Rollie P350AF Slide Projector

[Cato]

I just bought a Rollie P350 AF. The problem is that it says "autofocus," but I dont see any autofocus button. Even the remote says "autofocus," but to focus I have to manually twist the lens. I took out the lens, and didn't see any mechanism that could adjust the focus. Am I the "autofocus?"

 

[AgX]

-) the name is Rollei

-) there is no autofocus button

-) autofocus mechanics will be hardly visible as not the lens barrel itself is moved, but the holding barrel

-) one sets focus manually by twisting the lens barrel when setting up projector and screen

-) from then on autofocus will work automatically

-) if autofocus should repeatedly yield less sharp images, one can fine-tune focus by hand once as a corrected basic setting

 

[jlbruyelle]

This may be a confusion with what the word "autofocus" means for slide projectors. They don't have an autofocus in the sense that they would determine when the image is sharp on the screen. What it means here is that you focus manually, and then the "autofocus" just ensures automatically and in (almost) real time that the slide always remains in the same plane, and compensates for popping or different frame thicknesses. In other words, it is not "autofocus" like in a camera.

 

[AgX]

Good point, I overlooked that "autofocus" at projectors may be misunderstood.
Yes, there is no metering relating to the screen, but only relating to the plane of film in the slide-frame: just "popping" of the film, or a bent slide will be be corrected.

 

[MattKing]

Essentially, the projector automatically maintains the focus once it is set manually at the beginning.

 

[Cato]

Thanks!

 

[AgX]

The remote control of the non-autofocus version also yielded remote focusing. If you put that remote control instead on your model it might work too (depending of wiring of your connector).

 

[Cato]

And how do the various lens compare? Mine came with Heidosmat glass lens that was made in Singapore. How does this lens compare with other offerings?

 

[AgX]

Simplified: in general the standard projector lenses from the 70s onward were Tessar types. The better ones though double-Gauss ones.
So just count the lens elements (by reflections) and you got an idea.