For me, this camera is the perfect size and weight. The lens is really the star, and I might do a future video just on the lens., which I've used on the Zeiss Ikon. Here's a link to the original datasheet for the Rollei 35 RF: bit.ly/Rollei35RF_info
Cosina generally did a good job with this series of cameras and changed people's opinion of it simply being a low-cost contract manufacturer of average cameras and average-at-best lenses.
The (Voigtlander) Bessa was given a cosmetic overhaul in various degrees by Cosina, painted with different brand names, and sold by a number of others as their own, Including Cosina itself, Rollei, and Zeiss. There is practically no functional difference between them other than trim styling, knob size. etc. The big difference new was price, as in its Zeiss brand, it carried a list price almost double the price of an equivalent Bessa. While this might seem odd, Cosina was build on a business model of manufacturing cameras and lenses to be branded and sold by others. It didn't start selling its products under its own name until it had become a major player in the industry.
Make sure to advance the film very gently, even when the camera is empty. There is a part of the shutter mechanism that bends on these cameras rather often. Pretty easy to spot this issue, front curtain no longer opens at all and the rear shutter curtain doesn't "latch" when the film is advanced. Can be repaired, but it's more likely to happen again, when repaired. Best to stay gentle with this baby!
Sorry I sold mine. But quality film lab processing was rapidly disappearing at the time. The 40mm was beautiful. I do have the Schneider 40mm on the old R 35 still. I wonder what the modern equivalent would be for a mirrorless.
I have one of these. I bought it a few years ago. It's started to have some issues with film spacing and advancing though. Still one of my favorite cameras in my collection.
Good and informative vid. Minor quibble, it's not a German camera it's a Japanese camera with a German camera's name. As for the use of seals, they used by both German and Japanese cameras as a cost reducing measure. Early.Nikons and RF Canon's didn't use them either.
Oh, did I say that? I must have missed that on my review of the video. It's definitely for setting the film speed and not for setting the shutter speed. Thanks for catching that.
For me, this camera is the perfect size and weight. The lens is really the star, and I might do a future video just on the lens., which I've used on the Zeiss Ikon. Here's a link to the original datasheet for the Rollei 35 RF: bit.ly/Rollei35RF_info
Cosina generally did a good job with this series of cameras and changed people's opinion of it simply being a low-cost contract manufacturer of average cameras and average-at-best lenses.
The (Voigtlander) Bessa was given a cosmetic overhaul in various degrees by Cosina, painted with different brand names, and sold by a number of others as their own, Including Cosina itself, Rollei, and Zeiss. There is practically no functional difference between them other than trim styling, knob size. etc. The big difference new was price, as in its Zeiss brand, it carried a list price almost double the price of an equivalent Bessa. While this might seem odd, Cosina was build on a business model of manufacturing cameras and lenses to be branded and sold by others. It didn't start selling its products under its own name until it had become a major player in the industry.
Beautiful and very interesting video
Make sure to advance the film very gently, even when the camera is empty. There is a part of the shutter mechanism that bends on these cameras rather often. Pretty easy to spot this issue, front curtain no longer opens at all and the rear shutter curtain doesn't "latch" when the film is advanced. Can be repaired, but it's more likely to happen again, when repaired. Best to stay gentle with this baby!
Sorry I sold mine. But quality film lab processing was rapidly disappearing at the time. The 40mm was beautiful. I do have the Schneider 40mm on the old R 35 still. I wonder what the modern equivalent would be for a mirrorless.
I have one of these. I bought it a few years ago. It's started to have some issues with film spacing and advancing though. Still one of my favorite cameras in my collection.
Good and informative vid. Minor quibble, it's not a German camera it's a Japanese camera with a German camera's name. As for the use of seals, they used by both German and Japanese cameras as a cost reducing measure. Early.Nikons and RF Canon's didn't use them either.
Looks like CONTAX!
IMHO
The lift and turn dial window is actually for the ASA/ISO NOT shutter speed. The shutter speed is the outer large dial that you simply turned
Oh, did I say that? I must have missed that on my review of the video. It's definitely for setting the film speed and not for setting the shutter speed. Thanks for catching that.