I love how Greg always has a big smile after snapping a frame. He has no idea what the image will look like but he seems thrilled just to partake of the process. That is what photography is to me as well. I love going out, finding compositions, deciding my settings then capturing a frame. I am never in a huge rush to develop when I get home as the experience of just shooting is often satisfying enough for the time being.
I've had this camera for about 3 yrs now. I absolutely love it and it is quite a charmer when people realize that it is a full frame film camera. I bought a little Olympus flash to mount on the hot shoe, just turn it upside down to shoot flash.
I still have my Rollei 35S black that my father gave to me in 1979 before I traveled with my wife to Europe for the first time. The results were absolutely magnificent! Thank you for the video.
I always lusted after a Rollei 35, such a beautiful camera, an iconic design. And please don't apologise for the film loading problems, we've all done it at some stage! Great video Max, enjoyed it a lot, thank you so much.
I'm only 3 years late.. Still have my lovely Rollei 35 (3.5 Tessar, Made in Germany) with its leather pouch and rubber lens hood. I think the Zeiss Tessar is the sharpest lens I own, it outranks my Leitz and Voigtlander lenses by a very small margin (or so I think). HM Queen Elizabeth had one and Nelson Rockefeller was another user. In common with another commenter here, I bought a Minox GT-E some years later which is great too, but the Tessar still rules (like QE2, :-) .
Most engaging video, with nice footage of the 35S being used in Würzburg. Nicely produced, with a fine choice of music as well. I particularly enjoyed your relating how the camera came to be designed and the design fortunately being embraced by the right manufacturer. Hut ab! Keep them coming.
Analog Insights: Following your review I purchased a Rollei 35 TE from e-bay (Singapore camera with f3.5 tessar lens, Yellow and Red filters, lens hood and flash gun for £120) and waited anxiously for my first roll of Ilford HP5 to come back from the lab. Oh my...the results are fantastic. What a fabulous little camera. I need to practice my zone focusing, as I had a few that were slightly soft, but overall the Tessar lens produced remarkable results and the micro contrast is one of the best I've seen. Now I am looking to buy a Leica IIIf..following another earlier review...it is getting expensive watching your channel!
@@hannajessamalicdem1402 : Because the TE and SE took the older mercury batteries, but the red and green ‘traffic lights’ in the viewfinder have some sort of voltage protection - therefore 6v is ok rather than the 5.6v. I use three LR44 batteries and one LR43 battery (which is a little thinner) - four LR44 is too long, the LR43 allows the series of four to fit inside the original plastic housing. Because the older battery had a ‘nipple’ on each end, to make electric contact to the camera, but the LR batteries have a flat surface on one end I found I had to roll up a little amount of tin foil at one end so it made the circuit. I’ve tested the meter against my Sekonic hand held meter and it is surprising accurate.
An important thing to note about the Rollei 35, Rollei 35 T and Rollei 35 S models specifically: It is highly recommended to only buy a camera from a trustworthy seller who can verify it works perfectly, or if you can try it out yourself before handing over money. Unless it's very cheap it is a risk getting an untested one. All of the above models (with very few exceptions from the very beginning and end of the production) have a significant mechanical weak spot: a plastic gear used in the winding mechanism. The teeth on this gear can wear down after heavy use and forceful winding and it is not replaceable (unless you have a donor camera). When this happens, the winding can occasionally skip a notch and permanently "offset" the mechanism, not allowing you to fully cock the shutter in one stroke (making it effectively a double-stroke camera, except not fun). Some sources on the internet claim that only Singapore made versions have this problem, but this is not true: even most of the German cameras use the plastic gear. I used to own one with the issue myself. Do not let this discourage you from getting one though. The Rollei 35/T/S models are wonderfully designed little cameras with excellent lenses that handle unlike any other. I could spend hours describing the many ways they're brilliantly designed. My personal favorite is the plain old Rollei 35 by the way. Though less sharp, for some reason I prefer the Tessar's rendering over the Sonnar on the more expensive model. It's very nitpicky though. PS: Rollei 35 TE and SE do not have the plastic gear problem but are in my opinion not as well designed. Get a 35/T/S instead for the proper Rollei 35 experience.
Thank you so much for your interesting and thoughtful comment. Very informative and helpful, I think. I would have mentioned this aspect if I had known it, of course. :)
Not going to grill you for the light leaks! On my first roll of film in the Rollei 35 S, I actually tore through some of the sprocket holes of the film, but luckily could still rewind the film. I had 38 frames on it! The Rollei 35 has no friction clutch like other 35 mm cameras, so once you reach the very end of the film, you may get stuck in the middle of the film advance lever swing. And without completing it, you can't even retract the lens. But don't force it! The only way to avoid this is to do as the user manual suggests: Once you exposed frame 36, stop shooting and rewind the film! Don't take chances, although you might be able to get another frame or even two! Thanks for the nice video on the amazing little camera
Hi. Assuming you are in that situation and cannot collapse the lens... can you still rewind the film by using the lever next to viewfinder first and then rotating the rewind crank under the camera (as usual) ?
A great video, Joy to watch as usual, made with good taste and a smooth-calm atmosphere and I really like it. Always great to watch in the evening after long work days. Thanks Max!
I have had Rollei 35's since right after they first came out and still have 3 in active use--one S and two Tessar 35's--all made in Germany. The Singapore versions often had light leaks and flash sync problems because of dubious quality backs, but the lens quality is excellent. I have gone on vacations and only taken the Rolleis--Color film in the S and B&W in the Tessar and have never been disappointed. Great video on a favorite camera! Thanks!
Thanks for your comment. This sounds like a great, compact setup and probably covers all you need when going on vacation. Interesting to hear that the Tessar versions are particularly well-suited for black and white. I keep reading this in the comments here. :)
My understanding is that the Tessar design dates back to around 1902, long before there was color film. Some of my favorite cameras are the old folders with the Tessar lenses, especially the Zeiss Ikons. Find one, load it with a good b&w film and enjoy the prints. And yes, I've made 16x20 prints from all of my Rolleis.
Nice video (as usual). It’s really inspiring the calm style of your videos. Just a note about the camera, some versions have a easier battery to find a replacement. There is difference in price but it’s worth mentioning this aspect. I use one of these Rollei’s and I love the size of it and the comfort that gives you.
I was lucky enough to be given a German made Rollei 35 with the Tessar lens about 4 years ago. The controls are natural for shutter & exposure, because my main cameras are Rollei TLRs, so the controls are very similar. Zone focusing is easy, and I even like watching people’s faces with I advance the film with my left hand! Thanks for a thoroughly entertaining review, now on to you Rollei TLR, then the new Rollei Ortho 25 improved film..
This may help someone sometime: there's a very good way of turning a jacket into an effective changing bag. Button/zip the jacket closed. Fold the neck over and the bottom part too. Turn the jacket over so that you are looking at the back of it. Put your arms up the sleeves from the cuff end. Of course you have to put the camera in the jacket first. I learned this many years ago from a camera book, and have often used the technique to good effect. Thanks for the videos.
Thank you so much, i have this 35 s version made in Singapore in silver in very good condition with which I am doing street photography, it is wonderful, clear, easy to use and very portable next to my Olympus EMD M10 MII in a small bag.Very good video and hurts those lights of light and not being able to have exposed that other black and white roll.Greetings.
Just started after many years again with analog photography. Right now with a Minox 35 PL and a GT. The results are impressing and the way of shooting is absolutely contrary to any kind of digital photography I did. The video, which I enjoyed very much for it's calmness convinced me to have an eye on a Rollei 35 as well.
