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Calling Rollei 35T users.. end of roll mis-maneuver!

jay moussy

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I took the new-to-me Rollei 35T out for the first time.

A bit of fumbling to load film, engagement of wind shaft, and lost a couple of frames' worth. Hmm.. OK.

End of roll: I came to a situation where the film is all pulled out, preventing cocking shutter, an so not allowing lens barrel retraction.
The fix is, of course, to rewind back in cassette, freeing up the wind/cock mechanism, but I was busy at the time, and just wanted the lens in!

I made a few mistakes, of course, but I would like to hear experienced Rollei users share their approach to end of film.
 
I don't think there is any solution other than to rewind the film into the cassette, or at least to start. I'm not sure you need to rewind it all the way - possibly just pushing the wind lever over will allow you to get the lens in? I can't try this right now, as I have a half-used film in mine. I always reload as soon as I finish a film, so as to Be Prepared, but that means I also have to switch films mid-way on occasion.

On a related note, take care with the pressure plate as you load/unload, because its hinges are easily bent. Dozens of examples show that they can be bent back again, but leaving tell-tale signs of a ham-fisted previous owner.
 
Thanks ^^, Yes, the delicate pressure plate is new to me, and this why I did not want to remove film on the go.

I have a supply of grossly expired film, so I will practice with that, at home.
 
I’d raise the film rewind lever to disengage the sprockets. Then wind on/complete the wind on stroke. Then retract lens. I think that should work.
 
No actually that wouldn’t work! Film would still be pulled on the spindle….
 
pthornto said:
I’d raise the film rewind lever to disengage the sprockets. Then wind on/complete the wind on stroke. Then retract lens. I think that should work.
Click to expand...
You are right that you must complete the wind-on to cock the shutter before the lens can be retracted - just raising the rewind knob to disengage the sprockets won't do it. But you can't wind on when the rewind lever is up! So I think the only way to get the lens in is to finish the rewind process, put the rewind lever down again, then do a wind-on (with or without a new film in place). You can watch the mechanics when the camera is empty.

Incidentally, to the OP: film loading in these cameras is as simple as it gets. Shove the leader in beside the arrows, use your thumb on the knurled bit of the uptake spool until the sprocket teeth engage. Flip the pressure plate back up, slide the back cover on (you sometimes need to squeeze the top edge into place gently), and you're good to go.

And ain't that viewfinder just lovely?
 
Last edited:
+1 And the taking lens is pretty sweet too.
 
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