OK a 2.8F and how much film can you get for 29.5 thousand euros?
Franke and Heidecke (Rollei MF cameras and projectors) close to an end
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OK, a decent 2.8F can be got for €1000 - 1500. Leaves €28k. I work it out thusly:
€5000 -- 1998 Honda Africa Twin 750cc tour-prepped motorcycle
€2000 -- extra equipment (tent, tools, sleeping bag, etc)
€3000 -- 600 rolls of Tri-X (assuming €5/roll; bulk discount may apply)
Leaves €18000 for fuel, repairs, spares, tyres, visas, bribes, accommodation, activities, insurance, even more film since 600 rolls is a bit tight, etc.
Received wisdom in the long-range touring community is that €10,000 in the bank is what it takes to ride across Africa, taking 6 months, avoiding the war-zone(s)-du-jour and doing lots of activities.
I reckon it's more than do-able, and the resulting photo-book will be a zilliion times more interesting than some hoity-toity handover of a display case queen.
Who's with me?
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Dammit. Now I'm eyeing my 2.8F in that certain way. There's a tour-prepped Africa Twin in the garage.
Go for it!
Someone give me €29500 and I'm off...
No. Rollei film is produced by Maco and merely branded as Rollei; they have nothing to do with Franke & Heideke the camera makers and optical engineers.
What would you use the extra € 5,000 for?
There will be a great book in such a trip. If Oberholzer can get away with only going from the Cape to Caïro, imagine what that additional Suez to Skardsvåg will do.
So it will pay for itself. You only need to convince a publisher to give you an advance.
Failing that, a bank?
Don't think it hasn't crossed my mind.
In all honesty, I might choose to do it in a 4x4 instead, simply -- especially in central and eastern Africa -- it's just easier to get through with some additional wheels. That's OK; I have an expedition-prepped Uri (Namibian-built Toyota Land Cruiser derivative) sitting in my driveway too.
As for the additional €5000: film, duh. And mailers; I don't want to have to keep track of hundreds of rolls of exposed film over 15,000km of driving. Mail 'em to a trusted address for processing and archiving until I arrive.
I don't think asking banks for money is a winning proposition right now. :\
In all honesty, I might choose to do it in a 4x4 instead, simply -- especially in central and eastern Africa -- it's just easier to get through with some additional wheels. That's OK; I have an expedition-prepped Uri (Namibian-built Toyota Land Cruiser derivative) sitting in my driveway too.
As for the additional €5000: film, duh. And mailers; I don't want to have to keep track of hundreds of rolls of exposed film over 15,000km of driving. Mail 'em to a trusted address for processing and archiving until I arrive.
I don't think asking banks for money is a winning proposition right now. :\
My girlfriend reminds me that the bike in the garage is hers anyway, and I can't even quite reach the ground properly. So I'd take the 4x4 just to have some quiet on that front.
Everyone laid off
Today a german photographic magazine stated that today all Franke & Heidecke employees were informed to be laid off at the next possible date (covering the legal period).
Some work will still be done but all have been advised to look for new jobs...
Today a german photographic magazine stated that today all Franke & Heidecke employees were informed to be laid off at the next possible date (covering the legal period).
Some work will still be done but all have been advised to look for new jobs...
Hello,
I am regularly following the german language APHOG website in Germany and the good news is . . .
Rollei is still in production and their beautiful TLR's are still being made as well as other MF cameras.
They have also introduced awesome new films as well as an entire line of enlarging papers.
By the way, Herr Franke and Herr Heideke were the gentlemen that started the Rollei saga a long long time ago.
Marcus
I am regularly following the german language APHOG website in Germany and the good news is . . .
Rollei is still in production and their beautiful TLR's are still being made as well as other MF cameras.
They have also introduced awesome new films as well as an entire line of enlarging papers.
By the way, Herr Franke and Herr Heideke were the gentlemen that started the Rollei saga a long long time ago.
Marcus
Marcus,
I stated that (depending on that source) there still is some production. But they same time all employees are stated to be given their notices. To me that means definitely the end of Franke & and Heidecke. May it practically be now or in six months.
Franke & Heidecke are not involved in any film and paper production.
I stated that (depending on that source) there still is some production. But they same time all employees are stated to be given their notices. To me that means definitely the end of Franke & and Heidecke. May it practically be now or in six months.
Franke & Heidecke are not involved in any film and paper production.
The sad news of today is, that according to Spuersinn (Germany), 131 employees have received notices.
Unfortunately, the government of Germany is not helping F & H, but instead are bailing out the Banks, who in return gave themself hefty bonuses first, just like in the U.S. and around the world.
