Introduction

The Square idea that changed photographic History

Without any doubt was the introduction in 1929, of the first Rolleiflex Twin Lens Reflex ( TLR ), a sensation: an as ingenious as simple principle that quickly made the Rolleiflex THE must have professional camera all over the world. Producing high quality 6x6 cm square negatives in a compact very easy to operate camera, with the best lens available.
Ther was no photographer who would not master one, no apprentice who would not wish to own one. For the professional, the Rolleiflex was like a gift from heaven, it meant a radical change in his/her creative work. Being able to work fast with a large size negative, light weight and superior quality made the choice as simple as important. There was no newspaper, no magazine, no photographic book that would not have some Rolleiflex photos in their publications. For decades, Rolleiflex cameras would have a decisive effect on photographic history. Many world-famous images originated from that small piece of fine mechanical art made bij the factory from Franke and Heidecke in Braunschweig, Germany.

It was the beginning of a technical evolution that would be imitated by many other manufacturers around the Globe with sometimes successful but often poor copies of the bench-mark Rolleiflex. Franke & Heidecke are proof of being the master in that field , with the nowadays massive switch-over to digital, the traditional Rolleiflex TLR is still in production AND development. Very few companies in the world can boost such a long record with one basic design which has been improved on a regular basis yet still so closely resembles the original invention.

This is why TLR aficionados and serious photographers have approached Franke & Heidecke over and over again with suggestions to continue this classical camera concept with the latest technology.
As a result we now can enjoy the current line of Rolleiflex 2.8-FX,and 4.0-FW , 2.8-FT cameras.
Classical twin-lens reflex cameras with a highly advanced exposure-control system. But still as compact and easy to handle as that very first Rolleiflex from 1929.

A long line of Rolleiflex, Rolleicord and related cameras has seen . . light since 1929.

The RolleiClub presents you here, with some pride, the most comprehensive overview of those cameras that once were and still are available. Extracted from old Franke & Heidecke , Rollei and later Rollei Optische Werke archives we compilated an unsurpassed database. In it you can find each serial number , the production period and complete technical details of every Rollei TLR ever produced.

The camera models are all presented on a virtual Card , you can send such a Card to a friend if you like, just click on the button below those Camera Cards.

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