The Rolleiflex 28C was a quick F&H answer to the Carl Zeiss Jena problems
to complete the Biometar 2,8/80 delivery for the 2,8B. The 2,8C earlier
batches were provided with the Xenotar Schneider 2,8/80 only; Carl Zeiss
was organizing the lenses production in the West (Oberkochen) and they
couldn't manufacture the Planar yet. The Xenotar Schneider 2,8/80 is a lens
almost identical or identical regarding the CZJena Biometar, talking about
the Rolleiflex lenses; the design passed from the East to Schneider in the
West someway.
The Rolleiflex 2,8C was manufactured from December 1952 to June 1955, 30150
units were produced. It has three groups for the serial numbers: 1) 1260000
to 1285999; 2) 1292000 to 1292999; 3) 1400000 to 1475405. The 1) and 2)
serial numbers groups were provided with the Xenotar lens only: the 3)
serial number group was provided with CZ Oberkochen Planar 2,8/80 and with
the Xenotar Schneider 2,8/80 too, this group was manufactured from March
1954 to June 1955, it means the Planar was provided from March 1954 whilst
the Xenotar was provided from December 1952 ( Data from Claus Prochnow
Rollei Report 2 second reviewed edition). It's necessary to keep in mind
these serial number groups _were shared with other cameras like the 3,5 A
or MX and the 3,5B or MX-EVS_
My Rolleiflex 2,8C has the SN 1433112 and the Xenotar lens SN 3792751. I
found on eBay the 2,8C SN 1434104 Xenotar SN 3812711 and on our auction
site "Mercado Libre" the 2,8C SN 1434732 and Xenotar SN 3805955.
These three cameras are very close about the manufacture date, the serial
number for them started at 1400000 in March 1954 (the 3,5A and 3.5B have
units within the same SN group too) and the Schneider lenses from SN
4000000 were manufactured from October 1954, it means my camera and the
others two were manufactured between May and August 1954m thisi is the more
exactt date according the available info.-
Carlos
