Raimo Korhonen
31.07.1991
In the time before the little Rollei the fixed-lens 35mm camera offered to the amateur was quite an awe-inspiring machine indeed: height about 10 centimeters (4 inches), breadth about 12-14 cm (5-5.5 inches) and thickness inclusive the lens about 7-8 cm. The Rollei 35 measures 6x9.7x3.2 cm respectively and weighs 370 grams or about half of what the old style camera weighs. Even the rangefinder Leica looks big compared to the Rollei 35.
In the beginning, however, it was very close to happen so that there would be no Rollei 35 at all. And that was because the Rollei 35 was born out of wedlock.
The constructor of Rollei 35 was one Heinz Waaske who at first planned cameras for the Edixa works owned by the Wirgin brothers. Edixa was not that well off - like so many other German camera manufacturer - so new ideas were not eagerly received. Waaske had completed a plan of the smallest possible camera built around the 35 mm film cassette and he offered his plan to various manufacturers. Among those were at least Leitz and Minolta but to no avail. In the end the old and worthy company of Rollei-Werke Franke & Heidecke grabbed the opportunity.
They have had no reason to regret the decision. The different versions of the camera stayed in production for 15 years until the year 1982. The exact production numbers are not known, but two million cameras were reached in 1974 and one million of model 35S was achieved in 1979 so the total must be somewhat over 3 million cameras.
These are respectful numbers when you take into account that the Rollei 35 is not your run of the mill point-and-shoot camera - and that it was never actually cheap.
The specification did not change when in 1973 production was moved to Singapore. The next variant is the Volkskamera of the 1969 namely the B35 (or 35B, both markings exist) which has the simpler Triotar lens and Prontor shutter with speeds of only 1/30-1/500. The dials are not in front of the camera but around the lens as usual. Selenium cell exposure meter is uncoupled. The even simpler model C35 has no exposure meter at all.
In 1974 the progress progressed to the model 35S, which appears in our pictures. The S is equipped with a better "Made by Rollei" f:2.8 Sonnar lens. Better means her better speed and unit focusing. The lens is truly excellent compared with almost anything. Because of the bigger lens the camera is 2,5 mm thicker - otherwise it does not differ from its predecessor.
The next novelty is the 35T of 1976, which is similar to the 1966 original even to the Tessar lens. It is easily identified by the T marking.
In 1978 came the revised version of model B35 - the 35LED, with silicon cell exposure meter and LED readout in viewfinder.
This was deemed good and so Rollei 35 went through a more fundamental change: the model 35SE of 1980 has LED readout for exposure in the viewfinder and because of more electronics battery chamber was moved to the top of camera. The earlier models had battery in the film chamber: if you run out of energy in the middle of film you have to rewind before you can change the battery. However this external battery chamber cover is so annoying to the esthetics to such an extent that even when the 35SE is without doubt the most practical in use of these cameras cameras, the 35S is the most highly regarded. And when everything comes round the new Classic is the old 35S in new guise and not the 35SE.
The SE has also a Tessar-lensed version the TE, which is otherwise identical.
All models were made both chrome plated and black except 35LED which was available in black only. 1.200 gold plated versions of the original 35 were made. Of the S model 1.500 gold plated versions were made and at least as much in silver.
The price of a gold plated version is not easily defined in our small market but in the big world they command about 700-900 USD. Silver version in only slightly more expensive than the normal item.
The more inexpensive models B, C and LED cost only 200-300 FIM, but quality wise they are fully comparable with the present-day compacts.
The small Rolleis are eminently usable cameras but they require a certain level of knowledge of the principles of photography. And they are not too rare either. They will not gather dust on the store shelves but are soon nabbed. And not without reason because abroad the prices have more than doubled in three years. It means that the international price level has attained the Finnish level our prices are hardly expected to fall either.
Well - if you thought that now when the new model is available the second-hand prices may decrease - think again.
The new 35 Classic is technically alike the 35S with hot shoe moved to a more sensible position on top of the camera. On the outside the "classic" has been made up with platinum, the aperture and shutter dials are gold plated - the price is expected to rise above 5.000 FIM. Yes - the price includes a matching flash the Rollei 20REB and a suede pouch made by MCM.
I think that IŽll stick to my old 35S.
PS: When I wrote this story I could not get accurate information about production data so the numbers mentioned above are badly wrong. The correct numbers can be found here .