I've put about five rolls through my Rollei 35AF, and my experiences are similar to yours. I totally agree that the film winding feels awful. In my opinion, the film loading is the camera's biggest flaw, but not so much the things you described (taking the back off, etc.). I have had lots of problems getting the film to wrap around the takeup spool properly. If you load it per their directions, the film doesn't wrap tightly, with the result that the film is pushed by the sprockets into the takeup chamber and then tends to jam after a few frames. I had one roll of 24 frames stop winding at the 10th frame. The camera button on mine works fine. I kind of like the "popup" feature, which makes it easy to tell if the film is wound and the shutter cocked. You didn't mention one issue that I found with the camera, which is the somewhat obscure way it tells you if you have selected an aperture outside of the limits of the film's speed and the shutter speeds of the camera. For instance, if you load 400ISO film and set the camera to f2.8 on a bright sunny day, the camera doesn't have a shutter speed high enough to avoid overexposure. However, the only indication the camera gives you is a brief notification on the OLED screen immediately after you turn on the camera. For a brief moment, the OLED will give you the "+/-" indication, and you can adjust the aperture until you're within the shutter speed range of the camera to proper exposure. It's very easy to overlook (and there's nothing in the manual to tell you how to do this). Similarly, there is no indication that I can find (and I've read the manual several times) about selecting an aperture when using the flash. I usually set the aperture around 5.6 or 8 indoors and get OK results, but it would be nice if the camera gave you some basic guidance. That being said, the camera makes very nice pictures, and if you can overlook the film loading problems it is very fun to use. It will be interesting to see if they make changes in a version 2.0 that address some of the problems (and perhaps offer upgrades to buyers of version 1.0).
I don't have an engineering background, but in my job I often have to step outside of my specialty and create tools, sometimes on my own, sometimes with the help of real engineers. Looking at this camera, I fully appreciate the effort that went into creating it. I've used Mint's previous cameras, and they were very simple, very amateurish devices that were relatively easy to replicate. This new camera of theirs is much more complex and interesting, and in a new format for the company! And due to this sudden complication, I am not at all surprised by the problems, and would still consider buying it.
Thank you for your thoughts. The new Rollei 35 AF definitely has some great potential in it. Bit silly example, but I love the little screen it has. Really nice little way to see the metering, ISO and frame count. I am sure that the improved version of this are great steps into right direction. Thank you for watching. :) -Tuomas
I ordered one of these on day 1, still have not received it, but the more of these type of videos I see, the more I am regretting the purchase. I might be selling mine and sticking with my Pentax 17 and my used cameras.
I'd still buy this camera if I needed or wanted a point and shoot. It’s hands down the one with the most reliable focus and electronics. I have a bunch of film cameras and they are all quirky in some ways - including my M6, and I have a hard time understanding the "feels plasticky" problem. That being said, I'm sure Mint has room for improvement in the next versions.
Very entertaining Connor. I guess I'm weird, I can't remember ever having trouble loading my OG Rollei 35. I wouldn't call it fast though. You get used to it. This seems like a reasonable purchase to me. Between what I paid for my camera, and the CLA that it needed, I could have purchased this AF version.You got some nice pictures!
Please don't misrepresent the Rollei link. Rollei is a dead company that licenses out the name to many other parties (e.g. the 'Rollei' film, which has nothing to do with them). There's basically no Rollei input in this device - it's a Mint camera that managed to secure the branding.
@@pdp11 It's a problem because Rollei was a legendary camera manufacturer with large manufacturing ability and expertise, whose name is synonymous with quality engineering and Mint is one step above a garage outfit. They are worlds apart and to piggyback on the Rollei name is disingenuous since it implies that Rollei is somehow involved in this product.
@@pdp11 but Zeiss still has input on the design and QC of their lenses. Rollei is functionally dead and is having their name worn like animal skin over a trend-chasing corporation that has nothing to do with their history.