Another top quality video on a camera i have recently been looking at picking up myself (good timing) Also i love the shot at 18:47 the light leak adds so much character Keep them up
You go out for a day with film cameras, super8 or even 16mm cine cameras? Then bring along a film changing bag, a pair of clean white gloves and some light-tight plastic containers. It weighs all in all just a pound, but saved me several times. On one occasion, that bag even "saved" a commercial photographer on an outdoor portrait shoot! (..way back when...)
Since I shoot with an old, crusty, and cantankerous RB67, I too, know the sorrow of something going wrong inside the camera. Since the first screw up, I start carrying a changing bag as well. I've had light leaks from deteriorating foam seals. This prompted me to learn how to replace those seals in that camera as well as the Nikon bodies I have. Errors like these are fine as long as you can learn from them.
I have a 35S. Zone focusing even at wide apertures is a pretty easy skill once you commit yourself and practice. We estimate distances in daily life all the time - riding bicycles, playing sports, etc. For critical precision shots I have this tiny German-made Rowi hotshot rangefinder that works perfectly and fits elegantly underneath this little beauty. Sonnar lens is also ridiculous...it's basically a Leica quality glass in the palm of your hand. Heck, it might even be a more charming picture taker than a Leica lens.
Lots of good info here, I think! Thank you for sharing this review. One of the few things I actually like about the digital photography fad is that all the cameras I wanted to use way back when they were new--and I mostly couldn't afford them--are now relatively inexpensive. Which means I can indulge myself a bit. The Rollei 35 is definitely appealing and your video and commentary are much appreciated! Thank you.
Thanks for your comment. And yes, you're right about that but at the same time it appears like the analog photography market is getting increasingly crowded again. Channels like this one might contribute to that. :)
Before I bought my Intrepid, I had lots of advice to find a "better" large format camera by buying some used whatever. And, lots of those old wooden field cameras are wonderful. But I decided to treat my self to an actually new new camera. I am very happy to see all the new stuff coming out--whether or not it is anything I personally want to use. I figure more options are, mostly, a good thing. Especially if those options cause more film to be sold. One thing I am hoping we might see is a relatively compact Instax based camera with full manual controls. Probably not too likely but I still hope. :) And, yes, people and channels/blogs like yours--well informed and pleasant to watch/read--are definitely helping that.
I loved mine but is not an easy camera to focus at the wider apertures.The Minox 35gt was the same zone focusing. I think i replaced it with a Contax T2. and shot that at 2.8 constantly. Geat camera.
I had a Rollie 35 (f3.5) as a pocketable backup camera in late 1970s. It all worked well except for the jamming film on re-wind. This occurred often enough (despite care) that I finally abandoned it for that reason, believing it had a serious mechanical fault.
Ooooh I liked that, a real memory jerker. The Rollei 35s was my constant companion all through the 80s complementing my Rollei SL35 until the mid 90s when I bought an Olympus Mju and a Nikon FM2n; I have had various Mju variants ever since up to my new pretty red TG-3. I still have my little Rollei, probably my favourite camera of all time, the lens was tack sharp and using it seemed special. I never fixed zone focussed, though I always estimated DoF, and cant say I was bothered by out of focus photos but, I guess, I have always been good at estimating distance. It is after all a 40mm lens so it has good DoF. I recall one retro review describing it as Ordnance and I guess that is perhaps teh best discription, it seems military, precision and built like an armoured steel brick. The controls mimicking a Rolleiflex TLR which I learnt on was the icing on teh cake for me. Thanks for telling me about the battery adapter, I will look out for one of those, though now I just meter with my smart phone for all my film cameras ;-)
Vici Martynov : Here you can find the battery adapter. It also reduces the voltage of the LR44 to 1.35V. Best regards rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.de%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F192484232953
I've never understood why some prefer the Rollie 35 to the Olympus XA. The XA is smaller and lighter, a true shirt pocket. It has a clamshell design, so no lens cap or on/off switch is required. The 35mm lens is coupled to a built in rangefinder. (There is a model, the XA4 which has a 28mm lens.) I have used this little XA extensively, especially. on bicycle trips where size and weight count. I remember when this little camera appeared on the market, some highly respectable pros sang its praises. I used to have a Rollie TLR which is a wonderful professional camera, no question, a masterpiece.. The Rollie 35 seems to me like it was designed by someone who has two very small left hands.
Hi! What about a second review on it, for newer results? One doubt I've heard of: do you have to keep the shutter button pressed until the shutter closes? Best! (07/21) Just picked one. I'm in love!
I read somewhere that for some fully mechanical vintage cameras it’s not good for the shutter mechanism to change the speed after already having cocked the shutter. So say that you cocked the shutter at 1/60th of a second, but the lighting situation changed and you want to bump the shutter speed up to 1/250th, doing so could damage those components. Is that true for the 35s?
My first job many years ago was in a camera shop. At that time, the Rollei S model was becoming very popular. But even then, there were reliability issues with the shutter and film advance. One finds many of these cameras for sale today- some of which need repair. It’s my understanding that Rollei in Germany can still service these vintage cameras, but I’ve shied away from buying one in the U.S. out of concern for repairs. Any thoughts on this? Many thanks for another great video!
My original 35 has the even earlier Zeiss Jena Tessar with the numbers. It truly is a made in Germany with the correct stamped letters. I much prefer this one for black and white photos. The later sonnar lens is better for color.
I remember a lot of the original marketing effort was directed at outdoorsmen hikers, climbers, cyclists and such where a small light quality travel camera was advantageous
Awesome Review! As usual? One question. knowing are different cameras, if you have to pick one, which one you choose? this one or the minolta 35 7sII. Thanks
Great video.....I received as a gift a ROLLEI 35S gold-plated 24k in a beautiful box and a leather pouch..serial 0365....lens TESAR 2.8/40....MADE BY ROLLEI......it doesn't say anywhere on camera if made in Germany or Singapore......anyway....I have been using a full frame NIKON750 for years now.....by now I like to start using this nice small camera cause I love street photography...well.....first thing I noticed is the light meter doesn't work....maybe is the battery.....I tried to find the suggested PX625 but I cannot find one...but will try......another question: how much do you think this ROLLEI is now worth ???? thank you
Hi! There are alternatives to the original PX625 mercury batteries by now. Please look for so-called Wein cells and PX625 alternative. This works perfectly fine for the camera. The value heavily depends on the condition and authenticity of the camera. Some are repainted after market which of course doesn’t give them the same value as an original.
This is the film photographer's weakness: knowing 100% that you snapped the roll on the last frame but opening the camera anyway just to check...and turning a small problem into a huge problem. I think everyone's done it... and again and again.
With my Rollei 35S I always stop after shooting 35 exposures with a 36 exposure film. I have also suffered from this very same problem with breaking the film on rewind. I must admit I have always had problems loading and unloading the film. So I always say a little prayer before doing these activities. Other than that it is this poor man's Leica. The 40 mm Sonnar just has no equal - especially with Kodak Portra 400. Also great with HP5. And with this camera I have found that if you follow Robert Capa's advice "If your photographs are not good enough then you are not close enough" you will not go wrong.
I've an original 35, evidently a bit rare, Singapore model with Schneider-Krueznach S-Xenar lens (which was used for a short time at the very onset of the Singpore locations beginnings as I understand it), inherited from my grandfather who bought it when it first came out. It remained one of his two favorite cameras of all time. Evidently this lens is considered "less desirable". Don't tell that to my late grandfather or his photographs.... and I certainly have never been anything but impressed by the Xenar.
