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Rolleiflex 6000 Series

I have (too many) Rolleiflex 6008 cameras and lenses. It all started in 2018, so 8 years now. The 6008 has proven to be robust, with a few shortcomings: the batteries suck. They need to be replaced with rebuilt NiMH cells. Still too heavy. Second, there is pretty much no support. A couple of technicians can repair them, parts can be hard to find. I have heard of an instance of the lens shutters freezing up and frying the body electronics (literally, the body started smoking according to my repair tech). Although that has not happened to me, a couple of my lenses have needed repairs along the way. On the bright side, the camera is very easy to use, the ergonomics are good and the resulting images stunning.
 
Worked with them for some 20 years from 1992 on. The lenses were designed for 6x6 coverage, so a bit biggish and heavy, although if you choose carefully, you can keep the weight down. The 6003 was a fave, as it had a thinner back (no dark slide) and a removable handle for travel compactness. Really easy to use cameras, great results. The Schneider lens lineup was superb for the time, still very good. No longer using them, but still miss them a lot.
 
I had a beautiful 6008i for a couple of days. Phenomenal image quality, great metering, just about the ultimate evolution of the MF film camera. But yes, batteries need to be swapped out, and I very quickly realized that I was not going to travel anywhere with it. By travel, I mean take it off the tripod. Just too much of a beast. And as Pieter also says: no technical support.
 
I have an SLX and a 6006, so both part of the older system (not compatible with the newer lenses.) There were things I likes about it and things I didn't. As mentioned the image quality was great, and the netering was great. To me the two big negatives--the balance was all off. If it was hanging around you neck with a strap, it was very awkward whther you were using a smaller 80mm lens or a bigger 150 or 40. If you keep it in a bag and mount to a tripod to shoot this will be of less concern.

Second, and more critical, the back I had, while I liked the "window shade" approach to a built in dark slide, It wasn't locked closed when the back was off the body. More than once I reached into my camera back to grab the darkslide, and my finger hit the slide and opened it enough to spoil part of the roll.

I had a rebuilt battery with mine and it lasted quite a while, so I didn't have any real concerns there.
 
I never found the 6008 awkward to carry on a neck strap. And the action grip really makes a difference for hand-holding. I have never had the dark slide open accidentally--on the contrary, I have found them a bit stiff. Maybe the earlier ones were different.
 
I built a small 6000/Hy6 system during Covid (GAS filling the void at the time) through trades with Hans Hartje at DW Photo. It was evident to me at the time that they would not be around for much longer. Hans was ill, about to retire, and was trying to generate cash by clearing any remaining inventory. Despite that, he and DW were very responsive and quick in addressing any issues with the cameras. Anyway, I now have a 6008i2 which I had bought from a gentleman in Estonia and had serviced by DW Photo. I had two batteries rebuilt for it with NiMH cells, one by Paepke and one by DW. I also bought a pentaprism viewer which got stuck on the body (earlier model, wrong version) but was then repaired and adjusted by Paepke for me to fit the camera. In addition, I bought one Hy6 Mark II from Hans brand new and an older beat-up Hy6 Mark I on eBay which I had DW Photo overhaul and upgrade to Mk II. I have a 6060 film magazine for each body. The magazines were problematic at the beginning (either them or the positioning of the focusing screens) - it took a few iterations and courier trips between my home and Salzdahlumer Str. to get both bodies and magazines properly aligned for precise focus. One magazine then started causing problems about a year ago - contacts - but I can use it turned by 90 degrees because it has two sets of contacts (not entirely logical because it is square format but the 6060 magazines share components with the 6450 magazines which can of course be used in landscape or portrait orientation). As for lenses, DW Photo made for me what was allegedly the very last AF Xenotar 80 mm ever produced, the rare AF version with the aperture ring, and the very last 60 mm Planar PQS. I understand that these were made from the very last sets of components. I even had a perfectly working Leaf Credo 80 back for the Hy6 for a while (bought s/h from Eric Hiss) but I sold it a few years later because of a lack of use. One lesser but potentially meaningful issue with all these cameras is that it is almost impossible to find the diopter correction lenses for either the WLF or the prism. I eventually managed to buy a small bag of various strengths from someone on eBay who evidently had bought them earlier in the DWH bankruptcy. I kept the ones I needed and traded the rest with Hans who was keen to find some for other customers.

The cameras are lovely to use, the optical quality of the lenses is beyond reproach, but I must admit that they do not see much use nowadays, as my film photography has transitioned to large format. And of course, we are now beyond the end of the era for these cameras: DW is no longer in business (even though one of the team may still be repairing Hy6 cameras privately if and when he can find spare parts) and I am not sure about Paepke - when I spoke to the owner about 2-3 years ago, he said he was in his 80s. I understand that he partly transitioned the management of the business to an employee but may still remain active. In any case, I received excellent service from Paepke, but who knows what the availability of parts and expertise for these cameras will be going forward.
 
