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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Rolleiflex 3.5F with Rollei 1.5x Mutar
The Rollei 1.5x Mutar is a conversion lens for the Rolleiflex TLR cameras that increases the focal length of a 75mm lens to 110mm. The Mutar is hooked over the Rolleiflex's viewing lens, then locked into place by rotating a thickly knurled ring surrounding the lower lens. It has a five-element taking lens and a four-element viewing lens, and was available with adapting rings for Rollei Bay I, II, and III models. It is most commonly found equipped with Bay II bayonet rings, making it compatible with the 75mm f3.5 lens found on the Rolleiflex 3.5F. All Rollei Mutars are rare - fewer than 1000 were manufactured between 1963-1967. It weighs 348 grams with its clever folding lens hood installed and came new with a tightly fitted leather case.
In practice, the Rollei 1.5x Mutar allows for the relatively quick installation of a portrait-length lens on your Rolleiflex. With a close focus 1.65 meters, it is not a close-range optic, but frames subjects nicely and produces a dreamy out-of-focus swirl when used wide open. For applications in which sharpness is important, the Rollei 1.5x Mutar should always be used stopped down to f/8 or smaller. Rollei recommended increasing exposure 1/3 - 1/2 a stop with the 1.5x Mutar attached. Fitting the Rollei 1.5x Mutar does shift the camera's balance of weight considerably forward.
Despite the Rollei 1.5x Mutar's optical and practical limitations, many Rollei users have come to appreciate its relatively compact addition of telephoto optics to the Rollei TLR system. They are very finely made lenses that represent Rollei's closest attempt to an interchangeable-lens TLR system. Rollei Mutar lenses enjoy considerable rarity and collectibility today.