I appreciate the much more nuanced review y'all provide than some of the other videos I've viewed. I ordered one. I simply want one for my little collection. Now, I have a much better idea of what I'm going to receive. Thanks!
I'm so happy that another brand new film camera is launched in this time of mirrorless high megapixel camera time. Hope this camera finds its customers which the company is targeting, however I'm not one of them. The Pentax 17 is more for people like me. Don't want to be negative, but the more I see the Rollei 35Af, the more I'm appreciating the Pentax 17. From the film door opening, to the loading, to the advancing, to the rewinding: everything seems not only easy but super enjoyable on the Pentax 17! It's not the case in the Rollei 35Af, as is evident in this video & some others. Also other simple things like fit & finish, the way the camera feels in the hand, how you hold it, how the buttons work, how bright & visible is the viewfinder, everything seems better in the Pentax 17. The Rollei 35Af has the better "specs" like autofocus, full frame, F/2.8 aperture, 1/500 shutter speed. But in reality the usability seems to be a lot more on the Pentax & appreciate the small things like 1) the ability to put filters on the lens & the fact that the light meter is inside the lens housing, thereby compensating for the filter in reality. 2) the intuitive way to change ISO 3) The wriststrap being able to use as the macro focus distance 4) Film card holder being present 5) Analog frame counter. I think all these add to the little things that makes you want to shoot in the first place ☺️
@@gmosworld congrats to you on the purchase. It's still not available here in my part of the world. But I'm really waiting for it to be available. Getting tired of buying used old film 📸 and then getting issues on it.
Pentax 17 is definitely a good start in terms of a new camera in today’s times, but it’s also good to see another company make a new camera. I’m happy to see any new camera being made today
Very nice talk, perfect comparison , after your thoughts, I’m pretty sure that I don’t want the Pentax or the Rollei af, I keep using my old Rollei 35s!
Thanks for reviewing both of these new film cameras. I hope they both generate solid sales so we see more film cameras in the future but I'll be sticking with my Rollei 35SE and Olympus XA2 & XA4 cameras for my primary compact film cameras.
I think what Gary and his team have accomplished is nothing short of wonderful, I'm excited about the prospects of another new film camera on the market. I am excited about the prospect. I think you guys really hit the nail on the head about this camera, though: In the quest for nostalgia, they didn't correct the older issues with the camera. A point and shoot camera should be a one handed camera, insisting on the weird left handed wind lever makes it a two handed camera. If they insist to keep the wind lever, it should have been on the right make it one handed operation. The loading with the entire bottom coming off seems remarkably stupid, as well. A flip open door like every other modern camera makes the most sense. The amount of work that Mint put into this only to label it Rollei seems a misguided step, as well. Some aspects of this camera are very appealing however, and I may pick one up (in black, obviously), I'm just not sure yet.
Preordered. Dont care about the criticism thrown at this. Its a preproduction model and no one has the final product. The OG uad uts quirks and this one appears to jave its own too. I simply bought it without question die to the fact that its a new production 35mm camera, with a warranty. Ive gone through too many thrift store finds that have died. F2.8 lens and shoot in aperture priority. None of my current P+S cameras have that. Cant wait!
@@franky3fingers337 this is a good thing and shows others there is a market for analog photography. Dream scenario. Someone brings Contax back from the dead.
I think a lot of people pre-ordering will not care either. Mint is explicitly doing a nostalgic remake of a camera that has had a cult following for decades. It’s a pretty self-defined market, like the people who are interested in the Polaroid remakes. I suspect their target market has pre-ordered and moved on, not getting into comments wars with Pentax 17 owners.
I just thought the same. Bought the Pentax 17 and I’m very happy with the image quality (with both the sharpness of the lens - especially if shot from a distance of 25cm - and the accuracy of the light meter). Couldn’t be better.
🎯 Pentax hit it out of the park with the Pentax 17, and left big shoes to fill despite it being a half frame camera. I have an original Rollei 35 and I purchased the 17, so I'll skip the 35af.
A couple of content creators come to mind, ironically they were also the few that didn’t get a loaner or a free camera from Pentax. So many content creators also hyped up the new Polaroid camera. Where is the buzz now? Turns out you camera doesn’t matter much when the pictures still look like crap.
@@ElHype714 Very well recognized; you get to the heart of the matter. The worst reviewer in my opinion, FRIGITAL REVOLUTION, whose unprofessionalism in his video can hardly be surpassed, creates a review without ever having got his hands on the Pentax 17 and gives an alleged 100 reasons why this camera would be bad and he never would touch it - in contrast to the Rollei, which was not even available at the time the video was published, .FRIGITA REVOLUTION lifted the camera to Heaven without seeing it before in person. A more than embarrassing RUclipsr - a spoiled little boy who didn't get his lollipop. As for the often-mentioned higher price: in the old days, both the earlier Minox GT cameras and the Olympus XA models with similar features were in the same price range at the time - and with significantly fewer features.
can't argue with the resulting pictures, they look crisp, in focus, and are exactly what I'd want out of a 35 f/2.8 lens. I think I would wait for a v2 of this camera though for them to smooth out the rough edges in the feel of the camera
I got the Pentax 17, then I learnt that Rollei 35AF was on the way. I had a bit of buyers' remorse. But, now I am happy with my purchase. I have seen a couple of videos and the refinement seems to be lacking in this one. Also, for a point and shoot film camera, I prefer something like Pentax 17, if it was to be an autofocus I'd like auto wind rewind too, something like the Contax T3.
