Rolleiflex
Rolleiflex Automat 6x6 - Model K4B. Made in Germany by Franke & Heidecke. Introduced 1954 - Discontinued 1956.
I could write about the brilliance of the Rolleiflex but there is an excellently written history on the Rollei Club Website so I suggest you read about it there.
I bought this camera at King's Parade Photographic in Cambridge. As a young photographer the fact that it was affordable but had been known to be used by photographic icons Walter Evans, Bert Hardy and Cecil Beaton, to name a few, drew me to it. It's a great camera to use out and about because it's so lightweight. I took it with me on a college field trip to the Isle of Skye where I walked for miles and used it for the later additions to my series 'Ordinary Places.' I also took it on my first long haul flight on a jet plane to Hong Kong.
It was the first medium format camera that that I owned, it's beautifully sharp allowing you to make big enlargements. I just made a print of 'Daisy's Kitchen' in my darkroom this weekend and the print reminded me of just how excellent quality the Zeiss Tessa 3,5/75 Lens are.
In all honesty for all it's for excellent qualities there are some limitations to the using the Rolleiflex which I have noted below.
1. You can't change the lens so to use in a variety of situations you need a variety of cameras.
2. With the Rolleiflex twin lens camera the top lens is for viewing and the bottom lens is for taking. In close up situations the height difference between the two lenses means you must consider certain factors and apply them to compensate for this when you take a shot, it's really not just a point and shoot. The consequence of this is they don't work great close up.
3. No depth of field preview through the lens, so you would have to use experience to imagine the outcome.
I have a huge emotional attachment to this camera, whereas I see my other cameras as pieces of equipment, this was my main camera for a while and the relationship I have with it, connects to a certain period of life makes me feel differently about it.
Sizes may vary slightly from image to image as we make each composition from the negative individually, either showing Richard's signature ragged edge (white border) as he prints full frame or showing the film rebate (black border) often showing the film make. Where the image size varies we adjust the window mount in order to maintain a frame size so like for like sizes can hang together.
Format | Stated Photographic Size | Image Size cm | Image Size Inches | Mounted Size mm | Mounted Size Inches | Framed Size cm | Framed Size Inches | Price Unframed |
Price Framed+AR70 |
Rectangle 6x9 or 35mm |
9.5''x12'' | 17.5x27cm | 7''x10.25'' | 380x380 | 15''x15'' | 41x41x3.5cm | 16''x16''x1.5'' | £75 | £125 + £20 |
Rectangle 6x7 |
9.5''x12'' | 21.5x26cm | 8.5''x10.25'' | 380x380 | 15''x15'' | 41x41x3.5cm | 16''x16''x1.5'' | £75 | £125 + £20 |
Square |
9.5''x9.5'' | 21.5x21.5cm | 8.5''x8.5'' | 380x380 | 15''x15'' | 41x41x3.5cm | 16''x16''x1.5'' | £75 | £125 + £20 |
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Rectangle 6x9 or 35mm |
11''x16.5'' | 28x44.5cm | 11''x16.5'' | 380x518 | 15''x20.5'' | 41x54x3.5cm | 16''x21.5''x1.5'' | £100 | £150 + £30 |
Rectangle 6x7 | 11''x13.5'' | 28x34cm | 11''x13.5'' | 380x445 | 15''x17.75'' | 41x47x3.5cm | 16''x18.5''x1.5'' | £100 | £150 + £30 |
Square | 11''x11'' | 28x28cm | 11''x11'' | 380x380 | 15''x15'' | 41x41x3.5cm | 16''x16''x1.5'' | £100 | £150 + £30 |
Tape | 11''x17.5'' | 28x45cm | 11''x17.5'' | 380x550 | 15''x21.75'' | 41x57x3.5cm | 16''x22.5''x1.5'' | £100 | £150 + £30 |
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Rectangle 6x9 or 35mm | 16''x20'' | 34x51cm | 13.5''x20'' | 525x660 | 20.5''x26'' |
55x70cm Bx3.5cm Wx5cm |
22''x24'' B x1.5'' Wx3'' |
£180 | £260 + £50 |
Rectangle 6x7 | 16''x20'' | 42x51cm | 16.5''x20'' | 584x660 | 23''x26'' | 60x70cm Bx3.5cm Wx5cm |
