[rollei_list] Re: Rolleimot...first Rollei SLR
- From: "Peter K." <peterk727@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:03:32 -0700
Carlos,
No I am not mixing facts. I guess the easiest way to rebut what I say is try
to discredit the source as many lawyers do. But I will not go away that
easily.
My source is the same as yours, Prochnow. The only difference is I do not
believe everything he writes verbatim. I wrote an article for Shutterbug
maybe 12 years back and corresponded with Prochnow and also Rollei
Fototechnic. The latter provided some copies of old documentation and loaned
me several books dealing with Rollei. Prochnow was kind enough to clear up
some questions I had and allowed me to use some photos.
This is from the article:
"With Mamiya’s introduction of a TLR with interchangeable lenses in 1957, F
& H experimented with the idea of converting a Rolleiflex 2.8 E. Reinhold
Heidecke approved the plan for a prototype , PR178 in 1958 which was created
with 3 interchangeable twin lenses (see Photo). They were the standard 80mm
F2.8 Planar, a telephoto 135mm F4 Sonnar lens, and a wide angle 60mm F5.6
Distagon lens. *Technical management* convinced Reinhold Heidecke that
there would be too many drawbacks with interchangeable lenses and F & H
abandoned the project. Even so, this was the basis for the development of
the Tele-Rollei of 1959 with a 135 F4 Zeiss Sonnar lens, and the Wide-angle
Rollei of 1961 with its 55mm F4 Zeiss Distagon lens."
Reading between the lines, basically Heidecke was older and wealthy and did
not need or want to fight this. his health was also not very good. Remember
he passed away less that two years later in 1960. Ten years after Franke who
died in 1950.
As to the SLR, it was SLR development originated in 1955 (this was the
original SLR Prototype) and abandoned in 1957. The reason he ABANDONED the
SLR was he and Hasselblad allegedly had some sort of gentlemens agreement.
Rollei would not make an SLR and Hasselbald would not make a TLR. I think
Victor was a much smarter business man. Hasselblad had no need to make a TLR
as his SLRs was selling exceptionally well and replaced many Rolleis pros
were using at that time. Two years after Heidecke's death Rollei began
development on the SLR again. This was 1962 and the start of the SL66.
Peter K
On Sun, Apr 11, 2010 at 11:16 AM, CarlosMFreaza <cmfreaza@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Peter , I noticed now that you are mixing the facts completely, the
> first SRL prototype and the interchangeable lenses prototypes were two
> different cameras, they were not produced for different reasons and I
> don think to repeat those different causes.
> It's very difficult to discuss with someone mixing facts, it does not
> make sense to continous this topici if you don't distinguish between
> 1955, 1957, 1958 and 1962/63.
>
> Carlos
>
> 2010/4/11 CarlosMFreaza <cmfreaza@xxxxxxxxx>:
> > What is your source Peter? Where did you obtain that info? Who was
> > better informed than Prochnow that integrated the team that developed
> > the prototype?
> >
> > Carlos
> >
> > 2010/4/11 Peter K. <peterk727@xxxxxxxxx>:
> >> Carlos,
> >>
> >> All this is interesting but have to say that a lot of this is what one
> would
> >> call romanticizing the past. I read that management convinced Heidecke
> to
> >> abandon the interchangeable lens TLR.
> >>
> >> Now I am sure you have been in executive meetings. The term "he lost
> >> interest" reminds me of one where after an hour of discussion, the
> President
> >> of the company I worked for listened to what myself and a colleague had
> to
> >> say, then turned to us and told us "This is not open for discussion, you
> >> will ...." And believe me I am using very nice language to describe the
> >> discussion much like Prochnow does in his book. Of course the press
> release
> >> read that we had reached an accord in doing...." This is what I call
> >> romanticizing.
