Rolleiflex Filters

Introduction

Most lenses of the Rolleiflex SL 66 and 6000 series have bayonet VI filter mounts. There are quite a lot of exceptions but they relate mostly to less common or specialised lenses. Lenses not mentioned in the following table have Bayonet VI filter mounts. Lenses with a inside bayonet for filters always have an outside bayonet for a lens hood. Quite a lot of lenses with a thread mount for filters also have an outside bayonet for a lens hood. Some others have extendable or built-in lens hoods. Please find particulars on the following pages: Rolleiflex SL 66 lenses and Rolleiflex SLX and 6000 System lenses.

Filter mounts on SL 66 and 6000 System lenses

Filter mount	Rolleiflex SL 66 lenses	Rolleiflex 6000 lenses
M 24 × 0.5		F-Distagon 3.5/30 mm PQ
M 25 × 0.5	F-Distagon 3.5/30 mm
M 67 × 0.75		Rolleigon 2.8/80 mm Rolleigon 4/150 mm Distagon 4/50 mm EL Planar 2.8/80 mm EL Sonnar 4/150 mm EL Sonnar 5.6/250 mm EL
M 77 × 0.75		Rolleigon 4/50 mm Super-Angulon 3.4/40 mm PQ
M 86 × 1		Tele-Tessar 5.6/350 mm Tele-Tessar 5.6/350 mm PQ Tele-Tessar 5.6/350 mm PQS Tele-Tessar 8/500 mm Tele-Tessar 8/500 mm PQ Tele-Tessar 8/500 mm PQS Tele-Apotessar 8/500 mm PQS Tele-Tessar 8/500 mm EL
M 95 × 1	Tele-Tessar 5.6/500 mm	Distagon 4/40 mm FLE Distagon 4/40 mm FLE PQ Planar 2/110 mm PQ Super-Angulon 2.8/50 mm PQS AF Super-Angulon 2.8/50 mm PQS AFD Super-Angulon 2.8/50 mm PQS Apo-Symmar Makro 4/90 mm PQS Tele-Xenar 2.8/180 mm PQ AF Tele-Xenar 2.8/180 mm PQ AFD Tele-Xenar 2.8/180 mm PQ Apo-Tele-Xenar 4/300 mm PQ Variogon 4.5/75-150 mm Variogon 4.5/75-150 mm PQ Variogon 5.6/140-280 mm Variogon 5.6/140-280 mm PQ
M 122 × 1		AF Variogon 4.6/60-140 mm PQS AFD Variogon 4.6/60-140 mm PQS
Bayonet VI	All other lenses	All other lenses
Bayonet VIII (104)	F-Distagon 4/40 mm mm PCS-Rolleigon 4.5/75 mm	Distagon 4/40 mm PCS Super-Angulon 4.5/55 mm PCS Super-Angulon 4.5/55 mm PQ

Rollei filters for monochrome photography

Filter	Rollei Order Number	Filter Mount	EV Correction¹	Filter Factor	Application, effect
Medium Yellow	206 030	Bayonet VI	-1.5	3×	Landscapes, snow, clouds. Renders yellow and green lighter, blue darker.
Green	206 040	Bayonet VI	-1.5	3×	Landscapes, snow, clouds. Renders green lighter, red (complexion) and blue darker. For panchromatic emulsions.
Orange	206 050	Bayonet VI	-1.5 to -3	3-7×	Hazy distant views. Renders yellow-red lighter, blue darker, distant objects clearer.
Light Red	206 060	Bayonet VI	-2 to -3.5	4-10×	Hazy distant views. Renders red lighter, blue-green darker. Gives stronger effects than orange filter.
Infrared	206 070	Bayonet VI	Depends on emulsion².		Special filter for infrared emulsions. Transmits dark red above 700 nm and infrared.
Medium Yellow	975 000	Bayonet VIII (104)	-1.5	3×	Landscapes, snow, clouds. Renders yellow and green lighter, blue darker.
Medium Yellow	975 040	M 95 × 1	-1.5	3×	Landscapes, snow, clouds. Renders yellow and green lighter, blue darker.

The initially Aluminium-coloured filter frames were anodised black from 1982, except for filter 975 040 which was only offered in black right from the start.