Nice video, very well explained. I just have a question.... My lightmeter doesn't work, I used a new PX 625A battery and it doesn't move or simply doesn't react to light. Is it only working with the LR44 batteries or maybe the lightmeter is just broken? thank you
Very enjoyable, thank you! My own similar experience is using a Minox. I have been shooting with it within the last few weeks, with great results. It also has no rangefinder, but usually the focus has been okay. Long ago you could get a separate rangefinder, and manually set the results on the camera, I think I have actually seen one of those. Keep up the excellent work!
Max, just to clarify ... my comment seems to imply that Minox had a separate rangefinder. I doubt that. I am not sure which company might have made them.
@@g-r-a-e-m-e- I have a little slot in range finder which I bought 25 years ago in a classic camera store in London, close to the British Museum. I used it in my Rollei 35S and SE when shooting at f2.8 close up. I still have it, but is a little dirty inside. For all outdoor shots, I used the DOF aperture scale and pre-focused. I was quicker with my picture taking than my Ricoh GR21 on AF. (Although using snap focus this was similar)
i just bought my rollei 35s off ebay, and the film advance leaver doesnt work. is this because theres no battery or film in it? or is it broken? (also i havent extended the lens yet)
robbyrazzer . The Rollei 35 dosn‘t do anything, if the lens isnˋt in shooting position (extended). With the collapsed lens you can not press the shutter button for the shutter release. And the lens can only be collapsed, when the film is advanced and the shutter is cocked. This is the reason, why your Rollei dosnˋt operate. First- pull out the lens and lock it by turning it clockwise. Then you can release the shutter. And afte that you can move the lever. Best regards, Greg
My one for a front filter which is very good to have on the lens and to keep the lens clean and is very hard to find a 32mm filter for these kinds of cameras
What's up Max, thanks for this review. I think a major limiting factor of this camera is the fact that shooting at those small apertures you're not getting any shallow depth of field effect. Meaning portraits won't be as beautiful if you are not able to accurately Focus and maybe as you said shooting wide-open is out the question. Someone in my Facebook group mentions they use a Laser Rangefinder to set the distances on there medium format folding cameras. I own a voigtlander color Ultron 50mm lens which I reviewed on my channel and it was also made in Singapore yes the history fluctuates with this company and voigtlander in the latter part of their histories.
It might be worth trying to shoot a portrait with the Rollei 35 at f/2.8 but this probably wouldn't be anyone's first choice for portraits or low light photography. A 40mm lens is too wide for a natural looking portrait, although it would work for an environmental portrait.
Yes, I agree with what has been said. I wouldn't necessarily use this camera for shooting portraits. There are much better tools for that. Yet, environmental portraits would be an option, bringing the camera as an addition to a portrait camera.
I just got this camera and I have a question. Is it the asa/din dial a loaded film reminder or it affects the settings. By the way, acts some turns I gets stuck.
I have this camera and love it. I think due to the small form factor there is a reasonably strong force from the advance lever. I had one film come off the spool at the end on the last crank of the lever. It was a reel I had spooled myself so blamed it on my poor taping skills. Probably best to just take it easy on the last two or three frames.
Thanks for your comment. You're the second person to point out that this can happen with this camera. Good to know that it wasn't just my fault but can happen with this particular model. :)
Analog Insights, I have really e joyed your RUclips content. Keep doing what you’re doing. I shoot more medium format than 35mm and occasionally 4x5 but if it’s film I’m always interested.
Rollei 35 Classic has a hot shoe on the top plate, of course, it is much more expensive and has loads of limited versions. Is the shoe on the rollei 35/35s hot or cold? Hope you could do a video about the reviving kodak Tmax p3200 film, perhaps using Spur Acurol-N developer?
good video, but you could 'scale focus' this as well, remember the Leica MD ?, this, and early M types had no in-built rangefinder, you added it onto the cold shoe!, this could work on this camera as well, if not on a handgrip or bracket screwed into the tripod mount.
I got one of these cameras and I got it for £27.00 and it came with the original case and camera strap and lens cap and it works well and I get good photos from it
For those seeking the smallest camera, the Rollei 35 still comes out "on up", in that the two options mentioned,the Minolta TC-1 and Minox 35 (and its several other brand versions) have notable problems by comparison. I've used a lot of cameras over many years, but I've always owned at least on Rollei 35. I prefer the Rollei 35SE for its diode in-viewfinder meter readouts, and its use of a battery which does not require a workaround to replace the mercury button battery used by earlier models (also 35TE).
I have used the Minox adapter which holds 4x365(?) watch cells, a silver oxide 6 volt battery of the form factor required to fit the 35SE battery box, and I am currently using a lithium cell of the same size. The silver oxide and lithium batteries each put out 6 volts, but with the modest use I make of the camera,the lithium should last for years. The 35SE/TE metering systems use a voltage regulator required by the LED readouts, so just about any battery or combo which will fit into the camera and yield 5.6 volts or more will operate the meter accurately.
The XA is more pocketable and has a rangefinder; it is also auto-exposure only - not an advantage. The lenses on the various XA versions vary from average (XA) with great light fall-off, to lesser. The all metal Rollei is more durable and heavy than the plastic bodied XA. The XA is more convenient and faster working in use. Biggest difference is the lenses. The Tessar in the Rollei 35/T is very good (much better than the XA). The Sonnar in the 35S/SE is one of the best lenses ever installed in a 35mm camera. The XA was intended to be used as a fast working shapshot camera. Most of the Rollei 35 models were designed to optically compete with any camera.
Without intent, I may have mislead as bit re batteries for the SE/TE versions. You can use any battery of the same form factor as the original mercury battery, as they all start off around 6 volts and are stepped down to 5.4 volts by the camera. Most common are the alkaline, but they loose voltage fairly quickly, so when they fall below 5.4 volts, you can have some inaccuracy in the metering. I'm using 4 button cells in a plastic holder designed for the Minox 35 (it was factory packed by Rollei with my last SE purchase). I thought I was using a lithium cell ion the original form factor, but I'm not, and I'm not sure such is available. In any event, my current usage is going on over 4 years with no end in sight.
I bought a Rollei 35T around 1982. I still have it but unfortunately the shutter is frozen and the light meter is kaputt ;-) I should get it fixed if I can find someone to work on it.
How about the B 35 or C 35 with Zeiss Triotar? It looks so much cleaner. How ascot that lens based on the Cooke Triplet. Sharp enough? Corrected enough? Contrasty enough?
Hello Max, I have encountered a little glitsch with my Rollei 35.. Maybe you, or another follower can help me. When I advance my film, I can see that it actualy advances, but the framenumber indicator does rarely advance. So it happens that I shot my 36 frames, but the indicator is still on 5... Do you have any idea how I can kick the indicator back to life ? Vielen Dank. Grûsse aus Belgien.
Hello Max how are you? I think I've watched this review about three times now LOL. What is the name of the song that starts at 6 minutes and 25 second mark the guitar?
