How To Repair Film Advance On Rollei 35

The Rollei 35 is a 35mm miniature viewfinder camera built by Rollei. The original Rollei 35, when introduced at photokina in 1966, was the smallest existing 135 film camera. The Rollei 35 series remains i of the smallest 35 mm cameras after the Minolta TC-one and Minox 35. In 30 years, nearly 2 meg Rollei 35 series cameras were manufactured. The Rollei 35 was manufactured by DHW Fototechnik upwards to 2015, the successor of Franke & Heidecke as minor-batch production.^[1] The concluding version is the Rollei 35 Classic, an updated Rollei 35 SE.

Technical development [edit]

Preliminary thoughts [edit]

Heinz Waaske created the Rollei 35 camera. This film was taken about six weeks before his death in July 1995.

In almost 1960, when the outset subminiature cameras for 16 mm film came to marketplace, Heinz Waaske, master engineer of High german camera maker Wirgin, proposed that the purchasers of the 16 mm subminiature cameras, or even the half-frame Olympus Pen 35 mm cameras, were motivated not by the tiny film format merely the size of the cameras. After having already engineered and designed the 16 mm Wirgin Edixa sixteen too equally 35 mm single-lens-reflex cameras, he at present set out to build a 35 mm camera in a housing only one third of the volume of the viewfinder cameras of the time.

Design of start prototype [edit]

In his spare time, working in his own living room, Waaske made the offset technical drawings of the camera in 1962, with prototypes made by Wirgin.

Lens [edit]

Zeiss Ikon Contessa S310 – Lens: Tessar f2.viii / twoscore mm

The 3-element twoscore mm f3.v Cassar lens was sourced from Steinheil [de].

Housed within a sliding tube, the lens retracts into the photographic camera body when not in use.

Shutter [edit]

Considering of the limited radius of available space around the fully insertable lens, the use of the normal key shutter was impossible. Therefore, Waaske proposed a new type of shutter, which was separated into ii functional parts. The shutter controlling clockworks were mounted unmovable in the camera trunk, while the shutter lamellas were mounted in the movable sliding tube. The separate parts were mechanically coupled by shafts. Only when the shutter was artsy and therefore the lamellas were uncoupled, the sliding tube could exist inserted into the housing.

Film compartment [edit]

Waaske filed patents for the shutter construction as well as the infinite-saving, film-guiding five sprocket wheel. This pattern deviated from the normal structure that advanced the film with an eight sprocket wheel.

Another difference to the conventional design was the cocking lever. On the Rollei 35, the lever is located at the top left and the motion-picture show rewinding crank at the bottom right of the camera body (instead of the cocking lever being at the top right and the rewind crank at the top left). The cartridge sits in the right side of the camera and correspondingly the exposures lay "upside downwards" on the pic, reflected by the inverted position of the film inscriptions (type, frame numbers) of nether/over landscape pictures. To alter the picture, the dorsum must be slid downwardly and removed fully, similar on the Contax, for example.

Light meter [edit]

For the shutter-coupled exposure meter of the prototype camera, Waaske selected a selenium jail cell powered meter from Metrawatt [de]. The manually adjusted exposure control remained unchanged in afterward models of Rollei 35.

On the way to mass production [edit]

When Heinz Waaske finally presented the fully functional new camera paradigm to his employer, Heinrich Wirgin (a.k.a. Henry Wirgin) said: "So you have wasted time on your own structure in my prototyping workshop?!". It was not until that moment, that Wirgin told his primary engineer that he had already decided to terminate camera production and photo equipment concern.