Tbh I think it's a mistake to think of any of the Rollei 35 series as point and shoots, they are just really compact fixed lens cameras, like an analogue Fuji X100. They demand the attention and consideration for each shot you'd give with a rangefinder or SLR.
@@denkibikeare you saying that this product should have been an RF or an SLR? Sorry, I didn't get what you wanted to convey. This is a P&S with autofocus, metering, auto modes, etc.
@@abhinaybuiss no I'm saying it's not a point and shoot, it's geared towards more manual shooting. It's like a Fuji X100 is a compact with a fixed lens but it's not considered a point and shoot and I think this is in the same category of camera.
@@denkibike okay. I respectfully disagree. Point and shoot category has had rangefinders, scale focusing, semi automatic, manual and fully automatic cameras. It's a blanket term which simply means a compact camera that can be used as an EDC. And I think Rollei 35AF is compact enough for that.
I really, really hope these take off so they can make more models. An auto-focus Rolleiflex is something I want to see! I still love my Olympus XA2 so I used the money to build a DSLR scanning setup to replace my flatbed scanner.
Thank you for offering your honest impressions. I have a vintage Rollei 35 and like it a lot, even with its quirks. The lens is excellent! As the saying goes, they don't build 'em like they used to. For some things they can't, due to economics or whatever. For other things, they shouldn't, because we can do those things better now.
They're both quite finnicky! I remember trying to film a video where I smoothly unloaded the original Rollei 35 and taking maybe 20 tries to get that back on/off in a way that looked nice. 🤣 It definitely isn't easy. - Connor
I definitely am a person that prefers a manual wind and rewind. That’s a big part of the appeal to shooting film for me and makes me more confident that I’ve loaded the film correctly with auto winds I’m never quite sure.
As a die hard Rollei 35 40mm 2.8 user it’s too bad they didn’t re-issue the legendary 40mm 2.8 lens, that is best part of the original. It renders BW and color so good in the shadows. It’s like the poor man’s Contax T2. lol, And yes that winder is clunky and strong if you forget that you’re on the last frame it will rip your film off the canister if try to advance past the last shot. Some of my best street photography has on the original Rollei 35 very sharp on the sonnar or tessar version. Love this camera might get a hold of the new one, the AF sounds yummy.
That would be incredible! With associated R&D and tooling for a factory something like that could easily cost a loooooot. Do you think you'd be willing to pay twice as much for a new camera versus something like a Hasselblad or Rolleiflex? - Connor
@@chriscard6544 fair enough!! (-: I do hope we get there someday, but it may take some patience and maybe some support for projects that aren't 100% what we dreamt of. - Connor
True. But I think most importantly, Mint is doing a Rollei 35 remake. They are selling a nostalgic product for a camera that has enjoyed a cult following for decades. It’s necessarily incorporating a lot of the quirks of the original including the left hand film advance lever and all that. Some people here would be arguing for a Polaroid that didn’t do instant film.
@@williamlasl ture, but they have to make money, they cant just sell to rolliei 35 fans, i have been using the 35s on and off for around 10 years, and i like it, but still have wants when i use it. they are going for a nish of a nish with this, and i want them to actualy make money so they can take more shots at making a better film camera. i dont think the hard core fans are enough to make money off this camera, nor do i think the hard core fans would want this much over their original
@@colinbluth5461 Its not only for them. I don't know about mechanics, but automated winding would've needed motors which would need space. And you cannot make the Rollei 35 remake even bigger, than it already has grown to. I think they really did a great job with keeping it true to the original and yet implementing auto focus. Of course not everyone is gonna like it, and I myself would've loved to see a true point-and-shoot without waiting time for auto focus or auto exposure (Pentax 17). But it's all right and has a great lens. I just don't know what to make of the opinions of the guys here saying it doesn't feel as well built.
@@lelandfitz1762 i dont think it is well built, but i do consider this camera's main competitor as the origional rollei 35, which is going for around $300, which is less then half the price of this camera. and i think most people would prefer the origional, expecialy considering the price. but i do hope these guys do well with this camera. because that would mean we have a better chance at getting more new film cameras
Why do you say only aperture and exposure compensation can be set manually when directly under the exposure compensation on the same wheel you can set shutter speed aswell?
The RF70 is a pretty cool camera! I wonder how well that lens would resolve on non-instant film, but the groundwork is there! I enjoy my RF70 for sure, although it would be nice if it were a bit more rigid if they offered it in 120. - Connor
I suspect that Mint will use many of the internals of that Rollei AF in some of their upcoming camera, that they will fund with money from this Rollei project
That would be pretty cool! As we said in the video, we'd love to see what MiNT could come up with if they didn't have to stick to the Rollei design language. Thanks for watching! - Connor
If Pentax comes up with a Pentax 35, I might be tempted (half-frame is a no-go for me, the rest of the Pentax 17 looks rather fine to me). The Rollei 35 is somehow not what I would find appealing.
