Models and serial numbers Rollei 35


Photograph of the bottom of Ferdi‘s chrome Rollei 35 camera. The film counter shows an empty film chamber. The bottom distance scale is in ft. The rewind baring is made of black polymer. The lock of the camera back is V-shaped. Photo © 2020 F.W. Stutterheim.

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	Produced	Lens
Rollei 35 - Chrome plated brass - Black	3,000,201	3,311,000	8000	in Germany by Rollei-Compur-Gossen-Zeiss	11/1966-07/1967	Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm Opton Te 3.5/40 mm
Rollei 35² - Chrome plated brass - Black	3,000,201	3,311,000	304,000	in Germany by Rollei	08/1967-12/1971	Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm Opton Te 3.5/40 mm
Rollei 35 - Chrome plated brass - Black	3,312,000³	3,499,999	185,000-x	by Rollei Singapore	06/1971-10/1973	Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm Opton Te 3.5/40 mm From 04/1973: Tessar 3.5/40 mm Made by Rollei
Rollei 35 - Chrome plated brass - Black	3,312,000	3,499,999	30,000	by Rollei Singapore	07/1972-04/1973	Schneider S-Xenar⁴ 3.5/40 mm
Rollei 35 - Chrome plated brass - Black	6,000,000	6,299,999	x	by Rollei Singapore	10/1973-08/1974	Tessar 3.5/40 mm, Made by Rollei.

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.

Special Edition Rollei 35 “Made in Germany”

Rollei 35
- Gold plated brass

3,000,201

3,311,000

1500

in Germany by Rollei

11/1970-12/1971

Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm

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

Special Edition Rollei 35 “Made in Singapore”

Rollei 35
- Black

3,312,000

3,499,999

5000

by Rollei Singapore

12/1971

Carl Zeiss Tessar 3.5/40 mm

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	Tessar 3.5/40 mm, Made by Rollei.

Particulars: The Rollei 35 was renamed Rollei 35 T with the introductio of the Rollei 35 S. Not all available numbers were used. Bright Alloy from 01/1977.
January 1977: Combinated distance scale for m and ft, with the same numbers as before. At the same time the camera back was 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	6,799,999	260,000	by Rollei Singapore	09/1974-02/1980	(Carl Zeiss Sonnar 2.8/40 mm) Sonnar 2.8/40 mm, Rollei-HFT, Made by Rollei.

Particulars: Only a few samples of Carl Zeiss made Sonnars were used. Possibly T* coated. Contrary to the Tessar with front lens focusing, all lens groups of the Sonnar are moved when focusing. Black Alloy from 06/1976.
January 1977: Combinated distance scale for m an ft, with the same numbers as before. At the same time the camera back was 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			3,000	by Rollei Singapore	10/1978-07/1979	Sonnar 2.8/40 mm, Rollei-HFT, Made by Rollei.
Rollei 35 S - Chrome plated brass, Silver leatherette			5,000	by Rollei Singapore	10/1978-07/1979	Sonnar 2.8/40 mm, Rollei-HFT, Made by Rollei.

Particulars: No camera serial number. Shield on the back for Owner’s name. A number of non-original cameras with Silver leatherette are known.

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	0001	1500	1,500	by Rollei Singapore	12/1979-02/1980	Sonnar 2.8/40 mm, Rollei-HFT, Made by Rollei.

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

Rollei 35 Jubilee Edition samples

Name Features	Start at №	End at №	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	Start at №	End at №	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	Start at №	End at №	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, Made by Rollei.

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.

Reference

Claus Prochnow: Rollei 35 Eine Kamera-Geschichte. Braunschweig, Appelhans, 1998. ISBN 3-930292-10-6.

More special editions to follow.

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]: Changes during production:
August 1967: ‘Made in Germany by Rollei’.
March 1968: From #3029230 rewind baring made of black organic polymer. V-shaped lock on camera back.
May 1968: From #3039229 inner gears made of organic polymer.
September 1968: The Tessars can be built with glass of low refractive index. The consequence is hight transmission of UV light that can only be corrected by the use of an UV filter. The filter was not very popular. The Tessar design uses 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 for kitting the doublet. An external UV filter is no longer necessary from #3082000.
End 0f 1970: Finder magnification 0.62, window 12×18 mm, close focusing marks. Back
[3]: 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 #3239707, ‘Made by Rollei Singapore’. Back
[4]: From the S-Xenar, the Rollei designed shutters were obtained from Copal. Cameras equipped with S-Xenar lenses were sold only in Eastern Europe, Italy and the U.S.A. Back