The Camera That Made Me Love Photography Again | Rollei 35 S
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
- The Rollei 35 s is a fantastic little film camera that produces outstanding images with an inspiring user experience.
Apologies for the buzzing sounds that can be heard, my Fuji X100V focusing motors are louder than I expected them to be
Equipment Used
Photos: Rollei 35s
Video: Fujifilm X100V, IPhone 13 Pro
Film: Ilford Hp5
Scanner: Epson V600 Photo
Edits in Lightroom and Premiere Pro
The birth of this camera is so strange. An engineer of the german EDIXA camera company drawed the prototype at home during his free time (the company was not interested in such a camera) and he built the prototype at the company. As he showed the prototype to his boss, the boss became angry because the employee used company ressources to built the camera that the company did not want, so he fired the engineer. The engineer showed the prototype to Leica and Kodak, both were not interested at all by such an exotic camera. Finally he went to Rollei, they were enthouthiastic, hired him and the camera, replaced the rather basic no name optic with Zeiss glass and the marvel was born.
It is not a rangefinder.
This camera is not a rangefinder. You have to estimate the distance and use depth of field to zone focus. Its lenses are incredible, both Tessar and Sonnar. They're the best you can have this size. Also, they're still the smallest mechanical 35mm full frame cameras ever. There are a few smaller, but they're all electronic - and might become paperweight someday
Finally Rollei gets some love!
It deserves it! Thanks Tsang!
Rollei has earned my respect with this camera and their obscure sl2000f slr, wonderful glass and wonderful fun
Those photos are epic!
I should be getting one of these delivered soon.. Im so amped!
What a beautiful review and a beautiful camera!
Such a nice Review! Love this camera since its fully manual. One of the best "Point&Shoots" out there in my opinion! Great Video, keep it up!
I just wanna say I've watched this video twice already, it's been such an inspiration that I didn't even know I needed! I've never done any photography really, but I picked up an instamax mini after seeing this video. I'm already having so much fun and can't wait to get a proper film camera soon! Thank you for giving me inspiration 😊🩷
I'm so glad! Have fun taking pics!
Hi Jack. Awesome you're in SD!! Keep up the great work my friend.
Just bought a black one and got painted in navy blue. It was just nice. Taking photo with this manually control machiine is crazy fast. And the size that I could just put in my pocket is just amazing.
Blessed be to this who have the capacity to envision the beauty that surrounds us daily, for they shall truly inherit the earth. Amen! What a fantastic camera and so cheap for the beauty it brings forth. Peace to you my friend and may your inspiration forever bless us. Northern Spain.
great video! dreamy vibe!
Great video! I enjoyed every second!
It is a very warming video that you just made. Very good and excellent and filled with simple things. I have been a photographic hobbyist for many years. And this video touched me in a warm way. I have been in a photographic hiatus for a time. I still take pictures but not as much as I used to. This has made me re think everything and get back to taking those shots of memories again.
Muchísimas Gracias!
That’s awesome! Glad I could help!
Rollei on his wrist !!! + my favorite shot is the one at 8:38
S-Tier comment
lovely one!
Surprised that it’s your first video. Keep up the good work bud!
I love the rollei 35 as well for landscapes as focusing isn’t that hard compared to portraits. Especially the black version of the Rollei 35 is a keeper
Fantastic work. I hope you start making more videos!
Wonderful video, Jack! Amazing results! Keep up this videos, they are very inspiring and you got some good composition skills, love it. I just got also a Rollei 35 few days ago at a trift shop, the Tessar 40 3.5 in a great condition for 60€. I am excited now to shoot some black and white! Cheers
Enjoyed the video and that camera is fun to shoot, what was the grinding clicking sounds while you did your headshots? It was hard to focus on what you were saying.
I got the black Rollei35s for nothing and it works at my favorite street photo workhorse. Tiny, silent, easy to handle and superb quality glass. Can't beat it. Even my Leica M3 or Contax II rangefinders are not that easy to use.
I have the 'normal' version of the this camera (not the S) and I think I would say this is my favourite film camera. It's the one I instinctively pick up if I want to shoot 35mm.
Olympus XA is what I chose after many years with various models of the fantastic Rolle I 35. The XA, though, isn't fully mechanical, but rhe electronics function with great reliability on 2 LR44-cells. The reason for my choice is the Leica-like rangefinder. I received my first XA as a Christmas gift around 1985, used it in the direst of conditions worldwide. Meanwhile, my main camera is a Fujifilm xe-4. Nevertheless, I still carry an XA for backup, and a Rollei 35, and a fully mechanical Leica IIIa from 1930s - in case everything else goes wrong. Learning to develop with Caffenol, in preparation for an EMP scenario in 2024 or beyond.
Hello. May I ask you which developing process you used, They are developed emperfectly❤️
The shutter and aperture dials are they way the are for two reasons. 1) They’re based on the classic Rolleiflex twin lens reflex and 2) they’re easy to see and operate.
It was not possible having the complete leaf shutter and aperture mechanisms in the tiny lens. So the mechanisms and control wheels are in the body and there are only rods going into the lens to actuate shutter leafs and aperture blades.
Nice video , I just find and bought a rollei 35 T in very good condition (like a new) , Hope the quality of the lens is also good .
Do you have a Rollei 35 Schneider lens? I just got it. I'd like to know your opinion on whether it's good quality or not. Compared to other models. And what are the advantages of the Schneider lens?
I bought a 35T (3.5 Tessar rather than 2.8 Sonnar) in 1981 or so. I still have it but the shutter is frozen... I loves that camera; so tiny with great optics.
