Rollei 35 - one year

[jky]

The R35s are durable cameras, but I swear the metal used on them were of tin. My old 35S had plenty of little dimples not from being dropped, but just the usual knocks it would take when worn around my wrist... continued to work for 5 years before I sold it though.

[gho]

Big news and good that the rollei survived! I like the consistent look of the images on your blog and am curious how you will manage to get through the dark half of the year with ISO 50.

[wayneb]

Unrelated, I noticed recently an ad on this site where there were two cameras being sold:
-Sigma DP1
-Rollei 35
Guess which camera was 50$ more expensive and sold first?

[gho]

Just had a closer look at your blog and I must say, the rollei does not seem to limit your style in any way, quite on the contrary!

[Papercut]

Zeno,

I tried leaving some comments on your blog, but for some reason it kept telling me there was "invalid characters". Do I need to register or some such?

In any case, just wanted to say that II look forward to seeing the year unfold on your blog. The Rollei is a great choice for this year-long experiment ... of course, I suspect you could make compelling images with a 110 camera with a coke bottle lens!

[petronius]

Kevin, thank you for your encouraging words. Comments on my blog are for registered blogger users only. I f you don´t want to register, feel free to post comments here.

I started my photgraphic journey in 1976 (?) with this
Revue Pocket 105
You see, shooting with coke bottle lenses is not new for me ;-)

[Papercut]

Hah! Perfect -- gotta love those 110 cameras. I think the only camera I ever used that was worse than my mom's 110 was the (thankfully) short lived "Disc Camera"!

Originally Posted by petronius

Kevin, thank you for your encouraging words. Comments on my blog are for registered blogger users only. I f you don´t want to register, feel free to post comments here.

I started my photgraphic journey in 1976 (?) with this
Revue Pocket 105
You see, shooting with coke bottle lenses is not new for me ;-)

[petronius]

I have some wild plans to get me old disc films and reload them with sheet film; unfortunately most of the cameras seem to have dead batteries that can be changed not easily.

[Papercut]

That sounds like a form of self-inflicted torture! (I credit disc cameras for killing my childhood interest in photography ... though my dad's endless slide shows of sunsets may have contributed too...) I'm kidding of course.

Originally Posted by petronius

I have some wild plans to get me old disc films and reload them with sheet film; unfortunately most of the cameras seem to have dead batteries that can be changed not easily.

[helenhill]

Originally Posted by ferider

I really like your work, Zeno. Good shooting with the Rollei !

Could't AGREE MORE w/Roland !!
Adore your Work....Great Inspiration
The Rollei's are TRES SEXY indeed
Is it a Sonnar or a Tessar ?

50 asa , 3.5..... To Hell w/Following The Crowd'
Cheers-Helen

[petronius]

Thank you Helen, your words are highly appreciated!
TRES SEXY is the right term, especially the sound of the transport lever!
My camera is the Tessar type.

[lynnb]

I've always liked your work and your unique way of seeing the world - and I much appreciate the comments you have made from time to time. I've bookmarked your blog and look forward to seeing your Rollei journey (hopefully without further mishap!)
Regards,

[Bingley]

Hi Zeno - I just wanted to say that I've been following the photoblog of your project and am enjoying the photos you've been posting.

Question: How easy do you find it to use the Rollei 35 indoors, or in lower light settings where you'd be more likely to be shooting wide open?

[Keith]

I have a Rollei 35 ... somewhere, not here, it's currently in the hands of a friend who wonders why I don't pick it up!

I think they are one of the world's most dented cameras ... good luck as you go Petronius and I'm sure you will continue to turn out inspired work no matter what camera you use.

[petronius]

Thank you for your encouraging words Keith! Your friend is lucky to have a friend who gives him a Rollei 35!

[oftheherd]

Nice photos on your blog. There was a time when I lusted for a Rollei 35. I never found one at a price I was willing to pay considering what other equipment I have.

However, I always marvel at people on RFF who decide to do a 1 camera or 1 camera/1 lens for a year project. I would feel stiffled without more choice. Especially since I have worked so diligently to increase my stable. However, recently I have realized I need to be more simple in my gear use. I enjoy carrying my Olympus XA. It often goes on trips where I want a camera, but not a lot of gear. But there are times when I want to carry a folder MF or 9x12 LF. I just don't have the whatever it takes to commit to a project like that.

