Re: [Rollei] Rollei TLR advance problem

[Richard Knoppow <dickburk >]

At 05:45 PM 09/02/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi, Folks,
>
>I'm new to the list, and find it very helpful so far.  I have a couple
>of questions. I've owned and used a Rollei TLR for years, and this week
>I picked up another one at a thrift store for $50.  It's looks to be
>older than my other one, but I can't find the exact model on any of the
>web sites.  It has a Tessar 3.5 lens, Carl Zeiss Jenna, a Heidoscop
>Anastigmat viewing lens, and a Compur Rapid shutter.
>
>There is no PC connection for flash, but it has two posts sticking out
>on the front panel, one at the bottom next to the cable release port,
>and one near the bottom right of the viewing lens.  Would these be an
>older flash hookup system?  The posts have knurled knobs and unscreww
>easily from the front.
>
>Everything seems to work except the film advance.  When I loaded the
>film, threaded under the chrome roller, like I do on my other camera,
>the film just advances without stopping.  On my other Rollei, it stops
>on 1, then advances each frame.  This one doesn't.  You can roll the
>whole roll out without stopping.
>
>Did older Rolleis not have the auto stop?  This one doesn't have a red
>window like I read about on some early models.  Did earlier ones load
>differently?  If this is just broken, is this a major repair worth the
>investment?  And finally, can I just work out the advance pattern and be
>careful in advancing the film manually?
>
>Thanks for any input!
>
>Dave Williams
>Kansas City, MO
>
  From the serial number you included in your second post this is a
Rolleiflex Automat, Second Model (Prochnow's name) made between Februrary,
1938 and March, 1939. The serial number range is: 610,646 to 804, 999.
12500 were made. 
  The finder hood should have a folding mirror in it for eye level
focusing, but no sports finder. 
  This camera has the automatic threading feature. In order for it to work
the film leader must be threaded in between the two rollers at the bottom.
These rollers sense the passing of the thick section where the film is
taped to the paper backing and start the metering and counting mechanisim
there. 
  The posts at the front are for a flash synchronizing solenoid. These were
fairly frequently installed on Rolleis from just post WW-2 until Rolleis
started having built in flash synch. On the is model the solenoid was made
to contact the cable release which is on the front bottom opposite the
shutter tripping button. The solenoids were usually mounted on a bracket so
that they could be easily removed when not wanted. If you are lucky then
cable release socket will be intact (from your decscription it sounds like
it is and relatively little surgery was done on the camra). 
  If the lens is in good condition you have a fine user camera at a real
bargain price even it if needs a tuning up. 
  I am drawing a blank on remembering exactly what DRP and DRGM mean in
German but essentially DRP means German Reichs Patent  and DRGM indicates
something like a design patent. Post WW-2 cameras continued to carry DRP
and DRGM until after the post war government was established, perhaps
around 1950, so cameras carrying this instead of the later DBP/DBGM (B for
Bundes) are not necessarily wartime or pre-war cameras. 
- ----
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles,Ca.
dickburk  

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