Rollei filters for colour photography

Rollei Filters for colour photography

Filter	Rollei Order Number	Rollei Id Number	Filter Mount	Filter Factor	Application, effect
Colour correction filter R 1.5	206 080	96 803	Bayonet VI	1×	Landscapes, the slightly red filter corrects a blue colour cast. It was popular as a ‘sky-light’ filter. I still use one with some Fuji films.
Colour correction filter R 1.5	-	66 739	M 95 × 1	1×
UV Filter	206 150	96 820	Bayonet VI	1×	High altitudes over 2000 m (6000 ft). Sea-scapes. Eliminates ultra-violet rays which reduce contrast.
UV Filter	-	66 741	M 95 × 1	1×

Rollei named the R 1.5 filter ‘Farbkonversionsfilter’ (colour conversion filter). We are more likely to call it colour correction filter. R 1.5 is only a minor correction. Conversion filters are used when using day-light film indoors with artificial light. In that case a significant conversion is needed.
Initially Aluminium-coloured filter frames were anodised black from 1982.

Rollei polarisation filters

The polarisation filter for photographic purposes was invented by Prof. Ferdinand Bernauer in 1935 and marketed by Carl Zeiss Jena as Herapathit filter in 1936. It was based on a crystal of a Quinine-Iodine compound. The Rolleiflex company - Franke & Heidecke - ordered the new filter right away. Their focusing screen was already fit to use the polariser. It was offered as ‘Herotar’ but later renamed ‘Bernotar’ in honour of its inventor. It was replaced for the more advanced polariser from Käsemann in 1952. In order to find the desired polarisation the filter needs to be rotatable preferably while being mounted to the lens.

Even today filters made by/after Käsemann are state of the art in polarisers. I use a Lee polariser with their 100 mm filter system on Rolleiflex medium format single lens reflex cameras.

Rollei polarisation filters

Filter	Rollei Order Number	Rollei Id Number	Filter Mount	EV Correction	Filter Factor	Application, effect
Linear polarisation filter	206 090	-	Bayonet VI	-1.5	3×	Rolleiflex SL 66, Rolleiflex SL 66 X Elimination or subduing of disturbing reflections from shiny, non-metallic objects or surfaces. Rotatable front ring.
Circular polarisation filter	206 160	96 841	Bayonet VI	-1.5	3×	Rolleiflex SL 66 E, Rolleiflex SL 66 SE, Rolleiflex 6000 System Elimination or subduing of disturbing reflections from shiny, non-metallic objects or surfaces. Rotatable front ring.
Circular polarisation filter	-	66 742	M 95 × 1	-1.5	3×	Rolleiflex SL 66 E, Rolleiflex SL 66 SE, Rolleiflex 6000 System Elimination or subduing of disturbing reflections from shiny, non-metallic objects or surfaces. Rotatable front ring.

The initially Aluminium-coloured filter frames were anodised black from 1982.

Diffusion filters

The Carl Zeiss and Schneider Kreuznach lenses of the Rolleiflex and Rolleicord are high definition optics. In some circumstances a bitingly sharp image is less desirable. Anyway in the hay-days of the Rolleiflex slightly soft portraits were still fashionable. The remedy was a diffusion filter also called softening filter or a soft-focus lens like the Rodenstock Imagon. The Imagons were only offered for the SL 66.

The basic diffusion filter, like the Rolleisoft for the TLRs, is one with concentric circles. A later, more sophisticated, solution were the Zeiss Softars. No concentric circles but scattered circular structures on the flat glass. Rollei offered Zeiss Softars only in Bayonet VI for the SL 66 and the 6000 System.

2411 Rolleiflex SL 66 3015, Photo F.W. Stutterheim — SL 66 with Zeiss Softar 2. Image taken with Zeiss Softar 1.
Photo © 2024 F.W. Stutterheim [Rolleiflex 6008i, Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar 4/120 mm PQS HFT]

Diffusion filters by Zeiss

Filter	Rollei Order Number	Rollei Id Number	Filter Mount	Application, effect
Zeiss Softar 1	206 110	96 900	Bayonet VI	Diffusion filter, “minus 5 years” LXWXU
Zeiss Softar 2	206 120	96 904	Bayonet VI	Diffusion filter, “minus 10 years” LXWYV

The initially Aluminium-coloured filter frames were anodised black from 1982.

Filters, Rolleiflex SL 66, Rolleiflex SLX and 6000 System

Page Index

Introduction

Filter mounts on SL 66 and 6000 System lenses

Rollei filters for monochrome photography

Rollei filters for monochrome photography

Rollei filters for colour photography

Rollei Filters for colour photography

Rollei polarisation filters

Rollei polarisation filters

Diffusion filters

Diffusion filters by Zeiss

Note

References