Prototype MINT 35mm Film Camera

das said:
Some relatively well-off people bought expensive compacts in the late 60s and 70s like the Rollei 35 because there was a specific demand for a high quality, easy to use compact camera where the alternatives were bigger, heavier, more complicated (SLRs), or cheaper models with less functionality and mediocre optics. We don't live in that era anymore and no one currently is facing those precise choices -- as jsrockit mentioned, we have our phones for unlimited throwaway / everyday shots. If the target market for the MINT are people who want a "new" Contax T2/T3 equivalent, that is also very specific group of people. Also, this may be an unpopular opinion, but despite its price, I don't think the Contax T3 is a "serious" camera. It is not even as serious as the Konica Hexar AF, which is only arguably semi-serious, but at least it has some real-time autofocusing feedback with its collapsing framelines, has far more functionality, and employs a multicoated version of a legendary optic with automatic focus shift control. Even when they came out, I always viewed the T3 and the Nikon Ti as rich people's ski vacation cameras (perfect in the ski jacket pocket!), although some real photographers have used cameras like those to some great effect.
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Hm. Not sure what defines "serious", but for my part, I have taken the majority of my good, memorable and published images with a T3 (which paid itself over time). I would rate it over any other camera I have had. I climb, ski and take photos in places that are cold and not comfortable, and I am certainly not rich. I sadly lost mine and I will buy one again, even if I need to sell my MF stuff for it. I trashed three Leica X1 and had several Ms go to repair in the time I had the T3 (and the X1 is tough). I still shoot a beaten up Contax T pretty much daily (I prefer it in some ways to the T3) along a M Mono but sold all other 135 gear.
I am keen to see what this MINT brings to the table. I small film camera in the pocket is generally a good thing.

4-1.jpg

Tien Shan. Contax T3, B+W yellow filter, AGFA APX 100
 
Personally I'd love to see Ricoh re-introduce the 35mm GR-1. I'm not sure where they would have to price it to make it commercially viable, but I would be interested if it wasn't too exorbitantly expensive.

I suspect that even if re-introducing the GR-1 was feasible, Ricoh would be hesitant to do so because as soon as they did, people would be clamoring for a full-frame digital GR.
 
Godfrey said:
The Ricoh GR was a fine camera, but I never liked shooting with it as much as the Rollei 35S or Minox 35GT-E because a 28mm lens is right on the edge of "too wide for general purpose use" for me. However, a GR with a 21mm wide angle would be interesting/appealing as a specialty camera for my use, just like the Lomo LC-A 120.
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That's what makes the GRIIIx such a cool camera, it basically is shooting with a modern Rollei 35.
 
Sounds perfect. Looking forward to buying one. I don’t already have an autofocus point and shoot, so this will be a nice addition.
 
I've never understood it when people say that the Rollei 35 was difficult to use because it doesn't have a rangefinder, or because the controls were in "unusual" locations, etc. The design brief for the Rollei 35 was very simple: All settings available when looking down at the camera from the top so you can pre-set it to the correct exposure, the act of making an exposure should be to lift the camera to your eye and press the shutter release after framing. Focus is equally simple: set f/11, set 2m for close range, set 4m for middle to infinity. Yeah, if you want to use f/2.8 at 1m, you need to measure it ... but that's not what the camera was made for.

LIDAR autofocus in a pocket compact? I don't know about anyone else, but my experience with AF in compact cameras has generally produced FAR more mis-focused photographs than setting a Rollei 35 by guess, even at f/2.8. I've been making photographs with a Rollei 35 or 35S for forty years...


Rollei 35S in Black - I've owned and used this one since about 1989 or so. One of my all time favorite cameras.

Perhaps i'm in a curmudgeonly mood. 😉

G
 
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re: Ricoh GR (film) vs Rollei 35 ...
jsrockit said:
It's a lot better in so many ways. One being a full range of shutter speeds and apertures for fully manual operation.
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Um, huh? The Rollei 35/35S has a full range of shutter speeds and apertures for fully manual operation. It only provides fully manual operation anyway... Or was your post intended to say that and read backwards to my eyes?

I don't remember clearly as it was a long time ago, but I believe the add for the GR1 was AF and aperture priority exposure automation. I had the film Ricoh GR1. It was a fine camera, but I sold it to a friend as he liked the 28mm FoV and I found it then, as now, too wide for general purpose use. I didn't like the autofocus very much then, still don't. The Rollei 35S' Zeiss 40mm f/2.8 HFT lens is much more to my liking, as is the Minox 35GT/E's 35mm f/2.8 lens.

I've been very happy with Gary Ho's various creations out of MiNT Camera, but I dunno if this one is going to be as satisfying to me as, say, the Polaroid SLR670x, SLR670a, or Instax-SQ TL-70 Plus. The competition in this compact 35mm film camera space is fierce.

G
 
Wow, they just announced that the MINT film camera will be called Rollei 35AF.

"Yes, you read that right. We are thrilled to announce that Rollei has graciously granted us permission to use their logo. This collaboration marks an exciting step forward for all parties involved. The Rollei brand will undoubtedly increase awareness for this camera. After pouring our hearts and souls into this project, I really hope the Rollei 35AF becomes accessible to a broader audience."
 
Godfrey said:
re: Ricoh GR (film) vs Rollei 35 ...

Um, huh? The Rollei 35/35S has a full range of shutter speeds and apertures for fully manual operation. It only provides fully manual operation anyway... Or was your post intended to say that and read backwards to my eyes?
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Honestly, looking back, I'm really not sure. I mean the GRIII has a few more shutter speeds, but I really don't know what I was trying to say.
 
I'll try to keep my prejudice against autofocus in check, and look forward to seeing the Rollei 35AF by MiNT ... 😉

Whether to buy one or not ... hmm ... At a quick count, I have seven 35mm cameras on the shelf and exposed only four rolls of 35mm film in 2023. I exposed more 6x6 film than 35mm .. with only two 6x6 cameras on the shelf. But then again, when did rationality ever really present an issue in buying another camera? LOL! 😀

G
 
AAlfano said:
An AF camera with manual film winding just seems weird to me, but I wish MiNT great success with this new camera.
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Maybe, but both Mint and Pentax are doing it... people like to wind that film. I'm not so sure I'll buy the camera. They'd certainly have to hit their target price of 10% of a new film Leica for me to consider it. Like Godrey, I just don't use enough film to pay more than that.
 
Godfrey said:
I don't know why. Focus and film transport are two entirely separate systems on a camera.

That said, auto focus is always somewhat weird to me. 😉
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Right. All the evidence, and my experience, show that these days it is nearly always flawless. Nevertheless, I've never trusted it, and never relied on it. To a somewhat lesser degree, the same with auto exposure. But then, I'm old, grouchy, and foolish.
 
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