Rolleiflex Hy6...One of the last medium format cameras in production

GG12 · Oct 13, 2020

Did find this in the manual about AF, I guess it doesn't like long lenses:
With interchangeable lenses of longer than 180mm focal length coarse manual focusing will be required because in this case the focusing system may, for physical reasons, be in error.
Not much other detail.

Dave Krueger · Oct 13, 2020

I ordered a new Hy6 Mod2 from Eric last night. Thanks to everyone who helped me resolve all the questions that I had. Eric was also very helpful, even answering emails over the weekend. Where else do you get that kind of customer service?

This story started with a fogged 127mm lens for my RB-67 that I tried unsuccessfully to get repaired and replaced, which ultimately ended with me deciding that I wanted a *new* medium format camera. When my wife asked how I came to be spending so much money on a new camera, I told her the truth, that you guys made me do it.

ic-racer · Oct 14, 2020

I'm still amazed at how light the camera is compared to the 6008. Even with the big 50/f2 lens. Only thing is that I ran out of film, so I'm anxiously awaiting an order of more HP5.

ic-racer · Oct 14, 2020

Dave Krueger said:
I ordered a new Hy6 Mod2 from Eric last night.

Nice!!

NortheastPhotographic · Oct 14, 2020

ic-racer said:
I'm still amazed at how light the camera is compared to the 6008. Even with the big 50/f2 lens. Only thing is that I ran out of film, so I'm anxiously awaiting an order of more HP5.

One unstated downside of the Hy6 is that you can reallllly burn through a roll of 12. It just makes shooting so easy.

ic-racer · Oct 14, 2020

Yes, and this has increased my interest in the Shanghai 220 thread.

Dave Krueger · Oct 14, 2020

ic-racer said:
I'm still amazed at how light the camera is compared to the 6008. Even with the big 50/f2 lens. Only thing is that I ran out of film, so I'm anxiously awaiting an order of more HP5.

That is one thing I am looking forward to. It has to be lighter than my RB-67. I've never understood how people like Ritts and Leibovitz could wield those big heavy things without being weight lifters.

Pieter12 · Oct 14, 2020

Dave Krueger said:
That is one thing I am looking forward to. It has to be lighter than my RB-67. I've never understood how people like Ritts and Leibovitz could wield those big heavy things without being weight lifters.

Assistants.

CJG · Oct 14, 2020

Enjoy Dave!

Pieter12 · Oct 15, 2020

Dave Krueger said:
I ordered a new Hy6 Mod2 from Eric last night. Thanks to everyone who helped me resolve all the questions that I had. Eric was also very helpful, even answering emails over the weekend. Where else do you get that kind of customer service?

This story started with a fogged 127mm lens for my RB-67 that I tried unsuccessfully to get repaired and replaced, which ultimately ended with me deciding that I wanted a *new* medium format camera. When my wife asked how I came to be spending so much money on a new camera, I told her the truth, that you guys made me do it.

Congratulations!

Dave Krueger · Oct 15, 2020

Thanks, guys. Camera should be here tomorrow, so I will post my initial impressions in a few days. You guys were a crucial source of info, not just on the Hy6, but also on the 6000 series products which I was previously unfamiliar with.

ic-racer · Oct 15, 2020

My HP5 order arrived today, so I can get back to using my Hy6 and doing more TTL metered flash photography. I have literally spent the last two weeks going over all the fill-flash options of my main 5 TTL cameras. Nikon f100, Nikon N75, Rollei 3003, Rollei 6008 and Hy6. All five of those do fill-flash differently, somewhat un-intuitively and with poor documentation.

Pieter12 · Oct 15, 2020

ic-racer said:
My HP5 order arrived today, so I can get back to using my Hy6 and doing more TTL metered flash photography. I have literally spent the last two weeks going over all the fill-flash options of my main 5 TTL cameras. Nikon f100, Nikon N75, Rollei 3003, Rollei 6008 and Hy6. All five of those do fill-flash differently, somewhat un-intuitively and with poor documentation.

Interesting information about fill flash with the Rollei 6000 series, from https://rolleigraphy.org/system6000chart.php

NortheastPhotographic · Oct 16, 2020

I was out shooting some night scenes with the Hy6 recently. It took me a few moments to realize the meter was indicating hours, and not minutes. Pretty incredible range of shutter speeds on this thing.

Dave Krueger · Oct 16, 2020

My first impressions of the camera are good. Everything seems to be in one piece.

There are a few things I found a tiny bit disconcerting:

1. The lens mount seems to be rotated ever so slightly clockwise (looking at the camera from the front). I don't think it's far enough to cause any problems with the electrical contacts. Heck, for all I know, the contacts may be rotated along with it. I can't think of any reason why it would cause any other issues.

2. I was expecting the control panel to be black. This seems like a hybrid of the Mod1 and Mod2 colors. Not a big deal, of course, unless it's an upgraded mod1 body which could suggest the camera was manufactured several years ago and then modified.

3. An autofocused image is slightly (but noticeably) out of focus on the focusing screen. I am assuming this is because I haven't set the focus offset. It was set to -05 from the factory.

