5 Reasons the Rollei 35 is Awesome!
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- Опубликовано: 26 мар 2022
- The Rollei 35 is a legend. That is was manufactured for almost 50 years, well into the digital era, speaks for itself. There are many amazing compact film shooters out there, but one simply can't make videos about them without starting with the Rollei.
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Video was recorded with:
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Canon RF 35mm f1.8 Macro,
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Развлечения
This camera was the object of my lust when I lived in Germany in the '70s. I wanted a quality point-and-shoot that was fast and easy to carry everywhere. But as a student, I had only enough money to buy film for my ancient Agfa Karat which I developed and printed myself. This is the best camera I never had.
It’s not to late to experience it :)
4 things I love about mine:
- the simplicity of its settings makes you focus on the basics and I think it's made me a slightly better photographer
- its size makes it the perfect film camera to casually bring along while shooting a DSLR
- it's so small that people barely notice you're taking a picture of them which makes it great for capturing candid moments
- the film advance is sooo satisfying!!!
Over the past several years, I've indulged my gear lust built up over the preceding three decades. Among the cameras I've always wanted and finally obtained, were a Rollei 35 and a 35S. Of all the film cameras in my collection, the Rollei 35 is the one I use more than any other. It is a tactile delight to shoot and I find it often breaks the ice with strangers who might otherwise object to being photographed. In that regard, only a bellows camera might be more likely to engender an interested and relaxed smile from a subject.
It's like the camera love child of a Mini and a Volvo 240. Boxy and adorable.
Great car analogy. Often miss the 240 I had.
Absolutely love my Rollei 35s. Feel like a six gun street fighter when I walk the city with one in each hand - the Sonnar loaded with colour and the Tessar with b&w. The results always blow me away. Amazing!
Nice 👍
I have one that I found for $5. It was jammed at the lens. (It was slightly racked and could not be retracted) I bought it thinking it would be a lovely piece of shelf art, but I had to play with it. I took off the top plate and opened the back and I saw that the lever for the lens was in the wrong position (Google was my friend) and I was able to free up the lens. It now works including the light meter. The only issues I have are the lens will not easily release if you lock it in place too firmly when extended the lens, and the film counter skips at #24. I have torn off a roll of film trying to finish a 36, at about 39 shots or so (I didn't know that it was skipping). But it makes beautiful B&W images, haven't tried color yet. A real joy to use otherwise! And the price!!!
I’ve heard the same story from others. So a Rollei listed as broken with a jammed lens can definitely be a bargain. Nice find!
@@gearreallydoesntmatter It worked out great for me! It was in the non working camera bin at my local camera shop. Now if I could only find the lens cap...
I currently have three of these Rolleis: one black 35S and two of the chrome originals. I have a small bag that holds the 35S loaded with color film and one of the original loaded with b&w, a compactl flash, a small light meter, filters, and adapter rings. The other 35 is a pocket camera. They are fantastic cameras and have traveled extensively, always delivering excellent quality images.
I've only been to Europe one time, and I went with my brother for business, and I only took my Rollei 35. It was year 2000. My pictures are all great. This is one of my favorite cameras of all time. Mine was with the Tessar 3.5 lens. I loved being able to set the meter and set your estimated distance with the camera at waist level. Then raise the lens and fire the shutter, and it is as fast as any automated system.
Marvelous Mattias! Thanks for reviewing this fascinating little camera. Love your elegant and terse videos, plus your beautiful photography.
I love using my Rollei 35LED. It was the first camera I bought with my own money and I used it professionally when working as a Junior Press Photographer in the 80's. I got numerous front covers and double page spreads, the lens is incredibly sharp considering how simple it is and its its really easy to use.
Bought mine a couple of years ago, it has the Sonnar 2,8 lens. It is an amazing little box, well built, reliable, and a wonderful lens. And most important, focusing only on shutter, aperture and focusing is liberating. Film gives me peace and has made me a better photographer
always happy to see a new film-related video on this lovely channel
+++
I bought an all black Rollie 35 while in college in ‘73. It’s the only camera I sold that I truly regret letting go! Got some nice shots on short final to Carl Vinson in ‘78
I have been looking forward to this video since the Rollei 35 was suggested in an earlier episode, and have not been disappointed.