Am Schliersee habe ich heute mein erstes analoges Bild aufgenommen. Hoffentlich ist Verschluss und Blende in Ordnung, sodass dank Belichtungsapp des Handy eine halbwegs brauchbare Belichtung entstanden ist. Benutzt habe ich den Kodak Gold 200, da es der billigste Film ist, den ich auftreiben konnte. Ich freue mich auf die Ergebnisse (dauert noch - Film ist noch nicht voll) und bin gespannt, ob ich die Schärfe richtig getroffen habe. Präventiv nutze ich Blende 5,6, damit genügend Licht eintrifft und ein größere Schärfespielraum genutzt werden kann. Hat echt Spaß gemacht.👍🏻
Das klingt nach einem sehr schönen Ausflug und nach allen erdenklichen Vorsichtsmaßnahmen um gleich beim ersten Film gute Ergebnisse zu bekommen. Noch ein Hinweis: Lieber nicht am Film sparen. Der Kodak Gold ist einem Kodak Portra oder Ektar qualitativ deutlich unterlegen. Würde immer empfehlen, die 2 oder 3 Euro extra zu spendieren und dafür mit professionellen Filmen zu arbeiten. Dann gibt's richtig gute Resultate. Und: Farbnegativfilme gerne etwas überbelichten. Das verkraften sie gut.
Enjoyable video, Max. :) I have a 35 SE that I still haven't used. The seller said he was fortunate enough to own two and what became mine was his back-up one which never left his house before....Interesting story about the circumstances/providences involved in the design and production, and I didn't know about the brass top versus aluminium for the German, Singapore models respectively..From my recollection, the Sonnar is supposed to be a little bit sharper and better colour rendition, but the Tessar, having less elements, is actually preferred by some in b&w for its rendering of micro-tonality. Probably not much in it like you said, were the prices too far apart...Regarding the zone focusing, have you ever heard of the "human rangefinder" tool? Somebody came up with a neat little bit of geometry using the parallax effect of having one eye open to view and then swapping to the other and observing the apparent shift in position of the subject. Someone else then made a little program that you input a couple of your measurements and it outputs a scale whose distances allow you to find your range easily. Not necessarily applicable of course when you want to be quick and just use the zone focusing, but when you want to open up your aperture for more critical DoF use it would be very helpful. Here's the link to the program: tomchuk.com/misc/rf/
I use my 35T with HP5 and 35S with Portra 400. I am thinking of trying a roll of Ektachrome 100 with the 35S. A little nervous since I have not used slide film in 30 years.
I have this camera as the Made in Germany version with Zeiss Tessar. Here in Texas seems to work best with Ilford XP2 Super films. If I had an address, , Id send you examples Taken with it. I only meter by eye/ It’s quite an amazing camera.
I used to shoot mine every day with TMax400 until I couldn’t. The shutter failed and it was beyond repair. First I sent it to New Jersey but then I had to ship it to California where I believe it was replaced with another shutter. I have to use it again. It makes a lot of sense to take it in your car always in a place where heat will not dilute the lubricants nor the film!
I actually prefer the slower lens, I took my 35b to Lebanon and set a hyper focal point, some of my favourite shots .I took a photo in a nightclub in Brrlin too, amazing camera.
I accidentally opened my rollei 35 without the film being rewinded (the mechanism didn't work) is my film completely ruined since the film was completely outside the tank?
Thanks for your comment. And good to hear that I am not alone with my unfortunate experience. Seems like a bit of a design flaw to me if it possible to advance too far so easily. :)
Thanks for the tip about the voltage converter! It encouraged me to get two of them from "the small battery company", one for the Rollei 35, and one for my Yashica mat 124G. They work like a charm on both of them (checked both with a light meter and with pictures). Can only recommend them. It is like having a new camera!
Thanks a lot for your kind comment. I really appreciate it. The shoulder bag is an Oberwerth "Bayreuth" which you can find here: www.oberwerth.com/en/camera-bag-bayreuth/
My Rollei and I never became friends. I had too much difficulty judging distance, was only able to use it stopped down at great distances - closer motifs with shallow depth of field were too aggravating.
Hello Max, Das Labor Deines Vertrauens ist ja MeinFilmLab. Meine Frage: in welcher Auflösung läßt Du Dir zur digitalen Weiterverarbeitung die Scans erstellen? M, L, XL, XXL oder TIF? Was empfiehlst Du mir? Viele Grüße - Tom
Because he placed the mic over his throat :) i prefer to see more results instead of seeing someone talking :) we can hear him on B roll its better in videos about photography
I love how Greg always has a big smile after snapping a frame. He has no idea what the image will look like but he seems thrilled just to partake of the process. That is what photography is to me as well. I love going out, finding compositions, deciding my settings then capturing a frame. I am never in a huge rush to develop when I get home as the experience of just shooting is often satisfying enough for the time being.
I've had this camera for about 3 yrs now. I absolutely love it and it is quite a charmer when people realize that it is a full frame film camera. I bought a little Olympus flash to mount on the hot shoe, just turn it upside down to shoot flash.
Thanks so much for your comment and the piece of advice regarding turning the camera upside down to shoot flash. Very helpful!
May I ask which Olympus flash?
Thanks!
I still have my Rollei 35S black that my father gave to me in 1979 before I traveled with my wife to Europe for the first time. The results were absolutely magnificent! Thank you for the video.
I always lusted after a Rollei 35, such a beautiful camera, an iconic design.
And please don't apologise for the film loading problems, we've all done it at some stage!
Great video Max, enjoyed it a lot, thank you so much.
I just picked up a 35SE from an original owner in great condition cant wait to shoot a roll or 10. Great video fellas all the best for 2022.
I'm only 3 years late..
Still have my lovely Rollei 35 (3.5 Tessar, Made in Germany) with its leather pouch and rubber lens hood.
I think the Zeiss Tessar is the sharpest lens I own, it outranks my Leitz and Voigtlander lenses by a very small margin (or so I think).
HM Queen Elizabeth had one and Nelson Rockefeller was another user.
In common with another commenter here, I bought a Minox GT-E some years later which is great too, but the Tessar still rules (like QE2, :-) .
bought an almost unused Rollei 35 "Made in Germany" for 5€ on a flea market. Very happy with it
lemme have it !!! lol
You luck luck b*******.
Most engaging video, with nice footage of the 35S being used in Würzburg. Nicely produced, with a fine choice of music as well. I particularly enjoyed your relating how the camera came to be designed and the design fortunately being embraced by the right manufacturer. Hut ab! Keep them coming.
Another wonderful video Max - I always find your style of presentation so engaging. Always appreciated!
Thanks a lot! Really appreciate your kind feedback. :)
So nostalgic! I owned a 35T back in the late 70s. Such a little gem of a camera.
Analog Insights: Following your review I purchased a Rollei 35 TE from e-bay (Singapore camera with f3.5 tessar lens, Yellow and Red filters, lens hood and flash gun for £120) and waited anxiously for my first roll of Ilford HP5 to come back from the lab. Oh my...the results are fantastic. What a fabulous little camera. I need to practice my zone focusing, as I had a few that were slightly soft, but overall the Tessar lens produced remarkable results and the micro contrast is one of the best I've seen. Now I am looking to buy a Leica IIIf..following another earlier review...it is getting expensive watching your channel!
Hiii what battery did you use for the TE? Thanks
@@hannajessamalicdem1402 : Because the TE and SE took the older mercury batteries, but the red and green ‘traffic lights’ in the viewfinder have some sort of voltage protection - therefore 6v is ok rather than the 5.6v. I use three LR44 batteries and one LR43 battery (which is a little thinner) - four LR44 is too long, the LR43 allows the series of four to fit inside the original plastic housing. Because the older battery had a ‘nipple’ on each end, to make electric contact to the camera, but the LR batteries have a flat surface on one end I found I had to roll up a little amount of tin foil at one end so it made the circuit. I’ve tested the meter against my Sekonic hand held meter and it is surprising accurate.
