Rollei 35 - one year

[Ricoh]

The 500 pics from 500 rolls should be worth waiting for.
What film are you using Petronius, and are you sticking with the same one as far as possible?

 

[petronius]

Thank you for your kind words, the book is already in the preproduction. I don´t know when I will meet roll 500, but given my actual output I will publish the book in early or mid 2020.

I started the project with Polypan F, and used it as long as I could get it. I have a rest of 15 rolls. Beside that I used Maco traffic surveillance film, Agfa APX 100 and 400 and all kinds of expired film.
The development is always done in Rodinal (Adonal, R09) with the one hour stand method. Recently I started to overexpose and reduce the developing time to 45 minutes. I find these negatives more pleasant in terms of contrast.

 

[Guy Pinhas]

the book is already in the preproduction. I don´t know when I will meet roll 500, but given my actual output I will publish the book in early or mid 2020.

Can't wait.

 

[petronius]

Roll 473, Tessar (Made in Germany)

 

[Jeremy Z]

Nice pic, petronius. Your photos remind me that I need to work on my "macro eye", as I strive to be a "jack of all trades" when it comes to photography.

That you took this with a Rollei 35 shows that it isn't even that macro...

I just looked back at the original post. Your year is up, as of about two weeks ago. You're free to switch to another camera now, for the coming year. 😉

 

[Archiver]

@petronius - I only just realized you've been doing this for nine years!

How many rolls of film do you shoot, on average? What's a high amount for you? What's a low amount?

Has the Rollei given you any trouble in these years? Have you had it serviced? Have you used it regularly throughout this time, or did it become on and off after a while?

I am finding it difficult to think of a modern pocket camera, film or digital, that would continue to work for nine years of regular use. My Ricoh GRD III was my daily camera for about three years until it developed a lens fault. My Panasonic LX7 was my daily camera for almost two years until the lens motor gave out. My Ricoh GR has the stuck shutter problem after two and half years.

The only camera I've used regularly for nine years is my M9, but even that had a shutter fault in the first year, and needed sensor replacement after about five or six years. It says a lot about Rollei longevity if yours has been going all this time.

 

[petronius]

Archiver, thank you for your interest in my project.
I would like to give a little insight in the things that happened photographically during these years.

In 2008 I spotted a Rollei 35 Singapore/Tessar Model in the local photo second hand window. I had little knowledge about it then, but it felt nice in my hands (small, heavy and mechanic) so I purchased it (50,- Euro). I shot 14 rolls over the next two years and that was it. In 2009 I found the Polypan F film and started to use it for all my shooting, mainly with SLRs and rangefinder cameras. But, as stated in the intro post, at some point I lost the fun in shooting having one camera with me and thinking about the others.
I made the cut in August 2010 and decided to use the Rollei 35 exclusively.
The original goal, to use it for one year, wasn´t reached, because I´m weak, but since then the Rollei 35 is my most important film camera.
In 2012 I found a Rollei 35 LED at a fleamarket, shortly after I got me a Rollei 35S and then another one at the big auction house. In 2016 I purchased a Made in Germany Rollei 35 at a camera fair and that´s it so far.
All my Rollei 35s have some issues, like rough transport or lazy long speeds, but no serious problems. The Made in Germany model is currently off for service, because I´d like to know how a smooth working Rollei 35 feels.

Rolls exposed in the different cameras:
Rollei 35 Tessar Singapore: 319 rolls
Rollei 35 LED: 7 rolls
Rollei 35S (both models): 130 rolls
Rollei 35 Tessar Germany: 37 rolls

Rolls exposed per year:
2008: 5 rolls
2009: 6 rolls
2010 Jan - Jul: 3 rolls
2010 Aug - Dec: 133 rolls
2011: 76 rolls
2012: 61 rolls
2013: 31 rolls
2014: 41 rolls
2015: 24 rolls
2016: 24 rolls
2017: 20 rolls
2018: 29 rolls
2019 Jan - Aug: 40 rolls

Shooting habits:
I use the Rollei without a lightmeter and without an external rangefinder. I tried both, but found that they force a workflow that isn´t nice for me. During the project I got more and more to a point, where setting the parameters works without thinking. I also care less if the settings aren´t perfect but I shoot instead of checking. Standardizing the film/development combination is also a must for me. After Polypan F was discontinued, I mostly used Agfa APX 100. Development in Rodinal 1:100, seldom 1:50. I decreased the development time for 1:100 from one hour stand to 45 minutes, because I have a tendency to overexpose. The tonal range looks better for me this way, according to Dr. Paul Wolff´s advice from the 1930s.

