Rollei 1205291 224021691 2008-07-06T23:37:09Z Diser55 4894805 /* External links */ [[Image:RolleiLogo.jpg|right]] [[Image:Rolleiflex camera.jpg|thumb|right|Rolleiflex medium format camera.]] '''Rollei''' was a [[Germany|German]] [[manufacturer]] of [[optical]] goods founded in 1920 by Paul Franke and Reinhold Heidecke in [[Braunschweig]], Lower Saxony, and maker of the [[Rolleiflex]] and [[Rolleicord]] series of cameras. After being bought in 1995 by [[Samsung Techwin]]<ref>http://photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=004Hho</ref>, part of the South Korean [[Samsung Group]], it was sold back to its internal management in 1999 <ref>[http://www.tlr-cameras.com/German/Rollei.html Www.Tlr-Cameras.Com/Rollei<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. In 2002 it was bought by a Danish investment group, and in 2005 was split into two different companies: "Rollei GmbH" in Berlin, owner of the Rollei brand and selling various [[OEM]] equipments, and "Franke & Heidecke GmbH, Feinmechanik und Optik" in Brunswick, and equipment factory <ref>[http://homepage.mac.com/fwstutterheim/rolleigraphy/rolleigraphy.html Rolleigraphy<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. Rollei's cameras typically use [[Zeiss|Carl Zeiss]] or [[Schneider Kreuznach]] lenses, as well as lenses manufactured by Rollei based on designs by Zeiss, and occasionally lenses made by Japanese manufacturers. ==Classic examples — medium format== * Rolleiflex 3.5F TLR with 75 mm F3.5 Planar — as used by [[David Bailey (photographer)|David Bailey]] and [[Diane Arbus]]. * [[Rolleiflex SL66]] and SL66E SLR with rise and fall lens plane and exceptional close-up abilities — as used by [[Brett Weston]]. * Rolleicord Vb — A medium format [[twin-lens reflex camera]] designed for non-professional users, like the rest of the [[Rolleicord]] line. * Rolleiflex 2.8GX as used by [[Helmut Newton]] [[Image:Rollei 35 S.jpg|thumb|[[Rollei 35S]]]] [[Image:Rolleimatic-animation.gif|thumb|Rolleimatic]] ==Classic examples — 35 mm== * [[Rollei 35]] compact original viewfinder (Germany) with 40 mm F3.5 Carl Zeiss [[Tessar]]. * [[Rollei 35S]] compact camera (Singapore) with 40 mm f2.8 Zeiss [[Sonnar]] made by Rollei. * [[Rolleimatic]] compact camera with unique film transport mechanism. * [[Rolleiflex SL2000]] (or 3003) SLR — a 35 mm SLR with interchangeable [[Camera magazine|magazines]] — not the first, but now unique for a modern 35 mm SLR. * [[Rolleiflex SL35]] range — 35 mm SLRs produced from 1970 until the late 1980s, using Carl Zeiss optics. Other lenses, like the [[Schneider Kreuznach|Schneider]], and the Rolleinar (manufactured for Rollei mainly by [[Mamiya]]) were also available. ==Modern examples — medium format== * Rollei 6008 integral — advanced SLR with fast handling — as used by [[Sacha Dean Biyan]]. * Rollei 4.0 FW TLR with 50 mm F4 Super-Angulon — classic reissue. ==Modern examples — digital== [[Image:Rollei-DP-5200-p1030350.jpg|thumb|Modern compact Rollei digital camera.]] * Rollei Mini Digi — digital camera styled like a miniature Rolleiflex TLR. * Rollei Prego series — a line of 18 consumer digital cameras with resolutions up to 10.1 megapixels (as of September 2007). ==Accessories — TLR== Some accessories manufactured for Rollei TLRs: * Rolleinar: A set of close-up lenses, in three magnifications (Rolleinar 1, Rolleinar 2, and Rolleinar 3). A pair of Rolleinar lenses are placed on both the viewing and taking lenses. * Rolleifix: Instead of screwing the camera body to a tripod, this tripod head clamps down on the TLR. * Rolleipol: Rollei's polarizing filter. * Rolleikin: Allows the use of 35 mm film. * Rollei panorama head: Attaches the camera to a tripod, and enables the photographer to take a series of aligned pictures to create a panoramic photo in an arc up to 360°. * Rollei Pistol Grip * Rolleimarin: underwater housing. == References == <references/> ==External links== *[http://www.rollei.com ROLLEI GmbH] (Corporate website in German and English) *[http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/rollei/index.htm Rollei History] (History timeline of Rollei GmbH) *[http://www.rolleiclub.com International Rollei Club] ('''Largest Rollei web-site with details of all Rolleiflex equipment ever made''') *[http://www.sl66.com/ The most comprehensive information about all '''Rolleiflex SL66''' camera models, '''Carl Zeiss lenses''' and original '''Sl66 accessoiries'''] *[http://www.franke-heidecke.net/ Franke & Heidecke] (Manufacturer of the modern medium format Rolleiflex cameras) *[http://www.rollei.jp/e/products.html Rollei.jp] (The English language version of the Japanese Rollei site with information about some modern Rolleiflex products) *[http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Rollei/ Rollei Cameras Price Guide] (Completed auction prices) ==See also== *[[List of digital camera brands]] [[Category:Photography companies]] {{Link FA|de}} [[de:Rollei]] [[fr:Rollei]] [[ko:롤라이]] [[it:Rollei]] [[nl:Rollei]] [[ja:ローライ]] [[pl:Rollei]] [[pt:Rollei]] [[sv:Rollei GmbH]] [[zh:禄莱]]