Do those come with the camera?

[david b]

I am thinking about bidding:

Rollei 35

 

[popitz]

for the Rollei or for the mother-in-law? 😀

 

[hugivza]

What camera - I didn't notice one!

 

[thpook]

It's not a german rollei, it was made in singapore. Silly seller, not reading the back of the camera.

 

[Mark Wood]

In the politically incorrect days of the 1970s, it might have been said that it's also an advert for a Rollei TLR... (3.5F or 2.8E?)

I, for one wouldn't dream of saying that.

 

[Stephan]

It's not a german rollei, it was made in singapore. Silly seller, not reading the back of the camera.

Are there any differences for a user ? I'm thinking about getting one of these as a "carry everywhere" camera... Although what I'd really like is a cheap contax t3 😀

 

[former member]

I have a Rollei SL35 made in Singapore. It is very well made; Optics are great.

This little Rollei has the Tessar on it, more expensive ones have the Sonnar.

This camera should make a great camera for someone, provided it does not go too high.

 

[Mark Wood]

I can vouch for the fact that the 40/2/8 Sonnar on my Singapore 35S really is excellent. The 3-element Triotar on (again a Singapore) my £20 B-35 is also remarkably good so I think the price premium paid nowadays for the German cameras is really for collectors to argue over.

 

[hugivza]

I have a 35T (Tessar) and 35 LED (Triotar). Both are excellent "stuff in your pocket" cameras. You can get step rings to avoid problems with the 24mm filter size. Worth a punt on the baying auction house.

 

[Mark Wood]

Absolutely - you just need to take care about what else is in your pocket when you do the "stuffing" as the top plates are very thin and pick up dents very easily, usually on the corners! (The reason why my B-35 was so cheap.)

 

[iMacfan]

A superb camera if working OK. Remember that it is a bit quirky, in that you have to extend the lens, and then only retract it after winding on the film. Also, with the slow lens and no RF, it's one for the outdoors mainly.

David

 

[Mark Wood]

...and if you really have to use a flashgun attached to the hotshoe, remember to use the camera upside down. Using the camera normally puts the flashgun underneath the camera where it casts the strangest of shadows, turning faces into something from a horror film! (I believe later cameras have the flash shoe on top?)

 

[thpook]

Remember that it is a bit quirky...
David

I prefer to think of it as "ergonomically retarded". I have one, and it isn't really the smartest of designs. That said, the little tessar lens is really nice. It is a great carry everywhere camera.

As for why it's retarded, there's the already mentioned hotshoe on the bottom, and there's the horrible film advance that sits right above the viewfinder which means that both right and left eye dominant shooters can't advance to the next frame without taking the camera from their eye. The loading is pretty much exactly the same as with a leica CL, and one benefit of the way the removable back is designed is that light leaks are pretty much impossible. The meter on mine is pretty accurate too. I personally believe that the camera's faults lend a little bit to its charm... but that's just me.

 

[Mark Wood]

No, it's definitely not just you! They're great (I must get the meter on my 35S sorted out!), tiny, idiosyncratic cameras that just take great photographs if you give them half a chance. The film loading is clever, the left-handed film advance is barking mad and the flash shoe must have been intended as a joke. I also defy anyone to remember to set the right shutter speed on a B-35 after reading the meter (users know what I mean) - brilliant! They don't have rangefinders though...

 

[Honu-Hugger]

Harry Fleenor at Oceanside Camera Service (or Repair? -- not sure of the official business name) does a great job with all Rollei repairs including the little R35. I use to collect these and honestly found absolutely no quality difference between German and Singapore models; German models may command a bit of a premium because this seems to be the nature of collectors. When I kept one to use I kept the Singapore 35SE with the Sonnar glass. They're quirky little cameras but I love it for what it is. By the way, I don't recall mine ever being as nicely adorned as the one in the picture -- perhaps my wife would be willing to pose...😉

 

[hugivza]

I recently acquired a 24/39mm step up ring. I am thinking of trying out a super wide add on lens from a now defunct video camera, as it happens to be 39mm. Has anyone else tried doing anything similar?