I'm pretty sure you are supposed to flick that switch next to the viewfinder to show the danger symbol along with flicking the switch at the bottom. Then the loader will slip out.
My take away from your review is that you were not impressed with either camera. That’s a shame. Point and shot cameras are limited by their nature. I (and probably many others) am looking to buy a brand new point and shoot camera to supplement my other camera (Agfa Super Isolate 6x6) when traveling, etc. Sure, I can buy a great used camera from the 90s but buying used has its challenges. More focus should have been on the relevant advantages of both cameras, especially if buying new and what is currently being offered on the market now in this category
I would say that's our experience as well. The lever on our pre-production copy is already feeling a bit loose after just 2 or 3 rolls. I have a production copy on my desk now, so I'll be running a few more rolls through it and coming back for a more thorough review later. 👍 - Connor
In my country, the official prices are around 1,200 usd for Rollei 35 AF and 900 usd for the pentax 17. Those are prices in the mirrorles cameras range but with technology of 1960s.
@@retter2criticalYes, it looks like MiNT scanned the old camera, 3D printed it with its merits and demerits and added a LIDAR wherever it fit. If it was something like Contax T3, the owners of the original ones would have been more forgiving and new buyers would have found it appealing. With this, they shot themselves in the foot.
if one of these companies would just make a very good copy of a yashica T5 and try to price it between 300 and 600 dollars. that would sell great. but it would have to have all the feautures and the very sturdy feel of it.
A lot of the sample photos look quite under exposed, which given you were over exposing the film by a stop anyway is a bit concerning and Portra has a lot of latitude. Does that mean any point light source in the frame will lead to 2 or more stops of under exposure? I have a Rollei 35 SE which I love so I was really rooting for this to be a success but a few silly misses like that odd shutter button, no exposure indication and filter thread/hood attachment kind of kill it for me.
We'll be testing it a bit more in the coming weeks, all the results shown here are from our first roll. It did seem to be metering almost the entire scene so we ended up with some underexposed photos when point light sources were present. We'll have to see. I should say that there is an exposure indicator on the OLED on top of the camera. It tells you if the camera is unable to properly expose the film based on your currently selected aperture. It's a nice display, but I've definitely found it difficult to remember to check. It's a tiny screen. It would've been awesome to get that readout in the viewfinder, or to have a warning light from the viewfinder LEDs if exposure is incorrect. Maybe in the next one, or a second batch of these! - Connor
@@Kamerastore thanks for the reply! Some simple over/under LEDs like the 35 SE and TE have would have been nice but it's good to know the OLED screen does provide some feedback, I thought it was just for ISO selection and a frame counter.
Honestly, I hoped and I do still hope Pentax will release a modern iteration of the Ricoh GR1. This first two new releases are okayish, but I see no point in buying them other than supporting the development of new cameras.
Easily accessible, controllable manual and aperture priority with exposure compensation, everything I hoped the Pentax would have had. So for me the Rollei is the better camera.
pros - advance is good to have, just make it sturdy, and remember the feel of the advance is important - aperture priority mode is nice to have - ens not sticking out when in use cons - the o-led should have been a analog (at least looking) gauges like the old Rolleis. t- he way the back plate gets removed should have changed to a swinging door or something - if they were going to increase the size, i would rather have a range finder system, not the digital auto focus - size, why is it bigger? - price, too high for what it offers overall - just buy/keep the old Rolliei 35 - but i am looking foreword for what comes next
@@VariTimo Don't mention Switzerland! The official Rollei store here intentionally sets the price at 1075 euros to take advantage of the strong Swiss purchasing power. That's not fair. In the end, Swiss people pay 25 % more for the camera than regular EU citizens. That's why I'm waiting until the camera becomes available in regular retail, where hopefully competition might push the price down.
Good looking camera, BUT loading film is even quirkier than with the original, winding the film sounds beyond scary and sorry, but the noise caused by the AF motors is obnoxious and it makes me wonder if this is from 2024 😳 PS: don't forget how much they ask for it...
A good perspective to have! If you have the money to spare, that's basically the only way the film community can show manufacturers that there is interest. We'll have a few for sale, too. (: - Connor
I have an Rollei 35 since early 1990s. Disclaimer: I need to be honest that I have not used it since around 2010. Anyhow. There was only one (and today two) issue(s) with it: The focusing (and today also the mercury battery topic for which workaround exists). All other criticism of the original design being also in the new (wind, rewind, film loading,...) I can not really agree with. On the focusing: I would have wished the new Rollei, would have only got the LIDAR for the passive distance measuring and displaying on body and/or viewfinder like many (D)SLRs does since the 1990s -- with two arrows and a dot -- based on the lens setting. So we have unfortunately just another half-backed new film camera like Pentax 17. That is better when none new, aside of the Leice M6, but not a breakthrough at all.
