Rollei to Survive

Photoscala is reporting this morning that Franke & Heidecke GmbH, of Braunschweig, Germany, will reorganize as DHW Photo Technik GmbH, initially with 30 employees, to sell products to both dealers and private consumers. Offerings will include three versions of the famous and historical TLR, several slide projectors, the Hy6, and bespoke versions of the Rollei 35 Classic in runs of one to five priced between €4,000 and €4,500 each. (Gulp. How's that for the economies of small scale?)

The three TLRs will be distinguished by their lenses. Available will be a 50mm ƒ/4 Super-Angulon wide angle, 80mm ƒ/2.8 Planar normal, and 135mm ƒ4 Tele-Xenar telephoto. (Kind of interesting to reconsider this old trio in light of the criticisms of Ricoh's lens-sensor modules, eh? The Rollei TLRs might be considered the granddaddies of lens-sensor redundancy.)

For a couple of nice samples of Rollei TLR pictures see here (by "clubgrit" from ClubSNAP) and here (by Christopher Schwer).

Mike
(Thanks to Dirk Rösler)

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Featured Comment by James McDermott: "Well, as much as my Rollei T still seduces me from her perch on my bookshelf, I feel that, if my forthcoming bank robbery/lottery win/rich chick seduction (I wish) pays off, I might just have to have one of these absolutely last wide TLRs. Nothing comes close—big boy DSLRs, DMDs, rangefinders, whatever. If you absolutely have to make a statement whilst insouciantly making a piccy, these are the beasts."

Comments

[Jordan]

Such conflicting emotions -- the thought of a Rolleiflex with a 50mm lens fills me with glee, but the thought of its price tag smothers that joyful anticipation with dread.

[Antony Shepherd]

Rollei 35 for 4 thousand euro???
So, they're going for the people who've already got every kind of Leica and still have too much money, then?

[Chris Lucianu]

The same site, photoscala.de, has just been reporting the insolvency of Jobo: http://www.photoscala.de/Artikel/Jobo-AG-ist-insolvent
Now Jobo may not be a household name to American photographers, but it was one of the most important suppliers of darkroom equipment in Europe. All of my tanks and drums for the past 35 years were from Jobo.
The end of an era.

[Harold Glit]

Good news . Having owned both the normal and wide angle version , I can attest of their great quality
In fact the Rollei TLR is still my favorite film camera and ... The ricoh GXR is my favorite digital one ...
Harold

[John Morris]

Now if they'd sell that Rollei 35 with a D700 sensor they might be on to something.

[Jim in Denver]

I was expecting to see a photo of the camera... The 'clubgrit' photo has made my day!

:)

[James McDermott]

Well, as much as my Rollei T still seduces me from her perch on my bookshelf, I feel that, if my forthcoming bank robbery/lottery win/rich chick seduction (I wish) pays off, I might just have to have one of these absolutely last wide TLRs. Nothing comes close - big boy DSLRs, DMDs, rangefinders, whatever. If you absolutely have to make a statement whilst insouciantly making a piccy, these are the beasts.

[Mike Johnston]

"Such conflicting emotions -- the thought of a Rolleiflex with a 50mm lens fills me with glee, but the thought of its price tag smothers that joyful anticipation with dread."

Currently about $6700 special order. Dreadful, I agree.

Mike

[Jim]

So they are going to make rich boy toys (yawn).

[Mike Plews]

I have had a 2.8f for about thirty years. It has produced some of the best pictures I have done.
It is also a very nice object. They really screwed together a terrific chunk of machinery there, I mean REALLY NICE. It's old enough to be a grandpa and the meter still works.

[Dave]

"...my Rollei T still seduces me from her perch on my bookshelf..."

I had the same problem with my T. I finally put it in a drawer.