Sumarongi
Registered Vaudevillain
The Robots are a completely different breed —— basically, the rangefinder-less cameras were made for surveillance, in particular: speed cameras; so to say, a very special form of "street photography"
SteveM
Established
Like most tools, the Rollei 35 is best used in only a certain range of conditions. It is a compact mechanical jewel with a high quality lens that excels in daylight shooting. It is not a low light bokeh machine, can be tough to use close up and wide open, and the accessory shoe on the bottom make using a flash awkward at best. Design compromises made it good for what it does, but for those same reasons, outside of that range it isn't the best tool. Enjoy it for what it excels at. The f2.8 and f3.5 lenses fit this design but an f2 would not.
Steve
Steve
Chuck Albertson
Well-known
Just take the battery out of yours, and don't tell anybody.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Paul,
Thank'ee kindly, but quite honestly I'd recommend a simpler spot meter: the 1/2 degree spot is wonderfully precise, but the upside-down image is more awkward than you might think (unless of course you already think it's pretty awkward).
Cheers,
R.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Sure: no argument. I prefer my Pen W to Frances's Rollei 35. From the same source as before:
Technical quality and versatility are not the only components of the quality plateau, though. Two more questions are ease of use, and how much you like the camera.
Cheers,
R.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Dear Paul,
Smaller format (as you say) and non-collapsible. Also 40mm = more depth of field.
And Robot Stars are pretty chunky.
Cheers,
R.
john_s
Well-known
I'm not alone in having a 35S with bung meter. It's one of three Rollei devices I have with bung electronics that can't be repaired ("no parts"). I think the manufacturers in that era who were marvelous at mechanical engineering had a naive view of the reliability of electronics then. I'm thinking of cars, electrical appliances as well as cameras.
Beemermark
Veteran
Put an A76 Silver Oxide battery in, set the ASA dial and using the sunny 16 rule see if the meter looks accurate. it probably is. The go shoot a roll or two of film. Develop.
Beemermark
Veteran
Everybody wants a fast or faster lens. f2.0, or 1.4, or 1.2 or better yet 1.0. I some how got along great with Kodachrome 25 and f3.5. Except for the pictorial effect of extreme minimal DOF, how many really shoot with an f stop larger than f4.0 or 5.6? I love my little Rollei. DOF is huge. And yes I love my Retina 1a also.
ASA 32
Well-known
Thanks for the helpful tips! I plan to get an A76 battery and calibrate the metering with the ASA dial and my hand-held meter, and give it a go.
Again, thank you.
Again, thank you.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Me. In poor light. That's what I always believed (and still believe) fast lenses are for. Nor am I alone.
Using fast lenses in good light is a sideshow, commonly abused.
Cheers,
R.
ASA 32
Well-known
Argh!
My Rollei 35 is missing its battery cap! What's the chance of finding one? And where?
Thank you!
shawn
Veteran
Are you sure? The actual battery cap looks like it is missing the battery cap.
If you are missing it parts are tough to find. The pics below are from a black 35S in great shape but it is missing one tiny pin on the shutter mechanism that opens the blades in the lens.
Shawn
If you are missing it parts are tough to find. The pics below are from a black 35S in great shape but it is missing one tiny pin on the shutter mechanism that opens the blades in the lens.
Shawn
Attachments
ASA 32
Well-known
Thank you so much, Shawn! Yes, I was mistaken, the battery cap is there. Looking forward now to some shooting!
About that thread, "Is RFF still relevant?" Well, duh!
Jeremy Z
Well-known
I was just thinking (late to the show, as always) If you want a 35 S without a light meter, the best bet is to buy a 35 S with a broken light meter and save a hundred bucks.
But I hear you. I covet a C35 for its clean looks and nice handling. (those front dials on the original design don't feel or look good)
This is just an educated guess, as I haven't had them apart, but one thing that I think they did on the B and C35 was put plastic gears in the film advance train. In order for them to be strong enough, they had to make them thicker or wider than the original metal gears, and to have room for that, the viewfinder had to be moved over. In other words, they sacrificed ergonomics to save cost. It does work fine, but some of the original elegance was lost. Let's not even get into the feel of advancing film. It feels like the B35 is full of rocks, compared to the original design.
But I hear you. I covet a C35 for its clean looks and nice handling. (those front dials on the original design don't feel or look good)
This is just an educated guess, as I haven't had them apart, but one thing that I think they did on the B and C35 was put plastic gears in the film advance train. In order for them to be strong enough, they had to make them thicker or wider than the original metal gears, and to have room for that, the viewfinder had to be moved over. In other words, they sacrificed ergonomics to save cost. It does work fine, but some of the original elegance was lost. Let's not even get into the feel of advancing film. It feels like the B35 is full of rocks, compared to the original design.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
The design meme for the original Rollei 35 was to hold the camera at waist level when setting exposure and focus. The match-needle meter, shutter/aperture control wheels, and the focus with DoF scale are all set up so you can see them at a glance from the top. When those things are set, you quickly bring the camera to your eye, frame, and make the exposure. Then put it down again. It's an ideal street camera for this reason.
Once you understand HOW to use the camera this way, without prejudices of looking at metering indication and making settings through the viewfinder, you see that most of the control ergonomics are right on the money. The frame counter and hot shoe on the bottom were obviously there because the designer was trying to make the camera as small as possible and wasn't too concerned with flash.
Later models with the LED indication for the meter in the viewfinder were never as clean ergonomically as the original. The 35B and 35C models were far less expensive, plastic cameras by comparison ... completely different from the original 35 (35T) and 35S, with a simple Triotar three-element lens; the entire camera was simplified and redesigned to reduce cost; the centralized viewfinder was likely a matter of cost reduction in making the plastic casting. The 35's Tessar four-element lens and the 35S's five or six element Sonnar lens were far superior. The 35 Classic series moved the hot shoe to the top, which was nice mostly in that they reinforced the very thin top metal and it didn't dent so easily.
The C35 was a totally different camera, totally different design, and (if I recall correctly) was a bought in design from when Rollei acquired Voigtländer designs in the early '70s. Design-wise, it was completely different from the Rollei 35 series, and was released almost a decade later (first Rollei 35s release dates to 1966).
I have been a big Rollei 35 fan and user over the years. My favorite and forever one is a black 1973 model 35S with Sonnar 40/2.8 lens which I've owned since about 1990. It traveled with me all over the world for over a decade+ and is still in 100% perfect working order, has made many many superb photos. I should take it out and do some shooting with it again... The meter is still working fine, and I think I still have a couple of good mercury batteries for it. If not, I have the MR-9 adapter and can use a silver oxide replacement battery. But even if I don't put in a battery, it works great ... and I have a number of excellent metering apps on my iPhone that I can use without having to carry a dedicated meter if I so choose.
Klaus Prochnow wrote an excellent Rollei 35 Compendium book many years ago that is one of my prized bits of photographic memorabilia.
G
Jeremy Z
Well-known
Agreed. It's so fast into action, once set.
Also agreed. In street photography, once the camera is brought up to the eye, it is like an alarm that you're about to snap a picture. Then, any shots are not candid.
Five element. I would say they are superior, but not FAR superior. The Triotar is surprisingly good. Below are a few of my favorite Triotar pix. The lack of some sharpness at the edges is mostly lost in the film grain.
I've read that it is identical to the B 35, except that it lacks the uncoupled light meter. But as you have that nice book, you can correct me if I turn out to be wrong.
Yes, you should take it out and use it again. It will feel like meeting an old friend again. What I do is put it in a nice padded case (not the original thin one) and keep it in my bag that I carry every weekday. It is forgotten most of the time, but when I see an opportunity, out it comes! If you don't have such a case, check your local thrift stores. Cases from 80s point & shoot film cameras are often a good fit. Do use the light meter, though. As you pointed out above, it is quite convenient. I shot a roll with my B 35 (with the iffy meter) and a phone light meter app, and the shots came out well, but having to refer to a different device for the light meter kind of ruins the process, for me.