To translate the comments on use of LIDAR to autofocus: traditional point-n-shoot cameras, say a Oly Mju or my Contax T2, use an active infrared system where the camera projects a beam of infrared light and measures its reflection from the subject to determine focus distance. LIDAR, as used here, does exactly the same thing, except it uses a difference frequency "light" to project. LIDAR is subject to all the same limits and focus defects as the focus mechanism in the Mju. It cannot focus through fog, smoke or rain, It cannot focus through glass (and here there is no manual focus override to avoid that failure, like in my T2). It can focus in the dark (same as Mju), but who cares. So why use a LIDAR autofocus? Advertising. It looks like a high tech, high priced, all-new focus system is offered. Like much of the "Rollei" 35AF, it's a marketing gimmick. Since it is a one-off for this camera model, it has to be more expensive than using an infrared unit, which has been a cheap, off the shelf component for decades. I.E., sucker bait.
Amen! Even if we don't agree with all the decisions made by Pentax and MiNT, it's important to remember that it's a good sign that they were brought to market at all! Hopefully with some support they're able to make more and more cameras that suit the interests of different users. Thanks for watching! - Connor
The new ones, both from Pentax and Rollei, do a good job of capturing a lot of the magic that old cameras have. Don't get us wrong, even if we seem negative in the video at times we're overjoyed that there's enough interest and investment in the film industry to get us new cameras! Both options can take great photos, too. (: Thanks for watching. - Connor
So this is not a real Rollei, which explains why it feels different in loading, winding and viewing. This is a camera made by a company that paid license fee to use the brand name Rollei.
The problem with both cameras to me is that they don't seem to fully reach the intended goals. The Pentax is supposed to be this "just shoot" camera, but it doesn't have autofocus. The Rollei is supposed to be a high-end P&S, but doesn't have any manual options. Both are just barely incorrect and not what I'd want to buy. If the Pentax would have had AF, I would have bought it. If the Rollei would have had manual settings, I would have bought it
The Rollei 35 AF has fully manual exposure controls! We mention it in the video. (: It works in either aperture-priority AE or fully manually. The only thing that's fully automatic is focus! - Connor
I think we do a good job of admitting and discussing that these two cameras are likely not aimed at the same people and definitely set out to do different things. They're not in direct competition with one another, really, but seeing two bigger manufacturers take a swing at a new film camera at the same time is very interesting to us. Seeing how they went about it (and the very different results they ended up with) is the point of the video (: Thanks for watching! - Connor
A total gimmick wannabe gimmick overpriced and poorly built camera! Don’t buy it !! This is not build by Rollei. Do you research and you will thank me later.
It seems you both are not happy with any camera put in front of you, as you also talk and seem inexperienced with cameras. End of day I’ll stick with Kai W’s review of this camera as he is way more seasoned and experienced. I’ll even take JCH review over this long winded drab rain storm of a review
You gotta compare it with the old roller 35, in that regards it’s a better camera, period. Price wise, it offers so much more than the Pentax. If Pentax can ask for 500, why shouldn’t Mint ask for 800. If you compare it with discontinued second hand film cameras, there’s no manufacturer can offer any “fair priced” alternative nowadays.
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I appreciate the much more nuanced review y'all provide than some of the other videos I've viewed. I ordered one. I simply want one for my little collection. Now, I have a much better idea of what I'm going to receive. Thanks!
I'm so happy that another brand new film camera is launched in this time of mirrorless high megapixel camera time.
Hope this camera finds its customers which the company is targeting, however I'm not one of them. The Pentax 17 is more for people like me.
Don't want to be negative, but the more I see the Rollei 35Af, the more I'm appreciating the Pentax 17.
From the film door opening, to the loading, to the advancing, to the rewinding: everything seems not only easy but super enjoyable on the Pentax 17!
It's not the case in the Rollei 35Af, as is evident in this video & some others.
Also other simple things like fit & finish, the way the camera feels in the hand, how you hold it, how the buttons work, how bright & visible is the viewfinder, everything seems better in the Pentax 17.
The Rollei 35Af has the better "specs" like autofocus, full frame, F/2.8 aperture, 1/500 shutter speed.
But in reality the usability seems to be a lot more on the Pentax & appreciate the small things like
1) the ability to put filters on the lens & the fact that the light meter is inside the lens housing, thereby compensating for the filter in reality.
2) the intuitive way to change ISO
3) The wriststrap being able to use as the macro focus distance
4) Film card holder being present
5) Analog frame counter.
I think all these add to the little things that makes you want to shoot in the first place ☺️
Agreed 100%! I ended up buying the Pentax17 for that reason. Still excited for Mint and for the next camera from Pentax as well!
@@gmosworld congrats to you on the purchase. It's still not available here in my part of the world. But I'm really waiting for it to be available. Getting tired of buying used old film 📸 and then getting issues on it.
Pentax 17 is definitely a good start in terms of a new camera in today’s times, but it’s also good to see another company make a new camera. I’m happy to see any new camera being made today
Shooting half and full frame are not comparable, glad you like the pentax.
@ulisesyo66 The fact the neg is half size is making a big difference.
As a beginner I really enjoy watching the review for Pentax and Roller AF comparison! Great video! and Love the zoom-out on Lidar part really funny!
Very nice talk, perfect comparison ,
after your thoughts, I’m pretty sure that I don’t want the Pentax or the Rollei af, I keep using my old Rollei 35s!
Can't go wrong with a tiny, mechanical marvel! Thanks for watching!