@@davidmilton2956 Thank you so much for your reply. Can’t wait for my TE to arrive.
Some of the light leaks produced some very nice effects on the photo
Thanks! :)
I had the same idea and was actually getting more interested in the light leaks than the actual photographs hahaha that's what test rolls do for ya
I have had that problem with the made in Singapore Rolleis, but not fne made in Germany. Composite back vx metal.
An important thing to note about the Rollei 35, Rollei 35 T and Rollei 35 S models specifically:
It is highly recommended to only buy a camera from a trustworthy seller who can verify it works perfectly, or if you can try it out yourself before handing over money. Unless it's very cheap it is a risk getting an untested one.
All of the above models (with very few exceptions from the very beginning and end of the production) have a significant mechanical weak spot: a plastic gear used in the winding mechanism. The teeth on this gear can wear down after heavy use and forceful winding and it is not replaceable (unless you have a donor camera). When this happens, the winding can occasionally skip a notch and permanently "offset" the mechanism, not allowing you to fully cock the shutter in one stroke (making it effectively a double-stroke camera, except not fun).
Some sources on the internet claim that only Singapore made versions have this problem, but this is not true: even most of the German cameras use the plastic gear. I used to own one with the issue myself.
Do not let this discourage you from getting one though. The Rollei 35/T/S models are wonderfully designed little cameras with excellent lenses that handle unlike any other. I could spend hours describing the many ways they're brilliantly designed. My personal favorite is the plain old Rollei 35 by the way. Though less sharp, for some reason I prefer the Tessar's rendering over the Sonnar on the more expensive model. It's very nitpicky though.
PS: Rollei 35 TE and SE do not have the plastic gear problem but are in my opinion not as well designed. Get a 35/T/S instead for the proper Rollei 35 experience.
Thank you so much for your interesting and thoughtful comment. Very informative and helpful, I think. I would have mentioned this aspect if I had known it, of course. :)
Not going to grill you for the light leaks! On my first roll of film in the Rollei 35 S, I actually tore through some of the sprocket holes of the film, but luckily could still rewind the film. I had 38 frames on it! The Rollei 35 has no friction clutch like other 35 mm cameras, so once you reach the very end of the film, you may get stuck in the middle of the film advance lever swing. And without completing it, you can't even retract the lens. But don't force it! The only way to avoid this is to do as the user manual suggests: Once you exposed frame 36, stop shooting and rewind the film! Don't take chances, although you might be able to get another frame or even two!
Thanks for the nice video on the amazing little camera
Hi. Assuming you are in that situation and cannot collapse the lens... can you still rewind the film by using the lever next to viewfinder first and then rotating the rewind crank under the camera (as usual) ?
Great review! I love my 35s, it is my favorite tertiary travel camera.
A great video, Joy to watch as usual, made with good taste and a smooth-calm atmosphere and I really like it. Always great to watch in the evening after long work days. Thanks Max!
Oh, thank you! Really appreciate your kind words. Makes me happy to read that. :)
Analog Insights Makes me happy to watch your videos, So we’re even :-)
Indeed the Rollei 35S is a jewel and focusing becomes intuitive after a while!
Beautiful camera. Great informative video as always. Keep it up Max!
Thanks so much, Jordan. Really appreciate it! :)
I have had Rollei 35's since right after they first came out and still have 3 in active use--one S and two Tessar 35's--all made in Germany. The Singapore versions often had light leaks and flash sync problems because of dubious quality backs, but the lens quality is excellent. I have gone on vacations and only taken the Rolleis--Color film in the S and B&W in the Tessar and have never been disappointed. Great video on a favorite camera! Thanks!
Thanks for your comment. This sounds like a great, compact setup and probably covers all you need when going on vacation. Interesting to hear that the Tessar versions are particularly well-suited for black and white. I keep reading this in the comments here. :)
My understanding is that the Tessar design dates back to around 1902, long before there was color film. Some of my favorite cameras are the old folders with the Tessar lenses, especially the Zeiss Ikons. Find one, load it with a good b&w film and enjoy the prints. And yes, I've made 16x20 prints from all of my Rolleis.
Nice video (as usual). It’s really inspiring the calm style of your videos.
Just a note about the camera, some versions have a easier battery to find a replacement. There is difference in price but it’s worth mentioning this aspect.
I use one of these Rollei’s and I love the size of it and the comfort that gives you.
Thanks for your comment and for pointing this out! :)
I was lucky enough to be given a German made Rollei 35 with the Tessar lens about 4 years ago. The controls are natural for shutter & exposure, because my main cameras are Rollei TLRs, so the controls are very similar. Zone focusing is easy, and I even like watching people’s faces with I advance the film with my left hand! Thanks for a thoroughly entertaining review, now on to you Rollei TLR, then the new Rollei Ortho 25 improved film..
This may help someone sometime: there's a very good way of turning a jacket into an effective changing bag. Button/zip the jacket closed. Fold the neck over and the bottom part too. Turn the jacket over so that you are looking at the back of it. Put your arms up the sleeves from the cuff end. Of course you have to put the camera in the jacket first. I learned this many years ago from a camera book, and have often used the technique to good effect. Thanks for the videos.
Thanks for the good advice! Really appreciate it! :)
Thank you so much, i have this 35 s version made in Singapore in silver in very good condition with which I am doing street photography, it is wonderful, clear, easy to use and very portable next to my Olympus EMD M10 MII in a small bag.Very good video and hurts those lights of light and not being able to have exposed that other black and white roll.Greetings.
Hi where would you suggest looking to find high quality 35S?
Just started after many years again with analog photography. Right now with a Minox 35 PL and a GT. The results are impressing and the way of shooting is absolutely contrary to any kind of digital photography I did. The video, which I enjoyed very much for it's calmness convinced me to have an eye on a Rollei 35 as well.
Another top quality video on a camera i have recently been looking at picking up myself (good timing) Also i love the shot at 18:47 the light leak adds so much character
Keep them up
Thanks so much, Garth. I think you would really enjoy this little camera. And yes, some of the light leaks produced a special, accidental atmosphere.
Awesome video. I came across your channel for the OM-1 review. I'm so glad I subscribed and get to watch so much other cool stuff! thanks!
Thank you so much for your comment, Lori. Makes me happy to read that. Glad to hear you like the channel. :)
I've been looking for one of these for several years and found one today a 35T at a street market in the UK in A1 condition. Great video
Very cool. Enjoy this beautiful little camera.
I would love to be able to see your street walk from the perspective of the photographer. You did a beautiful job.
Thank you so much. Great video! My Grandfather had a Rollei 35 S and I sure would like to know where it went! Keep up the good work.
You go out for a day with film cameras, super8 or even 16mm cine cameras? Then bring along a film changing bag, a pair of clean white gloves and some light-tight plastic containers. It weighs all in all just a pound, but saved me several times. On one occasion, that bag even "saved" a commercial photographer on an outdoor portrait shoot! (..way back when...)
Since I shoot with an old, crusty, and cantankerous RB67, I too, know the sorrow of something going wrong inside the camera. Since the first screw up, I start carrying a changing bag as well. I've had light leaks from deteriorating foam seals. This prompted me to learn how to replace those seals in that camera as well as the Nikon bodies I have. Errors like these are fine as long as you can learn from them.
