Retracting lens on the rollei 35B

[badhairday]

Hi all,
Hope someone can help. Just bought a loverly rollei 35B from a charity shop for £4, another great find for me! I have looked at the manual but am finding it difficult to follow as it is translated I think from german and I cant make sense of the numbering system it gives with the instructions.
My problem is I have managed to extend the lens out out but then cant seem to get it to retract again. I keep trying to follow advice from forums and following the instruction manual but am not having much success. I think I am a bit frightened of being too heavy handed with it incase I break it!
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks🙂

 

[Rogrund]

If my memory serves me correctly, you have to wind the film in order to retract the lens. Try that!

 

[morback]

Just tested Rogrund's/Antti "theory" on my grandpa's old R35B and he's right. Never noticed that before but here's the sequence:

Wind film, push the button by the lens, twist to the left, retract.

 

[badhairday]

Thanks guys, I have managed it. Press and hold little button next to lens and then twist lens to release the lock and retract.

 

[AJShepherd]

Brilliant, I just picked one up on the 'bay myself, and was wondering how to put the lens back in!
Looking forward to running a film through it!

 

[dee]

I found one in a Charity / Thrift shop for £5.00 . Also a T35 with a dint , presumed not working , but all the speeds seem spot on .
It seems odd to leave the camera tensioned all the time - goes against all that I had been told .