Rollei 35; How good?

perkeleellinen · Apr 22, 2009

I used to own the budget model (35B?). Much of what has been said was also my experience, very nice pictures, strange camera to use.

The filters used to cost a fortune!

eddym · Apr 22, 2009

waynecrider said:
Thanks for the responses. Guess I'll have to take it with me this weekend and run a roll. Btw, what filters does this thing take? I guess I could hold a round filter in front for that matter.

If you can find any accessories for the old Pentax 110 SLR, the lenses have the same size screw threads. I came across a folding rubber filter for the Pentax, and it's still mounted on my Silver 35S.
For a lens cap, I use a film canister cap. I think it's from an old roll of Fujifilm; it fits perfectly into the threads of the hood.

waynecrider · Apr 23, 2009

Anscojohn said:
Btw, what filters does this thing take?

******
Surprise, surprise it is nothing very common, to be sure. It's 30.5 mm. FWIW, a place called Surplus Shed, in Pennsylvania, has a sale on filters that size. Can't recall if they are ND or IA, but you could lukitup. Five bucks a piece, I think. And an outfit called Virtual Village, on Egregious Bay sells nice, Leica-like slotted metal lens hoods for about fourteen bucks if shipping is included.

I guess I could hold a round filter in front for that matter.
*****

Do that whislt taking a flash picture, holding the camera upside down On second thought, it might be easier to just stand on your head!!(vbg)

I measured mine and it's 23.5 to inside threads so thats probably a 24mm filter

K-G · Apr 24, 2009

A reliable companion

I bought my 35S brand new in the early 80's and it has served me well for over 20 years. I was never really careful with it. I stuck it in my pocket, in my back pack, in the side pocket of the car door or were ever there was some space left. It´s a ruf life for a camera but it goes with you were ever you go. Other cameras can give you better focused and better exposed pictures but the Rollei 35 can give you pictures from those unexpected moments when you wish you had a good camera ( and it is a good camera ! ). A few years ago it finally broke down and is now replaced by a well kept second hand 35 T. Both cameras will give you excelent picture quality once you learn to master focusuíng with the meter/foot scale and get to know the not so precise exposure meter. Today there is an extra problem with the exposure meter as it runs on PX 625 bateries ( 1,35 V ). These mercury based bateries are no longer available, and most replacements with the same dimensions are 1,5 V. You may have to reset the exposure index on the camera in order to get a corect reading.
When my 35 S finally gave up it´s breath, it left a heritage of many thousand negatives containing the history of my family. In some periods I could just take the camera out of my pocket, focus on what so ever and take a picture. The bare "click" sound from the shutter could cheer me up for hours.
My advice is to load it with your favourite ASA 400 black and white film, keep it with you where ever you go and use it in all those quiet or overwhelming moments that life lets you go through.
Good luck and best regards from
Karl-Gustaf

johnnywalker · Apr 24, 2009

It's a 30.5 mm filter. I bought a new one from the Filter Connection, plus a couple of adapters so I could use my 52mm filters. I suspect 30.5 might be used on digital cameras, can't think of why they'd have new ones if not. You can buy a gadget from ChrisCameras that changes the voltage on a common button 1.5 volt battery to 1.35 volts.

Dead Link Removed

ic-racer · Nov 11, 2010

I just got a 35LED for $25. Pretty cool, the LEDS actually work. I'll need to pick up a cap, which I think is smaller on this TRIOTAR than the others. Just got the PX-27 battery in the mail yesterday (zBattery.com has them; same battery as the Minox LX).

No film through it yet, but the lens is clear and the shutter seems fine. In fact, I can't detect that ANY film has ever passed through the camera. (Maybe Ansoc John owned this one ).

mablo · Nov 11, 2010

I've used my 'Singapore Sling', a Rollei 35 Tessar for a couple of years. It's a decent performer as long as you keep it stopped down. The meter is not very good and I eventually removed the battery to avoid cursing at the meter. My only gripe with is the lack of self timer. A small camera just needs a self timer.

KrankyKraut · Nov 30, 2010

I used to own a black 35T in the early 80's. Bought it because it was so unique and quirky. Also it looked really cool. I finally sold it after several years because I found it hard to properly estimate the distance for correct focus. If and when the focus was spot on, the quality was superb. Contrast and color rendition were tops, but I couldn't get consistent results. I switched to a Minox 35GT and have never looked back.

holmburgers · Nov 30, 2010

The classic grey film cannister caps make a perfect lens cap for the 2.8 Sonnar on a 35SE. I can't say for sure if it works for the others.

macrorie · Nov 30, 2010

I just got my first Rollei 35, an S, and it has one of the smoothest shutter releases I have used. That is good, because it is such a small, light camera. I also shot some flash photos with a Vivitar HV285 on the first test roll, upside down, and that was a bit surreal. The shots came out fine.

tim k · Nov 30, 2010

Quirky is why I got mine. About those sticky shutter, I had sticky slow speeds when I got the camera. I just worked them a while, it loosened up, and its been fine ever since.

ROL · Nov 30, 2010

The Rollei 35's were practically standard issue for mountaineers last century (i.e., in the 1970's ). All but professional photographers found them light and small enough to carry and slides unmatched except (perhaps) by dedicated SLR's. I recall Yvon Chouinard, of Patagonia Apparel fame, making good use of one back then. Mine was dropped by a "friend" taking pix of me at the Western States Trail Run in 1980. I still miss it -- not him .

Approximately half of the photos in these videos - California Haute Route 1978 (Parts 1 & 2) - were taken with my Rollei, the others with a Minolta or Konica SLR.

holmburgers · Dec 1, 2010

Interesting perspective on the mountaineering crowd... I can see the appeal! I started hankering for one after a ski trip.

If you're willing to put up with zone focus, which in my opinion is the only problem with the camera, then you're golden. It's like carrying a Derringer around; it's small but does what it needs to do when called upon.

ic-racer · Dec 1, 2010

I like my 35 LED and have run a few rolls through it, however, I was out with htimsdj and he picked up an Olympus AX and that camera provides a reality check on the 1960's Rollei design.

The Olympus AX is about the same size as the Rollei, but it has a six-element 35mm f2.8 lens, RANGEFINDER and shutter speeds visible in the viewfinder. Only the early AX has all the good features, the subsequent variations removed essential features.

mr rusty · Dec 1, 2010

I had a 35B from 1977 onwards, and used it as my only camera until about 1984. I was in the Merchant Navy and it came with me all over the world. For the print size I usually had - 6 x 4 - I never had any complaints of the basic Triotar lens. Terrific "pocket" camera. In the end it died- something broke, and when I took it apart there was a fair bit of rust around - salt air I guess. Last year I bought another for old times sake. Best thing about the 35B - no batteries!

Timestep · Dec 1, 2010

KEEP IT !. I still use mine, especially for Street Photographynon-threatening, silent and unobtrusive.
It's far bettger than one should expect. The best $125.00 I ever spent on photographic equipment in 1975.

Rollei 35; How good?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency