I was gifted a Rolleiflex 3.5F at the end of last year. One of maybe five or six cameras that have always been on the list — so to have it find me was something.
It dates to the late 1960s, and one of my favorite photographers, Todd Webb, shot with one. That lineage matters to me.
I put off testing it for a while. Part of it was wanting the darkroom ready so I could develop the first roll myself. Part of it was a Schrödinger’s camera situation — as long as it sat on the shelf, it was both working and not working, and not knowing felt comfortable.
Loaded it yesterday. This morning I headed out to the spot where I’ve been testing cameras since I was 19.
Brought the film home, ran it through the darkroom, digitized the negatives. The cat lives — but not without issues. There’s a light leak, visible in the sky above. Research points to the door seals, a common age problem, apparently an easy and cheap fix.
Still: I loaded, shot, developed, digitized, and processed medium format color film in a 60-year-old camera, all in one day. Even at the peak of running my own photo lab, I couldn’t have done that. The fact that I could have just used my phone and added a filter makes it mean more, not less.
tr/trp
Your favorite subject. So many people drive by and don’t even know it’s there. A hidden Medway gem. I am glad that you give it its moment.
Amazing results!! Love to hear the background stories.
Have a great Easter!
This is a very cool series you are letting us share with you! History and personal satisfaction mean a lot. You’ve been waiting for this a long time, enjoy the journey, and keep us in the loop!!!