My favorite film camera maybe ever
This vid inspired me to get one, ive been using the 35T and i love it. I have so much fun with it
That's great 👍
Just love that I can always have it on me. Feels perfectly made for what it wants to be, which is so rare. One of those camera's I'm happy to use every time.
I haven’t seen anyone mention this in various reviews, but I like to reload film in mine. The very short distance between the cassette and take-up spool, combined with the flip-down pressure plate and the ability to adjust the position of the spool when you load make for very consistent double exposure frames. Load a wide latitude film and go nuts-twice!
I’ve got one Mattias, an original German 35, these cameras are fantastic and so easy to carry around besides giving amazing results.
I have owned a Rollei 35 since 1976 and have taken hundreds of rolls through it. It is a remarkable camera for all the reasons that you say. Even though I've used it all these years I have been very cautious while carrying it. It seems to be somewhat fragile. Always been concerned that even a short drop would ruin the lens barrel. The fact that it is so small allowed me to carry it and get some shots that would have been missed otherwise.
Nailed it! There are many great film cameras, but this is the one to carry around -- like always!
As a mountain climber, it was my best companion, mine was a Rollei 35 made in that time in West Germany. My best camera ever, until now I enjoy my digitalized Kodachromes or slide show.
Probably my favorite (and most shot) film camera of all time. Just a joy to use, and super intuitive for street style work.
Great little point&shot full frame camera! With viewfinder, all metal,… i love it. I have the “made in Germany” one with the Tessar. Super sharp lens
Nice!
Had one of those and just loved it
Thank you. Need to buy :3
You said it all, the "simplicity" of this camera is what you really really like. Today's cameras, except for maybe the Leica M or Q, are seriously over designed, over spec'd, over featureed to the point that the photographer is an afterthought. A good example is the Sony A7 lineup. Every gismo, spec, feature on the entire planet is on these cameras, but the ergonomics are just plain bad. Sharp edges, flat sides, too small, you name it. Bad menus, etc. etc. The idea of simplicity is why smartphone cameras have almost destroyed the dedicated camera industry. So the only fly in the ointment is film. I don't mind it but a lot of people do. Thanks for the video and stay safe!!!
And what makes smartphone camera almost destroyed dedicated camera market: computational photography
It is one of my favorites. Although being old, it works flawlessly, images are sharp (after learning to focus completely manually), it’s tiny, and it spurs creativity.
Definitely a camera for creative people 👍
Awesome camera I have the 35SE love it to bits don’t shoot it as often as I should tho. I love how compact and quirky it is yet the images it’s capable of are incredible thanks for the reminder ❤️📷❤️
What a marvel of engineering!
I remember I really wanted one back in the 70's. Never did get one but I did have an Olympus XE2 instead. Much later I had a Ricoh GR1s. Small cameras are such fun!
It's one of my favorite cameras too! On paper how you use it sounds terrible, but because of its nature where you set everything and then you focus on framing, makes using it really enjoyable!
I found one of these lying around in the house, my father bought it years back. I'll have to try it out.
Super interesting camera, got try this someday!
I bought one of these second hand back in the early 1980s and used it for a few years. Great for discrete street photography.
Going to an analogue camera fair soon, and after watching many videos, this one has made me very enthusiastic about the Rollei 35 as my choice of preference! Hoping to come across one there :)
Exciting!!!
Rollei35s is my favorite. And mine is a first hand passing down to me from my mom. Makes it the most invaluable camera I own 😄
Nice 👍
I have the 35se and it's always loaded with film.
I have one Rollei 35, the first model, made in Germany. I am very happy with it. It is my first 35mm camera. I go everywhere whit my Rollei! Now I am looking for a digital camera, trying to feel the same… I don’t know if it could happen… Thank you so much for all the videos!
Not exactly the same no. Sony RX1 or Sigma FP is probably the closest in full frame. If you are ok with smaller I would checkout the Pentax Q and Panasonic GM5.