The irony is, that this happens at a time when medium and large format analog photography is making a strong comeback.
A sad day!
Marcus
Unfortunately, the government of Germany is not helping F & H, but instead are bailing out the Banks, who in return gave themself hefty bonuses first, just like in the U.S. and around the world.
The irony is, that this happens at a time when medium and large format analog photography is making a strong comeback.
A sad day!
Marcus
Sad indeed.
Slightly off topic, re your mention of a comeback (wanting to know, not disputing), where do you see it? What are the signs, where are the numbers showing that it is?
Slightly off topic, re your mention of a comeback (wanting to know, not disputing), where do you see it? What are the signs, where are the numbers showing that it is?
Q.G.
The firm Spuersinn, located in Germany, is an international supplier of analog photographic materials.
According to the company, after a few years of slowdown, the demand for their products is on the rise again. Especially for analog medium and large format, they report a strong resurgence of interest. Apparently young photographers and pros are discovering and rediscovering the benefits of analog photography.
Marcus
The firm Spuersinn, located in Germany, is an international supplier of analog photographic materials.
According to the company, after a few years of slowdown, the demand for their products is on the rise again. Especially for analog medium and large format, they report a strong resurgence of interest. Apparently young photographers and pros are discovering and rediscovering the benefits of analog photography.
Marcus
Would be great.
But one company's estimate only? Very thin ice.
Could easily be that an ever shrinking demand and demand-following supply make flock more of the remaining MF and LF photographers to the ever fewer remaining suppliers, Spürsinn being one of them.
I could get anything i wanted locally (small town, but still: anything i wanted). But it is getting harder and harder to even get the more 'common' thingies locally. So i am forced to use the internet instead (not a big problem, of course, except that it takes longer), and now get my supplies from a shop that still has what i need.
Now if that shop would think that adding me to their customer list would be a sign of a revival ...
You get the point.
But one company's estimate only? Very thin ice.
Could easily be that an ever shrinking demand and demand-following supply make flock more of the remaining MF and LF photographers to the ever fewer remaining suppliers, Spürsinn being one of them.
I could get anything i wanted locally (small town, but still: anything i wanted). But it is getting harder and harder to even get the more 'common' thingies locally. So i am forced to use the internet instead (not a big problem, of course, except that it takes longer), and now get my supplies from a shop that still has what i need.
Now if that shop would think that adding me to their customer list would be a sign of a revival ...
You get the point.
Q.G.
It is not only Speursinn but other companies as well. 23 new films have been recently introduced to the market, more that at anytime in history. New silver papers are manufactured as well as a considerable selection of specialty developers.
Adox, one of the oldest firms was absent for decades, now they are back again on the international scene.
The media usually will not report on positive events such as Adox being in business again, they prefer to write orbituaries instead.
Marcus
It is not only Speursinn but other companies as well. 23 new films have been recently introduced to the market, more that at anytime in history. New silver papers are manufactured as well as a considerable selection of specialty developers.
Adox, one of the oldest firms was absent for decades, now they are back again on the international scene.
The media usually will not report on positive events such as Adox being in business again, they prefer to write orbituaries instead.
Marcus
Pitty that it will come too late for great cameras like the Rolleis.
But it really would be great.
But it really would be great.
Frankly I believe the high prices of the F&H products play a big role here. They would have sold many more twin lens cameras if they priced them more reasonably. When the 2,8 GX came on the market in the mid 80's they didn't cost more than around € 1300. I can't believe the inflation made the price almost triple. With reasonable pricing and reintroducing the Rolleicord, thwy would have sold many many more cameras. Instead they chose to aim their marketing at rich collectors.
Ah, but that is different.
At one time they were bought and owned by Hermes (still today? I lost track). So their cameras are fashion accessories, and as such follow very different marketing rules.
The Swedish Firm was even worse than Rollei when it comes to pricing. Worse than L... too.
The L... company at least gave you a car (a VW Polo/Rabbit), free, when you bought their most expensive tele lens. The Swedish Firm did not even give you a lens hood when you bought one of their lenses, asking ridiculous sums for the plastic thingies instead. Terrible.
At one time they were bought and owned by Hermes (still today? I lost track). So their cameras are fashion accessories, and as such follow very different marketing rules.
The Swedish Firm was even worse than Rollei when it comes to pricing. Worse than L... too.
The L... company at least gave you a car (a VW Polo/Rabbit), free, when you bought their most expensive tele lens. The Swedish Firm did not even give you a lens hood when you bought one of their lenses, asking ridiculous sums for the plastic thingies instead. Terrible.
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