Rollei Rolleiflex 3.5F
If you make a list of the most famous film cameras in history, it should rightly include a Rolleiflex. The Rolleiflex twin lens reflex is one of the most iconic cameras of all time, right up there with the Hasselblad and Leica. The Rolleiflex 3.5F was one of the last cameras in the Rolleiflex line. There would eventually be a Rolleiflex 2.8GX in modern times, but that is almost a different camera.
The Rolleiflex line of cameras were the more professional cameras produced by Franke & Heidecke. The Rolleiflex 3.5 line kicked off in 1949 and effectively concluded with the 3.5F in 1976, a run of 27 years. The 3.5F combined all the previous advancements of the 3.5 line, including a coupled selenium light meter, self-timer, M-X flash synchronization and a removable finder hood. It continued to use the Bay II system of bayonet-mount filters.
Rolleiflex 3.5F cameras can be found with one of two lenses: either a Zeiss Planar 75mm f3.5 or a Schneider Kreuznach 75mm f/3.5. The Planar lenses are generally considered the most desirable, and will influence the individual camera's price, but in reality both lens options are superb. It should also be noted that the upper viewing lens has a maximum aperture of f/2.8 for bright viewing.
Owning a Rolleiflex 3.5F is one of the most enjoyable experiences you can have for shooting twin lens reflex. While there are many other good TLR cameras out there, none of them combine the style, smoothness, reliability and sharpness of a Rolleiflex.
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