Looking for new employment, Waaske presented his compact camera to Ludwig Leitz and to Kodak, but to no avail. In January 1965 Waaske started working for Rollei in Braunschweig (Brunswyck). Having go Rollei's director only in March 1965, Heinrich Peesel accidentally got a get-go glimpse of his new employee's tiny epitome camera. Filled with enthusiasm, Peesel decided that the camera should immediately be further developed by Waaske for mass production, but, using only parts of Rollei'southward suppliers. Waaske's footling photographic camera was presented at photokina in 1966 as Rollei 35, with a meliorate lens – the Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40mm lens, a state-of-the-art Gossen [de] CdS-exposure meter and a precision-made diaphragm shutter made by Compur, using Waaske'southward patented shutter design.

The Rollei 35 standard model [edit]

Evolution [edit]

Rollei 35S – Light meter brandish

Optical lens type – Zeiss Tessar

The photographic camera had to exist converted to use parts from Rollei's suppliers, as Rollei did not maintain business relations with Metrawatt and Steinheil. A high-quality Tessar lens was fabricated by Zeiss. Rollei'southward light meter supplier was Gossen. Whether to employ either a photovoltaic selenium sensor or a CdS photoresistor, was finally decided in Baronial in favour of the CdS. Gossen named the same measuring range for both solutions. A selenium-cell powered light meter was cheaper in production and did not need a battery. However, the much smaller CdS-photoresistor improved the fashionable look of the photographic camera, the battery powered light-meter was more shock-resistant, and the "CdS technology" could be used as a selling betoken in advertising. The housing needed to be changed just slightly, since Waaske unknowingly had adopted the appearance of Rollei's twin-lens reflex cameras, past placing the exposure time and aperture controls to the correct and to the left side of the lens. Yet, Rollei's designer Ernst Moeckl revised the housing, and past irresolute the edge radius made the camera body even smaller.

Rollei 35S with electronic wink Rollei 128 bc

For the mercury battery PX 13 (= PX 625 = MR 9) of the light meter, a place was found within the camera housing. The film rewind knob of the technology model was exchanged for a rewind crank, and a hot shoe was added for mounting an electronic flash at the base of operations plate. Placing the hot shoe on tiptop of the camera was non feasible because of the underlying exposure meter and transmission gear. Mounting the hot shoe at the frame cover would probable crusade impairment when using one of the heavy flash lights of that time. Therefore, for a natural lighting shade, the photographic camera had to exist turned upside downwardly, when using a flash, to get the light source in a higher place the lens. The projected proper noun for the photographic camera was at start to exist the Rollei Privat, which even was the engraving on the terminal typhoon in March 1966. Merely in Apr 1966, when Peesel decided to designate all Rollei cameras according to the applied film format, the designation became Rollei 35.

Mass product started in July 1966. The first ads showed cameras with release bolting devices and battery exam keys. The first proved to be redundant, since with the lens inserted the camera could non be released anyway. The latter feature was dropped, for reasons of reliability – electrical contacts could easily fail. The voltage of the mercury bombardment dropped so apace at the end of the battery's life that it would be hard to obtain a wrong exposure. Likewise a switch for the exposure meter was also dropped. The exposure meter was always on, even with the lens inserted. Enclosed in the darkness of the camera handbag, practically no current drained from the bombardment, which therefore remained usable for many years.

Focusing [edit]

Like the bulk of 135 cameras in the 1960s, the Rollei 35 is a viewfinder camera - a rangefinder was non included. Around 1970, Rollei experimented with adding an integrated rangefinder, but there was not enough room in the photographic camera. They experimented with an external rangefinder mechanism with a turning prism as used in Zeiss Ikon Super Ikontas, just every bit the production shifted to Singapore this idea was abandoned.

Made in Frg [edit]

Following the preproduction run of 50 pieces, 200 cameras were made for use as advert and testing samples. After 900 pieces of the regular models had been built by the finish of 1966, in 1967 each month 1000 cameras were produced. Until August 1967 all Rollei 35 cameras got the unusual signature "Fabricated in Frg by Rollei – Compur – Gossen – Zeiss", but from then on it became "Made in Germany by Rollei". Further deviations from the showtime production year were the plastic take-up reel and picture rewind begetting, V-shaped grasp for the bottom lock and anti-twist plate for the film cartridge. In September 1968 a special lens cement prevented the previous UV permeability of the Tessar. A variant with a dark-green leather covering was rejected by the sales department, not wanting additional models only 2 years afterward the sales start. Another prototype with blank adjusting wheels from anodized aluminum proved too expensive to manufacture, nonetheless.