Thank you very much for the recommendations, I've looked them up on the internet and they seem very interesting (I didn't know them). But I'm interested in having a camera that I can carry with me all the time, every day (considering that I'm a filmmaker, and I love photography too). It seems very important to me that the camera has a viewfinder with which to frame like my Rollei (in fact I was looking for a digital camera with a broken display...). I'm not sure if I need a compact camera or a rangefinder. But I want a digital one that doesn't simulate analogue but doesn't look like a hyper-realistic HDR image from Netflix. Watching your tutorials I discovered the Pixxi. I was thinking about Leica Q3. They are expensive and the Leica is very big... could you recommend me any other? Thank you very much for your time, for sharing your experiences and your videos! 🙏✨
Beautiful~
Even though it's not a camera that suits me I love how the 35 has full manual control in such a tiny body.
I started to shoot with the Kodak box from my mother, and this was my first camera. I still own it. May be I have to start using it again.
Have one from my dad. Fullframe with this quality and feel. Unmatched.
YEAAAAH BABY !
Yes. I've a Singapore variety with Schneider-Krueznach which I adore.
Five years ago I inherited three cameras (into my already crowded shelf) from my late grandfather: a Konica C35EF which got me heavily into Konica in a huge way was the big surprise. But also, the two "contenders", both pristine, were his Contax T2 and, his favorite, the Rollei 35. After four years and much time with both of them, I sold the Contax. It didn't hurt that the T2 tripled in price during that time, but even had it stayed the same I'd have kept the Rollei. Its images are nicer and it's just more fun and satisfying. I understand now why it was his favorite.
I love taking pictures with this camera in Singapore because it is rare to have cameras made here.
I have one, they're beautiful tiny tanks! In mine the frame counter tends to snap back to the beginning so I have to try to memorize more or less how many shots I've taken 😅 but it all adds to the fun.
I jave this same problem on my 35b, if you ever so slightly put pressure with your finger onto of the counter as you advance the film(not too hard) it will advance the counter, strange but it works.
@@nathanbarker7686 Hey Nathan, thanks for the reply. Yes, I did try that and it can work but only to a point in the roll, on mine at least. That's how I remember it, I need to try it again soon. Cheers.
I've two Sonnars and a Tessar. No need to say I love them :) At first the controls seem in a weird position, but as you use it you see they're just on the right position. It's not a photojournalist camera, one that is fast shooting. It's more to the photographer that likes to explore the scene and its possibilities.
The lenses are nothing but superb, REALLY impressive. I shoot mostly B&W and develop and enlarge myself. The lenses always surprise me for their quality, character, even when compared to my Rolleiflex 3.5F 's Planar. It is funny because when you see the cameera you really believe it's a toy camera from the 70's. But just by holding it you feel it's more than that - solid, precise, well built. And when you get your negatives or chromes back, wow! This is a real camera!
Also, it's a mechanical camera - except from the meter. This means it'll habe a longer life than nos of us as long as you do a minimal CLA from decade to decade to come.
It has a learning curve, specially for those new to film cameras (I'm an old school shooter from the 60's), but it is very worth it and somewhat easy to master. Guessing the distance is the greatest challenge, specially if you're used to AF. But by the second or third roll of film you're good on it.
Can't say it is a discreet camera since it attract eyes for its design, but the shutter is very quiet at least :)
If you like film, german engineering, and find one, get it. Should you not get used to it you'll probably even make some money when you sell it. My best!
Sweet little camera. Keep thinking of getting a film camera again. Miss those days
Go for it :)
I enjoy your short pithy videos! I recently came across a Petri 2.8 Color Corrected Super camera. Is it possible that you make a video on older range finder cameras? Best Regards, Jay
I bought the 35se new and still occasionally use it
Cool video
Thanks for sharing
Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm about to take delivery of the Ricoh GR's spiritual great-great-great-great-uncle, the Ricoh 500G. It's not *quite* as tiny as the Rollei, but has just as much potential for fun: all-manual, 1/80-1/500 shutter, f2.8-f16 aperture, 0.4m to infinity focusable, all metal construction.
I can't wait to get some Ilford Delta 400 in it and start playing!
Would love to get one of these. Still deciding though between the 35, 35S and 35SE.
