Models and serial numbers Rollei 35

Models and Serial Numbers

Prototypes and ‘0’ Series

Name Features1	Start at №	End at №	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Prototype Rollei 35 - Chrome plated brass	0	0	2	in Germany by Rollei	‍09/1965 - ‍02/1966	Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm
‘0’ Series Rollei 35 - Chrome plated brass - Black alloy	3 000 001	3 000 200	120 80	in Germany by Rollei-Compur-Gossen-Zeiss	‍07/1966 - ‍09/1966	Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm

Particulars: Around 60 samples of the ‘0’ Series were dismantled for research and are permanently lost.
The Tessar offered in the Rollei 35 has front lens focusing. The standard procedure of focusing is moving all lens groups together.

Rollei 35

Name Features	Start at №	End at №	Number	Made / Particulars	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 - Chrome plated brass - Black	3 000 201	3 311 000	8 000	in Germany by Rollei-Compur-Gossen-Zeiss	‍11/1966 - ‍07/1967	Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm Opton Te 3.5/40 mm
			304 000	in Germany by Rollei Rollei-Compur shutter by Prontor Germany	‍08/1967 - ‍12/1971
Rollei 35 - Chrome plated brass - Black	<3 225 3012	3 499 999	185 000	by Rollei Singapore Rollei-Compur shutter by Prontor3 Germany From 04/1973: Rollei-Compur shutter by Rollei Singapore	‍06/1971 - ‍10/1973	Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm3 Opton Te 3.5/40 mm From 04/1973: Rollei Tessar 3.5/40 mm
	6 000 000	6 299 999		by Rollei Singapore Rollei-Compur shutter by Rollei Singapore	‍10/1973 - ‍08/1974	Rollei Tessar 3.5/40 mm
Rollei 35 - Chrome plated brass - Black, black leather - Black, brown leather	<3 225 301	3 499 999	30 000	by Rollei Singapore Rollei shutter by Copal4 Japan Export: Only Eastern Europe, Italy, U.S.A. Around 200 black cameras with brown leather.	‍07/1972 - ‍04/1973	Schneider S‑Xenar 3.5/40 mm

Particulars: Due to its small size the lens barrel of the Tessar is equipped with separate distance scales for m and ft. One is visible from the top, the other one is visible from the bottom of the camera. Two versions were made. One had the m scale on top, the other one had the ft scale on top. The scales read: ‘m 0,9 1 1,2 1,5 2 3 6 ∞’ and ‘feet 3 4 6 10 20 ∞’. Snapshot settings were printed in red.
Changes during production:
March 1968: From around № 3 029 230 the rewind bearing is made of black organic polymer. V-shaped lock on camera back.
May 1968: From around № 3 039 229 inner gears made of organic polymer.
September 1968: UV blocking layer⁵ in Tessar lens from camera № 3 082 000.
End of 1970: Finder magnification 0.62, window 12×18 mm, close focusing marks.

Special Edition Rollei 35 “Made in Germany”

Name Features	Start at №	End at №	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 - Gold plated brass	3 000,201	3 311,000	1 500	in Germany by Rollei	‍11/1970 - ‍12/1971	Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm

Particulars: Meant to be the last production run of the Rollei 35 in Germany.

Special Edition Rollei 35 “Made in Singapore”

Name Features	Start at №	End at №	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 - Black	<3 225 3012	3 499 999	5 000	by Rollei Singapore	‍12/1971	Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm

Particulars: 2 special orders.

Rollei 35 T

Name Features	Start at №	End at №	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 T - Chrome plated brass - Black - Bright Alloy	6 000 000	6 499 999	440 000	by Rollei Singapore	‍09/1974 - ‍02/1980	Rollei Tessar 3.5/40 mm

Particulars: The Rollei 35 was renamed Rollei 35 T with the introductio of the Rollei 35 S. Not all available numbers were used.
Changes during production:
January 1977: Bright Alloy covers introduced. Combined distance scale for m and ft, with the same numbers as before. Camera back slightly changed for better electrical contact. The improved back does not fit earlier cameras.
December 1979: New number ranges for the distance scale: ‘ft 3 4 6 8 15 ∞’ and ‘m 1 1,5 2 3 6 ∞’.