Still, I applaud you and look forward to seeing more of your results.

[damien.murphy]

Really enjoying the fruits of your year long project thus far. While I don't visit your blog, I have been a subscriber to your feed, and look forward to seeing your posts.

I have a Rollei 35T, and it really is a great little shooter. I'm not comfortable shooting it wider than f8 though, and suspect some prolonged exposure would do wonders for my scale focussing skills.

It is good to challenge ourselves, and I feel the same about scale focussing now as I did about meterless cameras previously, yet oddly the Rollei 35 is the only one of my remaining 4/ 5 cameras that has a meter now.

[paulfish4570]

At the end of your shooting year, Zeno, I hope you put together a 12-shot album with one photo from each month. That will require some tough editing based on what I have seen so far ...

[petronius]

Originally Posted by oftheherd

Nice photos on your blog. There was a time when I lusted for a Rollei 35. I never found one at a price I was willing to pay considering what other equipment I have.

However, I always marvel at people on RFF who decide to do a 1 camera or 1 camera/1 lens for a year project. I would feel stiffled without more choice. Especially since I have worked so diligently to increase my stable. However, recently I have realized I need to be more simple in my gear use. I enjoy carrying my Olympus XA. It often goes on trips where I want a camera, but not a lot of gear. But there are times when I want to carry a folder MF or 9x12 LF. I just don't have the whatever it takes to commit to a project like that.

Still, I applaud you and look forward to seeing more of your results.

The crazy thing is that I bought the Rollei only because of GAS! I saw it in the window of the only photoshop in my hometown who has still used cameras. Then I wanted to know more about it and bought a book about Heinz Waaske, the man who constructed the Rollei, a real genius in mechanics!

The XA/XA4 or the Minox 35 GT were other cameras I thought of for this project, but then I decided to do this without meter or batteries. (A dream camera for such a project would be the original PEN, but to get one here in Germany is nearly impossible)
I had shot digital for some weeks before starting and was so bored of the process (or the not-existing-process) that B&W/self developing was the only choice.
The risk to have nothing after one year? Well, I´m an amateur; I can do whatever I want (photographically).
The limitation in gear forces me to think and the shutter/aperture/distance ritual has something of a martial art (cum grano salis!).

Damien, for the coming dark months I plan to increase my skills in focusing the Rollei wide open!

Paul, editing after one year of shooting is cruel!

[pschauss]

Since we are talking about Polypan-F has anyone come to any conclusions about the origins of this film?

[petronius]

I buy mine at www.lumiere-shop.de. I have sent them a mail about the producer and will post informations if I get some.

[Richard G]

Fantastic idea this. And I love the signature quote in barnwulf's post on page 1:"Basically, I no longer work for anything but the sensation I have while working." Giacometti. So choosing a sexy camera is indeed an important part of this. This also is reflected in your reference to the non-existent process with digital, which while easily debatable nevertheless holds a worthwhile truth as well. Are poets often photographers? We might not know. Bruce Chatwin's refined photographic output was a surprise to many of his friends apparently. I love the history and the manuals you've included on your blog site.

[petronius]

Thank you Richard.
In an interview Ralph Gibson said that he imagines the process of the reaction between the exposed parts on the film and the developer. Diane Arbus thought that a easy to use camera would make her pictures worse. Sally Mann uses wet plates.
Many say film is dead, but the net is full of advices for complicated, expensive ancient photographic processes.
It seems as if man has as much joy in doing a process (of whatever kind) as in the final result. Digital has a process too, but if that process fits your needs is completely dependant of your personality. So using different processes can only be stated as a fact, never used to make statements of quality, technically or personally.

The journey is the reward, so play on your way!

[raytoei@gmail.com]

nice pix! roll 38 since august ? that's like a roll a day ?

[petronius]

Originally Posted by pschauss

Since we are talking about Polypan-F has anyone come to any conclusions about the origins of this film?

Today I received a email from lumiere-shop:

„Der Hersteller ist Ilford Emulsion Pan F. Polypan ist ein Kopierfilm für Kinofilme. Deshalb ein klarer reißfester Träger und in 3 Minuten fixiert.“
Translated:
The manufacturer is Ilford emulsion Pan F. Polypan is a copying film for motion picture films. Therefore a clear tearproof base and a 3 minute fixer-time.

So it seems as if the PanF rumour is true, only the base is clear polyester.