35.
be still my heart... the camera I wanted in my youth... ended up with a fujica st701 and later and oly om-1 :) All 3 nice cameras btw ...
I agree fully:
the absolut most important fact is how gladly you are using a camera📸!
I got this camera a few months ago but 90% of my photos come out blurry. Not sure what I'm doing wrong. Have zone focus range that should work, but I can't seem to get the hang of it. Any tips?
Bought one in the '70s new and was a fun camera should have kept it
Hello Matthias, what is your thoughts about the panasonic gh6's tiltable screen with a fully reticulated one
Seems nicer than the old screen, that's for sure :)
My tiny shooter is a minox B. I cut, roll, develop, and scan it myself ^~^
I recently picked up an excellent condition SE at a junk store for $12. Its so cool.
Thats awesome!
Damn I wanted one of those cute things since the dawn of my photography jurney. Btw have you ever though of making a Canon 6D review? I honestly believe that it is super underrated, since it basically retains all the benefits of 5DMII(maybe except for build quality, but that's still great) while feeling significantly "fresher". It was designed as less of a pro body and because of that you can find them all day with very low shutter counts unlike the 5DMII, which when you see cheap with less than 100000 shots has usually had it's shutter replaced. Nowadays you can often find 6D's for 5DMII prices, I got mine quite beaten up but with 25000 shots on the first shutter for about 300usd and it serves me very well.
I did have the rollei 35 S with me to Austria on ski vacation.. the camera was perfect in the cold wheater the only mistace I made was that Provia 100f is maybe not the right film in those High contrast snow scenes.. Going to use ektar more...
I also going to look onto making a mask in the camera to make it a sort of panoramic camera haha..
which model do u recommend ? 35 / 35SE /35s ?
I bought a Rollie 35s in Switzerland, it was a great all round camera . Nothing like German film cameras .
I own Rollei 35. Best compact camera for those who want to learn zone focusing
Does anyone know where I can get my 35SE repaired? I dropped it off at a repair shop in Brooklyn, NY, and it came back more broken than when I left it!
Welcom Baby !
I have owned and sold 3 of these over the years - still regret selling the last one.... :(
Hur mäter du ljuset? Sunny sixteen? Har du testat ljusmätaren - är dom tillförlitliga? Tack för fina filmer här!
Aldrig testat ljusmätaren. Går på känsla.
I wish it was easy to obtain film in my country
Would love to try film sometime
I love ❤ mine too
one of the most impressing cameras I own... terrificly well built, razorsharp images.... would never sell it.
Can someone help me? I have a TE, I put three LR44 and one LR43 batteries (taped together with an electrical tape). When I half press the shutter button, two red lights would appear in the viewfinder. I took it outside and tried every combination in the aperture and shutter speed but the green light would not appear 😢 Any tips? Thank you.
Also with every ISO setting!
The real heart of this camera is the TESSAR lens (of which there are several different versions with different performance). The best In my experience is between 1,5 and 3-4 meters. As portrait lens I prefer this Tessar over several others more expensive primes.
I agree, a camera should be fun.
You forgot to mention: it's full frame!
I figured the small size would enough for people to get that it’s cropped/small picture.
I got an original Olympus pen f instead with the 40mm 1.4. I use my iphone or Fuji x100 to meter
Where did you get the batteries for this camera? I can't find the PX27 anywhere... :(
I didn’t use any batteries.
@@gearreallydoesntmatter oh right. Do you’ve any idea where I could get some PX27 batteries?
You can't, you have to use replacement batteries.
@@GavinLowndes The 35SE and 35TE metering system is different from all other Rollei 35 camera meters, in that it requires a voltage regulator for the diodes used to read out the meter output. This means that the meter accuracy is NOT tied to the battery voltage like all other battery powered Rollei 35 models. Therefore, you can use any combination of non-mercury batteries which will fit in the battery compartment and give a total voltage of 6 volts. I currently run my 35SE on 4 lithium cells of about 1.5 volts each, which are a perfect fit in the camera when packed in one of those holders designed for the usage. You can also use silver oxide cells. There is a little German company selling accessories and battery adapters on ebay for the Rollei 35 models. They have several innovative options for the SE/TE models and are reasonably priced. Real PX27 batteries are an assembly of four mercury cells, so, you cannot buy one. When you see a PX27 offered, it is usually an alkaline package of the same dimension as a PX27, but not the correct voltage. They tend to be short-lived for their price, and they risk acid leakage into your camera.