Rollei 35 S

Name Features	Start at №	End at №	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 S - Chrome plated brass - Black - Black Alloy	6 500 000	6 799 9996	260 000	by Rollei Singapore	‍09/1974 - ??/1979	(Carl Zeiss Sonnar 2.8/40 mm) Sonnar 2.8/40 mm Rollei‑HFT
	No serial number on the back				??/1979 - ‍02/1980

Particulars: Only a few samples of Carl Zeiss made Sonnars were used. Possibly T* coated but labeled Rollei‑HFT. Contrary to the Tessar with front lens focusing, the entire Sonnar lens is moved when focusing.
Changes during production:
June 1976: Black Alloy covers introduced.
January 1977: Combined distance scale for m and ft, with the same numbers as before. Camera back slightly changed for better electrical contact. The improved back does not fit earlier cameras.
December 1979: New number ranges for the distance scale: ‘ft 3 4 6 8 15 ∞’ and ‘m 1 1,5 2 3 6 ∞’.

Rollei 35 S Special Edition

Name Features	Start at №	End at №	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 S - Chrome plated brass - Silver leatherette - Olive Branches (U.S. market)			3 0007	by Rollei Singapore	‍10/1978 - ‍07/1979	Sonnar 2.8/40 mm Rollei‑HFT
Rollei 35 S - Chrome plated brass - Silver leatherette			5 0007	by Rollei Singapore	‍10/1978 - ‍07/1979	Sonnar 2.8/40 mm Rollei‑HFT

Particulars: No camera serial number on the back! Evans mentions a number under the take-up spool⁸. Shield on the back for Owner’s name. A number of non-original cameras with silver leatherette are known. A Rollei 35 with silver leatherette and a serial number on the back is certainly non-original.

Rollei 35 S Gold Plated 24 Karat

Name Features	Start at №	End at №	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 S - Gold plated brass, brown leather	0 001	1 500	1 500	by Rollei Singapore	‍12/1979 - ‍02/1980	Sonnar 2.8/40 mm Rollei‑HFT

Particulars: Shield on the back with Owner’s name and special camera serial number.
A number of non-original cameras are known.

Rollei 35, samples of Jubilee Edition ‘50 Years’

Name Features	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 - Black, Silver leatherette - Olive Branches around ‘50’	10	by Rollei Singapore	‍1979	Schneider S‑Xenar 3.5/40 mm

Particulars: ‘Rollei 35’ without T! Samples of ‘Jubilee Edition 50’ years of TLRs. Only 10 samples were made. No series production. Sold by lottery to Rollei staff. Shield on the back with Owner’s name.

Rollei 35 TE

Name Features	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 TE - Chrome plated brass - Black - Bright Alloy	120 000	by Rollei Singapore	‍11/1979 - ‍09/1981	Tessar 3.5/40 mm, made by Rollei.

Particulars: Coded serial numbers inside cameras. Lens barrel release at front. Exterior texts mostly printed rather than engraved. Exposure-meter with 3 LEDs in the viewfinder. PX 27 battery. Aperture selector wheel free turning without clicks. From June 1980 lock on aperture wheel. From April 1980 two red marks visible on back when open.
Cameras were for sale until 1983.

Rollei 35 SE

Name Features	Number	Made	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 SE - Chrome plated brass - Black - (Bright Alloy)	150 000	by Rollei Singapore	‍11/1979 - ‍09/1981	Sonnar 2.8/40 mm Rollei‑HFT

Particulars: Bright Alloy top covers in very small numbers. Coded serial numbers inside cameras. Lens barrel release at front. Exterior texts printed rather than engraved on later cameras. Exposure meter with 3 LEDs in the viewfinder. PX 27 battery. Aperture selector wheel free turning without clicks. From April 1980 two red marks visible on back when open. From June 1980 lock on aperture wheel. Cameras were for sale until 1983.

