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).
(Thanks to Dirk Rösler)
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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.
Posted by: Jordan | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 09:42 AM
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?
Posted by: Antony Shepherd | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 10:13 AM
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.
Posted by: Chris Lucianu | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 10:44 AM
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
Posted by: Harold Glit | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 10:54 AM
Now if they'd sell that Rollei 35 with a D700 sensor they might be on to something.
Posted by: John Morris | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 12:14 PM
I was expecting to see a photo of the camera... The 'clubgrit' photo has made my day!
:)
Posted by: Jim in Denver | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 12:32 PM
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.
Posted by: James McDermott | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 12:40 PM
"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
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 01:12 PM
So they are going to make rich boy toys (yawn).
Posted by: Jim | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 07:06 PM
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.
Posted by: Mike Plews | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 08:24 PM
"...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.
Posted by: Dave | Monday, 08 March 2010 at 10:15 PM