24''x27.5'' Bx1.5'' Wx3'' |
£180 | £260 + £50 |
Square RH | 16''x20'' | 45x45cm | 18''x18'' | 584x584 | 23''x23'' | 60x60cm Bx3.5cm Wx5cm |
24''x24'' Bx1.5'' Wx3'' |
£180 | £260 + £50 |
Square HH + Space | 20''x20'' | 48x48cm | 19''x19'' | 584x584 | 23''x23'' | 60x60cm Bx3.5cm Wx5cm |
24''x24'' Bx1.5'' Wx3'' |
£270 | £350 + £50 |
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Tape | 43x59cm | 17''x25'' | 525x750 | 20.5''x29.5'' | 55x77cm Bx3.5cm Wx5cm |
22''x30.5'' Bx1.5'' Wx3'' |
£200 | £295 + £70 | |
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Rectangle 6x9 or 35mm |
20''x24'' | 39x58cm | 15.5''x23'' | 575x735 | 22.75''x29'' | 60x77x5cm | 23.5''x30.5''x5'' | £300 | £395 + £70 |
Rectangle 6x7 |
20''x24'' | 48x60cm | 19''x23.75'' | 635x735 | 25''x29'' | 67x77x5cm | 26.5''x30.5''x5'' | £300 | £395 + £70 |
Square | 24''x24'' | 61x61cm | 24''x24'' | 735x735 | 29''x29'' | 77x77x5cm | 30.5''x30.5''x5'' | £400 | £495 + £70 |
Vinyl | 27''x27'' | 73x73cm | 25''x25'' | 735x735 | 29''x29'' | 77x77x5cm | 30.5''x30.5''x5'' | £400 | £495 + £70 |
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Rectangle 6x9 or 35mm |
30''x40'' | 61x93cm | 24''x36.5'' | 818x1090 | 32''x42'' | 85x112x5cm | 33.5''x44'x5'' | £445 | £595 + £105 |
Rectangle 6x7 | 30''x40'' | 61x75cm | 24''x30'' | 818x970 | 32''x38'' | 85x100x5cm | 33.5''x39''x5'' | £445 | £595 + £105 |
Tape | 30''x40'' | 60x94cm | 23''x37'' | 777x1090 | 30.5''x42'' | 80x112x5cm | 31.5''x44''x5'' | £445 | £595 + £105 |
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Rectangle 6x9 or 35mm | 40''x50'' | 76x109cm | 30''x43'' | 940x1280 | 37''x50'' | 98x130x5cm | 39''x51''x5'' | £895 | £1095 + £200 |
Rectangle 6x7 | 40'' x 50'' | 76x94cm | 30''x37'' | 940x1120 | 37''x44'' | 98x115x5cm | 39''x45.5''x5'' | £895 | £1095 + £200 |
Square | 40''x40'' | 76x76cm | 30''x30'' | 940x940 | 37''x37 | 98x98x5cm | 39''x39''x5'' | £895 | £1095 + £200 |
Artwork Description
Richard makes the c-type prints from negative in his own analogue colour darkroom in Cambridge. His paper of choice is Kodak Professional Endura Premier Gloss. When Richard has chosen to evolve the artwork, we work with Streamline Colour Lab. In our studio the print is dry-mounted to dibond which ensures a very flat image surface in both the short and long term. The prints are matted (window mounted) using a museum quality 100% cotton rag board especially manufactured to be compatible with the C-type archival Kodak photographic paper Richard uses. Richard does all mounting himself, using his precision engineering background to create the finished artwork. Eleanor fits the artworks to the frames. Traditionally photographic prints are signed and numbered on the back, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. They can be signed on the front of the mount by request. If you would like us to make a larger artwork that is possible, the sizes listed are the largest we can make in our darkroom but we can go larger with our printing partners so please get in touch to discuss it.
Framing Description
Our frames are hand-made in the UK by Menor Photographic Fine Art Printing & Framing Specialists in Hertfordshire. We offer a choice of black or white wooden box frames which have depth to suit the size of the picture, the artwork set back from the glass. Our black frames are made from matt ebony stained obeche, in which you can see the detail of the wood grain whereas our white frames are made from beech and the wood grain is not visible. The wood is sustainably forested for both variations of frame. Artglass AR 70™ is a premium anti-reflective glass used by the finest museums around the world. If you would like to present you artwork in another way, we offer the choice to buy an unframed print only and can advise you on other options or recommend reputable companies to carry out the work.