I enjoy the S and its sonnar
For five years it works amazingly
Recently, the meter have just broken down
I would keep using it. The meter isn’t needed.
Why don’t you use the light meter?
Don't need it.
I also have a rollei 35 te. In my humble opinion, it has the build quality and image quality of a leica. It is my leica cl with summicron 40mm. Doesn't have a rangefinder? Better this way! Prepare everything before shooting and then either use apertures from f8 onwards, or do like me, use a couple of rolls to learn the distances and now I can photograph even at f3.5 at a distance of 0.9m. It's a high-end camera and not a point and shoot and it became my only camera
Agreed, judging distance is much easier than people think. One just needs to practice a little.
Cool camera, but I have not seen one that does not have a dented corner. Yours also is dented! This must be the most dropped camera on the planet. I think there is a message there! Love your reviews, and I am impressed that you are able to accurately focus this wide open - that is really hard with no focus aids.
It’s easier than people think. A little practice is all that’s needed :)
Hi mattias. What do you think about a7iv? Love from nepal.
Seems like another A7. Im sure its great but that screen, no top display, price, etc. Its not my cup of tea.
I wish they made a digital version. On eBay the Rollei 35 is selling for between $200-$500.
The digital version would cost a minimum of $4000. Probably much more.
So true. Reason number six: The Queen used one for years.
Mattias, are you the same RUclipsr as "Vlogdozack" aka "Lensdata"? You both have similar voices and also deal with photography.
Nope.
@@gearreallydoesntmatter Thanks for letting me know! I was wondering if you two were the same person for awhile.
Your Nikon D700 video is great btw. You help me decide which budget FF camera to choose from.
It's a fun camera, but you really need to get used to zone finder cameras...it can be tricky nailing the focus on shots that are set at less than infinity.
It really isn’t all that hard imo. A little practice and you will get there.
I had a silver 35T about 10 years ago and took it on trips. I almost never got decent focus. Loved the build and controls though. When it came time to find a pocketable all manual metal film camera again I got a Leica III and a collapsible lens. I never miss focus with that.
tamayura :)
I had one of these. However you need to know how to zone focus and sunny 16 if you don’t pop a external light meter on the the flash shoe. I had an issue when winding back the film that it got tighter and tighter.
or use the on board light meter.
I forgot to add that they are rugged little units, no need to baby these compacts.
The modern equivalent to this is a smartphone. Amazing how small cameras have become.
I would say he Ricoh GRiiix is the modern equivalent. It can at least keep up with the Rollei. A smartphone will get its ass handed to it by both :)
@@gearreallydoesntmatter thank you for the input. Will definitely check that out!!
Owned one around 1980 - a real gem of a camera. Sold it when the Olympus XA came out. The XA just was faster and more precise with the built-in range finder. Still I would not mind picking up a Rollei 35 again if I come across a steal.
I just bought one of these, only drawback is that the shutter speed maxes out at 1/500 so without filter it is a bit tricky to use the lense wide open …
I think you will be fine without filters. Just use lower iso and filmis extremely forgiving in the highlights. You need to over expose a lot before they are ruined.
noooooo, the prices
Prices have actually come way down since I bought my two years ago.
They made over 30 million of them.. you will be fine :)
Why not make a full-frame one with a 40mm 2.8 or even 3.5 and 24 megapixel ? I think it would be no less popular than ricoh GR for a not very hight price. Often now manufacturers make cameras of the same style, nothing new.
Because it would cost a lot of money.
I thought you said you only keep 2 cameras, I see 6 at the end of the video? OR was it someone else who said it?
Correct, I only have two. The cameras in this video are already gone.
@@gearreallydoesntmatter What 2 do you have?
Actually, didn't pay attention to what you said... looked at the camera and pictures you did... What where you saying?