[rollei_list] Re: Rolleimot...first Rollei SLR
- From: CarlosMFreaza <cmfreaza@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 11 Apr 2010 15:08:59 -0300
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
---
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