Cameras/Rolleiflex advice please
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Question
Hi my dad has asked me to find a price value for his Rolleiflex Camera. Its serial no is 1298957 and has a Tessar lens 1:3.5
Lens conversion1:28
It includes a leather case, instruction book, light meter, filters, flash equipment and a tripod.
I would be very grateful for any information and value on this camera so I can tell my elderly dad.
thank you very much, Mary
Hello Mary,
That would be a Rolleiflex Automat (fourth version, with MX flash synchronization), a classic medium format twin-lens-reflex camera made by Franke & Heidecke of Germany from 1951 to 1954, for 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 inch exposures on #120 roll film. This was a particularly popular model, and many were sold, so it's one of the more common Rolleiflexes we see today. However, it remains as desirable as a usable camera (primarily for portraiture) as it does a collectible camera, and commands a good price when offered in excellent condition. Fair market value for a really clean and complete example falls somewhere in the $250-$350 range.
Best wishes,
David Silver
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David Silver
Expertise
I'm an expert on all types of antique, classic, and contemporary cameras, as well as the general history of photography. Everything from ancient box cameras to modern single-lens-reflex; from simple Kodaks to sophisticated Leica and Nikon; from glass plates and roll film to movie and 35mm. I can identify and appraise them, explain how they work, and offer insights on their restoration and care. I can also provide historical background on vintage cameras and equipment, and guidelines on their purchase and sale.
Experience
I've been a professional photographer and a student of the history of photography for nearly 30 years. During that time my collection of vintage cameras and photographic paraphernalia has grown beyond 2000 significant pieces. I've published nearly 70 articles in the field, including 16 in the popular "Buying Classic Cameras" series for PHOTO SHOPPER MAGAZINE from 1995 to 1997, I'm currently a contributing editor for CAMERA SHOPPER MAGAZINE and McKEOWN'S PRICE GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAMERAS, and I've written numerous entries for WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA. Portions of my collection have been displayed in museums and special exhibits in the past two decades, and many of the items were photographed as illustrations for books. In 1985 I founded the International Photographic Historical Organization (InPHO), which eventually evolved into its intended purpose as the best first resource for information on the history of photography. I'm also a founding member of several e-mail forums dedicated to specialized areas of photography, and I'm the moderator of the Internet Directory of Camera Collectors (IDCC), which remains the largest and most successful such group in the world. For more information about the International Photographic Historical Organization and its many services, please visit its web pages at:
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