Made in Singapore [edit]

Rollei 35S – Engraving "Fabricated by Rollei Singapore"

With the establishment of the production plant, preparations began for the immediate shift of the Rollei 35 production to Singapore. Since there were no suppliers in Singapore, all parts had to be manufactured there by Rollei or imported from Japan or Europe. The cameras received the engraving "Made by Rollei Singapore". At present licensed lens production ("Made by Rollei") was used instead of the original Zeiss lenses, also as Nissei exposure meters and Copal leafage shutters (both Japanese manufacturers). The retail price fell continuously considering of low labor costs. This did non go along to be a noticeable advantage all the same, because of reduction in the cost of competing cameras, but unlike Rollei, through increasing apply of electronics. The Rollei operation in Singapore closed down in 1981.

Entry level models [edit]

Rollei B 35 and C 35 [edit]

A Triplet lens design – like the Zeiss Triotar

Preceded by two concept studies, the entry-level model with a triplet lens, the Zeiss Triotar f iii.5 / forty mm, hit the market in October 1969. Initially, for the first concept study, Compur was asked for a simplified shutter with a limited timing range of i/xxx sec to 1/125 sec, which, however, was not cheap enough for an effective reduction in production cost.

Therefore, the starting time concept study got an immovable lens tube. The original movable sliding tube was one of the nigh expensive parts, because it had to be precisely manufactured on a lathe for a light tight fitting. The second concept written report retained the sliding tube for the lens, only used a selenium low-cal meter. A lite meter for the accessory shoe was assigned to be congenital by Gossen in early 1968, but finally an uncoupled light meter was integrated in the photographic camera housing.

Aperture and shutter control on the lens butt of a Rollei B35

The photographic camera received the designation Rollei B 35, with the "B" indicating the light meter (German: Belichtungsmesser), a slightly cheaper model, omitting the lite meter, was called Rollei C 35 for compact camera. Naturally, the innards of the camera were simplified by using more plastic parts. The control wheels on the photographic camera torso were replaced by a more conventional aperture command at the lens tube, and the control wheel for exposure time was placed at the sliding tube base on the body. Thus, the fully inserted lens protruded a flake more than from the camera body, than in the previous model. Both of these models offered a shutter timing range from 1/xxx sec to ane/500 sec and an aperture range from f/3.five to f/22. The focusing range reaches from 3 feet (0.9m) to infinity. Two pairs of dots on the lens barrel indicate the depth-of-field for f/8 and f/sixteen. The and then-chosen Zeiss formula was inspired by this camera.

Especially for the N American market, a special edition with an artificial leather roofing in traffic-red, xanthous-orange, deer-brownish, steel-blue and white was produced, counting 100 items for each color. Merely equally these test samples did not crusade much involvement, they were not quoted in whatsoever cost listing.

Rollei 35 B [edit]

In 1976 the Rollei B 35 was renamed as Rollei 35 B without any further modification, to ameliorate conform to the Rollei designation scheme.

Rollei 35 LED [edit]

Without its ain development department, the Singapore product facility asked Rollei Germany for permission to brand a redesign of the Rollei 35 B. The uncoupled selenium lite meter was replaced by a new electronically coupled light meter, using variable resistors for transferring the aperture and shutter control settings to the light meter. The new designation Rollei 35 LED resulted from the iii light emitting diodes in the viewfinder, which indicated overexposure, correct exposure, or underexposure. In October 1977 the first datasheet appeared and in Jan 1978 preproduction started. Just the first models suffered from clumsy design of the power switch, which activated the light meter permanently. If the user forgot to switch the photographic camera off, the bombardment was drained in but 15 hours. Furthermore, the PX-27 bombardment could be inserted the incorrect fashion, causing damaged electronics. From August 1978 onward an improved model was fabricated, where the light meter was only activated when the release button was depressed slightly.