- Connor
Thanks for reviewing both of these new film cameras. I hope they both generate solid sales so we see more film cameras in the future but I'll be sticking with my Rollei 35SE and Olympus XA2 & XA4 cameras for my primary compact film cameras.
Yep! My XA2 still takes great pictures and it's not a brick I'd be stuffing into a pocket.
After watching this I’m happy I didn’t drop $800 on the Rollei pre order. Good concept though. I’ll stick with my Olympus 35 mm kit.
I think what Gary and his team have accomplished is nothing short of wonderful, I'm excited about the prospects of another new film camera on the market. I am excited about the prospect. I think you guys really hit the nail on the head about this camera, though: In the quest for nostalgia, they didn't correct the older issues with the camera. A point and shoot camera should be a one handed camera, insisting on the weird left handed wind lever makes it a two handed camera. If they insist to keep the wind lever, it should have been on the right make it one handed operation.
The loading with the entire bottom coming off seems remarkably stupid, as well. A flip open door like every other modern camera makes the most sense. The amount of work that Mint put into this only to label it Rollei seems a misguided step, as well. Some aspects of this camera are very appealing however, and I may pick one up (in black, obviously), I'm just not sure yet.
The black is REALLY slick-looking. I'm a bit sad my review copy is silver (': Thanks for watching!
- Connor
Preordered. Dont care about the criticism thrown at this. Its a preproduction model and no one has the final product. The OG uad uts quirks and this one appears to jave its own too. I simply bought it without question die to the fact that its a new production 35mm camera, with a warranty. Ive gone through too many thrift store finds that have died. F2.8 lens and shoot in aperture priority. None of my current P+S cameras have that. Cant wait!
Good grab. I’d take this over the Pentax.
Exactly
@@franky3fingers337 this is a good thing and shows others there is a market for analog photography. Dream scenario. Someone brings Contax back from the dead.
I think a lot of people pre-ordering will not care either. Mint is explicitly doing a nostalgic remake of a camera that has had a cult following for decades. It’s a pretty self-defined market, like the people who are interested in the Polaroid remakes. I suspect their target market has pre-ordered and moved on, not getting into comments wars with Pentax 17 owners.
Uau. Just uau. Here imagining the face of all the reviewers that were disappointed with the Pentax and said they were waiting for this camera.
I just thought the same. Bought the Pentax 17 and I’m very happy with the image quality (with both the sharpness of the lens - especially if shot from a distance of 25cm - and the accuracy of the light meter). Couldn’t be better.
🎯 Pentax hit it out of the park with the Pentax 17, and left big shoes to fill despite it being a half frame camera. I have an original Rollei 35 and I purchased the 17, so I'll skip the 35af.
A couple of content creators come to mind, ironically they were also the few that didn’t get a loaner or a free camera from Pentax. So many content creators also hyped up the new Polaroid camera. Where is the buzz now? Turns out you camera doesn’t matter much when the pictures still look like crap.
@@ElHype714 Very well recognized; you get to the heart of the matter. The worst reviewer in my opinion, FRIGITAL REVOLUTION, whose unprofessionalism in his video can hardly be surpassed, creates a review without ever having got his hands on the Pentax 17 and gives an alleged 100 reasons why this camera would be bad and he never would touch it - in contrast to the Rollei, which was not even available at the time the video was published, .FRIGITA REVOLUTION lifted the camera to Heaven without seeing it before in person. A more than embarrassing RUclipsr - a spoiled little boy who didn't get his lollipop. As for the often-mentioned higher price: in the old days, both the earlier Minox GT cameras and the Olympus XA models with similar features were in the same price range at the time - and with significantly fewer features.
can't argue with the resulting pictures, they look crisp, in focus, and are exactly what I'd want out of a 35 f/2.8 lens. I think I would wait for a v2 of this camera though for them to smooth out the rough edges in the feel of the camera
I got the Pentax 17, then I learnt that Rollei 35AF was on the way. I had a bit of buyers' remorse. But, now I am happy with my purchase.
I have seen a couple of videos and the refinement seems to be lacking in this one.
Also, for a point and shoot film camera, I prefer something like Pentax 17, if it was to be an autofocus I'd like auto wind rewind too, something like the Contax T3.
Tbh I think it's a mistake to think of any of the Rollei 35 series as point and shoots, they are just really compact fixed lens cameras, like an analogue Fuji X100. They demand the attention and consideration for each shot you'd give with a rangefinder or SLR.
@@denkibikeare you saying that this product should have been an RF or an SLR? Sorry, I didn't get what you wanted to convey.
This is a P&S with autofocus, metering, auto modes, etc.
@@abhinaybuiss no I'm saying it's not a point and shoot, it's geared towards more manual shooting. It's like a Fuji X100 is a compact with a fixed lens but it's not considered a point and shoot and I think this is in the same category of camera.
@@denkibike okay. I respectfully disagree. Point and shoot category has had rangefinders, scale focusing, semi automatic, manual and fully automatic cameras. It's a blanket term which simply means a compact camera that can be used as an EDC. And I think Rollei 35AF is compact enough for that.
I really, really hope these take off so they can make more models. An auto-focus Rolleiflex is something I want to see!
