Rollei has been reborn!

olwick · Oct 6, 2010

Episode IV: A New Hope

http://www.bjp-online.com/british-j...nke+&+Heidecke's+ashes,+rises+DHW+Fototechnik

dehk · Oct 6, 2010

Amen.

Q.G. · Oct 6, 2010

A company making money selling the left over inventory of a bankrupt company?
Telling fibs, like Franke and Heidecke Mk II being the same company as the one founded in 1920? Failing to mention the still existing Rollei company (Rollei doesn't need rebirthing - The Danish company that has been the owner of Rollei for 'ages' now is doing well)?
I could go on, and on, and on. But for now, let's wait and see.

Jeff Kubach · Oct 6, 2010

Looks good, just have to wait and see what happens!

Jeff

R gould · Oct 6, 2010

It looks promising,so fingers,and everyting else,crossed it willwork,without rollei it would be a sadder world,Richard

lxdude · Oct 6, 2010

R gould said:
It looks promising,so fingers,and everyting else,crossed

Eyes too?

Q.G. · Oct 6, 2010

Yes, eyes too.
You'll have to try harder than that though. Try this

Prest_400 · Oct 6, 2010

lxdude said:
Eyes too?

Double eye shooting will be quite impractical.

I read something about a new rollei 35 but didn't know anything about it, now I understand it better.
But, I think also the price of the rollei 35 was rather high...

2F/2F · Oct 6, 2010

I do not understand how high-end camera companies who make commercial cameras, like SINAR, Rollei, and Hasselblad can expect to compete with their own used markets with the older-style cameras, e.g. Hassy 6x6 film camera, Rollei TLRs, SINAR F2s and P2s, etc. I understand the viability of the digital stuff, like the Hy6, the P3, the Hassy H system, etc., but I don't see how the other stuff can be profitable. Who, exactly, is buying enough of it to make it so? Who today buys a brand new $5,000 TLR if they want to shoot a TLR, as opposed to just buying and servicing a used one for a grand or two, tops? How about a SINAR P2? Who spends $8,000 on a body only, when you can get a used kit with many lenses and accessories for a few grand?

Q.G. · Oct 6, 2010

The SL66 is from 1966 (just as is the Rollei 35, by the way), way before digital.

You were perhaps thinking about the Hy6, which isn't a Rollei product.

But good question.

railwayman3 · Oct 6, 2010

My immediate reaction is to wonder what the market is for this kind of gear at what must, inevitably, be high prices? It's likely to be beyond the means (and needs) of 99% of amateur enthusiasts, while most professionals are not likely to want to change from their established equipment, and particularly not to upgrade in a time of recession?

Q.G. · Oct 6, 2010

Which is exactly why i think DHW is not a manufacturing enterprise, not a revival of Rollei, but a small scale trading company that turns scrap (the inventory of parts and almost finished products they bought themselves out of the bankruptcy) into something (much) more valuable.
You can do that if the costs are low (and being small, and not doing much else but assemble already made parts, the costs involved are low) and the margins are big.
They may not sell fast, but there certainly is a market for prestige laden, very expensive luxury products. (Look at Leica and what they manage to pull off.)

Moopheus · Oct 6, 2010

2F/2F said:
I do not understand how high-end camera companies who make commercial cameras, like SINAR, Rollei, and Hasselblad can expect to compete with their own used markets with the older-style cameras,

I've wondered this about film gear in general, not just the high-ed stuff. Who is paying $1K+ for a new enlarger, when decent used ones are plentiful and practically being given away? Institutional buyers, and buyers for whom there are tax advantages, I guess. If you are a commercial user and expect to really be using the camera very heavily, it might still be worth buying new to make sure you get something that will last. But this is, I think, part of the reason new film cameras are almost gone--the supply of used gear is more than equal to the demand.

mabman · Oct 6, 2010

The DHW guy in the article says they're making new Rollei 35 cameras at an "attractive price". Anyone know how attractive? And has anyone had a chance to try them (such as at PhotoKina)? Their website is just a stub right now.

clayne · Oct 6, 2010

Moopheus said:
I've wondered this about film gear in general, not just the high-ed stuff. Who is paying $1K+ for a new enlarger, when decent used ones are plentiful and practically being given away? Institutional buyers, and buyers for whom there are tax advantages, I guess. If you are a commercial user and expect to really be using the camera very heavily, it might still be worth buying new to make sure you get something that will last. But this is, I think, part of the reason new film cameras are almost gone--the supply of used gear is more than equal to the demand.

I bought a new Kaiser a while back ago from Freestyle. I felt no qualms whatsoever about paying for a high quality enlarger and supporting the industry.

I do buy used plenty - but there are also times when I buy new. Just not when the price doesn't match the purchase itself. For instance if a company were selling a 7k$ rangefinder, no I would not buy that - period. But if it were being sold new for 1k$, and used for 500$, I might consider buying it new because I may feel it's worth it's price. In the case of the enlarger I still felt it was worth it's price.

Comparatively, I picked up a used, but solid, DeVere 504 with transtab, a ton of neg holders, 3 Schneider lenses, and some odds and ends for around 1k$ and felt it was definitely worth it based on the value of the equipment itself and it's solid functionality.

Sometimes there is the market and sometimes there is perceived value.

Rollei has been reborn!

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