I am still hesitating
this forum is the right one to tell you about my impressions on recently purchased Rollei Digital Bundle once it is an alliance of medium format film camera (Rolleiflex 6008 AF) and digital back (Phase One P20). However, I do believe it's a most suitable place once the digital back is playing the major role in this setup.
As far as I know this combination is kind of unique on Pbase and likely many of you would be interested in this non-technical but personal review. Please don't blame on be if it's not exactly what have you expected and please visit http://www.rollei-usa.com/ for more technical details instead.
I’ve purchased Rollei Digital Bundle just about three months ago and love it so far. The driven reasons in this move for me was truly unique combination of next factors: square format (I like it so much!), amazing lens optics (Schneider!), true 16-bit color space with 16 Mpx resolutions of lossless RAW files right out of the box, autofocus (still good to have in some situations), wide dynamic diapason and wonderful details delivered by P20 digital back.
To be honest with you, I’ve spent tremendous amount of time (months) trying to identify my future medium system (before that I was working with Nikon D100 but very soon realized that 6Mpx level isn’t adequate to my needs). Finally, I end up with two systems only – Hasselblad and Rollei. Soon after that it’s became obvious for me that Rolleiflex modular approach and overall quality of German mechanics/optics seems better to me and would give me all what Hasselblad solution has plus autofocus and several others options in addition.
However I was aware about some drawbacks of this setup I've found them acceptable: slow and some time non-accurate autofocus in difficult light situations (however, it’s still not bad to me once you aware of this and can control it) and 1.5 crop factor…
Here you’re some more quick positive impressions of mine:
- very bright chimney viewfinder;
- very convenient handle grip;
- superb overall build quality;
- simplicity and good logics in camera controls placement;
- amazing colors which P20 delivers;
- the shooting speed just drives me crazy– thanks to very fast P20;
- level of details is just amazing – never seen something close to that yet;
- overall completeness of all setup – just open the boxes, put all parts together and you’re ready to shoot;
- weight of this setup – it’s heavy (but it is medium system, right?) and… I like it too somehow!
And, of course, there are some disadvantages too – it is always there, right?
They are:
- 1.5 crop factor (oh man, how much I wish to pass all parts of my picture I see through viewfinder right to the P20 with no crops at all!);
- better integration between P20 and Rollei 6008 AF camera body (for instance, EXIF data of my images doesn’t show up shutter and aperture settings)
- IMHO, P20 digital back should be better documented out by Phase One.
- Capture One software is a really good one and well adequate to but graphical user interface might be improved.
I was really surprised to see so large box (like box with medium CRT monitor inside) delivered at my home when it arrives. But soon I’ve realized why it is so huge – small (but heavy!) P20 comes in large black plastic handback which includes P20, some documentation, charger, set of two batteries, set of power adaptors (for many countries!), two cleaning fluid solutions (very kind and convenient) and opal calibrating plate.
In summary, I really like this system from Rollei, glad it’s arrived this year, truly believe it is best out of best in it’s own class and almost sure it is lifetime system which would deliver thousands of wonderful images in right hands. Please feel free to ask more questions if you wish – I would be glad answer them all if I could.
Please feel free take a look on some pictures made with this setup at http://www.pbase.com/omoses/ccod_2005. All of them have been taken during my vacation last summer on Cape Cod, MA.
The following ULR will show you how Rollei Digital Bundle looks like (shown with standard Schneider Xenotar 80mm f/2.8 PQS HFT AF lens):
http://www.pbase.com/omoses/eq_rollei
Kind regards,
Oleg (aka oMoses)
oMoses online portfolio
Rollei Digital Bundle
/Rolleiflex 6008AF + Phase One P20/
Schneider Xenotar 80mm f/2.8 PQS HFT AF