Notes

[1]

Features are only described to distinguish between cameras from a single production run or in case of special interest. Not all features are listed. Back

[2]

The factory records show number 3 312 000 as the start of Singapore production. According to Claus Prochnow factory numbers are not correct. Production in Singapore began with a much lower serial number. In his book he printed a picture of a box with camera № 3 239 707 ‘Made by Rollei Singapore’. There is another picture of № 3 225 301 with a Schneider Kreuznach S-Xenar ‘Made by Rollei Singapore’. I received a message from the owner of № 3 275 935. It is a chrome Rollei 35, made in Singapore, equipped with a Schneider Kreuznach S-Xenar lens. Back

[3]

Afalter writes that 49 000 lenses for the Rollei 35 were ordered from Carl Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germany and also 49 000 shutter boards from Prontor in order to get the Singapore factory started. Optics and shutters were obtained from Germany until March 1973. At that time Rollei Optical Pte, Singapore, was able to supply sufficient lenses. The average monthly camera production in 1972 was around 4080. My estimate is that at least 60 000 Rollei 35 cameras made in Singapore are equipped with German Carl Zeiss optics and German Compur shutters made by Prontor.
I was contacted by the owner of Rollei 35 № 3 287 546. It shows the signs of a Germany made Rollei 35: a Carl Zeiss Tessar and it has slot drive screws on the back of the shutter board so we can assume it is a Compur shutter made by Prontor. Prochnow writes (See note 2) that its serial number refers to a Singapore camera and ‘Made by Rollei Singapore’ is engraved on the camera back. Back

[4]

The cameras equipped with S-Xenars were the first Rollei 35 cameras to receive the Rollei designed shutters obtained from Copal. Cameras equipped with S-Xenar lenses were sold only in Eastern Europe, Italy and the U.S.A. Back

[5]

Tessars are built with glass of low refractive index. A consequence is high transmission of UV light that has to be corrected by the use of an UV-filter. The filter was not very popular. The Tessar lenses have 4 lens elements in 3 groups. The group closest to the film is a cemented doublet. Carl Zeiss added an UV blocking layer to the cement. An external UV filter is no longer necessary from № 3 082 000. Back

[6]

This number series was not fully used according to Prochnow. See the number of cameras produced. Around 1979 Rollei 35 S cameras were produced without body serial numbers on the back. I received a message from the owner of a Rolleiflex 35 S. He definitely is the first owner so the camera is unchanged. He received it as a present from his wive in June or October 1979. It has the distance scale used before December 1979 and has no serial number on the back nor inside. Back

[7]

Sources do not agree on the numbers made. Listed are the numbers given by Prochnow. Evans (in the U.S.A.) describes only 1500 cameras of the olive branch version that were exported to the U.S.A. No total number, not the other version. Cameras of the U.S. version were still available from discount stores in 1983. Afalter mentions a Special Series with a limited number of 3000 cameras. For the U.S. market 1500 cameras received the additional olive branch.
Appearently the series did not sell very well. Perhaps not all planned cameras were made. Back

[8]

The number under the take-up spool is most likely a part number, not the serial number. The number ‍39.431100 was found on several cameras. One of the cameras has only one owner from new. Back

References

• 25 Jahre Rollei 35, Eine Kamera erobert den Weltmarkt, Afalter, Udo, ISBN 3-928126-31-8, Lindemanns, (1991).
• Collector’s Guide to Rollei Cameras, Evans, Arthur G., ISBN ‍0-931838-06-1, Centennial Photo Service, (1986).
• Rollei Report 3, Rollei-Werke, Rollei Fototechnic, Sucherkameras, Spiegelreflexkameras 1960-1995, Prochnow, Claus, ISBN 3-89506-141-7, Lindemans, (1995).
• Rollei 35, Eine Kamerageschichte, Prochnow, Claus, ISBN 3-930292-10-6, Appelhans, (1998).