I just looked on Amazon and eBay for that book; it is not available. So it is good that you prize yours! I could only find a 25 year anniversary book for $75 - $100. I will keep an eye out, though.Klaus Prochnow wrote an excellent Rollei 35 Compendium book many years ago that is one of my prized bits of photographic memorabilia.
G
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I am perhaps thinking of a different Rollei C35 ... Far as I recall, the nomenclature for the Rollei 35 series always put the letter descriptor after the "35" ... so Rollei 35, 35S/35T, 35B, 35C, etc. Of course there are variations out there, and even from Rollei.
Never meant to say the Triotar was a bad lens or couldn't make a good photograph, but the Tessar and Sonnar are much higher performance designs. The Sonnar in particular has much much more even illumination across the frame and performs well even wide open, where both Tessar and Triotar really need to be stopped down a ways before they're in their sweet spot. Not so big an issue on a scale focus camera that you normally use set to f/8-f/11, I agree.
I'm not at home, but when I get back I'll pull out Klaus' book and see what it has to say. My understanding is that these books were published for internal consumption at Rollei and were never distributed commercially. I can't remember how I got hold of one ... probably through "a friend of a friend" etc ...
Fun stuff!
G
Never meant to say the Triotar was a bad lens or couldn't make a good photograph, but the Tessar and Sonnar are much higher performance designs. The Sonnar in particular has much much more even illumination across the frame and performs well even wide open, where both Tessar and Triotar really need to be stopped down a ways before they're in their sweet spot. Not so big an issue on a scale focus camera that you normally use set to f/8-f/11, I agree.
I'm not at home, but when I get back I'll pull out Klaus' book and see what it has to say. My understanding is that these books were published for internal consumption at Rollei and were never distributed commercially. I can't remember how I got hold of one ... probably through "a friend of a friend" etc ...
Fun stuff!
G
Jeremy Z
Well-known
I am perhaps thinking of a different Rollei C35 ... Far as I recall, the nomenclature for the Rollei 35 series always put the letter descriptor after the "35" ... so Rollei 35, 35S/35T, 35B, 35C, etc. Of course there are variations out there, and even from Rollei.
Never meant to say the Triotar was a bad lens or couldn't make a good photograph, but the Tessar and Sonnar are much higher performance designs. The Sonnar in particular has much much more even illumination across the frame and performs well even wide open, where both Tessar and Triotar really need to be stopped down a ways before they're in their sweet spot. Not so big an issue on a scale focus camera that you normally use set to f/8-f/11, I agree.
I'm not at home, but when I get back I'll pull out Klaus' book and see what it has to say. My understanding is that these books were published for internal consumption at Rollei and were never distributed commercially. I can't remember how I got hold of one ... probably through "a friend of a friend" etc ...
Fun stuff!
G
It seems the only one that had the letter either before or after the '35' was the B. Originally, it was 'B 35'. C 35 was discontinued sooner, probably due to lack of sales. Then later, they decided to change it to move the letter after, to be consistent with the 35 S. They made the regular 35 T to be consistent with that, in later years.
Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollei_35
petronius
Veteran
The name change from B35 to 35B took place in January 1976. According to Claus Prochnow, Rollei Report 3, the sales dropped in 1975 and the marketing section used this occasion to change the name (they never liked the "B35" name), hoping to get a closer connection between all Rollei 35 models. There was no technical change. The name change could´t save the 35B.
The B35 was sold for 299,-DM in 1969, the C35 for 249,- and the regular Rollei 35 for 498.-DM.
For collectors:
The B35 and C35 were manufactured in five different leatherette colors (red, orange, brown, blue and white). Most interest came from the american market.
The B35 was sold for 299,-DM in 1969, the C35 for 249,- and the regular Rollei 35 for 498.-DM.
For collectors:
The B35 and C35 were manufactured in five different leatherette colors (red, orange, brown, blue and white). Most interest came from the american market.