Rolleiflex Old Standard
While the Rolleiflex "Old Standard" was not the first Rolleiflex TLR camera produced by Franke & Heidecke, you could still sort of think of it as the first "real" Rolleiflex camera.
This camera was known internally as the K2, the "Old Standard" name was retroactively applied years later. The Old Standard was produced between 1932 and 1938, as a successor to the Original Rolleiflex of 1929. The Old Standard offered several improvements on the Original and became the camera that really laid the foundation for the Rolleiflex reputation for quality equipment. The Old Standard was the first Rolleiflex to use 120 film, called B-2 film at the time. The Original Rolleiflex had used 117 film. The Old Standard also introduced crank advance for film transport, a removable, hinged backdoor, and a fold-up sportsfinder.
Over its production run, there were three different Old Standard models. Model 620 (1932-1934) with a Compur shutter and a Zeiss Tessar 75mm f/4.5 lens. Model 621 (1932-1935) with a Compur shutter and a Zeiss Tessar 75mm f/3.8 lens. And finally, Model 622 (1932-1938) with a Compur-Rapid shutter and a Zeiss Tessar 75mm f/3.5 lens.
Compared with later Rolleiflex cameras, the Old Standard does show its age. The finder and mirror are dimmer than later cameras, the film advance does not incorporate arming of the shutter, and the taking lens is uncoated. Nonetheless, this is the camera that really helped Franke & Heidecke set the standard of excellence of which the Rolleiflex TLRs would come to be known. Among its most famous users was the Magnum photographer, Robert Capa.
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