Comments like "they've brought a couple of things we've moved past... the whole back comes off" show that the review may have completely missed the point of this camera. It's meant to be an homage to the original with AF and not a modern take or 'resto-mod' of an old camera with all the bells and whistles. So I guess we will have to accept all the idiosyncrasies of the original including that film loading system because it replicates the experience. Thanks for calling out all the more practical issues like the grind-y film advance, stiff film rewind and quality issues with dials, shutter button and frame counter. Makes me dread receiving my copy. Having second thoughts now....
oh well oh well, what an interesting Camera! I would love to shoot with one sometime. BUT if i look at the Rollei Prego or the Nikon L35 AF or the Canon EF in the Background... well i think that all three of this will give me a smoother using experience. I dont know... mayby its a bit harsh to compare it like that, but the feeling that you get from using and touching the camera is something that at least to me, is very important. If you hold a Minolta XE-1 in your Hand and advance it, it just brings you joy! Or a Nikon F3 or a Canon F1New. The Canon EF as well. All of these were giving me just a loveley feeling when i was holding them and shooting with them. The Rollei 35AF rools to havyly on the NEW Tech Lidar wave for my taste. Would not be a Problem, but at the same time the look of the camera mimiks an og Rollei 35, so you must compare the tow, like you and Nico did. And well, an og. Rollei 35 is just simply the nicer Camera i would say.
I wanted to go back to shooting film so thought this might be a good start, also to get my son interested. So far I’m not liking it… too finnicky, no information regarding your exposure in the viewfinder so you need to take it away from your eye and look at the oled screen and the shutter release does not feel nice… need to press it too hard in my opinion. Still waiting for my first roll to come back but if I don’t like the results or have too many misses it’s going up for sale.
Hard to argue against. I scanned these with VALOI easy35 and first thought there was something with the holders. In this case, sadly not. You can quite clearly see them from the negatives also. -Tuomas
I have one. Im in the UK so unfortunately I paid German tax, plus import duty! £850 for the UK market (1000 euros). The loading is fiddly, not looking forward to loading another roll to be honest. Plus the shutter button requires a good heave to take the shot. I fully expect most of my pictures to be a little shaky. But it's fun. I'm crying, but love it.
Hi, did you order from the German Rollei store? If so, how did you manage to have them ship a unit to the UK? I tried to place an order from Switzerland, with a shipping address in Germany, and they immediately cancelled it. Because "tax issues". The only way I could get ahold of one was to order from the official Swiss store where they charge an extra 200 euros to cash in on the high Swiss purchasing power. After seeing this review I'm sure glad they didn't let me order
@@tirant_blanc It was during the pre-order stage in early September, so was through Rollei. At first I couldn't find UK listed on the selectable countries, but I was on the Rollei Germany page. I changed the url and I was able to order.
The idiotic design with the film loading is why I did not buy this. If not for that, I would have ordered one in a heartbeat. The shutter button is also just really odd and stupid. I think they should have delivered a functional viable autofocus camera focused on value, and nostalgia crapped all over it.
The design and the looks are great IMO. It would have been nice to see some improvements been made though but if you love the Rollei 35 look, this is a great choice - if the original is not an option. Thank you for watching! -Tuomas
@@Kamerastore This is a nice review. I cannot say anything about this new model. I find it lovely that this Hongkong company took up the challenge to recreate the Rollei 35. I used to have one of the original Rollei 35s made in Germany. I never had an issue with the film loading. I gave that Rollei 35 to my 23 years old son. He has no problem with that kind of film loading either. Yes true there are easier ways. I could load my Olympus OM2 much faster, and my Contax T2 does film-loading for me. But hey only because there are easier ways one doesn't need to adopt them for everything. I mean with everything brand new digital cameras offer with IBIS, quick autofocus, etc., etc. or a brand new smart phone for point and shoot. What is the point of producing new film cameras in the first place? It is for a different experience, isn't it? As for film loading, try a Leica from the 1950s where you have to even cut the film in shape before loading. I find that much more challenging! The other issues you have mentioned like the shutter button and the cheap feeling to the dials sounds more serious to me. By the way, did you mention the in built flash in the Rollei 35AF? I would have liked to see some pictures taken with that flash.
The more I see of these new film cameras, the more I realise that Westerners have too much money to burn. The thought of spending R20k on that Chinese made toy is obscene.
![40 of the Wildest & Weirdest Cameras/Lenses! [Flint's Fine Photographica Auction Nov 21st 2024]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XMyzrvn-byA/mqdefault.jpg)
I actually think the shutter button staying down after a pic is taken is great. You can tell at a glance if the shutter is cocked or not.
Yeah it definitely divides people. Some like it, some don´t. It´s not a bad thing to differentiate from the rest. -Tuomas
I've put about five rolls through my Rollei 35AF, and my experiences are similar to yours. I totally agree that the film winding feels awful.
