4x5 Graphic View Camera vs. Rolleiflex xenotar

[Csholl]

Hi,

So I've had a graphic View Camera 4x5 for quite some time and haven't really used it since I was a young kid. Now that I'm getting into photography again, (in part because of Vivian Maier) I'm thinking of selling it for a Rolleiflex Xenotar or planar. My thought is, that I'm not really going to pack a view camera and use it as much. Does anyone have any suggestions, or is it just a matter of preference? My view camera has a Wollensak 108mm lens on it, and complete with accessories, backs, poloaroid backs, filter adapters, closeup filters, and lens hood. I also have a good spot meter. Any advice, if you have any is appreciated. I know a view camera, you can get good depth of field for landscapes, but I don't know how many opportunities I will have for that. I am familiar with Ansel Adam's series of photography, but I'm beginning to get into the Rolleiflex. I have a Tessar Rollei with a good clean lens and a good clean camera overall, and I have all the closeup filters and adapters for it, but I know the planars and xenotars offer better boche and field of curvature.

[BrianShaw]

Hi,

So I've had a graphic View Camera 4x5 for quite some time and haven't really used it since I was a young kid. Now that I'm getting into photography again, (in part because of Vivian Maier) I'm thinking of selling it for a Rolleiflex Xenotar or planar. My thought is, that I'm not really going to pack a view camera and use it as much. Does anyone have any suggestions, or is it just a matter of preference? My view camera has a Wollensak 108mm lens on it, and complete with accessories, backs, poloaroid backs, filter adapters, closeup filters, and lens hood. I also have a good spot meter. Any advice, if you have any is appreciated. I know a view camera, you can get good depth of field for landscapes, but I don't know how many opportunities I will have for that. I am familiar with Ansel Adam's series of photography, but I'm beginning to get into the Rolleiflex. I have a Tessar Rollei with a good clean lens and a good clean camera overall, and I have all the closeup filters and adapters for it, but I know the planars and xenotars offer better boche and field of curvature.
Both are very different yet very useful photographic tools. Don’t think like it’s one or the other. Each has its place so if you can keep and use both… that’s what I’d advise.

One more tidbit of wisdom from me. If you use a tripod or monopod you really won’t need to “upgrade” the Rollei.

[j.e.simmons]

In 4x5 I probably like my Graphic View second only to my Sinar Norma. But look at what they sell for. You may decide it’s not worth the effort and decide to get the Rollei and keep the Graphic, too. If you want to do Maier-type photography, I think you’re right in needing some kind of hand camera.

[Tin Can]

I love my 2 Yashica A over any other TLR

I do not like almost any other TLR

[John Layton]

As you've mentioned that you are "getting into photography again," I'd be very hesitant to sell anything until you come to know a bit more about just how this path might evolve.

I've owned and used many Rolleiflexes over the years, and while the later Xenotar and Planar lenses are indeed very nice...your Tessar lens, assuming that your camera was built no earlier that around 1952 or so, actually tests out very favorably against those other lenses, and even more or less equal with aperture set to f/8, f/11, or f/16. Combine this with strong backlighting, and that Tessar (again, if coated and clean), with fewer lens elements (meaning fewer internal reflections) will do even better...exhibiting less lens flare than will the Planar/Xenotar lenses.

Having said the above, the very latest, 6-element Planar/Xenotar lenses (if clean and everything is in proper alignment/adjustment) are indeed stunning, and I do personally do prefer them overall to the Tessars.

At any rate...my advice would be to take each of your current cameras out and about separately, and refine your technique and results enough so that you can begin to truly evaluate what the experience of using each camera actually means to you - and then decide. Make sense?

[jnantz]

Sell it and buy film chemistry and paper with the proceeds. be advised, you won't get much money for it, that said, if you decide you want to use a 4x5 again you can always buy another, they are inexpensive and getting inexpensiver.

[AuditorOne]

I picked up a Rolleiflex Planar 2.8F back in 2014. They are truly wonderful cameras and I can understand why Ms Maier liked to use it. I would never try to stop anyone from buying a Rolleiflex.

I used mine a grand total of 17 times in 3 years and finally sold it. I did use my Rolleiflex MXEVS Automat with the 3.5 Tessar 70 times in one year during that same time period and I still own it. It was a lighter camera to carry and I found it easier for me to use. The pictures were terrific with the Tessar and I've never looked back. Maybe if I had sent the 2.8F in for service the results would have been different.