3:39 so crispy, what B&w are you shooting? I recently brought a pratica b100 basically a low key canon Av1 but stone aged 😂 but have been enjoying. Great video, you have a new subscriber
I use Ilford HP5 for my Rollei. I appreciate the love. Happy shooting!
I got one of those classic cameras from Rollie and the model I got is the 35s And I paid £27.00 for it from a charity shop in few years ago and it came with the original camera strap and lens cover and camera case and i got a front filter for it and it give you great photos as long as you understand photography and the way to use the Manual focusing
I own both camera's and while the Rollei has the better optics, the XA edges it out for me because of the clamshell. If I'm out and about with the Rollei, then I need to keep the camera out and the lens extended to be able to capture something quickly. The XA can be whipped out and opened and snapped in a matter of seconds. Both camera's are amazing everyday carry camera's, however in the last six months, I've been using a DXOone or an OG Ricoh GRD1 to conserve my film stocks, and I find both to be an amazing digital alternative pocket camera's - the Ricoh in particular will give you a b/w film look out of the camera, and the size and easy operation of the DXO can't be beat. Plus with the DXO, its just like film in the sense that you don't know what you got until you connect it up to a phone to download the pictures.
I have about a dozen digital cameras from a Nikon D700 to a Canon G9 but the OG Ricoh GRd has taken my favorite images. I am looking into film but have not seen a camera I liked until this Rollei. I will look out for it on eBay.
Thumbs up just because Porsche
Interesting video, this camera is definitely on my radar.
Hoping to add it to my retro camera collection sometime.
I've added your channel, hopefully you'll connect with another retro photographer? 👍
The Rollei 35 was an unbeatable package for only two years. Then the Konica C35 and later the Auto S3, and the Petri Color 35 emerged. Those were only a little larger but much less quirky than the Rollei, just as the Olympus 35RC another two years later. In 1974 the Minox cameras came up, which were not only significantly smaller, but also much lighter than the Rollei, and which remained the smallest mass produced 35mm camera. However, build and image quality of the Minox were sub-par to the Rollei. It took more then a dozen years till 1979, when the Olympus XA finally emerged, which could beat the Rollei 35 in size, weight, quality and technology. From today's point of view, the Rollei 35 is only the second best super compact 35mm camera to have, after the Olympus XA.
I still have both the 35S and the Olympus XA, which were purchased a long time ago. In comparison, the 40mm HFT coated Sonnar is superior to the Olympus Zuiko. At its widest apertures, the Zuiko lens vignettes quite a bit and its resolution is definitely soft in the corners. At f/5.6 to f/11 those to quibbles go away.
On paper, even the relatively newer Rollei 35S definitely has one foot firmly planted in the 1955 era, (due to its lack of any auto pilot features). It is the definition of an old school camera, which means the user has to constantly manipulate aperture, shutter speed and focus settings. When the photographer nails the setting correctly, the image quality is impressive.
The XA on the other hand is an aperture preferred, "focus and shoot" camera with an electronically regulated shutter. An electronically regulated shutter means there is an IC chip somewhere in the camera. Add in the rangefinder focus assist and the XA is more easily mastered by a modern audience. One last plus for the XA in 2023 is that it uses modern silver oxide batteries.
I have both cameras. The XA is fun. The 35S is seriously fun. The Rollei is far less likely to breakdown, is more easily repaired and it offers the photographer more controls than the Olympus does.
The Petri was sharper initially! But turning that wheel to bring out the lens, a pain..
I enjoyed the XA but the 4 blade aperture makes for a nervous image sometimes - really loved to long exposures in auto though
@@themonthehill305 The entire XA series does not have a 4-blade aperture, but actually only a 2-blade aperture.
It’s a wonderful camera I enjoy mine but it’s not a rangefinder, it’s a zone focus camera with a distance scale and can hyper focus with the aperture scale Very easy to use Nice video thanks
im betting you already know this, but setting your focus beforehand and leaving it on manual will fix your audio issue. Otherwise you're doing a great job! There's still some wrinkles to iron out with scripting and the flow of your speaking, but that stuff usually gets sorted out with time+experience, plus those are tiny nitpicks in an otherwise good and informative video :)
Yeah I realized after I recorded everything that I left it in continuous focus after testing a close up on the camera and the focus motors are that awful noise that you hear. I appreciate the feedback, thank you!
This is bumming me out that my rollei 35s needs a repair.
Thanks for the Rollei info - but man all those background camera noises were annoying I had to watch with the sound off.
This dude is so quirky and hipster I thought it was a skit 😂. Then watching on, I realized he was for real 😮
Nice imaging. Filter your chemicals with coffee filters! Negatives are too dirty. It's easier if clean! Horrible camera to work with! I have one. I miss a focus thing! Guessing is easy! But! Lenses are so sharp, maybe as I use small apertures!Enjoy! Bravo.
Thanks for the tips! It’s definitely not the easiest to nail focus but I will definitely try the coffee filter trick!
@@jackmmmula You will benefit BIG time! Also check Fixer for white tiny pieces. Don't overuse! Filter,filter. I hate scanning but darkroom way too expensive! All the Best!
First of all cute video, could have been way shorter but I get the message you’re trying to convey either way.
Why do all these photography videos look / feel the same? Low fi cafe music playing whilst you pour your emotions out or they try to constantly make super hero film one liners. It’s super strange to me. Maybe because I’m European I don’t get it but I find it hard not to cringe.
I appreciate the compliment and I agree with you it’s definitely a little cringe. I drew heavy inspiration from videos like the ones you are talking about for this first video until I find my own style. But I think the video style is a decent representation of the calmness and moments of peace/reflection many people feel when taking photos. That’s kinda the best I can explain it. Hope that helps!