> >>
> >> Bear in mind, Heidecke was older, tired and his health was declining at
> that
> >> time. It was only a few years before he passed on and not long after
> later
> >> Rollei was in financial troubles. So I for one do not buy the claim that
> >> Rollei TLR sales were good. At that time you had immense competition
> from
> >> Mamiya, Minolta, Yashica, and others. Granted the Rollei was the pro's
> >> choice, but Mamiyas sold well and were eating away at Rollei's market.
> They
> >> had a very good quality camera at a lower price point with excellent and
> >> interchangeable lenses. So you could buy the TLR and 2 lenses for what a
> >> Tele Rollei would cost.
> >>
> >>
> >> Peter K.
> >>
> >>
> >> On Sat, Apr 10, 2010 at 9:23 AM, CarlosMFreaza <cmfreaza@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> He lost interest Peter. A team of three engineers developed the 1955
> >>> SLR prototype, two of them were Richard Weiss and Claus Prochnow, they
> >>> finished the camera for 1957 and according Prochnow, Heidecke lost
> >>> interest in the SLR production for two reasons: 1) The TLR sales were
> >>> very good; 2)Viktor Hasselblad and Heidecke talked on the issue during
> >>> their 1955 meeting in Göteborg: " After its completion in 1957,
> >>> _Reinhold Heidecke lost interest in the 6x6 SLR_. There was a good
> >>> turnover from the Rolleiflex and his colleagues persuaded him that
> >>> they could develop other cameras... The decision was also a result of
> >>> a meeting between Reinhold Heidecke and Victor Hasselblad in
> >>> Gothenburg..." (Report 2, page 26-538 and SL 66 brochure).
> >>> BTW the SLR production in 1957 would mean a continous improvement for
> >>> the model 10 years before the SL 66 regular production and an earlier
> >>> competition regarding Hasselblad when the market was still different,
> >>> but as a results of that decision, Rollei R&D became only dedicated to
> >>> design improvements and accesories for the TLR including the
> >>> Rolleimot, it only changes in 1962, after Heidecke death in 1960, when
> >>> Rollei new management decided to develop the SL 66 and to manufacture
> >>> a 35mm camera, but it's necessary to say things were good for the
> >>> Rollei TLR up to about 1960
> >>>
> >>> We commented several times on the interchangeable lenses TLR camera,
> >>> the prototypes were ready for production in 1958, this time the
> >>> Rollei management had a stronger influence on Heidecke to decide the
> >>> camera no production, deviating from the original design towards the
> >>> Tele and Wide Rolleiflexes. Anyway, "it was clear that this was not a
> >>> substitute for a single-lens reflex camera" writes Prochnow on the TLR
> >>> with interchangeable lenses in the previous page, but it was a direct
> >>> competition against the Mamiya TLR with interchangeable lenses, they
> >>> started to lose their own market.
> >>>
> >>> 2010/4/10 Peter K. <peterk727@xxxxxxxxx>:
> >>> > From what I have read, Heidecke did not lose interest. He was talked
> out
> >>> > of
> >>> > the idea of producing an SLR by the management of Rollei. These were
> the
> >>> > same geniuses who talked him out of putting the interchangeable lens
> TLR
> >>> > that he developed into production. They were comfortable and making
> >>> > money so
> >>> > they did not want to change.
> >>> >
> >>> > If you think about it, these idiot managers thought the Rolliemot was
> OK
> >>> > to
> >>> > develop but not an SLR? Talk about stupidity. The Rolliemot is odd or
> >>> > maybe
> >>> > useless but it was what I would call the Edsel of accessories. I am
> sure
> >>> > there are odd accessories things developed by other cameras makers
> >>> > throughout the years. Even Leica (are they still in business these
> >>> > days?)
> >>> >
> >>> > --Peter K
> >
> ---
> Rollei List
>
> - Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> - Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe'
> in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org
>
> - Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
> 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org
>
> - Online, searchable archives are available at
> //www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list
>
>
--
Peter K
Ó¿Õ¬
Other related posts:
