Vintage Classic Cameras: The Unvarnished Truth
The Rolleiflex Saga, Part 2: The Landmark Rolleiflex Automat of 1937 and the price-point Rolleiflex New Standard, which was anything but standard.
By Jason Schneider
The Rolleiflex Automat of 1937
In 1937 Franke & Heidecke unveiled the magnificent Rolleiflex Automat, the camera that established the form factor and feature set for all subsequent twin lens Rolleiflexes. One of the most exquisitely integrated optical-mechanical creations of all-time, the landmark Rolleiflex Automat was named for its signature feature, an ingenious automatic first frame positioning and frame counting system that monitors the length of the paper backed roll film as it passes between twin internal friction rollers and sets the camera accordingly—no red window needed. The Automat also had a profound influence on TLR design worldwide--the Japanese Yashica-Mat and the current Chinese-made Seagull are unabashed Rolleiflex copies, and numerous major and minor TLRs from Germany, Japan, and the US incorporated at least some Rollei Automat features.
Original Rolleiflex Automat, first introduced in 1937. Note Bayonet fitting on taking lens only but not on viewing lens
The Automat's impressive feature array transformed the twin lens Rolleflex in much the same way that the Leica M3 of 1954 took the rangefinder Leica to an entirely new level. The list includes all of the following: milled aperture- and shutter-speed-setting wheels nestled in between the lenses that read out conveniently in a little window atop the viewing lens; a right-hand, single-stroke film-wind crank that cocks the shutter, advances the film the next frame, advances the frame counter, and provides automatic first frame positioning; waist-level viewfinder with automatic parallax compensation at all distances by means of a moving frame under the focusing screen coupled to the focusing mechanism; a sports finder and focusing mirror built into the focusing hood, and a left-hand focusing knob with adjacent depth of field scale. The original Automat is fitted with a Compur-Rapid 1 second to 1/500 sec plus B and T inter-lens leaf shutter with self-timer, and an uncoated 75mm f/3.5 Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, and a faster 75mm f/2.8 Heidosmat viewing lens to enhance viewing brightness and focusing precision.
Original Rolleiflex Automat, subsequent version with Bayonet 1 fittings on both viewing and taking lenses.
The original Rolleiflex Automat of 1937 can be identified by having a Bayonet 1 mount on the front of the taking lens only; the viewing lens lacks the bayonet fitting and takes 28.5mm push-on accessories. While this landmark model is eminently collectible, it doesn’t allow the use of Rolleinar close-up lenses so its close focusing distance is effectively limited to 1 meter. The second and subsequent models of the Automat have bayonet fittings on both lenses and work quite well with Rolleinar No.1, No. 2, and No. 3 close-up lens sets, which incorporate an effective parallax compensating prism in the viewing lens adapter. It’s worth noting that no mechanical parallax compensating system, including the one in twin lens Rolleiflexes, provides 100% framing accuracy, and all sidestep their deficiencies by showing only about 85% of the captured image in the viewfinder. However, the Rolleis’ built-in moving frame system and the supplementary Rolleinar close-up lenses work reasonably well.
Original Rolleiflex introduced in 1937, side view showing film wind crank. Note Bayonet fitting on taking lens only.
The bottom line: original Rolleiflex Automats (any model) can be wonderful and enjoyable picture takers and their uncoated 75mm f/3.5 Carl Zeiss Jena lenses are renowned for capturing crisp, detailed, images that also render that “rounded” classic vintage look. Though they’re not particularly flare prone, it helps to avoid backlit subjects and to use a lens hood. These are old cameras so make sure to check the lens for haze, fungus and heavy scratches before you buy, make sure the viewing system is reasonably bright and clear (or be prepared to shell out for a fairly costly upgrade), fire the shutter at all speeds and, if possible, run a test roll through the camera to make sure everything is working properly. Because of their collectability original pre-war Rolleiflex Automats in excellent or better condition are fairly pricey ($275-450) and most will require a CLA to be reliable shooters. If you just want to take sharp, beautiful pictures with a nice old Rollei, the Rolleiflex Automat and Automat MX models of the ‘50s, which have coated lenses, Synchro-Compur shutters, and brighter, higher-contrast viewfinders are a better bet and they’re also easier to find in pristine condition at similar prices. But if your primary goal is capturing vintage look images with a legendary classic camera, the original Rolleiflex is well worth the trouble.
