The Rollei 2.8 models come with an 80mm f/2.8 Planar or Xenotar, and they are the most expensive of the bunch. The Planar and Xenotar are considered better, although all of them probably perform equally well around f/11. The Tessar and Xenar models are the cheaper lenses. Rollei 3.5 models come with one of the following 75mm f/3.5 lenses: Zeiss Tessar or Planar, Schneider Xenar or Xenotar. The shooting lens is a 75mm f/3.5 Zeiss Planar it's immaculate. There is a switch at the base of the handle to allow the shutter to be cocked without advancing the film for multiple exposures. You can keep turning it backwards until it folds into the body if you want. Then the shutter is cocked by turning the handle backwards. It only takes about a quarter of a turn or so to advance to the next frame. Film is advanced by turning a handle on the right side. That's more high tech than my Pentax 67II. It senses the film thickness and activates the frame counter. It takes 12 6cm x 6cm images on 120 film. I'd gotten a great deal! I almost felt bad.almost. I looked EBAY and found that similar models went for about $300-$400. I researched on the web, and found out it was made in 1957. I am amazed at the quality of the images. I've shot about 30 rolls of Tmax 100 and HP5 400 with it to date. It was obvious from the first roll that this was an extraordinary camera. I took it home and ran a roll of film through it. It was almost like he set it out for a conversation piece, never thinking it would actually sell. How was I going to explain this to my wife? The guy was surprised when I returned, and whipped out the cash. He loved it, but hadn't used it in years. I just felt that it had to be worth more than he was asking. You could sense the quality just by holding it. It felt heavy and solid like only an all metal camera feels. A quick side step and it was in my hands. After several agonizing minutes, the guy finally set it down. I'd heard the name Rollei before, and I knew they made quality, collectable cameras, but I'd never handled one before, or really even knew much about them. There was a big sign on the table that said "Rolleiflex and accessories $150". I pretended I was looking at something else on the table while the guy and the seller talked. It was all I could do not to grab it out of his hands. I hurried over, trying not to look like I was hurrying. I had almost given up when I spotted the Rollei TLR from across the room. There were a hundred or so of those super-cheapie plastic cameras marked 50 cents each (I wouldn't take them for free, and I'm a camera junkie, so you know they were crap). I figured that it would be a bunch of old guys, and thought they might be selling some old cameras. I bought a later model 3.5E at a Kiwanis/Masons rummage sale in August.
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