David A. Goldfarb
Moderator
I've updated the thread title for a little more clarity.
Franke and Heidecke (Rollei MF cameras and projectors) close to an end
-
A
- Thread starter archphoto
- Start date
Recent Classifieds
-
Want to Buy For parts/broken nikon bodies and lenses
- Started by Gram Nylén
-
For Sale FS: Beseler Printmaker 35 condenser head, Beseler 50mm lens and other parts
- Started by dirkfletcher
-
Sold FS: (broken) Horseman 6x12 Back
- Started by dirkfletcher
-
For Sale FS: Tamron 150mm f/6.3 Lens
- Started by B.S.Kumar
-
Sold SOLD!
- Started by B.S.Kumar
Forum statistics
It's a truly sad thought to see great engineering companies like F&H being swept away by the tide of fashion. The Rolleiflex -- especially the TLR -- is a timeless photographic icon, and if F&H finally go the way of the dinosaurs, it will leave a gap that none will fill.
Thankfully my Rolleiflex cameras will continue to work today, tomorrow and in the future. I just have to be extra careful with them now.
Thankfully my Rolleiflex cameras will continue to work today, tomorrow and in the future. I just have to be extra careful with them now.
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2008
- Messages
- 277
- Format
- 35mm
This thread has made me realize - I have been a Rollei TLR fan for 40 years, have owned at least 10 examples and have a Rolleflex T and Rolleicord V now, but - I've never bought a single piece of Rollei gear new!
I will point out that had people been buying the new Rolleiflexes the company would have made money. But since the camera sold very poorly what is the point of having a company making them? I am the only person I personally know who has an FX. It is a nice camera but too expensive for amateurs and not viable really as a professional tool. And it is arguably no improvement over the seemingly millions of existing older style Rolleis that can still be rebuilt and made good as new. Mostly all you saw was people complaining of the build quality of the FX and the ridiculous prices of the Wide and Tele. So if that portion of the company goes under, it is as it should be.
Dennis
Dennis
Please be aware that the Rollei films have nothing to do with F&H. Maco is the vendor for Rollei branded films, and they licensed the name. They are not the subject of this post.
THANK GOD !!!
The trouble with F&H was that they did not listen to the market. They came with the FX at the end of that era.
The never competed succesfully with Hasselblad an so on.
At one time I had a SL66 for a CLA in and a Hasselblad with a problem with a 120 back, so I could compare the two.
I loved the SL66 and still have one, I liked their handling better, esp with the grip on the SL.
Now all we can do is wait and see what happens......
Peter
The trouble with F&H was that they did not listen to the market. They came with the FX at the end of that era.
The never competed succesfully with Hasselblad an so on.
At one time I had a SL66 for a CLA in and a Hasselblad with a problem with a 120 back, so I could compare the two.
I loved the SL66 and still have one, I liked their handling better, esp with the grip on the SL.
Now all we can do is wait and see what happens......
Peter
This is very sad news. I hope that Rollei will be rescued again. At least, I hope that knowledge will be transferred and that someone will be able to offer servicing and/or supplying spare parts.
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2006
- Messages
- 131
- Format
- Large Format
My Rollei 6008i/6003 are the best cameras I've ever used. I was saving up to buy the 6008AF. Now? Well..
To be fair the FX camera's were only made because there was a demand for new TLR's, the Rolleiflex's have competed with 6x6 SLR's since the mid 1930's onwards. A major problem for all film camera manufacturers is the vast quantity of good second-hand equipment with similar specifications at a fraction of the new prices that's currently flooding the market.
Let's hope something can be saved from the ashes.
Ian
Sad news but not surprising considering the economic climate out there.
Thank God was ment for the films, not for the demise of F&H.
And yes, they had a lot of competition from the japanese.
I overhauled a 2.8F many years ago, it works like a charm and I will keep it untill my end has come.
And yes, they had a lot of competition from the japanese.
I overhauled a 2.8F many years ago, it works like a charm and I will keep it untill my end has come.
Is this the end of MF projectors? I think there's one company still left making 35mms. . .
Since the early 1950s, really.
They caved in in the early 1960s, starting to produce SLRs themselves.
