C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Rolleicord Vb (1962–1976) is the final model in Rollei's budget TLR line and the most refined version of the long-running Rolleicord V family. It retains the **Schneider Xenar 75mm f/3.5** four-element taking lens, the Synchro-Compur leaf shutter, and knob film advance shared across all Rolleicords. The key distinguishing feature of the Vb is its **removable focusing hood** — the top hood can be detached to accept an accessory prism finder, matching a capability previously reserved for the Rolleiflex. No built-in meter, but a clip-on accessory selenium meter was sold alongside the camera. The Vb outlasted the Rolleiflex 3.5F in production by nearly a decade, surviving until 1976.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the — format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The last Rolleicord. Fourteen years of production, a removable focusing hood, and the same Xenar 75/3.5 as ever.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 120 (6×6 cm) |
| Taking lens | Schneider Xenar 75mm f/3.5 (4 elements / 3 groups) |
| Viewing lens | Heidoscop 75/3.5 |
| Years | 1962–1976 |
| Shutter | 1s – 1/500s + B, Synchro-Compur leaf |
| Flash sync | All speeds |
| Meter | None built-in (clip-on accessory available) |
| Weight | ~ |
Rollei's Rolleicord V sub-model sequence: V (1954), Va (1957), Vb (1962). The Vb was the final production version and the longest-lived, manufactured for 14 years. By 1962 the Rolleiflex F series was the flagship; the Rolleicord Vb served the amateur and budget market throughout the rest of the film-camera golden age. The Rolleicord name was not revived after 1976 — when production ended, Rollei's catalog contracted to the Rolleiflex line. The Vb therefore marks the end of a line that ran from 1933 to 1976.
The Rolleicord Vb is the most practical Rolleicord to buy used in 2026. Its 14-year production run means more copies survive in good condition, and its removable hood opens up prism-finder use that the earlier Rolleicords lacked. The Xenar 75/3.5 lens is sharp from f/5.6 onward — optically competitive with most Japanese TLR alternatives of the period. At $250–500, the Vb remains one of the most cost-effective ways to shoot 6×6 medium format with a German-made camera and a proper Compur leaf shutter.
Compared to the Rolleicord V and Va, the Vb is a modest refinement rather than a redesign: same mechanics, same optics, cleaner execution. For most buyers, "the best Rolleicord" and "the Vb" are the same answer.
Lens fixed. Bay I accessory ring:
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →Rollei Rolleicord Vb
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