In my opinion, the film loading is the camera's biggest flaw, but not so much the things you described (taking the back off, etc.). I have had lots of problems getting the film to wrap around the takeup spool properly. If you load it per their directions, the film doesn't wrap tightly, with the result that the film is pushed by the sprockets into the takeup chamber and then tends to jam after a few frames. I had one roll of 24 frames stop winding at the 10th frame.
The camera button on mine works fine. I kind of like the "popup" feature, which makes it easy to tell if the film is wound and the shutter cocked. You didn't mention one issue that I found with the camera, which is the somewhat obscure way it tells you if you have selected an aperture outside of the limits of the film's speed and the shutter speeds of the camera. For instance, if you load 400ISO film and set the camera to f2.8 on a bright sunny day, the camera doesn't have a shutter speed high enough to avoid overexposure. However, the only indication the camera gives you is a brief notification on the OLED screen immediately after you turn on the camera. For a brief moment, the OLED will give you the "+/-" indication, and you can adjust the aperture until you're within the shutter speed range of the camera to proper exposure. It's very easy to overlook (and there's nothing in the manual to tell you how to do this).
Similarly, there is no indication that I can find (and I've read the manual several times) about selecting an aperture when using the flash. I usually set the aperture around 5.6 or 8 indoors and get OK results, but it would be nice if the camera gave you some basic guidance.
That being said, the camera makes very nice pictures, and if you can overlook the film loading problems it is very fun to use. It will be interesting to see if they make changes in a version 2.0 that address some of the problems (and perhaps offer upgrades to buyers of version 1.0).
Thank you for sharing your experience. Some very important issues.
I don't have an engineering background, but in my job I often have to step outside of my specialty and create tools, sometimes on my own, sometimes with the help of real engineers. Looking at this camera, I fully appreciate the effort that went into creating it. I've used Mint's previous cameras, and they were very simple, very amateurish devices that were relatively easy to replicate. This new camera of theirs is much more complex and interesting, and in a new format for the company! And due to this sudden complication, I am not at all surprised by the problems, and would still consider buying it.
Thank you for your thoughts. The new Rollei 35 AF definitely has some great potential in it. Bit silly example, but I love the little screen it has. Really nice little way to see the metering, ISO and frame count. I am sure that the improved version of this are great steps into right direction. Thank you for watching. :) -Tuomas
A honest review by a camera store! I really appreciate that.
Thank you for watching! -Tuomas
It’s Matt Day's Finnish cousin! :D Lovely video, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I ordered one of these on day 1, still have not received it, but the more of these type of videos I see, the more I am regretting the purchase. I might be selling mine and sticking with my Pentax 17 and my used cameras.
I'd still buy this camera if I needed or wanted a point and shoot. It’s hands down the one with the most reliable focus and electronics. I have a bunch of film cameras and they are all quirky in some ways - including my M6, and I have a hard time understanding the "feels plasticky" problem. That being said, I'm sure Mint has room for improvement in the next versions.
Very entertaining Connor. I guess I'm weird, I can't remember ever having trouble loading my OG Rollei 35. I wouldn't call it fast though. You get used to it. This seems like a reasonable purchase to me. Between what I paid for my camera, and the CLA that it needed, I could have purchased this AF version.You got some nice pictures!
Hey Connor, thank you for your thoughts...
Please don't misrepresent the Rollei link. Rollei is a dead company that licenses out the name to many other parties (e.g. the 'Rollei' film, which has nothing to do with them). There's basically no Rollei input in this device - it's a Mint camera that managed to secure the branding.
And this is a problem because? There are plenty of Zeiss lenses manufactured by Cosina.
@@pdp11 It's a problem because Rollei was a legendary camera manufacturer with large manufacturing ability and expertise, whose name is synonymous with quality engineering and Mint is one step above a garage outfit. They are worlds apart and to piggyback on the Rollei name is disingenuous since it implies that Rollei is somehow involved in this product.
@@pdp11 but Zeiss still has input on the design and QC of their lenses. Rollei is functionally dead and is having their name worn like animal skin over a trend-chasing corporation that has nothing to do with their history.
worst decision of mine on 2024 to buy this. the pentax 17 was a much better investment for me
*cough Canonet QL17*
Comments like "they've brought a couple of things we've moved past... the whole back comes off" show that the review may have completely missed the point of this camera. It's meant to be an homage to the original with AF and not a modern take or 'resto-mod' of an old camera with all the bells and whistles. So I guess we will have to accept all the idiosyncrasies of the original including that film loading system because it replicates the experience.
