I have an offer to get a full refund (including shipping costs back to Japan) for my Rolleiflex GX. I had problems with the meter so shipped it back for a repair. The repair has taken over 4 weeks now and I complained to the seller. Japanese camera stores and their society in general is always very courteous and obliging. I was offered the full refund today by the seller. Not sure what to do???
I have 2 Rolleiflex Fs being repaired plus a CLA by Harry Fleenor in California. Those 2 cameras are coming back to me in September. Do I really need the GX as well? The Rolleiflex GX has the best and newest lens of the bunch and I got it at a reasonable price (even cheap) price. I think thou that the F version Rolleiflex cameras are more solidly built. I also worry that I will have more problems with the GX meter when it returns. What if it breaks again? What do I do then?
Do I take the full 100% refund?What to do? I am not sure.
If I do the refund I will get around $2100 USD deposited back on my credit card/pay pal. Maybe I can use that money or part of that money to get another R lens for my Leica R6 cameras. I only have 1 lens for 2 R6 bodies, the 60mm. I was thinking of getting a 24mm f2.8 which runs from $600-$1400 USD on eBay. With the 24mm, I would have Leica versions of all the important focal lengths. A 21mm f2.8 M, 24mm f2.8 R, 28mm f2 M, 35mm f1.4 M, 2-50mm f1.4 Ms, 60mm f2.8 R, 90mm f4 M and a 28-35-50mm f4 M.
So the deal would be to get my full refund of around $2100 for the Rolleiflex GX, buy the 24mm f2.8 R for around $600 and save the extra $1500 for film etc. I could also use that $1500 to pay for next years plane ticket to Asia (Cambodia? Philippines? Burma? Indonesia?).
I think that a Rolleiflex F camera would be more reliable in Asia, thou I do worry about the lens. Harry Fleenor on reviewing the camera/lens before he started the repairs/CLA told me there is a bit of element separation in one camera lens and the other had what Harry described as nicks on it. When I looked at the cameras in Canada, I think I saw the lens separation in the one camera (got a 15% refund on that camera) but missed the lens nicks on the other. Will the lens work well for me? Will they be sharp enough? Make good negs? I am guessing yes.
What to do? After studying Sebastiao Salgado's work again, "Other Americas" I am leaning towards getting the money back from the GX, settling on the F versions of the camera, and getting the 24mm f2.8 (a bit slow?) plus the air ticket back to Asia to make more pictures.
Heck maybe I could take the 24mm with me this coming trip. For 35mm equipment thinking of shooting 2 bodies, a Leica M and Leica R, plus 21mm M, 35mm M, 60mm R and 24mm R lens. That sounds about right, and the weight would not be too bad.
I have 2 Rolleiflex Fs being repaired plus a CLA by Harry Fleenor in California. Those 2 cameras are coming back to me in September. Do I really need the GX as well? The Rolleiflex GX has the best and newest lens of the bunch and I got it at a reasonable price (even cheap) price. I think thou that the F version Rolleiflex cameras are more solidly built. I also worry that I will have more problems with the GX meter when it returns. What if it breaks again? What do I do then?
Do I take the full 100% refund?What to do? I am not sure.
If I do the refund I will get around $2100 USD deposited back on my credit card/pay pal. Maybe I can use that money or part of that money to get another R lens for my Leica R6 cameras. I only have 1 lens for 2 R6 bodies, the 60mm. I was thinking of getting a 24mm f2.8 which runs from $600-$1400 USD on eBay. With the 24mm, I would have Leica versions of all the important focal lengths. A 21mm f2.8 M, 24mm f2.8 R, 28mm f2 M, 35mm f1.4 M, 2-50mm f1.4 Ms, 60mm f2.8 R, 90mm f4 M and a 28-35-50mm f4 M.
So the deal would be to get my full refund of around $2100 for the Rolleiflex GX, buy the 24mm f2.8 R for around $600 and save the extra $1500 for film etc. I could also use that $1500 to pay for next years plane ticket to Asia (Cambodia? Philippines? Burma? Indonesia?).
I think that a Rolleiflex F camera would be more reliable in Asia, thou I do worry about the lens. Harry Fleenor on reviewing the camera/lens before he started the repairs/CLA told me there is a bit of element separation in one camera lens and the other had what Harry described as nicks on it. When I looked at the cameras in Canada, I think I saw the lens separation in the one camera (got a 15% refund on that camera) but missed the lens nicks on the other. Will the lens work well for me? Will they be sharp enough? Make good negs? I am guessing yes.
What to do? After studying Sebastiao Salgado's work again, "Other Americas" I am leaning towards getting the money back from the GX, settling on the F versions of the camera, and getting the 24mm f2.8 (a bit slow?) plus the air ticket back to Asia to make more pictures.
Heck maybe I could take the 24mm with me this coming trip. For 35mm equipment thinking of shooting 2 bodies, a Leica M and Leica R, plus 21mm M, 35mm M, 60mm R and 24mm R lens. That sounds about right, and the weight would not be too bad.
