Is the Rollei XF 35 that bad

[lxmike]

How do people find the Rollei XF 35, is it as bad as they say. Any views reviews greatly accepted

 

[sevo]

How bad do people say it is? Mine is no better or worse than other basic all-automatic RF compacts of the period. Better looking than average, but with a less than functional release button whose oblong shape has no advantage other than giving it a tendency to become stuck. The lens is decently average by compact RF standards, but nowhere near any Contax Sonnar - which may have given it a worse reputation than it deserves.

By compact RF standards, it is below the top models from the competitors, which generally have more manual control and lenses with similar IQ, but 2/3 or a full stop more speed. But it is a cut above the second in line of the competitors.

 

[lxmike]

Thanks for the insight Sevo, very helpfull

 

[ludoo]

The xf35 exposure meter is probably its best feature, as it's spot on even in difficult situations, on mine at least it is. And its lens is pretty sharp too.

Part of its bad reputation must be due to the fragile rf assembly, where the lenses and/or mirrors tend to unglue with time. But they are pretty easy to repair (just reglue them) and align.

 

[cliffpov]

My Rollei 35 is a much better camera than I am a photographer.😡 But I'm trying to change that.

 

[semilog]

My Rollei 35 is a much better camera than I am a photographer.😡 But I'm trying to change that.

By taking sand paper to the front element? Don't do it, man! 😉

 

[cliffpov]

Too funny semilog. Not exactly what I had in mind but that would be simpler.

 

[ZeissFan]

The quality of construction is average. The rangefinder isn't very robust, and it's very common for it too be out vertically ... and then be out horizontally even after you adjust it repeatedly.

As much as I love Rollei, this isn't a great camera. Average, at best.