I have a 35S. Zone focusing even at wide apertures is a pretty easy skill once you commit yourself and practice. We estimate distances in daily life all the time - riding bicycles, playing sports, etc. For critical precision shots I have this tiny German-made Rowi hotshot rangefinder that works perfectly and fits elegantly underneath this little beauty. Sonnar lens is also ridiculous...it's basically a Leica quality glass in the palm of your hand. Heck, it might even be a more charming picture taker than a Leica lens.
Lots of good info here, I think! Thank you for sharing this review. One of the few things I actually like about the digital photography fad is that all the cameras I wanted to use way back when they were new--and I mostly couldn't afford them--are now relatively inexpensive. Which means I can indulge myself a bit. The Rollei 35 is definitely appealing and your video and commentary are much appreciated! Thank you.
Thanks for your comment. And yes, you're right about that but at the same time it appears like the analog photography market is getting increasingly crowded again. Channels like this one might contribute to that. :)
Before I bought my Intrepid, I had lots of advice to find a "better" large format camera by buying some used whatever. And, lots of those old wooden field cameras are wonderful. But I decided to treat my self to an actually new new camera. I am very happy to see all the new stuff coming out--whether or not it is anything I personally want to use. I figure more options are, mostly, a good thing. Especially if those options cause more film to be sold. One thing I am hoping we might see is a relatively compact Instax based camera with full manual controls. Probably not too likely but I still hope. :) And, yes, people and channels/blogs like yours--well informed and pleasant to watch/read--are definitely helping that.
Something like this?
ruclips.net/video/EW4KBniSLg4/видео.html
Yes! That looks very interesting. Thank you for pointing that out!
Awesome Max! Thank you for making me discover cameras I would not think of..... really interesting!
The camera just looked too fun.....I ended up buying a Tessar made in Singapore version. Thank you for the great “insight”! :)
I finally received my camera.....love it!!!
www.flickr.com/photos/158007423@N04/29103190128/in/pool-stand-development/
I loved mine but is not an easy camera to focus at the wider apertures.The Minox 35gt was the same zone focusing. I think i replaced it with a Contax T2. and shot that at 2.8 constantly. Geat camera.
another proof that "the photographer takes the photo. not the camera"
Fantastic camera! I even shot slides with it since the meter is so good. But I prefer Minox 35B because it's lighter. I always enjoy your reviews.
AWesome stuff Max.. totally love this channel
Thanks so much! Makes me really happy to hear that. :)
I had a Rollie 35 (f3.5) as a pocketable backup camera in late 1970s. It all worked well except for the jamming film on re-wind. This occurred often enough (despite care) that I finally abandoned it for that reason, believing it had a serious mechanical fault.
Blöde Frage aber was hat Greg für eine Sonnenbrille am Anfang an? Hätte die auch gerne...
Ooooh I liked that, a real memory jerker. The Rollei 35s was my constant companion all through the 80s complementing my Rollei SL35 until the mid 90s when I bought an Olympus Mju and a Nikon FM2n; I have had various Mju variants ever since up to my new pretty red TG-3. I still have my little Rollei, probably my favourite camera of all time, the lens was tack sharp and using it seemed special. I never fixed zone focussed, though I always estimated DoF, and cant say I was bothered by out of focus photos but, I guess, I have always been good at estimating distance. It is after all a 40mm lens so it has good DoF. I recall one retro review describing it as Ordnance and I guess that is perhaps teh best discription, it seems military, precision and built like an armoured steel brick. The controls mimicking a Rolleiflex TLR which I learnt on was the icing on teh cake for me. Thanks for telling me about the battery adapter, I will look out for one of those, though now I just meter with my smart phone for all my film cameras ;-)
Vici Martynov : Here you can find the battery adapter. It also reduces the voltage of the LR44 to 1.35V. Best regards
rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.de%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F192484232953
Ooooh thanks, I was wondering where it came from ;-)
Love your videos! And though not intended, I love the character of the light leaks.
Thanks a lot. Makes me happy to hear that. :)
really like the story behind the camera. thank you for the review.
I've never understood why some prefer the Rollie 35 to the Olympus XA. The XA is smaller and lighter, a true shirt pocket. It has a clamshell design, so no lens cap or on/off switch is required. The 35mm lens is coupled to a built in rangefinder. (There is a model, the XA4 which has a 28mm lens.) I have used this little XA extensively, especially. on bicycle trips where size and weight count. I remember when this little camera appeared on the market, some highly respectable pros sang its praises. I used to have a Rollie TLR which is a wonderful professional camera, no question, a masterpiece.. The Rollie 35 seems to me like it was designed by someone who has two very small left hands.
Hi! What about a second review on it, for newer results? One doubt I've heard of: do you have to keep the shutter button pressed until the shutter closes? Best!
(07/21) Just picked one. I'm in love!
I read somewhere that for some fully mechanical vintage cameras it’s not good for the shutter mechanism to change the speed after already having cocked the shutter. So say that you cocked the shutter at 1/60th of a second, but the lighting situation changed and you want to bump the shutter speed up to 1/250th, doing so could damage those components. Is that true for the 35s?
My first job many years ago was in a camera shop. At that time, the Rollei S model was becoming very popular. But even then, there were reliability issues with the shutter and film advance. One finds many of these cameras for sale today- some of which need repair. It’s my understanding that Rollei in Germany can still service these vintage cameras, but I’ve shied away from buying one in the U.S. out of concern for repairs. Any thoughts on this? Many thanks for another great video!
I love the light leaks =) I have 3 versions and they are all fantastic. So fast and easy to use.
My original 35 has the even earlier Zeiss Jena Tessar with the numbers. It truly is a made in Germany with the correct stamped letters. I much prefer this one for black and white photos. The later sonnar lens is better for color.
Thanks for your comment. That's interesting. And I'm happy for you that you have such a nice version of the camera. :)
I remember a lot of the original marketing effort was directed at outdoorsmen hikers, climbers, cyclists and such where a small light quality travel camera was advantageous
William Spears Thanks for your comment. That’s interesting. :)
Awesome Review! As usual? One question. knowing are different cameras, if you have to pick one, which one you choose? this one or the minolta 35 7sII. Thanks
I have the 7sii in black and I love the camera. It has a 40mm 1.7 Rokkor lens so q lost faster than any of the Rolleis. It is super small as well
Great video.....I received as a gift a ROLLEI 35S gold-plated 24k in a beautiful box and a leather pouch..serial 0365....lens TESAR 2.8/40....MADE BY ROLLEI......it doesn't say anywhere on camera if made in Germany or Singapore......anyway....I have been using a full frame NIKON750 for years now.....by now I like to start using this nice small camera cause I love street photography...well.....first thing I noticed is the light meter doesn't work....maybe is the battery.....I tried to find the suggested PX625 but I cannot find one...but will try......another question: how much do you think this ROLLEI is now worth ???? thank you
Hi! There are alternatives to the original PX625 mercury batteries by now. Please look for so-called Wein cells and PX625 alternative. This works perfectly fine for the camera. The value heavily depends on the condition and authenticity of the camera. Some are repainted after market which of course doesn’t give them the same value as an original.
This is the film photographer's weakness: knowing 100% that you snapped the roll on the last frame but opening the camera anyway just to check...and turning a small problem into a huge problem. I think everyone's done it... and again and again.
Mark Przepiora it’s happened to me in both Yashica Electro 35 GSN and recently on my Rollei 35S!
