Heading out with my Rollei 35

DonW · Jul 29, 2020

Well it only took 15+ years to get it back from my EX! Still in tip top shape. Got it loaded up with a roll of Classic Pan 400. A member here Eric Rose sent me 40 rolls of the stuff awhile back. He claims semi-stand development in PyroCat-HD and rate the film at 125asa gives good negs. This will be my first try with this film.

Getting back to the Rollei, I had both the Sonnar and Tessar versions but found the Tessar one produced better images so I sold the Sonnar. That was years ago.

Guess what? After all this time the meter is still spot on!

Don

ic-racer · Jul 29, 2020

That is great to read. I recently got the repair parts for my 35 LED that I had had for about ten years.
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/rollei-35-led-repaired.171199/

Donald Qualls · Jul 29, 2020

I've got a Rollei 35 (Tessar version) that I traded for in 1974. In between, it spent twenty years or so in my dad's care, then my brother's for a while, but after all this time, it still makes excellent images.

guangong · Jul 30, 2020

Keeping in mind that focusing is guesstimation with Rollei 35, putting a Sonnar on camera was a pointless advertising ploy. The 3.5 Tessar was the perfect choice.
congratulations on renewing ownership!

DonW · Jul 30, 2020

Hyperfocal is my friend. Went out to a local park today and exposed about 26 frames. Ten to go!

JPD · Jul 30, 2020

I have never had problems with guesstimating the distance with my Retina Ib, and it has a 50 mm Xenar. It should be even easier with a 40 mm Tessar and a film speed that lets you stop down a little.

ic-racer · Jul 30, 2020

guangong said:
Keeping in mind that focusing is guesstimation with Rollei 35, putting a Sonnar on camera was a pointless advertising ploy. The 3.5 Tessar was the perfect choice.
congratulations on renewing ownership!

I have never read that argument before...but I like it seeing as I have the lowly Triotar.

Donald Qualls · Jul 31, 2020

Hard to tell a Xenar from a Tessar from a Triotar when you shoot at f/11 or so. Load 400 speed and go.

choiliefan · Jul 31, 2020

I loved shooting color film through the Sonnar.

Huss · Jul 31, 2020

The shutter still ok after all these years? All the Rollei 35 cameras I've looked at had sticking shutters under 1/30 sec. And I've looked at a lot.

Donald Qualls · Jul 31, 2020

Can't say about OPs, but mine doesn't stick. Slowest speed (1/2, as I recall) works perfectly and seems accurate. I might have opened it up and cleaned it at some point, however. Heaven knows I've had the top cover off enough times to fix linkages that jumped off their push-bars after being dropped. Now I have a wrist strap, should cut down on that problem. If only I could find replacements for the two top cover screws that got lost when my Dad or brother had it.

DonW · Sep 19, 2020

Just developed the roll. All the images except for one turned out fantastic! Somehow I got one frame double exposed. The meter is even still spot on.

Donald Qualls · Sep 19, 2020

DonW said:
Somehow I got one frame double exposed.

Wow, that's quite a trick. I don't even know offhand how to do that intentionally with a Rollei 35. I expect the usual 35mm method will work, but I have no idea how you'd do it accidentally.

Still, good to know the camera and meter work. I haven't checked the meter in mine since I dug it up; can't change the battery while it's loaded, anyway.

Huss · Sep 20, 2020

DonW said:
Just developed the roll. All the images except for one turned out fantastic! Somehow I got one frame double exposed. The meter is even still spot on.

2 1/2 months later?

Guess it's the kind of camera that you can't put down.

p.s. post some up.

Arthurwg · Oct 3, 2020

I shot slide film in mine (Sonnar) on a trip to Morocco many years ago. Some of the best pictures I ever made.

DonW · Oct 4, 2020

Huss said:
2 1/2 months later?

Guess it's the kind of camera that you can't put down.

p.s. post some up.

I should! Unfortunately life gets in the way of fun sometimes. Right now my darkroom is setup for an alternate use. Patience typically is not my strong suit but in this case I have to exercise it. Bummer. But soon!!

outwest · Oct 5, 2020

Somehow I have ended up with 4, 3 Tessars and a Sonnar. The Sonnar is "different" but my favorite is a Germany made Tessar. Really hard to beat a good Tessar. Oh, they all work.

Donald Qualls · Oct 6, 2020

outwest said:
Really hard to beat a good Tessar.

Truth. It was a good lens in 1920, it was a good lens in 1970 (when Polaroid selected it for the SX-70, which didn't make it to market until '72), and it's still a good lens in 2020.

Heading out with my Rollei 35

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