With three 120mm Rolleidocops on ebay currently it is tempting to grab one of these. Here are a few more questions for experienced users:

Does the Rolleidoscop let you cock the shutter right before taking a shot? (In other words can you wind the film after taking an exposure and have the film ready for the next exposure without the shutter being cocked?) The auto-shutter cocking on my TL-120 drives me up the wall. No matter how careful I am I end up losing an average of one shot out of every two rolls to an accidental shutter firing. Since I have to wait until the last second to wind film before shooting this also makes it impossible to get a spontaneous shot with the TL-120. The damn thing desperately needs a shutter lock, but there's no sign of this crucial feature being added to the design.

Also does the Rolleidoscop really only take 5 shots per roll? How difficult is it to adjust or modify it to get the full 6 shots?

For those of you who have modified the Rolleidoscop to have a PC flash connection does flash sync work at the highest shutter speed? (This would be another huge advantage over the TL-120, given my fondness for fill-flash in bright lighting.)

The biggest attraction of the Rolleidoscop over the TL120 for me is the size. As digital cameras have gotten smaller an enormous camera like the TL-120 seems to draw more and more attention. I've grown weary of constantly explaining what the TL-120 is every time I try to take a picture. I suppose the Rolleidoscop would also attract some attention because of it's obvious antique status.

Jim Harp

jamesbharp wrote:

> With three 120mm Rolleidocops on ebay currently it is
> tempting to grab one of these.

If I didn't already have one, I'd sure be looking.

> Does the Rolleidoscop let you cock the shutter right
> before taking a shot?

Yes. Film advance and shutter cock are independent functions.

> Also does the Rolleidoscop really only take 5 shots per
> roll? How difficult is it to adjust or modify it to get
> the full 6 shots?

See the page I referenced yesterday, or go directly to the
step-by-step.
http://stereo.thurstons.us/stock_advance.htm

The text and pictures really are too long to cut and paste
into a mail message. The abbreviated version is: Narrow the
film gates by 3.5mm each. Use a different advance sequence.

> For those of you who have modified the Rolleidoscop to
> have a PC flash connection does flash sync work at the
> highest shutter speed?

Can't answer this one with certainty, but since the flash
trigger is going to be fully mechanical and the camera has
leaf shutters, I can't see why it can't be made to work at
all speeds.

>
> The biggest attraction of the Rolleidoscop over the TL120
> for me is the size. As digital cameras have gotten
> smaller an enormous camera like the TL-120 seems to draw
> more and more attention. I've grown weary of constantly
> explaining what the TL-120 is every time I try to take a
> picture. I suppose the Rolleidoscop would also attract
> some attention because of it's obvious antique status.

They both get looks, but the 'scop will be easier to slip
back under your coat. If you really want to use the 'scop,
you _have_ to plan on using lens hoods.
--
John Thurston
Juneau Alaska
http://stereo.thurstons.us

>I've grown weary of constantly explaining what the TL-120 is every time I try to take a picture.
>Jim Harp
>

You should wear a foamcore sandwichboard with a pre-printed explanation

Best,
John Billingham

John wrote:

> Jim Wrote:
> >I've grown weary of constantly explaining what the TL-120 is every
> >time I try to take a picture.
>
> You should wear a foamcore sandwichboard with a pre-printed explanation

And the first things on the sandwichboard should be:

"Photography is not a crime."

--
Brian Reynolds | "It's just like flying a spaceship.
reynolds@panix.com | You push some buttons and see
http://www.panix.com/~reynolds/ | what happens." -- Zapp Brannigan
NAR# 54438 |

Hi

Another thought that came to me: what was the viewing systems for seeing printed pairs etc?

Were the 127 format more common than the 120mm?

I have the post WWII American Zone stereo collection and it has a metal adjustable viewer. Was this commonly used as stereo viewers in Germany and one everyone printed their stereo cards too?

M

--- In MF3D-group@yahoogroups.com, "Mark" wrote:

>
> Hi
>
> Another thought that came to me: what was the viewing systems for seeing printed pairs etc?
>
> Were the 127 format more common than the 120mm?
>

The 45x107 glass plate format was clearly more popular than the 6x13 or 7x13 format. There were 121 & 127 film backs made for the Verascope (both 46mm film) but I think for roll film at that time 116 (70mm) and 120 were more popular for printing from film. Richard went with the 116 size and Rollei went with the 120 size. Bear in mind that at that time (and even now if you could get coated glass plates), glass plates were superior to film and from what I've read, for color "autochrome" photography, glass plates were the only choice. BTW there are two B&W and one color C41 emulsions being made in 127 size at this time. There is an 127 sized E6 product being rolled from Agfa stock - but that's only availabe in Europe.
Steve