Rolleinuts, do I have a Frankenrollei??

[NickSimcheck]

I have a Rolleiflex 2.8E(1) with a Xenotar 2.8, and Synchro-Compur shutter, it's serial number is 1.637.029.

Everything a normal E(1) model has... except no meter.


It has the studs for the diffuser, but no meter and no scale on the focus knob.

I can't explain it. I know it's not an E(2) or E(3) as they have much later serial numbers and different features which this camera does not have.

Could it be a one-off E(1)?

 

[ic-racer]

The meter could be purchased separately, and some cameras did not come with the meter.

2.8 E with Xenotar without meter = $279.95 [1958]

 

[dpurdy]

It might have come through a guy on ebay who bought and sold a lot of Rolleis and always took the meter out and changed the knob to the meterless knob. He did it because he thought a lot of Rolleis had bad meters and he didn't want people to return cameras for that reason.
There is also the fact that back in the day a lot of people thought the meter knob stuck out too far and had it taken off and replaced with that flatter one.

 

[NickSimcheck]

The meter could be purchased separately, and some cameras did not come with the meter.

2.8 E with Xenotar without meter = $279.95 [1958]

Oh wow, never knew it was an "option"...


When cleaning the Fresnel I could see a pair of wires that go from where the meter would be to the focus knob, so essentially they pre-wired them for meters then.

 

[NickSimcheck]

It might have come through a guy on ebay who bought and sold a lot of Rolleis and always took the meter out and changed the knob to the meterless knob. He did it because he thought a lot of Rolleis had bad meters and he didn't want people to return cameras for that reason.
There is also the fact that back in the day a lot of people thought the meter knob stuck out too far and had it taken off and replaced with that flatter one.

While I know that wasn't the case with this one (it was my grandfather's) but it's interesting to know that there are variations on the size meter scale...