The company that did that, however, has long gone.
The company that has declared bankruptcy now, though bearing the name Franke and Heidecke, is a quite new, almost completely unrelated engineering company, a couple of companies removed from the original Franke and Heidecke.
Sad to see the TLRs go.
A new camera has only just been released by Fuji/Cosina 
Ian
Ian
Ian: So what? It's not a Rollei TLR. . .
Yeah, it is sad to see TLRs go, but God, the writing has been on the wall for quite a long time, at least 20-30 years.
Only advantage that a TLR had really was that you could, if you knew what you were looking for, catch blinks because there's no mirror lockup issue with the double lens.
But, yet again, a Rangefinder does just as good a job, or you can watch for blinks just looking at the subject.
Yeah, it is sad to see TLRs go, but God, the writing has been on the wall for quite a long time, at least 20-30 years.
Only advantage that a TLR had really was that you could, if you knew what you were looking for, catch blinks because there's no mirror lockup issue with the double lens.
But, yet again, a Rangefinder does just as good a job, or you can watch for blinks just looking at the subject.
Sorry but I have to reply to this a little. Sure the original designers were gone and the company owned by different people but the new FX is definitely a Rollei TLR. If you have both, as I do you find that even the strap hangers and back doors are interchangeable and most all the design is the same with a couple of simplifications as well as a better metering system installed. I find the new Rollei is seemingly better in every way than the late 2.8F white face I have. That said it is still over priced.
As to the TLR being no better than a range finder, actually you can do much better composing through a matched lens than through a range finder and even though a TLR seems like an SLR in use it has all the advantages of a rangefinder with no mirror flap and hand holdability.
That said I am not particularly sad to see the demise of the TLR because there are so many available in the used market. Also I am guessing the value of my used FX just took a step up.
Dennis
I'm not debating technicalities, guys, just pointing out that the TLR was a technological marvel in the 20th century, but it has plateaued in every conceivable field at least 30 years ago. I've used TLRs for work, still do sometimes, but, at best, the used ones are valued because of their *low* price value. They're a great way to get into MF photography, but making new ones at a premium price is almost counterintuitive.
There's a reason why Mamiya gave this product the axe almost two decades ago.
There's a reason why Mamiya gave this product the axe almost two decades ago.
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2006
- Messages
- 858
- Format
- Multi Format
http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/Franke-Heidecke-ist-insolvent
I would imagine that Sinar might pick up tooling in any liquidation, in order to continue the Hy6. They do make a film back for that body, and the lenses are somewhat compatible with Rollei 6003 and 6008 models.
If nothing else, maybe I'll be able to pick up a used 6008i in the near future at a more reasonable price. When the Hy6 came out, prices on Rollei 6000 lenses, and then older 6008i bodies, went up on the used market. While I hate to see this company go, their products are rugged enough that there will be nice used examples for many more years.
Ciao!
Gordon Moat Photography
I would imagine that Sinar might pick up tooling in any liquidation, in order to continue the Hy6. They do make a film back for that body, and the lenses are somewhat compatible with Rollei 6003 and 6008 models.
If nothing else, maybe I'll be able to pick up a used 6008i in the near future at a more reasonable price. When the Hy6 came out, prices on Rollei 6000 lenses, and then older 6008i bodies, went up on the used market. While I hate to see this company go, their products are rugged enough that there will be nice used examples for many more years.
Ciao!
Gordon Moat Photography
I agree that when more people would've bought new Rollei TLR's the company probably would have gotten more means to stay alive. The secondhand market for this kind of equipment is price-wise far more interesting. Plus that they are build to last a life-time. Still it's too bad seeing them go despite it being a matter of 1+1=2.
Oh well, we still have this "competitor":
http://www.random-good-stuff.com/2008/10/27/stylish-blackbird-tlr-camera-in-color/
Oh well, we still have this "competitor":
http://www.random-good-stuff.com/2008/10/27/stylish-blackbird-tlr-camera-in-color/
The HY6 Sold by Sinar and Leaf also, is a brand new camera designed to compete with the Hasselblad. This has ramifications for Sinar and Leaf also.
| Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here. |
PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:  |