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Rollei Schneider 180/2.8

carstenw

Active member
In my entire life, I have known of two (2) Rollei 110/2 lenses for sale. One went just recently on eBay. I wanted to bid, but my bank rearranged the online banking site and two of my accounts no longer showed up, so I couldn't move the money around in time to get it ready. #%&#%^%$. The other one is no longer for sale (but may be at some point again; I am ready to pounce).

The bad thing is that the Rollei 110/2 is as expensive as the Hasselblad 110/2 plus a 203FE.
 

paul25

New member
If I'm not making mistake, I think the manual focus version of 180/2.8 is less popular than the AF one....
So, I feel less guilty....:)
 

paul25

New member
You sound like I am the one who did the conversion....:(
Maybe I sounded that way....but I didn't do the conversion.....
 

paul25

New member
I do understand the sentiment though...

There were many Contax ND users who were pretty upset when they found out I was using the converted N lenses....
 

carstenw

Active member
Paul, don't feel attacked, I am not angry :) I am a little sad, since it is quite hard to find nice lenses for Rolleiflex cameras, unlike Hasselblad or even Contax 645. The Rolleiflex system is awesome, but was probably always held back by financial mismanagement and poor advertising and support strategies in foreign markets.
 

paul25

New member
I don't know much about technicality of lens...:(

The person who sold me said that it acts as 'F' Lens....
I guess it means I can only use it on 200 series camera....
 

carstenw

Active member
Yes, that presumably means that the shutter has been disabled, and so the camera needs to have a shutter. 2000-series also works, but is less interesting. But you could also use it on a Contax 645 or any other focal plane shutter 645 camera for which adapters exist.
 

paul25

New member
Don't worry...I'm not upset....:)
I just hope that I didn't offend anyone who is against modification of lenses....

FYI, there are few on eBay, but I think they are a bit overpriced....

BTW, what are reasonable prices for 40mm, and 180mm used?
I bought them because they were cheaper than eBay, and can be used on my 205.....
 

carstenw

Active member
I don't know American prices. The 40/3.5 goes for around 1500-1600 Euro, sometimes a little less, and the 180/2.8 I have seen a couple of times for 800 Euro, but it generally lists somewhat higher.

It is a bit hard to form an impression of Rolleiflex lens prices for some of the less common options. There just aren't enough sales to get reasonable statistics on prices. Some lenses I have never ever seen for sale, like the 90 Macro or the 80/2. I have no idea what they would cost.
 

Geoff

Well-known member
Rollei prices are kind of funny. For a while, anything (MF) was available for $1400-2000, unless they were super exotic. Then they went down, then up.... They do bounce around. The good news is that with the Hy6, and focus confirmation, use of the otherwise overlooked manual lenses is really easy, and thus one can avoid the AF cost premium. That said, one of those new 120 mm lenses, if they made it an AF like they had originally thought to, would be delightful.

As to reconfiguring the mount? Wow, like Graham, didn't think it possible. Alpa has a Rollei lens mount for their camera, but that's about it.

Those bemoaning the lack of 110/2 lenses should know that it weighs a ton, more than the Schneider glass. Maybe that's a good reason to talk yourself out of it.
 

carstenw

Active member
Geoff, I own the Hasselblad 110/2, so I know what I am missing :) Weight is of course important, but for some lenses, secondary. I think the 180/2.8 is heavier, isn't it?
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
The 180mm is heavier, and certainly bulkier. It is an excellent lens, but I think its utility is diminished by its size and weight. I used it a lot when I shot Rollei, but ultimately, I think the 110/2 and 150mm f/4 Tele-Xenar are more useful lenses. I compared the lens pretty extensively to the 180mm f/4 CF Sonnar, and surprisingly I found that the Schneider was significantly better. I never found the 180 had any problems with color aberrations, but then again, I never shot it much on digital, which is what seems to generate them (a lot of times it is the sensor cover glass or interplay between the lens and cover glass that causes the aberrations, rather than the lens itself). I did not see any problems on slides.
I found the lens to be very sharp, with lovely soft bokeh that had a tendency to have pentagonal shapes in it if you were backlit and shot stopped down a bit. I also cannot overemphasize just how bulky and beastly this lens is to lug around. I found I left it at home unless I knew that I was going to need it. It is not a, "well, I will just bring it along" lens, which even the 110/2 can be.





I think this is with it:






By the way, I would also love to hear about who did the conversion, and how it worked. I still have a 150mm Rollei lens that I could not sell for a decent price, so I kept it. I do not have a 150mm for my Hasselblad, so it would be very nice if I could convert it...
 

Graham Mitchell

New member
By the way, I would also love to hear about who did the conversion, and how it worked. I still have a 150mm Rollei lens that I could not sell for a decent price, so I kept it. I do not have a 150mm for my Hasselblad, so it would be very nice if I could convert it...
I'm curious to know how much the conversion costs but I suspect it would be cheaper and easier to sell your lens and buy the Hasselblad 150mm.
 

carstenw

Active member
Very nice rendering! I think I will end up with one at some point, but for now my plan to to get by with 50/80/150 PQ lenses.
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
You are probably right Graham, but no one wants to buy the 150mm lenses I have, at least not at what I consider a fair price (i.e. 1200-1500 USD for the Tele-Xenar). I tried here, tried on eBay and had either unpaying bidders, low-ballers or lots of hassles. The lens is too good to give away for a cheap price -- it is better than the Hasselblad Sonnar (I know, I have the Zeiss Sonnar for the Rollei too, though the older version). If I could just find a way to use it, I would rather do that, assuming I cannot get a decent price for it.
 

carstenw

Active member
Is the older Sonnar the PQ version? I am looking at picking up a used one I found locally for 500 Euro, and wondering if the price is reasonable and the lens decent.
 

Stuart Richardson

Active member
No, it is the HFT. Basically, it is a very good lens that is almost worthless. No one seems to be willing to spend more than 300-400 US for it. For that it is not even worth selling. I'd rather just find the cheapest rollei 6000 body I can and use that with it.
 
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