With my Rollei 35S I always stop after shooting 35 exposures with a 36 exposure film. I have also suffered from this very same problem with breaking the film on rewind. I must admit I have always had problems loading and unloading the film. So I always say a little prayer before doing these activities. Other than that it is this poor man's Leica. The 40 mm Sonnar just has no equal - especially with Kodak Portra 400. Also great with HP5. And with this camera I have found that if you follow Robert Capa's advice "If your photographs are not good enough then you are not close enough" you will not go wrong.
I've an original 35, evidently a bit rare, Singapore model with Schneider-Krueznach S-Xenar lens (which was used for a short time at the very onset of the Singpore locations beginnings as I understand it), inherited from my grandfather who bought it when it first came out. It remained one of his two favorite cameras of all time. Evidently this lens is considered "less desirable". Don't tell that to my late grandfather or his photographs.... and I certainly have never been anything but impressed by the Xenar.
Спасибо Вам большое за интересный обзор и комментарий этой малютки Rollei 35
I just lucky got 1 Rollei 35s silver body from my dad..thx for sharing your experiences. Really enjoy this vdo..👍🏽
This would be a perfect travel camera to use along side my Nikon F2 since I only carry a 24mm prime lens & a 75-150mm zoom lens.
Nice video, very well explained. I just have a question.... My lightmeter doesn't work, I used a new PX 625A battery and it doesn't move or simply doesn't react to light. Is it only working with the LR44 batteries or maybe the lightmeter is just broken? thank you
Very enjoyable, thank you!
My own similar experience is using a Minox. I have been shooting with it within the last few weeks, with great results. It also has no rangefinder, but usually the focus has been okay. Long ago you could get a separate rangefinder, and manually set the results on the camera, I think I have actually seen one of those.
Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks for your interesting comment. Really appreciate it! :)
Max, just to clarify ... my comment seems to imply that Minox had a separate rangefinder. I doubt that. I am not sure which company might have made them.
@@g-r-a-e-m-e- I have a little slot in range finder which I bought 25 years ago in a classic camera store in London, close to the British Museum. I used it in my Rollei 35S and SE when shooting at f2.8 close up. I still have it, but is a little dirty inside. For all outdoor shots, I used the DOF aperture scale and pre-focused. I was quicker with my picture taking than my Ricoh GR21 on AF. (Although using snap focus this was similar)
i just bought my rollei 35s off ebay, and the film advance leaver doesnt work. is this because theres no battery or film in it? or is it broken? (also i havent extended the lens yet)
robbyrazzer . The Rollei 35 dosn‘t do anything, if the lens isnˋt in shooting position (extended). With the collapsed lens you can not press the shutter button for the shutter release. And the lens can only be collapsed, when the film is advanced and the shutter is cocked. This is the reason, why your Rollei dosnˋt operate. First- pull out the lens and lock it by turning it clockwise. Then you can release the shutter. And afte that you can move the lever.
Best regards, Greg
thank you for the helo
I had an identical experience with my Rollei 35. I unwittingly advanced beyond 36 searching for that extra frame.
My one for a front filter which is very good to have on the lens and to keep the lens clean and is very hard to find a 32mm filter for these kinds of cameras
Thank you so much for your beautifully produced videos. They are so informative and interesting. Please keep them coming.
What's up Max, thanks for this review. I think a major limiting factor of this camera is the fact that shooting at those small apertures you're not getting any shallow depth of field effect. Meaning portraits won't be as beautiful if you are not able to accurately Focus and maybe as you said shooting wide-open is out the question. Someone in my Facebook group mentions they use a Laser Rangefinder to set the distances on there medium format folding cameras. I own a voigtlander color Ultron 50mm lens which I reviewed on my channel and it was also made in Singapore yes the history fluctuates with this company and voigtlander in the latter part of their histories.
It might be worth trying to shoot a portrait with the Rollei 35 at f/2.8 but this probably wouldn't be anyone's first choice for portraits or low light photography. A 40mm lens is too wide for a natural looking portrait, although it would work for an environmental portrait.
Nick Marshall yes Nick, I get the impression they're using this camera in the best way possible. Sort of like a Environmental Landscape type set up.
Yes, I agree with what has been said. I wouldn't necessarily use this camera for shooting portraits. There are much better tools for that. Yet, environmental portraits would be an option, bringing the camera as an addition to a portrait camera.
Laser sounds great... there’s a nice video from Mijonju showing some tricks to do measuring on the spot.
I just got this camera and I have a question. Is it the asa/din dial a loaded film reminder or it affects the settings. By the way, acts some turns I gets stuck.
I have this camera and love it. I think due to the small form factor there is a reasonably strong force from the advance lever. I had one film come off the spool at the end on the last crank of the lever. It was a reel I had spooled myself so blamed it on my poor taping skills. Probably best to just take it easy on the last two or three frames.
Thanks for your comment. You're the second person to point out that this can happen with this camera. Good to know that it wasn't just my fault but can happen with this particular model. :)
Analog Insights, I have really e joyed your RUclips content. Keep doing what you’re doing. I shoot more medium format than 35mm and occasionally 4x5 but if it’s film I’m always interested.
Rollei 35 Classic has a hot shoe on the top plate, of course, it is much more expensive and has loads of limited versions.
Is the shoe on the rollei 35/35s hot or cold?
Hope you could do a video about the reviving kodak Tmax p3200 film, perhaps using Spur Acurol-N developer?
The shoe on the Rollei 35 S and T is a hot shoe, providing a flash synchronization . Best regards
good video, but you could 'scale focus' this as well, remember the Leica MD ?, this, and early M types had no in-built rangefinder, you added it onto the cold shoe!, this could work on this camera as well, if not on a handgrip or bracket screwed into the tripod mount.
Are there light leaks in the pictures??
Great video and great camera!
I got one of these cameras and I got it for £27.00 and it came with the original case and camera strap and lens cap and it works well and I get good photos from it
For those seeking the smallest camera, the Rollei 35 still comes out "on up", in that the two options mentioned,the Minolta TC-1 and Minox 35 (and its several other brand versions) have notable problems by comparison. I've used a lot of cameras over many years, but I've always owned at least on Rollei 35. I prefer the Rollei 35SE for its diode in-viewfinder meter readouts, and its use of a battery which does not require a workaround to replace the mercury button battery used by earlier models (also 35TE).
Thanks for your comment. Very helpful addition!
I have used the Minox adapter which holds 4x365(?) watch cells, a silver oxide 6 volt battery of the form factor required to fit the 35SE battery box, and I am currently using a lithium cell of the same size. The silver oxide and lithium batteries each put out 6 volts, but with the modest use I make of the camera,the lithium should last for years. The 35SE/TE metering systems use a voltage regulator required by the LED readouts, so just about any battery or combo which will fit into the camera and yield 5.6 volts or more will operate the meter accurately.
What about the Olympus XA, XA2, XA3, and XA4, or the Olympus Stylus Epic. They are all smaller than the 35 S.
The XA is more pocketable and has a rangefinder; it is also auto-exposure only - not an advantage. The lenses on the various XA versions vary from average (XA) with great light fall-off, to lesser. The all metal Rollei is more durable and heavy than the plastic bodied XA. The XA is more convenient and faster working in use. Biggest difference is the lenses. The Tessar in the Rollei 35/T is very good (much better than the XA). The Sonnar in the 35S/SE is one of the best lenses ever installed in a 35mm camera. The XA was intended to be used as a fast working shapshot camera. Most of the Rollei 35 models were designed to optically compete with any camera.
