bought a Rollei 35 "Platin Privat Edition" off ebay

[pauld111]

I bought t a Rollei 35 "Platin Privat Edition" off ebay. I should be getting it tomorrow with UPS. I found this website that has a bit of information about the camera

https://olypedia.de/index.php?title=Rollei_35_-_Renaissance,_Sondermodelle,_Prototypen_und_Sonstiges

The camera that I bought is the exact one in the photos, and in fact these were the photos used in the ad. I am trying to find out more information about the camera. If anyone has more info, I would really appreciate it. Would love to know if it was a Rollei edition or after market modifications.

Cheers

Paul

 

[JeffS7444]

At first glance I thought that was one of the never-released special edition cameras which were sold on eBay when F&H's assets were liquidated, but it seems that is not the case:


http://www.rolleiclub.com/cameras/35classic/info/35-platin.shtml

 

[farlymac]

They took a page out of Leica's playbook by producing the "Classic" line. That prototype looked interesting.


PF

 

[pauld111]

But it doesn't say 'Special Edition' like the page you referenced. It says 'Privat edition'. Anyway will post pictures once I get it....hopefully within a few hours. Maybe it was the precursor to the 'Special edition'.

 

[pauld111]

https://ibb.co/kjP4sU

 

[pauld111]

https://ibb.co/hyJKRp

 

[pauld111]

https://ibb.co/hdPLXU

Those are the 3 images I took of it, hopefully it works

 

[pyeh]

Interesting variant, thanks for posting. Very handsome. Interesting how they omitted the "S". It's the first time I've noticed a Singapore made Rollei 35 with the Sonnar lens not marked with S.

I wonder who Rolox Limited Australia was. My quick search couldn't unearth anything.

 

[pauld111]

Hi pyeh,

Thanks for your input. I also looked for Rolox and found nothing. I think it might have been a special model or test model for the 35 S itself...I would love to know....

 

[farlymac]

For many years in the US, Bell & Howell was the official importer of many camera brands, even to the point of having their name supplant the manufacturers.



Since that is a Singapore camera, and all the Classic line were made in Germany, it's possible Rolox could have been an Australian Rollei subsidiary/importer, and came up with the Classic Line scheme.


PF

 

[pyeh]

Maybe, PF. Rolox is such a dodgy sounding name though, like a combination of Rolex and Rollei. I did a search in the Australian Securities and Investments Commission company register and came up only with Rolox Pty Limited registered in 2013 and derigistered in 2016, which is too recent for pauld111's camera.
Speaking of importers' branding, I have a German-made Rollei 35 badged with Honeywell.

 

[pauld111]

Does anyone know roughly when the camera was made, it's serial number is: 6270668

I am very happy with it. It's a bit of a mystery but everything works perfectly, feels like a very good example.

 

[pauld111]

I put through a film yesterday and quickly developed with my Rondix 35. Here are 2 images to get a feel for what the camera produces.

https://ibb.co/b4bsXU

https://ibb.co/kN0amp

 

[petronius]

Does anyone know roughly when the camera was made, it's serial number is: 6270668

The battery number engraving was used on Rollei 35 cameras since 1975/03. A look on the m/feet scale could give further information about the production date.

The number on your camera´s back doesn´t match a Rollei 35S. According to the Rollei Report (Vol.3, p. 29-667) the 35S started with the number 6.500.000. To the end of production the number on the back was abandoned and the lens number was used for the camera too.

The number on the back of your camera was used for the model 35 with Tessar but without T engraving ((Vol.3, p. 29-655) the first series made in Singapore).

Have fun shooting it, the Sonnar is a nice lens.

 

[farlymac]

Maybe, PF. Rolox is such a dodgy sounding name though, like a combination of Rolex and Rollei. I did a search in the Australian Securities and Investments Commission company register and came up only with Rolox Pty Limited registered in 2013 and deregistered in 2016, which is too recent for pauld111's camera.
Speaking of importers' branding, I have a German-made Rollei 35 badged with Honeywell.

A foreman I used to work for came back from vacation in Mexico sporting a $50 "Rolex" watch. One of my workmates was giving it a close look, and jokingly announced it said "Rolodex".

PF

 

[jmilkins]

Interesting. The only Rolox Australia Ltd reference I can find is for a company registered for 3 years from 2013-16.

No clue what they did.

Searchable on our county’s company database. http://https://asic.gov.au/

 

[lxmike]

A very interesting Rollei

 

[Jeremy Z]

Re. the 1981 prototype, in the link of the original post, did you guys read the description of it? It sounds AWESOME:

"Rollei 35 prototype PR 484
description
"Approximate translation" of the auction text "Camera Auction 27 - June 2015 (Catalog Number 351)" ( WestLicht Photographica Auction ):

The only existing prototype and work sample of the new design from 1981. Retaining the compact form of the original Rollei 35, it represents a complete overhaul of the original design. The most important new feature is a rangefinder which has a gear wheel at the top the only Rollei 35 with such a function .... The battery compartment now accessible from the outside, the rear wall is hinged, the lens is - via a lever - retractable and has an automatic lens cover The camera never went in Production and was presented in the Rollei Report 3 page 29 (Ex Rollei Museum). "

I wonder why it never made it to production. It could have saved the Rollei 35 line.

Some day, some smart Chinese company will buy (or steal) the rights to it, build it (crappily) and make a small fortune.