4. I had no problem installing the battery but had problems getting the door open again to get the battery out. I finally wiggled it open. I suspect I probably didn't push the battery in well enough (per a suggestion from Eric) and it was interfering with the latch. I don't really care for the battery compartment latch, though. Has anyone had problems with that?

5. One side of the waist level finder wasn't latching and I found out that the latch wasn't engaging correctly unless I wiggled the finder a bit. Doing that seems to make it latch securely, so I don't see this as an issue.

Overall, I like it so far. It's every bit as impressive as I had hoped.

ic-racer · Oct 16, 2020

Got a replacement for my broken 6008i thanks to Pieter12. It is very nice. Better than the broken one.

ic-racer · Oct 16, 2020

All the same things you notice are also on mine except for the lens issue. On mine the middle focus line on the lens aligns exactly with the "e" in Rolleiflex on the camera. Are you sure the lens is twisted on as far as it will go. One of my lenses needs a real good twist for the last millimeter of rotation.

Focus offset of -15 seems best on mine. I think the two-tone side is the way all the new ones will be. Obviously the side parts are new, as they still have the plastic protective covering.

If you put the back on STOP, you can fire it without film and test all the functions. I'm still learning everything. For example "Focus Trap" is interesting to use with non-autofocus lenses.

ic-racer · Oct 16, 2020

Also, there is a tiny triangle on the far right of the indicator screen. When in Program Mode, sometimes it seems the aperture won't budge when you turn the wheel. You need to keep moving the control wheel to bring that little triangle to the top, before the aperture number starts changing. This is not mentioned in the manual.

Pieter12 · Oct 16, 2020

Dave Krueger said:
My first impressions of the camera are good. Everything seems to be in one piece.

There are a few things I found a tiny bit disconcerting:

2. I was expecting the control panel to be black. This seems like a hybrid of the Mod1 and Mod2 colors. Not a big deal, of course, unless it's an upgraded mod1 body which could suggest the camera was manufactured several years ago and then modified.

I have seen photos of the Mod2 with the black ring, maybe it was a prototype of sorts. They might be building the cameras with what they have on hand, most of the Hy6 cameras I have seen in photos have the silver ring and panel. One question for all the Hy6 owners out there: what is the red plastic unit on the front upper left corner (some sort of low-light AF aid, maybe)? and the small clear plastic on the top right of the body, just ahead of the finder release (maybe related to the red unit on the front--maybe related to the viewfinder display)? No indication in the manual of those.

ic-racer · Oct 16, 2020

The little clear sensor to the right of the viewfinder, I believe, is the stray-light sensor for the waist-level viewfinder.

ic-racer · Oct 16, 2020

The red beam on the front is an AF illuminator (#8 in the picture below).

NortheastPhotographic · Oct 16, 2020

I'm mostly excited for the part when you find out how truly amazing the glass is.

ic-racer · Oct 16, 2020

NortheastPhotographic said:
I'm mostly excited for the part when you find out how truly amazing the glass is.

What are your favorites of the newer lenses? Most of my lenses are either SLX or PQ with the older designs which I have been using since the 1980s. My only newer lenses at this time are the Super Angulon 50/2.8 AFD and Super Angulon 40/3.5. I have not printed enough negatives to say how the 50/2.8 it compares to my old Distagon 50/4. I suspect the performance is superior.

I can say the Super Angulon 40/3.5 is much superior to my old monster Distagon 40.

NortheastPhotographic · Oct 16, 2020

ic-racer said:
What are your favorites of the newer lenses? Most of my lenses are either SLX or PQ with the older designs which I have been using since the 1980s. My only newer lenses at this time are the Super Angulon 50/2.8 AFD and Super Angulon 40/3.5. I have not printed enough negatives to say how the 50/2.8 it compares to my old Distagon 50/4. I suspect the performance is superior.

I can say the Super Angulon 40/3.5 is much superior to my old monster Distagon 40.

I have the 80/2.8 AFD, 50/2.8 AFD, and 180/2.8 PQ manual focus. Of all of them I think the stand out for me is the 80. I've use a lot of systems including the 500 series Hasselblads, Rollei TLRs, Mamiya 7, Pentax 67, 645, on and on.... I've never seen an 80mm perform like this. It just has perfect contrast and detail from wide open to the middle apertures. I don't test it for distortion or chromatic aberration or anything like that, but images from it just generally sparkle with amazing bokeh.

The other two are equally stand out performers, and it's quite impressive that they are available in 2.8! I'd like to try the 60mm Curtagon and 40mm SA, but the trifecta I have is pretty all-purpose if I'm being realistic. I wish they would have released the 35mm super wide, I'm sure it's not happening now.

ic-racer · Oct 16, 2020

So, that 80AFD would probably be a different lens than the old Planar 80 from the SLX. I can say when I got my SLX, that Planar 80/2.8 was much superior to the Planar 2.8 in my 2.8F TLR. In spite of hearing or reading that the lenses are similar. The SLX planar was my go-to camera back then when I wanted a landscape with exquisite sharpness. Perhaps comparing the 80AFD to the SLX Planar 80 would yield a similar dramatic improvement.

Rolleiflex Hy6...One of the last medium format cameras in production

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