I still love my Olympus XA2 so I used the money to build a DSLR scanning setup to replace my flatbed scanner.
Thank you for offering your honest impressions. I have a vintage Rollei 35 and like it a lot, even with its quirks. The lens is excellent! As the saying goes, they don't build 'em like they used to. For some things they can't, due to economics or whatever. For other things, they shouldn't, because we can do those things better now.
Finally an in-depth talk about the 35AF. Thank you so much for being honest! The other reviews are not really saying a lot. 😊
Interesting. TBH, I've been using an original Rollei 35 for years and I sometimes still struggle to get the back off!
They're both quite finnicky! I remember trying to film a video where I smoothly unloaded the original Rollei 35 and taking maybe 20 tries to get that back on/off in a way that looked nice. 🤣 It definitely isn't easy.
- Connor
I definitely am a person that prefers a manual wind and rewind. That’s a big part of the appeal to shooting film for me and makes me more confident that I’ve loaded the film correctly with auto winds I’m never quite sure.
good times that film cameras are coming back
Great review! Very thorough and thoughtful!
As a die hard Rollei 35 40mm 2.8 user it’s too bad they didn’t re-issue the legendary 40mm 2.8 lens, that is best part of the original. It renders BW and color so good in the shadows. It’s like the poor man’s Contax T2. lol, And yes that winder is clunky and strong if you forget that you’re on the last frame it will rip your film off the canister if try to advance past the last shot. Some of my best street photography has on the original Rollei 35 very sharp on the sonnar or tessar version. Love this camera might get a hold of the new one, the AF sounds yummy.
I need a full mechanical medium format with a lightmeter that can be recharged with an USB-C, 6x6 or 6x7 with a sharp lens 75mm
That would be incredible! With associated R&D and tooling for a factory something like that could easily cost a loooooot. Do you think you'd be willing to pay twice as much for a new camera versus something like a Hasselblad or Rolleiflex?
- Connor
@@Kamerastore I can afford a Leica M11 so my answer is yes
@@chriscard6544 fair enough!! (-: I do hope we get there someday, but it may take some patience and maybe some support for projects that aren't 100% what we dreamt of.
- Connor
@@Kamerastore yes I agree
Great info! New to the channel. 5 minutes in & can already tell Nico keeps it 100! 👏🏼
olympus OM1 still smashing it for me
Auto wind and rewind is prone to getting defective and needing service. Also it takes up space in the camera and Mint wanted to keep it small.
and manual advance is one of the best feeling things about old cameras
True. But I think most importantly, Mint is doing a Rollei 35 remake. They are selling a nostalgic product for a camera that has enjoyed a cult following for decades. It’s necessarily incorporating a lot of the quirks of the original including the left hand film advance lever and all that.
Some people here would be arguing for a Polaroid that didn’t do instant film.
@@williamlasl ture, but they have to make money, they cant just sell to rolliei 35 fans, i have been using the 35s on and off for around 10 years, and i like it, but still have wants when i use it. they are going for a nish of a nish with this, and i want them to actualy make money so they can take more shots at making a better film camera. i dont think the hard core fans are enough to make money off this camera, nor do i think the hard core fans would want this much over their original
@@colinbluth5461 Its not only for them. I don't know about mechanics, but automated winding would've needed motors which would need space. And you cannot make the Rollei 35 remake even bigger, than it already has grown to. I think they really did a great job with keeping it true to the original and yet implementing auto focus. Of course not everyone is gonna like it, and I myself would've loved to see a true point-and-shoot without waiting time for auto focus or auto exposure (Pentax 17). But it's all right and has a great lens. I just don't know what to make of the opinions of the guys here saying it doesn't feel as well built.
@@lelandfitz1762 i dont think it is well built, but i do consider this camera's main competitor as the origional rollei 35, which is going for around $300, which is less then half the price of this camera. and i think most people would prefer the origional, expecialy considering the price. but i do hope these guys do well with this camera. because that would mean we have a better chance at getting more new film cameras
Why do you say only aperture and exposure compensation can be set manually when directly under the exposure compensation on the same wheel you can set shutter speed aswell?
I wish Mint would re do their RF70 as a 120. I’d pay some real money for that.
The RF70 is a pretty cool camera! I wonder how well that lens would resolve on non-instant film, but the groundwork is there! I enjoy my RF70 for sure, although it would be nice if it were a bit more rigid if they offered it in 120.
- Connor
I suspect that Mint will use many of the internals of that Rollei AF in some of their upcoming camera, that they will fund with money from this Rollei project
That would be pretty cool! As we said in the video, we'd love to see what MiNT could come up with if they didn't have to stick to the Rollei design language. Thanks for watching!
- Connor
If Pentax comes up with a Pentax 35, I might be tempted (half-frame is a no-go for me, the rest of the Pentax 17 looks rather fine to me). The Rollei 35 is somehow not what I would find appealing.
"This is kind of brick of point and shoot" Nico you made my day lol (and I totally agree with you 😄)
I'm pretty sure you are supposed to flick that switch next to the viewfinder to show the danger symbol along with flicking the switch at the bottom. Then the loader will slip out.