The Rolleflex New Standard of 1939
Rolleiflex New Standard of 1939-1941, Courtesy Japan Camera Hunter
The revised Rolleiflex Standard of 1939-1941 (later called the New Standard to distinguish it from the original Old Standard of 1932) was, like the much later Rolleiflex T, a camera built to a price point. Designed to fill in the perceived price gap between the Rolleiflex Automat and the Rolleicord II and Ia, it had a short lifespan, partially due to the fact that it was priced too close to the Automat, and partly due to the war, and it was phased out in 1941. It therefore qualifies as a low production model, with a total of 8,340 cameras having been made.
At first glance the camera looks quite similar to a Rolleiflex Automat of the late ‘30s but it lacks key functions of the top model and can be considered a functional intermediate between the Automat and the Rolleicord II. To cut costs the automatic first frame positioning mechanism was eliminated and instead a red window on the bottom with an ingenious spring-loaded self-deploying cover is used for visually setting the first frame on the paper backing. The milled shutter speed and aperture setting dials in between the lenses, and the readout window atop the viewing lens were eliminated, and replaced by Rolleicord style setting levers with adjacent numerals, the viewing lens os now a 75mm f/3.1 Heidosmat instead of the Automat’s 75mm f/2.8, and the self-timer, and the sports finder in the focusing hood, were deleted. Fortunately, many of the most important elements of the Automat were retained, including the Bayonet 1 fittings on both taking and viewing lenses, which facilitates the use of Rolleinar close-up lenses, the built-in automatic parallax compensation system and the excellent Compur-Rapid 1-1/500 sec plus B shutter, so the actual shooting capabilities of the New Standard are pretty close to those of the Automat. Many collectors consider its distinctive styling to be quite handsome.
Rolleiflex New Standard, front view
The bottom line: The Rolleiflex New Standard is a relatively uncommon model that’s prized by Rollei collectors so examples in pristine condition command premium prices in the $500 and up range. Strictly in terms of picture taking it’s quite similar to the Rolleiflex Automat of the same era which is more readily available and feature rich. However New Standards do occasionally show up at more attractive prices and they’re excellent cameras that can capture beautiful, sharp, vintage look images. The same caveats cited above for the Rolleiflex Automat apply to this idiosyncratic masterpiece, which is a classic step-down model with a distinctive personality. However, strictly as a picture-taking proposition the Rolleiflex Automat and Automat MX models of the ‘50s, which have coated lenses, Synchro-Compur shutters, and brighter, higher-contrast viewfinders are a better bet and also easier to find in pristine condition at lower prices.
The Rolleiflex Saga, Part 2: The Landmark Rolleiflex Automat of 1937 and the price-point Rolleiflex New Standard, which was anything but standard.
By Jason Schneider
The Rolleiflex Automat of 1937
In 1937 Franke & Heidecke unveiled the magnificent Rolleiflex Automat, the camera that established the form factor and feature set for all subsequent twin lens Rolleiflexes. One of the most exquisitely integrated optical-mechanical creations of all-time, the landmark Rolleiflex Automat was named for its signature feature, an ingenious automatic first frame positioning and frame counting system that monitors the length of the paper backed roll film as it passes between twin internal friction rollers and sets the camera accordingly—no red window needed. The Automat also had a profound influence on TLR design worldwide--the Japanese Yashica-Mat and the current Chinese-made Seagull are unabashed Rolleiflex copies, and numerous major and minor TLRs from Germany, Japan, and the US incorporated at least some Rollei Automat features.
Original Rolleiflex Automat, first introduced in 1937. Note Bayonet fitting on taking lens only but not on viewing lens
The Automat's impressive feature array transformed the twin lens Rolleflex in much the same way that the Leica M3 of 1954 took the rangefinder Leica to an entirely new level. The list includes all of the following: milled aperture- and shutter-speed-setting wheels nestled in between the lenses that read out conveniently in a little window atop the viewing lens; a right-hand, single-stroke film-wind crank that cocks the shutter, advances the film the next frame, advances the frame counter, and provides automatic first frame positioning; waist-level viewfinder with automatic parallax compensation at all distances by means of a moving frame under the focusing screen coupled to the focusing mechanism; a sports finder and focusing mirror built into the focusing hood, and a left-hand focusing knob with adjacent depth of field scale. The original Automat is fitted with a Compur-Rapid 1 second to 1/500 sec plus B and T inter-lens leaf shutter with self-timer, and an uncoated 75mm f/3.5 Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, and a faster 75mm f/2.8 Heidosmat viewing lens to enhance viewing brightness and focusing precision.
Original Rolleiflex Automat, subsequent version with Bayonet 1 fittings on both viewing and taking lenses.
