the relatively compact Rolleiflex TLR designed by Reinhold Heidecke to be as compact as possible to compete with the new Leica 35mm camera
the first was introduced in 1928-29 and drove the popularity of 6×6 twin lens reflex film cameras in the 1930's and made his new company Rollei world famous from his factory in Brunswick, Germany
the 6×6 format Kodak Brownie had made “snapshots” easy from 1900 onwards and Leica had just started making 35mm cine roll film cameras popular with their 1925 camera
the 1st two models used 620 film and shot 6 photos per roll (12 after modification)
later models from the 1932 Rolleiflex Standard and onwards were designed to use the 120 film roll format which required a larger film chamber, but which was specifically designed to allow Rolleiflex's unique automatic film loading system which was introduced in the 1937 Rolleiflex Automat model
they were very popular for street photography, travel, and portraiture as well as for family photos
they were generally used hanging at waist level allowing the photographer to compose and focus by looking down and then look up to engage the subject and then capture the moment
a 4x4cm Rolleiflex Baby TLR using 127 film was introduced just before WWII
the Rolleiflex camera factory finally closed in April 2015 following insolvency auction1)
general notes on Rollei TLRs
Rollei bayonet lens filters
automatic compensation for parallax by moving frames under the ground glass
models from the 1960's onwards used a glass plate to help keep the film flat but these tended to attract dirt and cause image artefacts, and the design encouraged them to fall to the ground and break when being removed for cleaning, thus these are hard to find
Rollei bayonet lens filters - II for f/3.5 & III for f/2.8
f/2.8 Heidosmat viewing lens
coupled exposure metering - 2 needles - one showing light meter EV reading, the other, the aperture/shutter speed EV setting - the use adjusted shutter speed &/or aperture so the needles matched
removable focus hood
cheaper to build 6 element lens instead of 5 element
3.5F had a new differential Synchro-Compur shutter, early models had F-type 1 which linked aperture and shutter speed whereas the later type 2 allowed user to dial these independently while a later F-Type 3 removed the EVS altogether
the 2.8F shutter used the better Synchro-Compur MXV and the F-type 3 cone-wheel differential system
still had the old automatic film loading system
1220g
Rolleiflex 2.8 GX / 2.8 FX:
made 1987-2002
Rollei bayonet III lens filters
no mechanical self-timer and no M synch but standard flash shoe
some had Metz TTL flash capability
LED meter readout
replaced the automatic film loading system with a similar transport mechanism as the 1958-1975 Rolleiflex T model and the Rolleicords - a mark on the backing paper has to be aligned with a red dot in the camera while loading the film
the FX model was a “retro” styled model
f/2.8 Heidosmat viewing lens
1235g
brief timeline of models
1929:
First and Second models Rolleiflex 6×6 TLR
used 620 film
1932:
Rolleiflex Standard TLR
the 1st model to use 120 film
1937:
Rolleiflex Automat TLR
no PC sync flash connection but world 1st and unique automatic film loading system
1950:
Rolleiflex 2.8A TLR
A designates for the American market as they were the only ones who could afford the much more expensive f/2.8 Tessar Carl Zeiss Jena Opton lens version
added an X flash synch contact
Rolleicord III TLR
budget model
1952:
Rolleiflex 2.8C TLR
it became hard to get the lenses for the 2.8A and 2.8B from Russia occupied East Germany and so they made the C version using West German Zeiss Oberkochen Planar lens and some using Schneider Xenotar lenses when there were shortages of the Zeiss lenses
1953:
Rolleicord IV TLR
1955:
Rolleiflex 2.8D TLR
added the Exposure Value System (EVS) for adjusting aperture, shutter speed using a hand held light meter
Rolleicord V TLR
1956:
Rolleiflex 3.5C or E
built on the EVS, with an option for an uncoupled E-type selenium cell Gossen light meter
1957:
Rolleicord Va TLR
Rolleiflex 4×4 TLR for 127 film
1959:
Tele-Rolleiflex TLR
in response to the interchangeable lens Mamiya twin lens reflex film cameras, Rollei introduced this model with a fixed 135mm f/4 Sonnar lens and in 1961, a wide angle model
close focus to 2.6m - closer if use the optional Rolleinar 0.35 close-up lens
detachable finder hood
1st version had Flat glass and a pressure plate having three positions: 35 mm film, 120 film with, and 120 film without Flat glass
Transition version adds 12/24 exposure capability
2nd version: removes flat glass
did not sell well
Rolleiflex 3.5E-2 TLR
Rolleiflex 3.5F TLR
the F model introduced coupled exposure metering and removable focus hood
1960:
Rolleiflex 2.8F TLR
Rollei Magic - battery-less automatic exposure system
Rolleiflex 2.8 GX TLR - adds TTL exposure and flash metering (SCA 300) and replaced the automatic film loading system with a similar transport mechamism as the 1958-1975 Rolleiflex T model
Rolleiflex 2.8 GX Edition TLR
1988:
Rolleiflex 6008 - Rollei's 1st of the 6000 series of 6×6 SLRs
1991:
Rolleiflex 2.8 GX H. Newton TLR
2003/2004:
Rolleiflex 2.8FW
50 mm Schneider Super-Angulon 4.0 taking lens
no Newton finder
no frame finder
Rolleiflex 2.8FT
4/135 lens with a bayonet IV mount now close focus to 1.1m