG

This Saturday morning down by the lake. Lake Läen, near Djurhult-Lessebo, where I live. It’s only 150 meters down to the lake from our house, where the waterworks are located. Today’s image is one I took a little further along. I digitized the contact sheet and made my selection from that. For now, I’m only producing digital image files; it will be a while before I have the energy to spend time in the darkroom again. But that will come once I’m a bit stronger. Then, I’ll also be able to go for longer walks with the Rolleicord. As you can see, I missed a few frames today, too. I need to check the shutter release mechanism in relation to the advance mechanism, one frame was almost overlapping (the edges were touching exactly). But I think I'm just not used to pressing the shutter release from the side. I’ll get a short cable release instead.

Digital contact print from the first roll of film in the Rolleicord Vb. Exposed and devloped today. I used Fp4 plus and developed in Adox XT-3 1+1 20gr. ISO 100 and 8 1/2 min for high contrast motifs. That was quite good also in this camera, not only for my Hbl 500C with Planar 3,5/100mm. I used shutter speeds from 1/15 to 1/250. The camera seems to expose quite well, so I´m satisfyed and happy with these first thecnical results. As you can see there are missing three exposures. I did advance to hard and got over the stop by mistake (or something like that). Now I know to be more careful when advancing the film transport to next frame. There is no special with these photos. It's the first time I use a medium frmat camera for near a half a year. My illness this autumn has stopped me from doing that. And I'm very happy that I came out today with the "new" Rolleicord for the first time. It's quite light weight compared to my Hbl 500CM and Exakta 66 that I usually wor...

The camera is loaded with film. Tomorrow my intention is to go for some photographing in the immediate surroundings. It has been almost half a year since I last used a medium-format camera. So, you can bet I’m really keen on it now. Even if I’ll only have the energy to walk a short distance. But I’ll do my best to try and finish off the 12 exposures that the camera provides on 120 film. I found both a neck strap and a bayonet-mount lens hood among my things that fit. So now the camera is complete.

I hope soon to regain the strength to head out and take photos with this camera. I’ve been unwell and sick for the past months, and it will surely take some time. But I need to be patient while everything heals. I’ll be back as soon as I have something to show. It's a Rolleicord Vb type 1 with the Xenar 3.5/75mm. Normally, I shoot with Ilford film, specifically FP4 Plus and HP5 Plus. I recently purchased this camera because it is quite lightweight compared to the medium-format cameras I otherwise use. I suspect that carrying around that heavy gear would be too much for me right now, during the early stages and the first time after my rehabilitation. I am starting this "Rolleicord Blog" as a kind of project, and I intend to share the results at the same rate as new images emerge. I’m not sure what will come of it, but I hope it will be fun and that I’ll be able to get going soon. I also hope You readers will appreciate what I have to show. Nils