The original Rolleiflex Automat of 1937 can be identified by having a Bayonet 1 mount on the front of the taking lens only; the viewing lens lacks the bayonet fitting and takes 28.5mm push-on accessories. While this landmark model is eminently collectible, it doesn’t allow the use of Rolleinar close-up lenses so its close focusing distance is effectively limited to 1 meter. The second and subsequent models of the Automat have bayonet fittings on both lenses and work quite well with Rolleinar No.1, No. 2, and No. 3 close-up lens sets, which incorporate an effective parallax compensating prism in the viewing lens adapter. It’s worth noting that no mechanical parallax compensating system, including the one in twin lens Rolleiflexes, provides 100% framing accuracy, and all sidestep their deficiencies by showing only about 85% of the captured image in the viewfinder. However, the Rolleis’ built-in moving frame system and the supplementary Rolleinar close-up lenses work reasonably well.
Original Rolleiflex introduced in 1937, side view showing film wind crank. Note Bayonet fitting on taking lens only.
The bottom line: original Rolleiflex Automats (any model) can be wonderful and enjoyable picture takers and their uncoated 75mm f/3.5 Carl Zeiss Jena lenses are renowned for capturing crisp, detailed, images that also render that “rounded” classic vintage look. Though they’re not particularly flare prone, it helps to avoid backlit subjects and to use a lens hood. These are old cameras so make sure to check the lens for haze, fungus and heavy scratches before you buy, make sure the viewing system is reasonably bright and clear (or be prepared to shell out for a fairly costly upgrade), fire the shutter at all speeds and, if possible, run a test roll through the camera to make sure everything is working properly. Because of their collectability original pre-war Rolleiflex Automats in excellent or better condition are fairly pricey ($275-450) and most will require a CLA to be reliable shooters. If you just want to take sharp, beautiful pictures with a nice old Rollei, the Rolleiflex Automat and Automat MX models of the ‘50s, which have coated lenses, Synchro-Compur shutters, and brighter, higher-contrast viewfinders are a better bet and they’re also easier to find in pristine condition at similar prices. But if your primary goal is capturing vintage look images with a legendary classic camera, the original Rolleiflex is well worth the trouble.
The Rolleflex New Standard of 1939
Rolleiflex New Standard of 1939-1941, Courtesy Japan Camera Hunter
The revised Rolleiflex Standard of 1939-1941 (later called the New Standard to distinguish it from the original Old Standard of 1932) was, like the much later Rolleiflex T, a camera built to a price point. Designed to fill in the perceived price gap between the Rolleiflex Automat and the Rolleicord II and Ia, it had a short lifespan, partially due to the fact that it was priced too close to the Automat, and partly due to the war, and it was phased out in 1941. It therefore qualifies as a low production model, with a total of 8,340 cameras having been made.
At first glance the camera looks quite similar to a Rolleiflex Automat of the late ‘30s but it lacks key functions of the top model and can be considered a functional intermediate between the Automat and the Rolleicord II. To cut costs the automatic first frame positioning mechanism was eliminated and instead a red window on the bottom with an ingenious spring-loaded self-deploying cover is used for visually setting the first frame on the paper backing. The milled shutter speed and aperture setting dials in between the lenses, and the readout window atop the viewing lens were eliminated, and replaced by Rolleicord style setting levers with adjacent numerals, the viewing lens os now a 75mm f/3.1 Heidosmat instead of the Automat’s 75mm f/2.8, and the self-timer, and the sports finder in the focusing hood, were deleted. Fortunately, many of the most important elements of the Automat were retained, including the Bayonet 1 fittings on both taking and viewing lenses, which facilitates the use of Rolleinar close-up lenses, the built-in automatic parallax compensation system and the excellent Compur-Rapid 1-1/500 sec plus B shutter, so the actual shooting capabilities of the New Standard are pretty close to those of the Automat. Many collectors consider its distinctive styling to be quite handsome.
Rolleiflex New Standard, front view
The bottom line: The Rolleiflex New Standard is a relatively uncommon model that’s prized by Rollei collectors so examples in pristine condition command premium prices in the $500 and up range. Strictly in terms of picture taking it’s quite similar to the Rolleiflex Automat of the same era which is more readily available and feature rich. However New Standards do occasionally show up at more attractive prices and they’re excellent cameras that can capture beautiful, sharp, vintage look images. The same caveats cited above for the Rolleiflex Automat apply to this idiosyncratic masterpiece, which is a classic step-down model with a distinctive personality. However, strictly as a picture-taking proposition the Rolleiflex Automat and Automat MX models of the ‘50s, which have coated lenses, Synchro-Compur shutters, and brighter, higher-contrast viewfinders are a better bet and also easier to find in pristine condition at lower prices.