It is easy to see which one of the two will work well 5 years in
My take away from your review is that you were not impressed with either camera. That’s a shame. Point and shot cameras are limited by their nature. I (and probably many others) am looking to buy a brand new point and shoot camera to supplement my other camera (Agfa Super Isolate 6x6) when traveling, etc. Sure, I can buy a great used camera from the 90s but buying used has its challenges. More focus should have been on the relevant advantages of both cameras, especially if buying new and what is currently being offered on the market now in this category
nothing wrong with keeping the lever advance, they just should have made it a more robust lever
I would say that's our experience as well. The lever on our pre-production copy is already feeling a bit loose after just 2 or 3 rolls. I have a production copy on my desk now, so I'll be running a few more rolls through it and coming back for a more thorough review later. 👍
- Connor
In my country, the official prices are around 1,200 usd for Rollei 35 AF and 900 usd for the pentax 17. Those are prices in the mirrorles cameras range but with technology of 1960s.
I think Pentax were bolder here.
Hard to argue with that. Pentax made totally new camera that definitely divided opinions. -Tuomas
@@Kamerastore Mint looks too fixated on nostalgia, Pentax were thinking forward.
@@retter2criticalYes, it looks like MiNT scanned the old camera, 3D printed it with its merits and demerits and added a LIDAR wherever it fit.
If it was something like Contax T3, the owners of the original ones would have been more forgiving and new buyers would have found it appealing. With this, they shot themselves in the foot.
if one of these companies would just make a very good copy of a yashica T5 and try to price it between 300 and 600 dollars. that would sell great.
but it would have to have all the feautures and the very sturdy feel of it.
A lot of the sample photos look quite under exposed, which given you were over exposing the film by a stop anyway is a bit concerning and Portra has a lot of latitude. Does that mean any point light source in the frame will lead to 2 or more stops of under exposure? I have a Rollei 35 SE which I love so I was really rooting for this to be a success but a few silly misses like that odd shutter button, no exposure indication and filter thread/hood attachment kind of kill it for me.
We'll be testing it a bit more in the coming weeks, all the results shown here are from our first roll. It did seem to be metering almost the entire scene so we ended up with some underexposed photos when point light sources were present. We'll have to see. I should say that there is an exposure indicator on the OLED on top of the camera. It tells you if the camera is unable to properly expose the film based on your currently selected aperture. It's a nice display, but I've definitely found it difficult to remember to check. It's a tiny screen. It would've been awesome to get that readout in the viewfinder, or to have a warning light from the viewfinder LEDs if exposure is incorrect. Maybe in the next one, or a second batch of these!
- Connor
@@Kamerastore thanks for the reply! Some simple over/under LEDs like the 35 SE and TE have would have been nice but it's good to know the OLED screen does provide some feedback, I thought it was just for ISO selection and a frame counter.
@@Kamerastore also please do one with actual pro scans. these were not good.
Honestly, I hoped and I do still hope Pentax will release a modern iteration of the Ricoh GR1. This first two new releases are okayish, but I see no point in buying them other than supporting the development of new cameras.
All I want from a new film camera: a modern SRT super that’s a bit lighter and takes modern batteries. Maybe a new Pen F.
Easily accessible, controllable manual and aperture priority with exposure compensation, everything I hoped the Pentax would have had. So for me the Rollei is the better camera.
pros
- advance is good to have, just make it sturdy, and remember the feel of the advance is important
- aperture priority mode is nice to have
- ens not sticking out when in use
cons
- the o-led should have been a analog (at least looking) gauges like the old Rolleis.
t- he way the back plate gets removed should have changed to a swinging door or something
- if they were going to increase the size, i would rather have a range finder system, not the digital auto focus
- size, why is it bigger?
- price, too high for what it offers
overall
- just buy/keep the old Rolliei 35
- but i am looking foreword for what comes next
It doesn't have a self-timer, does it?
Yes it does. There's a button right below the Rollei logo that activates it! (:
- Connor
Sad news that Rollei DE won't make it available in Europe until 2025.
It’ll be available in other EU countries through Rollei in 2025 but in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland it’ll be available 15th October.
It will be available and sent everywhere in EU/UK in October, Rollei DE went back from their first com
@@chrisc640 Great news.
@@VariTimo Don't mention Switzerland! The official Rollei store here intentionally sets the price at 1075 euros to take advantage of the strong Swiss purchasing power. That's not fair. In the end, Swiss people pay 25 % more for the camera than regular EU citizens. That's why I'm waiting until the camera becomes available in regular retail, where hopefully competition might push the price down.
@@tirant_blanc Urgh. Switzerland strikes again.
Good looking camera, BUT loading film is even quirkier than with the original, winding the film sounds beyond scary and sorry, but the noise caused by the AF motors is obnoxious and it makes me wonder if this is from 2024 😳
PS: don't forget how much they ask for it...
I ordered one, if we don't support them then they won't release anymore... It's as simple as that
A good perspective to have! If you have the money to spare, that's basically the only way the film community can show manufacturers that there is interest. We'll have a few for sale, too. (:
- Connor
Supporting bad products doesn't make any sense, film or not.
The Pentax would be perfect if one could switch between full- and half-frame.
