Ferdi,
Very interesting. Of course the simpler Rollei 35B model retained the selenium
meter.
BTW, Silicon would have been an option then too. Canon used it starting 1973
in its manual/electronic hybrid shutter EF model:
https://global.canon/en/c-museum/product/film88.html
and
http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/cameras/Canon_EF.html
Best,
Jan
On Jan 29, 2020, at 1:51 PM, Ferdi Stutterheim (Redacted sender "fwstutterheim"
for DMARC) <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Jan,
Claus Prochnow's book about the Rollei 35 gives a clue. The prototype still
had the Selenium meter, the production model already had the CdS meter. The
book contains a short report why the change as made:
-------
1. a better and modern look, the large square window for the Selenium meter
looked out of date,
2. the commercial appeal of the CdS light-meter.
The decision was made while being aware that:
1. the sensitivity of the CdS meter was not higher than the Selenium cel
(letter from to Gossen),
2. the CdS meter was DM 3.50 more expensive,
3. Contrary to the Selenium meter, the CdS meter needed calibration and
maintenance,
4. the CdS meter was more prone to failure because the circuit needed two
switches: for ON/OFF and battery check,
5. the down sided were partly compensated by the more robust meter.
Signed: (Richard) Weiss.
-----------
Best regards,
Ferdi.