(Interestingly my Ricoh GRD3 works flawless since I bought it in 2012.)

 

[petronius]

Roll 474, Sonnar:

 

[Archiver]

@petronius - thank you for the very detailed breakdown, that was great. It's interesting to note that your film usage has hovered between 20 and 40 rolls per year for the last five or six years. Since you develop (and I assume scan) B&W yourself, you keep costs to a minimum. Since I shoot colour negative and have never developed film myself, shooting film is quite a costly exercise.

Also interesting that you have four (?) Rollei 35s, that's really cool! The closest I would be comfortable shooting and carrying on a daily basis would be the Olympux XA2, which is easy to focus and expose, fairly robust and quite easy to find. It's the camera I wish I could tell myself to buy as a teenager and young adult to document my life.

Long live your Rollei 35 project!

 

[petronius]

Archiver, the listed number of rolls only counts for the use of the Rollei 35.
Overall I shoot between 100 and 300 rolls per year. The number decreased in the last years, because I have some fine (sexy) digital cameras, but the Rollei always stays in business. I have the rule that, whenever I get a new camera (and I get way too many!), I have to shoot some rolls with it to justify my purchase.

 

[Guy Pinhas]

Thank you Archiver for asking and thank you Petronius for responding. Very interesting.

 

[petronius]

You are both most welcome!

Today I received my Rollei 35 Germany from the CLA and I´m very pleased to hear the smooth shutter.

In preparation of my next book I go again through all my scans from the last 9+ years and i´m stunned how many pictures I had then neglected, that I now find pleasing. For me a proof that it´s bettter to scan all stuff you shoot and to wait for the moment when you realize you have done something good without knowing it at first.
So in the next book there will be not only pictures that were not in the last book, but even pictures that weren´t even in the blog.

 

[Pál_K]

Petronius, your photos here are a great gift to the community. I have spent a few hours reading this thread and looking at your photos. You have a very good sense of vision (seeing a possible photo somewhere, where others might miss it) and a very good, sometimes happily surprising, sense of composition.

... "How did he see that?" Your distinctive approach is always front and center.

My thoughts as well.

As for the Kösseine, I also focus on interesting geographic features after I've lived in a place for a few years. It soon becomes a kind of obsession. A few years ago I noticed a large walnut tree in a field and I have made a great many photos of it in all seasons and weather conditions.

As someone who also has many cameras, I've chosen to use just one every month. I like your philosophy:

"I only wanted to be free from the daily pain of choosing equipment.

I was afraid to become a slave of the possibilities and thought it would be better to be master of the limitations."

Thank you again for this thread and your photos.

 

[petronius]

Thank you for your kind words! Maybe you want to post some of your Rollei 35 photos in our picture thread!

When it comes to photographers who were quite obsessed with a single subject, I most admire Josef Sudek and the photographs he took of his studio(window). Other inspirations for me are Eugene Atget and his view on Paris (a subject of course not that limited) or Harry Callahan´s photos of his wife.

 

[petronius]

Roll 475; Tessar (Made in Germany).

Today I scanned roll 484.

 

[Jeremy Z]

Nice pic, petronius. Your photos remind me that I need to work on my "macro eye", as I strive to be a "jack of all trades" when it comes to photography.

That you took this with a Rollei 35 shows that it isn't even that macro...

I just looked back at the original post. Your year is up, as of about two weeks ago. You're free to switch to another camera now, for the coming year. 😉

Looking back again, I see it was 9 years ago. 😱

I'm glad to see you're still shooting it.

All these rolls you're shooting... Do you save all the negatives? How?

 

[petronius]

I´m still shooting it and I´m afraid I will not stop soon. I had my Rollei 35 Germany CLA´d recently and it renewed the fun!

I stored the first 300 rolls in negative sleeves, but changed to round cookie tins since then. One tin is usually enough room for the complete negatives (Rollei and others) of one year.

 

[Jeremy Z]

I´m still shooting it and I´m afraid I will not stop soon. I had my Rollei 35 Germany CLA´d recently and it renewed the fun!

I stored the first 300 rolls in negative sleeves, but changed to round cookie tins since then. One tin is usually enough room for the complete negatives (Rollei and others) of one year.

I have been soul-searching. Both of my 35s need work (35 Singapore and B 35 Germany) I think based on your comments, I will get the 35 CLA'd in a couple weeks, as it is my favorite camera to use. (maybe tied with my old OM1N) Good light meter, great lens, great mechanics, handy size, quiet shutter.

 

[petronius]

Roll 477, Sonnar

 

[petronius]

Roll 478, Sonnar