Advanced models [edit]

Rollei 35 S [edit]

Rollei 35 Due south (black version)

Due to its large success, as early on as the terminate of 1967 a luxury and a beginners variant of the Rollei 35 were planned. However, considering of the production shift to Singapore, it was non until 1971 that the computation of a five-elements lens was assigned to Zeiss. This Sonnar f 2.8 / 40 mm lens was to be fitted with a front lens focusing control, like the Tessar, providing a similar mounting in the sliding tube. Simply the two front lenses were to move when focusing. But, when finished, the lens did not focus sharply enough at close distances, and mass production had to be delayed by a whole year. The project was stopped and Zeiss designed a new lens with focusing control by moving the whole lens. Rollei'due south main of development, Richard Weiß, concluded: "We've got into a precarious loss-making situation considering of this. The developers have learned that, in the future, they must examine lenses, even if made by Carl Zeiss, with more than scepticism." The tools for producing the new shutter machinery were congenital by Prontor, a Zeiss subsidiary company in Calmbach, which had already taken over the manufacturing of the quondam shutter from Compur (another Zeiss subsidiary).

Rollei 35 T [edit]

Rollei 35 T with lens recessed

Back of Rollei 35 T, showing Singapore engraving

When introducing the Rollei 35 S the former Rollei 35 was assigned the new proper name Rollei 35 T, without whatsoever further changes. A projected denim covered pattern variant, with an appropriate denim handbag, was rejected because the textile roofing frayed.

Rollei 35 TE and Rollei 35 SE [edit]

The original design did non have an exposure command in the viewfinder. The photographic camera had to be taken abroad from the middle view, to observe the needle on the light meter. (This in fact wasn't a real disadvantage, because to focus the user also had to accept the camera to the same position. In normal lighting conditions, the exposure settings of a manual camera really merely have to be changed after x minutes or then, or when changing location. Even so, an exposure command display in the viewfinder was considered very early at Rollei, but an analog display was discarded for express infinite reasons, and lite emitting diodes were not available at the time.) And so non until summertime of 1979 were the Rollei 35 TE and Rollei 35 SE released to the market. As the electronic exposure meter needed more power, a larger battery, of type PX-27 with v.half dozen volts, was placed where the former instrument move was mounted, The electronic excursion was built into the one-time bombardment compartment. Unlike the Rollei 35 LED the shutter position and discontinuity command settings were transferred, without any electric contact wearable and tear, using a differential gear turning a variable density filter in front of the CdS lite sensor. The release push button activated the light meter, when slightly depressed. 3 LEDs in the viewfinder indicate the correct exposure. This organization worked perfectly, yet earlier models are more than in demand today.

Utilize of the Rollei 35 today [edit]

The Rollei 35, Rollei 35 Southward and Rollei 35 T use a MR-ix mercury-bombardment with 1.35 volts, which is no longer produced due to environmental considerations. But there are alternatives available. A zinc-air cell as well provides 1.35 volts, notwithstanding with a limited usage time of 1 to 6 months later on outset activation depending on the design of the cell. Otherwise the light meter may be adjusted for use of mercury-costless silver-oxide batteries. Without adjusting, the college voltage of 1.55 volts would lead to overexposure by two to 3 discontinuity steps. An adapter to fit the smaller silver-oxide battery to the battery compartment is required. The closest one in size to the original MR-9 would be SR-44. Alkali metal batteries such as the LR-9 a.k.a. PX 625U can non be used, since alkali metal cells do not provide constant voltage and will lead to underexposure later condign half-depleted. Another choice is the adaption of the camera for 1,5 Five batteries by a Rollei workshop.

