Rolleiflex 4 x 4 - Antique and Vintage Cameras

Rolleiflex 4 x 4

1931

Type 1

Franke & Heidecke

Braunschweig

Germany

Image of Rolleiflex 4 x 4

Lens:
f3.5, 6 cm Zeiss Tessar, iris diaphragm to f22. Serial no. 1261842 (1931).

Viewing lens: f2.8, 6 cm Heidoscop Anastigmat. Serial no. 84017 .

Shutter:
Rim-set Compur, speeds 1 - 1/300, B, T. Serial no. 2332816.

Construction:
Leather covered metal body.

Format:
12, 4 x 4 cm exposures on 127 roll-film.

Focusing:
To 1 metre, scale to 1.6 metre.

Attributes:
Reflex viewing through second lens. Full-size ground glass focusing screen with 25 squares without condenser. Frame finder with central mirror. Magnifier in hood.
Automatic stop on film-advance after initially setting in red window, not coupled to shutter.
Depth-of-field table. Removable back. Exposure counter advanced by film-advance lever.

Serial Number:
133056 .

With:
Lens hood, version without catches, in leather pouch. Box form case.

Rolleiflex 4 x 4

Type 2

1933

Franke & Heidecke

Braunschweig

Germany

Image of Rolleiflex 4 x 4

Lens:
f2.8, 6 cm Zeiss Tessar, iris diaphragm to f22. Viewing lens: f2.8, 6 cm Heidoscop Anastigmat. Serial no. 1337499 (1932).

Viewing lens: f2.8, 6 cm Heidoscop Anastigmat. Serial no. 132465 .

Shutter:
Rim-set Compur, speeds 1 - 1/300, B, T. Serial no. 2404768.

Construction:
Leather covered metal body.

Format:
12, 4 x 4 cm exposures on 127 roll-film.

Focusing:
To 1 metre, scale to 1.6 metre.

Attributes:
Reflex viewing through second lens. Full-size ground glass focusing screen with 25 squares without condenser. Frame finder with central mirror. Magnifier in hood.
Automatic stop on film-advance after initially setting in red window, not coupled to shutter.
Depth-of-field table. Exposure counter. Shutter and aperture settings visible in window above viewing lens. Exposure guide table. Removable back. Exposure counter advanced by film-advance lever.

Identification:
Version with leather covered, small focusing knob, window showing shutter and aperture settings, no studs for accessories.

Serial Number:
139188 .

With:

  • Lens caps. Lens hood, version without catches, in leather pouch. Ever-ready case.
  • Proxar 1 set. Brown push-on mount. In box. Serial no. 453955, 453956.
  • Proxar 2 set. Brown push-on mount. In box with lens leaflet, German text. Serial no. 455785, 455786.
  • Iris diaphragm. Version with silver outer ring. In leather pouch. In box. Instructions. Serial no. 291073. Scaled: For daylight: 2 - 1/100. For artificial light: 4 - 1/50.

Rolleiflex 4 x 4

Type 3

c.1933

Franke & Heidecke

Braunschweig

Germany

Image of Rolleiflex 4 x 4

Lens:
f2.8, 6 cm Zeiss Tessar, iris diaphragm to f22. Serial no. 1372106 (1932).

Viewing lens: f2.8, 6 cm Heidoscop Anastigmat. Serial no. 155346 .

Shutter:
Compur Rapid, speeds 1 - 1/500, B, T. Serial no. 5023200.

Construction:
Leather covered metal body.

Format:
12, 4 x 4 cm exposures on 127 roll-film.

Focusing:
To 1 metre.

Attributes:
Reflex viewing through second lens. Full-size ground glass focusing screen without condenser. Focusing screen with 25 squares. Frame finder with central mirror. Magnifier in hood.
Automatic stop on film-advance after initially setting in red window, not coupled to shutter.
Depth-of-field scale. Exposure counter. Shutter and aperture settings visible in window above viewing lens. Exposure counter advanced by film-advance lever.

Serial Number:
155838 .

With:

  • Removable cover to red window. Ever-ready case. Blue/silver box for camera.
  • Lens hood, version without catches, push-on mount, in case marked Rolleiflex. Cable release by AGC.
  • Mittel, medium yellow filter, small black push-on mount. In leather pouch. Serial no. 346519.
  • Light yellow filter, small black push-on mount.
  • Green filter, large black push-on mount. Serial no. 381853.
  • Hellrot, red filter, large black push-on mount. In leather case. Serial no. 442630.
  • Proxar 1 set. Brown push-on mount. In case with lens leaflet. Serial no. 506636, 506637.
  • Proxar 2 set. Brown push-on mount. In case with lens leaflet. In silver box. Serial no. 597051, 597052.
  • Rolleipar 2.
  • 4 x 4 Plate back. Comprises: camera back, 3 plate holders with 1 glass plate, Blue box.
  • Panoramic tripod head. Version with holes for camera studs. With instructions. Silver box.

The 4 x 4 cm Rolleiflex appeared in 1931 and remained on sale until the early years of the war. It introduced the crank lever film-advance which was to appear on the larger Rolleiflexes the following year.

The plate back in the smaller size for 4 x 4 cameras is rare.

Variations

  • Type 1 - f3.5 or f2.8 lenses. Open shutter pattern, engraved name plate. Small leather covered focusing knob.
  • Type 2 - f3.5 or f2.8 lenses. Window above viewing lens showing shutter and aperture settings. An exposure table on the back of the camera was introduced around this time.
  • Type 3 - f3.5 or f2.8 lenses. Compur Rapid shutter, accessory studs on camera front. Large metal focusing knob.
  • Type 4 - f2.8 lens. Bayonet on taking lens, cast name plate, enclosed shutter.

References & Notes:
BJA 1932, pp. 281, 591.

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