[rollei_list] Re: Rollei 35S, SE

  • From: "Eric Goldstein" <egoldste@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:58:38 -0400

That's an excellent point. If Jerry was referring to the Contax T, T2
or T3, I'd say the same about those cameras, too. Further, the Sonnar
on those cameras is excessively contrasty and not terribly rewarding
to print from...

I know the XAs and while they are fine cameras, to say that the 35S/SE
and XA are comparable from f/8 on misses the point of shooting the
miniature format. I can certainly get good sharp focus on my 35 German
at f/4 and if f/2.8 on a Sonnar shooting close in is a problem, than
an cheap aux rangefinder on the hot shoe (hung upside down!) will get
you where you need to be. The focus travel from 3 feet to infinity on
the XA is about an inch and the focus patch is about as precise...

I traded my user 35S for a beautiful German many years ago, and
speaking as a shooter rather than a collector/fondler, I'm sorry I
did. The Sonnar on that camera is really very exceptional...


Eric Goldstein

--

On 9/25/07, Mike Kovacs <mskovacs@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Very well put Jerry.
>
> I have a Contax G1 with its wonderful Planar 45/2 lens that I tend to
> use more often than my Rollei 35 these days, but I also have no
> illusions that this Kyocera Contax and Hoya Planar will probably long be
> relegated to the trash heap before my Rollei 35 quits!
>
>
>
> Jerry Friedman wrote:
> > I have used the Rollei 35S and SE and found them fine
> > cameras. But they are not light and convenient to use for a
> > variety of reasons well known to all. Most important, it
> > has no rangefinder and the 40mm lens does not really
> > compensate for the lack of focus imprecision.
> >
> > If you want a more convenient camera that is much lighter
> > and somewhat smaller and also has no rangefinder but is
> > much much cheaper, try a Minox 35 GT or later series such
> > as the ML.  Same problems and strengths as the Rollei but
> > for less money and it is lighter and intuitive in use.
> >
> > If you want a small package and a good rangefinder, look
> > for the also very cheap Olympus XA. Again, similar quality
> > lens, very small and light package and it uses small button
> > batteries too. Wide open, the lens is not as good as the
> > Sonnar and probably equiv to the Minoxar. Closed down past
> > f/8 and there is little difference between the cameras. The
> > Olympus also has a very fine electronic shutter. And it
> > closes up inside it own clam shell case.
> >
> > Do not get any of the other Olympus X series cameras as
> > they do not have the same lens or the rangefinder. There is
> > an XA4 with a very sharp deeply wide angle micro lens but I
> > do not believe this is a flexibile camera.
> >
> > The best thing about an Olympus XA is that they are sooooo
> > available and for soooooo little money. You will buy three
> > of them for the same price as a Rollei SE.  It is
> > polycarbonate and hence not as lovely as the Rollei, but if
> > you are going to use such a tiny image size and would like
> > any sort of quality enlaregement, Rollei design quality is
> > nothing when you can have a rangefinder and as good a lens
> > as well and all for one third the price. With available
> > cheap button batteries.
> >
> > But you really have not asked the right question at all. If
> > you want a small high quality 35mm and price is no object,
> > there are Contax autofocus cameras that will strip the
> > paint off of the Rollei 35. They are not costly, have
> > exceptional lenses and can even close focus to about 13
> > inches. Indeed, Zeiss has produced a series of excellent
> > small 35mm cameras with excellent lenses.
> >
> > The Rollei is a landmark camera. It buried half frame and
> > submniature cameras......over 40 years ago. The Rollei TLR
> > of that age may still be hard to beat but the Rollei 35S or
> > SE is not.
> >
> > Jerry Friedman
> >
> >
>
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