Of course your own experience may be different than mine so it will probably be worth it for you to pick up a Rollei with the faster (and bigger) lens. Some people find it a little easier to focus the faster lens. The half stop didn't seem to make much difference for me. Try them both and then make your decision based on your own results. Like I said, a Rollei is a great camera.

Hold onto your Graphic View for awhile, you may find yourself going back to it and your are not likely going to get much for it.

[ic-racer]

Hi,

. I have a Tessar Rollei with a good clean lens and a good clean camera overall, and I have all the closeup filters and adapters for i....

https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?173540-Rolleiflex-Tessar-vs-Planar&p=1682907&viewfull=1#post1682907

[Chauncey Walden]

"If you use a tripod or monopod you really won’t need to “upgrade” the Rollei." Agreed. It's hard to beat a good Tessar (or Xenar). I've had many through the years. That said, I have a 3.5F Planar with light meter and consider it the cat's meow but they are getting quite expensive these days. I also have a 2.8C Xenotar that I got for practically nothing and it is a nice camera but the filters will eat you alive. So, back to a good Tessar and a tripod/monopod. The Tessar has great bokeh - the Planar is sharper to the corners than the Tessar but not always sharper (apparently) in the center.

[Csholl]

Hi,

thx you all for your input, it is all helpful. I think you made good points, but I'll most likely keep the view camera and wait to buy the other Rollei. To be honest, I think the Tessar, like you say, is a great camera, and goes well with the type of pictures I'd like to take. Would be nice, of course, to have a faster lens (I used a planar when I was younger too, it was quite sharp). Anyhow, I think I'm being a bit of a lens and camera bore, but I love those Rollei's. I had a Baby Rollei, but I had sent it way for a better screen, and the technician broke it on me (the winding mechanism was no longer working) Luckily I got the insurance value on it, and the fees were reversed as far as the technician goes. I think for now, however, I'm putting the cart before the horse and I have a tendency to do that. I'm not sure how street photography, will work out for me, however, and I might eventually transfer more over to the landscape, the type of photography I was interested in when I was younger. I also do some writing and was thinking of writing poetry for the photos I take (Landcapes would be good for this), but I know the view camera has advantages for this, and although the lens I have, is not quite as sharp as a Zeiss, the tilt and shift function is quite handy for certain situations. I could always get another lens for the view camera as well (which I would have to do if I kept it). I had bought some closeup filters for it as well instead of buying a whole new lens, but I'll see. I know you large format people know film, however, compared to other forums, so I trust I'm in good hands. thx.

[Kevin Crisp]

Having used Rolleicords and Rolleiflexes with xenars and xenotars, I've concluded that it you hung a gallery with good sized enlargements from both nobody could reliably go through and accurtely point out which is which. VM used both, judging from her many self portraits.

[BrianShaw]

With regard to your view camera, what might be more important than “sharpness” of your existing lens might be focal length. It would be rather affordable to supplement the wide angle with a more normal focal length and get more utility and sharpness at the same time. Maybe even better reliability too.

[Csholl]

Yes, I noticed that the Tessar lens has a lot to offer and has that old-world aspect to it and looks great with Kodak Tri X. I have a good clean one, and it is the opton tessar. I had also heard, that some of the Opton's were set up incorrectly and had reversed lens elements. There was a shortage of workers in the area and not everyone was trained properly. I'm hoping I don't have one of those, but from what I can see everything looks correct, stopped down it looks decently sharp. I tried using this camera with my family doing some flash photography, but to say the least, I was not too impressed. Not a lot of depth, although my film was slightly lower speed, so maybe use a higher speed for indoor stuff. Anyway, I plan on using it outside and I know the coatings on the Tessar are supposed to be quite good compared to the Xenar or other more modern Rollei's (I don't why that would be exactly) but I had used the Baby Rollei with a Xenar. I noticed there was a lot of lens flare when shooting against the sun, more than the Tessar. I had thought a more modern lens might have decent lens coatings on it, and although small format, the xenar lens stops down to F32, unlike the others. It also has a nice feature with the automatic compensation for aperture and speed, which I liked the best. Back to the 4x5, well I would have to get a 4x5 enlarger if I went that route, and that's an expense too even for a used one. I would probably opt for an older Omega, slightly less money but solid. I'm not sure if there are any film scanners for the 4x5 format. I had tried one and sent it back, because it was either broken or not giving me a good image. I use other ones for the smaller formats.