Technical information [edit]

Standard models [edit]

Rollei 35 – Original model [edit]

• Made from 1966 until August 1974
• Lens: Tessar f/3.five, xl mm, merely many items from July 1972 to April 1973 with S-Xenar (made by Schneider)
• Light meter: Battery powered, using CdS photoresistor
• Initial retail cost: chrome 487 DM, black 537 DM
• Retail price of items made in Singapore: chrome 460 DM, black 520 DM
• Number of items made in Federal republic of germany: 312,000
• Number of items fabricated in Singapore: 185,000 plus xxx,000 with Southward-Xenar

Rollei 35S [edit]

• Lens: Sonnar f/2.8, forty mm
• Light meter: Battery powered, using CdS photoresistor
• Retail price 1976: chrome 470 DM, black 496 DM
• Number of items: 260,000

Rollei 35 T [edit]

• Produced from September 1974 until February 1980
• In fact the same as the original 35, but renamed for better distinction from the 35 Due south
• Lens: Tessar f/three.v, 40 mm
• Number of items: 440,000

Rollei 35 TE / SE [edit]

• Made from November 1979 until September 1981
• Newer model with Tessar (TE) respectively Sonnar (SE) lens
• Light meter with LED indicator in viewfinder.
• Unlike battery: PX27, battery exchangeable without opening the film compartment.
• Initial retail price: 298 DM / 398 DM
• Retail price at mid of 1982: 248 DM / 298 DM (sell out)
• Retail price at end of 1983: 198 DM (sell out)
• Number of items: 120,000 (TE) / 150,000 (SE)

Beginners models [edit]

Rollei B 35 / 35 B [edit]

• Made from October 1969 until early 1978
• Lens: Triotar f/3.5, twoscore mm
• Lite meter using selenium cell, no battery.
• Initial retail price: 255.30 DM
• Number of items made in Deutschland: 78,000 (all in chrome)
• Number of items fabricated in Singapore: 95,000 (chrome), 118,000 (black)

Rollei C 35 [edit]

• Made from October 1969 until early 1971
• Lens: Triotar f/3.v, 40 mm
• Low-cal meter: none
• Retail price: 222.90 DM
• Number of items: nine,200 (all made in Deutschland)

Rollei 35 LED [edit]

• Made from January 1978 until the end of 1980
• Lens: Triotar f/3.5, 40 mm
• Light meter with LED indicator in viewfinder.
• Different battery: PX27, bombardment exchangeable without opening the flick compartment.
• Initial retail price: 229 DM
• Number of items: 157,500

Run across also [edit]

• Rollei 35 RF

Literature [edit]

• Kameras für Millionen, Heinz Waaske: Konstrukteur by Jorgen Eikmann, Ulrich Voigt; Wittig Fachbuch 1997 ISBN 3-930359-56-one
• Rollei 35 – Eine Kamerageschichte by Claus Prochnow; Appelhans Verlag, ISBN 3-930292-ten-6
• Rollei Report 3 by Claus Prochnow; Lindemanns Verlag, ISBN 3-89506-141-7

(Claus Prochnow was a old Rollei employee)

References [edit]

1. ^ "Website of DHW Fototechnik on Rollei 35".

External links [edit]

• Website of DHW Fototechnik manufacture of the Rollei 35 (German language)
• Rollei 35 Repair Shops worldwide past Ferdi Stutterheim
• Paepke Fototechnik (Service and adaption for 1,v V batteries) English and German
• Rollei Repairs past Harry Fleenor (Repair and maintenance for Rolleiflex TLR cameras, Service and adaption for 1,v Five batteries for Rollei 35)
• Rollei Report books The site of Claus Prochnow, author of the Rollei Report books and old Rollei engineer. The Report three covers the Rollei 35 (in German)
• Rollei35 Informations
• Rollei35 Customs
• The International RolleiClub database of all Rollei 35 cameras

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollei_35

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