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
