Rollei 35 buy, good idea?

The reason that I prefer the models with the meter readout in the top deck, over the readout in the viewfinder, is that with these cameras one holds them at belly or chest level to set the focus distance on the lens, and move the aperture and shutter speed dials on the front of the body. With a top deck meter readout, the camera position is the same, so all camera adjustments are done with the camera at the same position, you simply raise the camera to your eye to take the picture. With models where the meter readout is in the viewfinder, the camera needs to be raised and lowered from your eye at least once (to see the meter readout) lowered to chest level, adjustments made, and the camera raised again to take the picture. (This is done when using the meter. If you can set the camera controls using sunny-16 method, then the up and down movement can be avoided.) It's just a little thing, but I find inconveniences due to design annoying because it doesn't have to be that way. In the case of the Rollei 35 models, moving the meter readout from the top deck to the viewfinder was IMO, a step backwards not forwards in an ergonomic sense.

If you have very dexterious fingers, you may be able to make adjustments to the shutter or aperture dial with the camera to your face, but there is no readout for these values in the viewfinder, and the camera is so small, this is pretty awkward to do.

For this same reason, I like my Bessa L and the location of its meter readout, though I wish the meter would stay on for a few seconds and not require constant pressure on the shutter release button, as I've made a few accidental exposures that way.
 
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richard_l said:
My experience has been with the Rollei 35 and 35 S. The 35 is the original Tessar model, essentially the same as the 35 T, and the 35 S is a Sonnar. These have match needle metering, visible in a window on top of the body. You can get an adapter for using standard silver oxide batteries. IMO, the Rollei Sonnar lens is as good as the Summicron-C or M-Rokkor 40 mm, but for some reason I like the Tessar a little better, both for color and B/W. By the way, inexpensive filters for the Rollei 35 series appear on eBay fairly often. (The Sonnar and Tessar models take different sized filters.) You might want to keep your CL until you can move up to an M2 or M3.

Richard
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I just bought a 35 and was planning on using my hand held light meter instead of worrying about the batteries. Now I think I want to use the meter on the camera. Can you suggest where I might look for an adapter for the silver oxide batteries?

Thanks!
 
wow this thread is still alive. A couple of people mentioned my Cl. I think I want to sell it cause firstly It doesnt have a lens and I dont have any money, secondly, it is too big for my jacket, Thirdly, I have a trip 35 and I like not having to focus and Ilove a clear bright viewfinder. I find the CL VF a bit to dark for me.I think that perhaps the image quality of the rollei is not so inferior to a cl lens. I could be wrong about that. My thinking is to stay pocketable and in the future get a medium format camera for nice pictures. Oh and finally, that Cl is really bored sitting in my closet waiting for a $400.00 lens, I thought it would be better if someone else could actually use it.
 
I just bought a Rollei 35 with a Schneider-Kreuznach S - Xenar lens, 3.5/40. I haven't seen any info on this version of the camera. Anyone know anything about this version? Thanks.
Only paid $50 for the camera and it is in great shape and everything seems to work fine.
 
Decidedly don't like the Rollei 35…had mine break on me after I fired the shutter (accidentally) with the lens collapsed. It shouldn't even have let me do that.
 
I've always thought of owning one myself, but they are a little fiddly to use. I find the Konica C35s and Petrie Color 35 awfully good substitutes. Cameraquest has a good story on the latter.
 
I'm a left-eye shooter. Will it be a problem for me to use the 35? I mean the camera is so small, can I still hold the camera with my right hand and still get the viewfinder to reach my left eye? Any left eyed shooters here using the Rollei? :confused:

p/s - I don't smoke and and right now I'm craving for a pack of cigarettes to double as the Rollei mock up.:D
 
I love my little Rollei 35. I have the Tessar version and it is bloody sharp lens. The camera is a little fiddly to begin with, but with practice you get used to it.

The Rollei still gets regular use out of the million cameras I own, my only gripe with it is lack of rangefinder.

Not so much a problem with the f3.5 lens it has, but still means you need to fumble around & think about the focal distance before clicking the shutter. Not so good for anything that happens quicker then you can think.

For that reason I think the Olympus XA could be worth investigating if you haven't yet purchased the Rollei.
 
xxloverxx,

Thank you for the reply. I have been smitten by the small Rollei for quite a while. The only thing that's bugging me is the scale focus thingy. Here's some more question.

With regards to the batteries, can I use 1.5V batteries. Will this damage the meter? :eek: I'm only using print film. I read somewhere that you need to compensate by overexposing 1 stop? Or maybe dial down the ISO? Is that correct? :confused:
 
I have a Rollei 35 and a 35S, quirky yes but capable cameras all the same, even on display in your collection they will draw your eye. As a walk about camera they are quite heavy for a compact, make sure they go into a sturdy pocket, not a flimsy shirt breast pocket. You will not regret getting one
 
cliffpov said:
I just bought a Rollei 35 with a Schneider-Kreuznach S - Xenar lens, 3.5/40. I haven't seen any info on this version of the camera. Anyone know anything about this version? Thanks.
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Made in Singapore, right? That's the same model that I have. There's good information on the S-Xenar lens here: http://johnlind.tripod.com/rollei/rolleitext.html

For some reason, some people tend to look down on the Schneider-Kreuznach lens, but for me it has been excellent.
 
M4-I-Love said:
xxloverxx,

Thank you for the reply. I have been smitten by the small Rollei for quite a while. The only thing that's bugging me is the scale focus thingy. Here's some more question.

With regards to the batteries, can I use 1.5V batteries. Will this damage the meter? :eek: I'm only using print film. I read somewhere that you need to compensate by overexposing 1 stop? Or maybe dial down the ISO? Is that correct? :confused:
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how much you need to compensate by (might be as little as 1/3rd of a stop), but I'm pretty sure it won't damage the meter.
Compensating manually and setting a lower ISO but following the meter will ultimately have the same effect.

This is all from memory, however, as I don't use meters anymore.
 
I have a Rollei 35 by a month.
It's a great camera that delivers very sharp image.
The meter with 1,5V battery doesn't work very well. Seems to overexpose 2 stops.
Scale focus is not a real problem, if you dont want very small dof.
The plus of the Rollei, IMHO, is the body very very compact.
My Ricoh 500 seems bigger after I've tried the Rollei.
I think that is the perfect "always with me" camera.
But i suggest you take a look at the XA.
Very compact, and works with 1,5V
 
I got my Rollei last week :D. I find it much easier and faster to shoot than my Leica. Basically I set aperture at f8 and set focus at 6 feet. Walk towards subject and as soon as I think I'm around 6 ft, raise camera and snap. The only thing now is to see how my pics turned out. Hopefully, not too many frames where I miss the focus.:eek:
 
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