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baudolino said:
I built a small 6000/Hy6 system during Covid (GAS filling the void at the time) through trades with Hans Hartje at DW Photo. It was evident to me at the time that they would not be around for much longer. Hans was ill, about to retire, and was trying to generate cash by clearing any remaining inventory. Despite that, he and DW were very responsive and quick in addressing any issues with the cameras. Anyway, I now have a 6008i2 which I had bought from a gentleman in Estonia and had serviced by DW Photo. I had two batteries rebuilt for it with NiMH cells, one by Paepke and one by DW. I also bought a pentaprism viewer which got stuck on the body (earlier model, wrong version) but was then repaired and adjusted by Paepke for me to fit the camera. In addition, I bought one Hy6 Mark II from Hans brand new and an older beat-up Hy6 Mark I on eBay which I had DW Photo overhaul and upgrade to Mk II. I have a 6060 film magazine for each body. The magazines were problematic at the beginning (either them or the positioning of the focusing screens) - it took a few iterations and courier trips between my home and Salzdahlumer Str. to get both bodies and magazines properly aligned for precise focus. One magazine then started causing problems about a year ago - contacts - but I can use it turned by 90 degrees because it has two sets of contacts (not entirely logical because it is square format but the 6060 magazines share components with the 6450 magazines which can of course be used in landscape or portrait orientation). As for lenses, DW Photo made for me what was allegedly the very last AF Xenotar 80 mm ever produced, the rare AF version with the aperture ring, and the very last 60 mm Planar PQS. I understand that these were made from the very last sets of components. I even had a perfectly working Leaf Credo 80 back for the Hy6 for a while (bought s/h from Eric Hiss) but I sold it a few years later because of a lack of use. One lesser but potentially meaningful issue with all these cameras is that it is almost impossible to find the diopter correction lenses for either the WLF or the prism. I eventually managed to buy a small bag of various strengths from someone on eBay who evidently had bought them earlier in the DWH bankruptcy. I kept the ones I needed and traded the rest with Hans who was keen to find some for other customers.

The cameras are lovely to use, the optical quality of the lenses is beyond reproach, but I must admit that they do not see much use nowadays, as my film photography has transitioned to large format. And of course, we are now beyond the end of the era for these cameras: DW is no longer in business (even though one of the team may still be repairing Hy6 cameras privately if and when he can find spare parts) and I am not sure about Paepke - when I spoke to the owner about 2-3 years ago, he said he was in his 80s. I understand that he partly transitioned the management of the business to an employee but may still remain active. In any case, I received excellent service from Paepke, but who knows what the availability of parts and expertise for these cameras will be going forward.
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I have a similar affection for the Hy6, despite the many issues I have had with the camera. I have 2 bodies, one of which is a very early one--even though after I sent the serial number to DW Photo and they said it could be upgraded, they later claimed it was a prototype and could not service it. I had mixed results working with DW Photo, once they returned a repaired film back with loose parts inside! I still love to use the camera and I have a Leaf AFi II 7 that renders beautifully. If your collection is gathering dust and you want to sell, PM me and maybe there is a deal to be made.
 
I had 6008 I 20 years ago. The only drawback for me was the lack of accessories than its opponent Hasselblad.
The 6008 lens is very good for portrait, such as 50mm f2.8 80mm f2, 110mm f2, 180mm f2.8,all leaf shutter, but It was headache work with flash, there was no prism view finder like Hasselblad’s which has cold shoe on it and there were no hand grips accessories.
 
hasselblad 503cw said:
I had 6008 I 20 years ago. The only drawback for me was the lack of accessories than its opponent Hasselblad.
The 6008 lens is very good for portrait, such as 50mm f2.8 80mm f2, 110mm f2, 180mm f2.8,all leaf shutter, but It was headache work with flash, there was no prism view finder like Hasselblad’s which has cold shoe on it and there were no hand grips accessories.
Click to expand...
The 6008 has/had an action grip, very useful and better than the Hasselblad grip. There is an accessory shoe on the side of the camera, and several prism finders, 45º and 90º. Plenty of accessories, don't know why you felt lacking.
 
Pieter 12 said:
The 6008 has/had an action grip, very useful and better than the Hasselblad grip. There is an accessory shoe on the side of the camera, and several prism finders, 45º and 90º. Plenty of accessories, don't know why you felt lacking.
Click to expand...
“there was no prism view finder like Hasselblad’s which has cold shoe on it and there were no hand grips accessories.”

With cold shoe on the prism viewfinder, you can mount flash on it rather mount on the side shoe of the camera which is difficult for focus with left hand and operate the flash.

Sorry shall be amended lack of hand grip with cold shoe accessories, I do know it has right hand grip, but I mean left hand grip, as reason as above for mounting flash.
 
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