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]

Prochnow gives 1,292,999 as the highest number of this batch. I have been in contact with the owner of Rolleiflex 2.8 C № 1,299,993. The next batch starts at № 1,300,.. so I have set the highest number of this batch at 1,299,999. Back

[3]

This number range was allocated to Xenotars, however Planars are known. № 1444565 is equiped with Planar № 19665 from Carl Zeiss, Oberkochen. Back

[4]

Early Rolleiflex 2.8 F cameras with Xenotars were marketed at least in some countries in the 1960s. A U.K. sales leaflet with the Xenotar ordering code exists.
Anecdotal information: The leaflet shows the mysterious product codes like “XUCIX”. These were telegraph codes. At a time when mail took a long time to be delivered and the telephone was expensive and the lines were poor quality, ordering by wire was reliable but could be expensive too. To cut costs large companies would have a short ‘telegram address’ and products had short coded names in order to minimise the number of words and thus cost. The ‘Rollei-Werke Franke & Heidecke, Salzdahlumer Strasse 196, 68 Braunschweig, Germany’ used the telegram address ‘Rolleiflex Germany’. Just two words and the German Postamt would know where to deliver. When ordering a Rolleiflex f/2.8F Xenotar with coupled exposure meter with factory installed Flat glass and Flat glass back the content of your telegram would simply be “XUCIX FLADD”. Back

[5]

Mid 1971 a shiny silver name plate with small print around the taking lens was introduced. This was just a purely cosmetic change. Later it became the sought after ‘White-face’. Camera № 2473336 is a ‘Whiteface’. Camera № 2478095 is a ‘White-face’ but still has the film pressure plate with 4 long dents to cover the rails for 120 size film and 35 mm film when the Rolleikin is mounted. It has the camera-side without the 12/24 exposures switch. The pressure plate has two positions: 120 size and 35 mm. There is no provision for the Flat glass. The arrivals of the ‘White-face’ and the new new pressure plate did not coincide. The number of the first ‘White-face’ is unknown, the change happened in mid series. Cameras with the old style pressure plate were still made after № 2476000. № 2950197 has a White-face, a Planar lens and the old style grooved pressure plate. № 2954489 has a White-face, 12/24 exp, a Xenotar and the grooved pressure plate. Back

[6]

This batch of Planars was a special order with Carl Zeiss Oberkochen. Planars for the Rolleiflex had not been ordered for more than a decade. The Planars were multi-coated - probably T* - but labelled HFT for reasons of uniformity. HFT is Rollei's registered trade-mark for multi-coating. Back

[7]

The coded serial number has 7 digits, № 6036942 for instance. The first digit plus 5 (the key) represents the year of manufacture, in this example 6+5=11. When the sum is over 10, distract 10. 11-10=1. One has to guess the decade and the century! Knowing this number belongs to a black 2.8 GX, the year would be 1991.
The digits placed in the second and third position, (in our example “03”) are for factory internal use. They are called the Index.
The digits in 4th and 5th position minus 20 give the calendar week in the year of production. In our example the digits 4 and 5 are “69”. 69-20=49 so the camera was manufactured in the 49th week of 1991.
The digits 6 and 7 stand for the sequential number of the camera. In our example “42” means that the camera was the number 42 manufactured in the 49th week of 1991 with an index of 03. For those who are interested: № 6036942 was seen in auction. It is a 2.8 GX ‘Helmut Newton Edition’ camera. Back