Without intent, I may have mislead as bit re batteries for the SE/TE versions. You can use any battery of the same form factor as the original mercury battery, as they all start off around 6 volts and are stepped down to 5.4 volts by the camera. Most common are the alkaline, but they loose voltage fairly quickly, so when they fall below 5.4 volts, you can have some inaccuracy in the metering. I'm using 4 button cells in a plastic holder designed for the Minox 35 (it was factory packed by Rollei with my last SE purchase). I thought I was using a lithium cell ion the original form factor, but I'm not, and I'm not sure such is available. In any event, my current usage is going on over 4 years with no end in sight.
I bought a Rollei 35T around 1982. I still have it but unfortunately the shutter is frozen and the light meter is kaputt ;-) I should get it fixed if I can find someone to work on it.
Cool video guys, very interesting camera; I've been wondering about this one for a while. Stuff happens ;))
Thanks for your kind feedback. And glad to hear we may potentially affect your purchasing-decision. :)
How about the B 35 or C 35 with Zeiss Triotar? It looks so much cleaner. How ascot that lens based on the Cooke Triplet. Sharp enough? Corrected enough? Contrasty enough?
Hello Max, I have encountered a little glitsch with my Rollei 35.. Maybe you, or another follower can help me. When I advance my film, I can see that it actualy advances, but the framenumber indicator does rarely advance. So it happens that I shot my 36 frames, but the indicator is still on 5... Do you have any idea how I can kick the indicator back to life ? Vielen Dank. Grûsse aus Belgien.
Hello Max how are you? I think I've watched this review about three times now LOL. What is the name of the song that starts at 6 minutes and 25 second mark the guitar?
The exact same happend to me with ripping accidently the film out when advancing the last pic😥
Hey Max, do you remember what bag was your friend Greg carrying?
Very nice video. Thanks.
The light leaks are nice. Good video.
Am Schliersee habe ich heute mein erstes analoges Bild aufgenommen. Hoffentlich ist Verschluss und Blende in Ordnung, sodass dank Belichtungsapp des Handy eine halbwegs brauchbare Belichtung entstanden ist. Benutzt habe ich den Kodak Gold 200, da es der billigste Film ist, den ich auftreiben konnte. Ich freue mich auf die Ergebnisse (dauert noch - Film ist noch nicht voll) und bin gespannt, ob ich die Schärfe richtig getroffen habe. Präventiv nutze ich Blende 5,6, damit genügend Licht eintrifft und ein größere Schärfespielraum genutzt werden kann.
Hat echt Spaß gemacht.👍🏻
Das klingt nach einem sehr schönen Ausflug und nach allen erdenklichen Vorsichtsmaßnahmen um gleich beim ersten Film gute Ergebnisse zu bekommen. Noch ein Hinweis: Lieber nicht am Film sparen. Der Kodak Gold ist einem Kodak Portra oder Ektar qualitativ deutlich unterlegen. Würde immer empfehlen, die 2 oder 3 Euro extra zu spendieren und dafür mit professionellen Filmen zu arbeiten. Dann gibt's richtig gute Resultate. Und: Farbnegativfilme gerne etwas überbelichten. Das verkraften sie gut.
Analog Insights Danke. Werde ich dann mal ausprobieren.👍🏻
Enjoyable video, Max. :) I have a 35 SE that I still haven't used. The seller said he was fortunate enough to own two and what became mine was his back-up one which never left his house before....Interesting story about the circumstances/providences involved in the design and production, and I didn't know about the brass top versus aluminium for the German, Singapore models respectively..From my recollection, the Sonnar is supposed to be a little bit sharper and better colour rendition, but the Tessar, having less elements, is actually preferred by some in b&w for its rendering of micro-tonality. Probably not much in it like you said, were the prices too far apart...Regarding the zone focusing, have you ever heard of the "human rangefinder" tool? Somebody came up with a neat little bit of geometry using the parallax effect of having one eye open to view and then swapping to the other and observing the apparent shift in position of the subject. Someone else then made a little program that you input a couple of your measurements and it outputs a scale whose distances allow you to find your range easily. Not necessarily applicable of course when you want to be quick and just use the zone focusing, but when you want to open up your aperture for more critical DoF use it would be very helpful. Here's the link to the program: tomchuk.com/misc/rf/
Thanks for your elaborate comment. This is very interesting and good to know. I'll take a look at that. :)
I use my 35T with HP5 and 35S with Portra 400. I am thinking of trying a roll of Ektachrome 100 with the 35S. A little nervous since I have not used slide film in 30 years.
could you send me a link to a battery adapter for my Rollie 35 T
I have this camera as the Made in Germany version with Zeiss Tessar. Here in Texas seems to work best with Ilford XP2 Super films. If I had an address, , Id send you examples Taken with it. I only meter by eye/ It’s quite an amazing camera.
I used to shoot mine every day with TMax400 until I couldn’t. The shutter failed and it was beyond repair. First I sent it to New Jersey but then I had to ship it to California where I believe it was replaced with another shutter. I have to use it again. It makes a lot of sense to take it in your car always in a place where heat will not dilute the lubricants nor the film!
I actually prefer the slower lens, I took my 35b to Lebanon and set a hyper focal point, some of my favourite shots .I took a photo in a nightclub in Brrlin too, amazing camera.
Mine is the SE version its my standard back up for digital, 35mm and medium format.
I accidentally opened my rollei 35 without the film being rewinded (the mechanism didn't work) is my film completely ruined since the film was completely outside the tank?
Nice! I'll hopefully be buying one of these at some point :)
I have the 35T and love it!! Totally shredded my first roll too by advancing it too far (apparently we aren't alone :P ). Thanks for the great video 👍
Thanks for your comment. And good to hear that I am not alone with my unfortunate experience. Seems like a bit of a design flaw to me if it possible to advance too far so easily. :)
Hii what battery do you use on the 35T? Thanks
Thanks for the tip about the voltage converter! It encouraged me to get two of them from "the small battery company", one for the Rollei 35, and one for my Yashica mat 124G. They work like a charm on both of them (checked both with a light meter and with pictures). Can only recommend them. It is like having a new camera!
I have a 35 xf. what do you put as battery?
What's a reasonable price for a chrome 35 S model that includes a case, strap and lens cap? I see some on eBay for around $300.
ikelleigh. If it is in good condition and the shutter is working well, 300$ are reasonable.
Best regards, Greg
Nice video as usual 👍
You nailed another great video! :D
Great style with the shoulder bag too! What brand is it?
Thanks a lot for your kind comment. I really appreciate it. The shoulder bag is an Oberwerth "Bayreuth" which you can find here:
www.oberwerth.com/en/camera-bag-bayreuth/
Analog Insights thanks! :D
My Rollei and I never became friends. I had too much difficulty judging distance, was only able to use it stopped down at great distances - closer motifs with shallow depth of field were too aggravating.
Hello Max,
Das Labor Deines Vertrauens ist ja MeinFilmLab. Meine Frage: in welcher Auflösung läßt Du Dir zur digitalen Weiterverarbeitung die Scans erstellen? M, L, XL, XXL oder TIF? Was empfiehlst Du mir?
Viele Grüße - Tom
Thanks for the video. I enjoy the camera but struggle with focusing. Maybe need a few videos on this camera. Thanks
Mic so great you can hear this man swallow 😂
Because he placed the mic over his throat :) i prefer to see more results instead of seeing someone talking :) we can hear him on B roll its better in videos about photography