Thanks for calling out all the more practical issues like the grind-y film advance, stiff film rewind and quality issues with dials, shutter button and frame counter. Makes me dread receiving my copy. Having second thoughts now....
oh well oh well, what an interesting Camera! I would love to shoot with one sometime. BUT if i look at the Rollei Prego or the Nikon L35 AF or the Canon EF in the Background... well i think that all three of this will give me a smoother using experience. I dont know... mayby its a bit harsh to compare it like that, but the feeling that you get from using and touching the camera is something that at least to me, is very important. If you hold a Minolta XE-1 in your Hand and advance it, it just brings you joy! Or a Nikon F3 or a Canon F1New. The Canon EF as well. All of these were giving me just a loveley feeling when i was holding them and shooting with them. The Rollei 35AF rools to havyly on the NEW Tech Lidar wave for my taste. Would not be a Problem, but at the same time the look of the camera mimiks an og Rollei 35, so you must compare the tow, like you and Nico did. And well, an og. Rollei 35 is just simply the nicer Camera i would say.
I wanted to go back to shooting film so thought this might be a good start, also to get my son interested. So far I’m not liking it… too finnicky, no information regarding your exposure in the viewfinder so you need to take it away from your eye and look at the oled screen and the shutter release does not feel nice… need to press it too hard in my opinion. Still waiting for my first roll to come back but if I don’t like the results or have too many misses it’s going up for sale.
€849 for this camera is wild, with that amount you can get a well acl, used compact camera, like a mjuii and a xa
Those hairs are ridiculous.
Hard to argue against. I scanned these with VALOI easy35 and first thought there was something with the holders. In this case, sadly not. You can quite clearly see them from the negatives also. -Tuomas
I have one. Im in the UK so unfortunately I paid German tax, plus import duty! £850 for the UK market (1000 euros). The loading is fiddly, not looking forward to loading another roll to be honest. Plus the shutter button requires a good heave to take the shot. I fully expect most of my pictures to be a little shaky. But it's fun. I'm crying, but love it.
Hi, did you order from the German Rollei store? If so, how did you manage to have them ship a unit to the UK? I tried to place an order from Switzerland, with a shipping address in Germany, and they immediately cancelled it. Because "tax issues". The only way I could get ahold of one was to order from the official Swiss store where they charge an extra 200 euros to cash in on the high Swiss purchasing power. After seeing this review I'm sure glad they didn't let me order
@@tirant_blanc It was during the pre-order stage in early September, so was through Rollei. At first I couldn't find UK listed on the selectable countries, but I was on the Rollei Germany page. I changed the url and I was able to order.
They see me Rollein', they lovin'
she like, "Hold up".
The idiotic design with the film loading is why I did not buy this. If not for that, I would have ordered one in a heartbeat. The shutter button is also just really odd and stupid. I think they should have delivered a functional viable autofocus camera focused on value, and nostalgia crapped all over it.
The design and the looks are great IMO. It would have been nice to see some improvements been made though but if you love the Rollei 35 look, this is a great choice - if the original is not an option. Thank you for watching! -Tuomas
@@Kamerastore This is a nice review. I cannot say anything about this new model. I find it lovely that this Hongkong company took up the challenge to recreate the Rollei 35. I used to have one of the original Rollei 35s made in Germany. I never had an issue with the film loading. I gave that Rollei 35 to my 23 years old son. He has no problem with that kind of film loading either. Yes true there are easier ways. I could load my Olympus OM2 much faster, and my Contax T2 does film-loading for me. But hey only because there are easier ways one doesn't need to adopt them for everything. I mean with everything brand new digital cameras offer with IBIS, quick autofocus, etc., etc. or a brand new smart phone for point and shoot. What is the point of producing new film cameras in the first place? It is for a different experience, isn't it? As for film loading, try a Leica from the 1950s where you have to even cut the film in shape before loading. I find that much more challenging! The other issues you have mentioned like the shutter button and the cheap feeling to the dials sounds more serious to me. By the way, did you mention the in built flash in the Rollei 35AF? I would have liked to see some pictures taken with that flash.
It’s a piece of crap camera definitely not in the workmanship of Rollei and way overpriced!!! Don’t buy it!
*laughs in Canonet QL17*
The more I see of these new film cameras, the more I realise that Westerners have too much money to burn. The thought of spending R20k on that Chinese made toy is obscene.
Some have too much money, others have too little.
You should see what Chinese people spend on EU made toys.