5 Frames with a Rolleicord VB II

I struck up a bit a a friendship via Facebook Marketplace with a young fellow who lives here in my city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.  It started when I responded to an add he had placed there.  It was for a 35mm Nikkor lens.  I was interested, so rather than cash, I offered him a 24mm Nikkor as a trade.  He checked it out, liked it and we traded, making the exchange in a nearby Tim Hortons over coffee.  That was the start of a casual friendship – a “camermance”.

At that meeting he mentioned that he had “all kinds of cameras”. Of particular interest to me was one that he noted, a Twin Lens Reflex (TLR) camera.  A Rolleicord.  A Rolleicord VB II specifically.  He offered to sell me that one because he hadn’t used it very much.  He even offered to let me test it for a bit to see if I liked it.  I took him up on that offer.  I reciprocated with an offer of my own.  I suggested he try my Leica M3.  It wasn’t for sale but from our discussions it was evident he wasn’t all that familiar with the camera.  He took me up on it and away we went.

Now, I do already have a TLR camera.  A Yashica D.  A very capable camera that has performed quite admirably.  Some of the images taken on that camera are featured in another article I’ve posted on 35mmc.

This had all transpired in early January this year. It was a bitterly cold and snowy month. And as it turned out, it has been a bitterly cold and snowy winter overall.  As I write this at the end of March, it’s still quite cold with snow still blowing about.  So, undaunted in those trying early January days I ventured out with the Rolleicord on two separate days.  Bitting wind and bitter cold be damned!

The Rolleicord VB II is equipped with a Heidosmat f3.2 – 75mm viewing lens and a Schneider-Kreuznach f3.5 – 75mm taking lens.  It also has a quite handy self timer. The model was manufactured between 1966 and1970.  This particular one was, I believe, built in 1968.

In the cold of these January days, the camera proved to be quite fiddly.  The aperture and shutter speed require finger tip control, and even with fingerless gloves, it proved to be a challenge in the cold conditions.  The camera employs an EV system whereby the aperture and shutter speed combination is set and then coupled for a number of equivalent exposure settings.  The system takes some extra care in setting, adding a little more to the  “fiddle factor”.  Despite this minor inconvenience, and the very cold conditions, my first two rolls of film through the Rolleicord produced – to my eye – some noteworthy images.  All were shot on Kodak TMax 100 and developed in HC 100 “B”.  On those two rolls, about eight were successful.  I share with you these five.

My experience with the Rolleicord has been, a rewarding one.  Yes the EV exposure system is a little tedious, especially in the cold.  However, the results ultimately are the measure of a cameras worth to me.  It’s in the combination of camera, lens, film, developer, and the quality of the light.  They all worked for me on those couple of days.  Further, I enjoyed meeting a young and enthusiastic photographer.  As an older one, I think it’s important to share my own experience, exuberance and encouragement.  Or even to share a camera!  Wherever and whenever I get that chance I’ll try and remember that.

And the Rolleicord VB II?  I did ultimately purchase the camera.  I used it again in late January with excellent results.  I brought it on vacation to Mexico where in the more amenable conditions, it was much more comfortable to use.  It helped me to produce great images and I’ll continue to enjoy it.

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