That's an idea for the sake of idea. Totally unnecessary.
@@chumpthetraitor7331 Really? I would have bought the camera if it had that option.
I have an Rollei 35 since early 1990s. Disclaimer: I need to be honest that I have not used it since around 2010.
Anyhow.
There was only one (and today two) issue(s) with it: The focusing (and today also the mercury battery topic for which workaround exists).
All other criticism of the original design being also in the new (wind, rewind, film loading,...) I can not really agree with.
On the focusing:
I would have wished the new Rollei, would have only got the LIDAR for the passive distance measuring and displaying
on body and/or viewfinder like many (D)SLRs does since the 1990s -- with two arrows and a dot -- based on the lens setting.
So we have unfortunately just another half-backed new film camera like Pentax 17.
That is better when none new, aside of the Leice M6, but not a breakthrough at all.
To translate the comments on use of LIDAR to autofocus: traditional point-n-shoot cameras, say a Oly Mju or my Contax T2, use an active infrared system where the camera projects a beam of infrared light and measures its reflection from the subject to determine focus distance. LIDAR, as used here, does exactly the same thing, except it uses a difference frequency "light" to project. LIDAR is subject to all the same limits and focus defects as the focus mechanism in the Mju. It cannot focus through fog, smoke or rain, It cannot focus through glass (and here there is no manual focus override to avoid that failure, like in my T2). It can focus in the dark (same as Mju), but who cares. So why use a LIDAR autofocus? Advertising. It looks like a high tech, high priced, all-new focus system is offered. Like much of the "Rollei" 35AF, it's a marketing gimmick. Since it is a one-off for this camera model, it has to be more expensive than using an infrared unit, which has been a cheap, off the shelf component for decades. I.E., sucker bait.
Both made pretty bizarre choices, but I wish them luck, hopefully they make enough to continue revising the cameras.
Amen! Even if we don't agree with all the decisions made by Pentax and MiNT, it's important to remember that it's a good sign that they were brought to market at all! Hopefully with some support they're able to make more and more cameras that suit the interests of different users. Thanks for watching!
- Connor
I would be happy about a fully mechanical camera..😅
But as a lover of old cameras, i would probably not buy the new ones anyways.
The new ones, both from Pentax and Rollei, do a good job of capturing a lot of the magic that old cameras have. Don't get us wrong, even if we seem negative in the video at times we're overjoyed that there's enough interest and investment in the film industry to get us new cameras! Both options can take great photos, too. (: Thanks for watching.
- Connor
So this is not a real Rollei, which explains why it feels different in loading, winding and viewing. This is a camera made by a company that paid license fee to use the brand name Rollei.
Hate the false LIDAR marketing recently (bambulab too), it's just a TOV sensor
The problem with both cameras to me is that they don't seem to fully reach the intended goals. The Pentax is supposed to be this "just shoot" camera, but it doesn't have autofocus. The Rollei is supposed to be a high-end P&S, but doesn't have any manual options. Both are just barely incorrect and not what I'd want to buy. If the Pentax would have had AF, I would have bought it. If the Rollei would have had manual settings, I would have bought it
The Rollei 35 AF has fully manual exposure controls! We mention it in the video. (: It works in either aperture-priority AE or fully manually. The only thing that's fully automatic is focus!
- Connor
@@Kamerastore I completely missed that! Guess I'll be €850 lighter then...
Why would you compare apples and oranges just because they arrive to the market the same year?
Apples and oranges?? Both film cameras, both released in 2024… both are the only new film cameras in a long time.
I think we do a good job of admitting and discussing that these two cameras are likely not aimed at the same people and definitely set out to do different things. They're not in direct competition with one another, really, but seeing two bigger manufacturers take a swing at a new film camera at the same time is very interesting to us. Seeing how they went about it (and the very different results they ended up with) is the point of the video (: Thanks for watching!
- Connor
A total gimmick wannabe gimmick overpriced and poorly built camera! Don’t buy it !! This is not build by Rollei. Do you research and you will thank me later.
sounds like the rollei should be chucked into the bin. not worth the price.
It seems you both are not happy with any camera put in front of you, as you also talk and seem inexperienced with cameras.
End of day I’ll stick with Kai W’s review of this camera as he is way more seasoned and experienced. I’ll even take JCH review over this long winded drab rain storm of a review
have you ever heard of iPhone? it has lidar since years.
Cool camera. But not $800 dollars cool... I'll just get an Olympus XA for the money.
Disappointing, why would they make a worse product? And so overpriced
You gotta compare it with the old roller 35, in that regards it’s a better camera, period. Price wise, it offers so much more than the Pentax. If Pentax can ask for 500, why shouldn’t Mint ask for 800. If you compare it with discontinued second hand film cameras, there’s no manufacturer can offer any “fair priced” alternative nowadays.
I personally won’t buy it because i don’t buy into that rollei hype, but you gotta give them credit for investing in this project
@@FenixYukaccording to this review it feels like a cheap camera, with $800 you can find a way better used analog system.
It is fair priced compared to what new film cameras with fixed lenses used to cost .
I agree. @@geofff6671
That is, in short, it is expensive garbage.
800$ sorry... CRAP