Rollei 35AF Review: Style For Sure, But Is There Substance?

[@FerventAstronomy]

Offering to send the free camera on to other (hopefully smaller) creators is something I would love to see more of in KZbin land. Props.

[@SimonAlowe]

What happened to Jordens video segment.

[@DessieTots]

He won’t get much video footage with a compact FILM camera. 😊

[@AdamJRichardson]

I was totally hoping they'd throw it to Jordan to cover the video features, and then immediately cut back to Chris.

[@philipcooper8297]

With 36 frames in one roll of film, his segment was shortened to 1.5 seconds at the end.

[@panmaew]

Because there is no video substance worth seeing on this camera.

[@pawel_stocki]

Shure, it should be Jordens part to talk about all the film functions of the camera 😉

[@ludovicoc7046]

Yeah, except KEH doesn't show you the photos of the exact camera that you are purchasing, unlike UPP where what you see is what you get.

[@d3xmeister]

Yes, it’s stupid when you’re in the business of selling used things, seeing what you’ll get is THE MOST important thing. We have a service like that in our country, and they are all over the place, I bought a Canon S100 that showed the 2011 version high end model, and they sent me a Canon S100 the cheap 2MP one from 2000. I have to argue with them a lot, they said the listing is automatic and they sold me what was shown in the title, Canon S100. Luckily the description said 12MP and I got them there

[@amarthgul5578]

They are also the worst used buyer. KEH rated my Sigma Art 50 as ugly and offered only $100, I rejected that and MPB ended up buying it for $380. In a similar way my almost new R6 with all parts in og box was also offered only $1,000 in 2022. I complained the KEH questionable rating on the Photography subreddit, got 98% upvote and countless people sharing same experience, only to have that post deleted by some mod without a reason. It really seems that KEH does not care about photo and photographers, they only care about money.

[@short_bar]

They visited my local camera shop to buy out used camera gear and I got to say they were mean! Will break up customers waiting if they start talking about gear and the value of gear. I prefer mpb. Many times they quoted me an offer and often increase my offer after review. Love their packaging too

[@bailey5924]

MPB clears KEH 7 days a week lmao

[@NatPhoto56]

KEH tried to screw me on a Canon 500mm f/4. Online quote was one thing, then 1/3 of the quote when they claim it had fungus…… Uhhh…. I live in New Mexico where the humidity is about 10%. You can’t grow mold here if you try. So… I had them send it back. Sent it to B&H and gee… guess what…. Received exactly what was offered based on online quote. Sent a Canon 5D Mark IV to KEH with an online quote…. Same BS. Claimed the main dial was loose and had to be repaired. So…. I had them send it back….. Sent it to MPB and guess what…. Got exactly what was offered in the online quote. Had a friend wanting to sell on Olympus EM1 Mark II. I told her NOT to send it to KEH even though their online offer was more than MPB and B&H…. Guess what… Camera arrives at KEH and the offer was cut by 2/3. So…. Send it back…. Sent it to B&H and got exactly what the first online offer was. I wouldn’t send a pile of dog crap to sell to KEH.

[@WYCAN]

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Regarding the Harman Phoenix, there is extensive discussion on the "colour reproduction" on scans and the wanky colour. Please either find a shop who knows how to scan it, or re-scan it yourself as slide to white balance/reverse it manually. The common Fujifilm Noritsu and SP3000 used by many shops are *NOT* able to scan Harman Phoenix properly BY DEFAULT. Harman has distributed instructions along with the film to shops on what to tweak. The main issue is that the film base is a purple tint, instead of the orange tint that almost all films have. This throws the scanner's white balance out of whack.

[@niccollsvideo]

I agree. I scanned it with a Z8 using the ES21 and a 50mm macro.

[@snappy8k]

But it still looks good. How though? I thought those orangy colors were the main point (hense the name phoenix)

[@WYCAN]

⁠@@snappy8kbecause of the extremely orangey colour is very unique, people label this as “speciality film”. I don’t denied I like it in some circumstances. However when you properly white balance of, it would be a “warm tone” kinda like Kodak gold and not this extreme. Hence this extremely orangey tone is a result of scan issue instead of the property of the film. There are also other types of scan issue commonly related to this film but those are probably not included in the video if he thinks they are terrible film issue. My main purpose is to try to convince people that this film is actually quite good for normal use and not just speciality use.

[@niccollsvideo]

@@WYCAN Hey don’t get me wrong. I liked it, I feel the film actually suited the subject matter well. I think more people should try it out and of course it is a work in progress and will only get better. It seems to have really nice rendition of reds and blues which I would experiment with further. I wouldn’t call it a beginner film though. Needs some mastery to become predictable and in my opinion needs a little over exposure. Regardless it is grainy and the halation characteristics are extreme but it’s fun to try out for sure.

[@AlyxEvans]

@@snappy8k Phoenix is in reference to Harman Technologies (owner of Ilford) 'restarting' colour film production in their factory. Ilford used to also make colour films, but lost the right to use Ilfocolor, so they had to use a different brand. The wacky colours are due to it being developed in less than a year, by two people in the R&D department, their next films will be better quality

[@thenickbw]

Just paused the video at the start because I just had to say I love that opening shot with the front lit red barn, the angle of the fence and cows. Great job finding that location and being there at the best time.

[@husshardan3511]

Complains about the $800 new with warranty price, then says “You could look at a Ricoh GR1”, then cuts to the KEH ad which shows is to be $1200 and mentions it has a broken LCD.

[@LeBoomStudios]

I paid €350 that for my imported Minolta a7 and that's one of the best 135 ever made. Is the compact frame really worth the premium?

[@ijovy3]

ok but "Now Rolleing" is top tier.

[@JamieFurlong]

I really wanted this camera. Then I saw some initial sample images and thought "oh well, it's not a Tessar" and wrote it off. Now I've seen your images I'm thinking "maybe I should just treat myself"! Your shots do this camera justice. Yours, owner and big fan of the original.

[@niccollsvideo]

Thank you! The lens is quite good, I have to say.

[@S3mj0n]

Man the landscape is beautiful. The wide open fields with mountains in the background. A place where you could happily die.

[@lichtloper]

My 35S taught me a great deal about photography: guesstimate distance, choosing aperture/speed combo. And it has a lovely 40mm lens, instead of obligatory 35mm.

[@pdtech4524]

Top marks for Mint bringing out a new film camera. Secondly, what a great job they did on the asthetics and style, keeping the design true to the original. Hopefully the little issues can be ironed out on future models. Let's hope more manufacturers follow this trend and we see more new film caneras, especially reboots of classic models.😊

[@thebitterfig9903]

@@pdtech4524 “keeping true to the original design” is the big reason I’m not even considering this. The Rollei 35 seriously compromised on ergonomics and handling to get very small size compared to an SLR or rangefinder. That was true when the Rollei was new, and true now, but you got a tiny camera, so it might make sense as a trade off. But in the current “new film camera” market, being an extra small camera isn’t that important for production differentiation, and there are digital alternatives which are noticeably smaller. I’m not willing to put up with the horrendous film loading, advance, and rewind, the utter lack of grip, the cramped viewfinder… all problems that arise specifically because they copied an old camera for clout, rather than designing something for use.

[@georgedrick2627]

I had three Nikon bodies in the late ‘60s for event photography with lenses from 24mm to 500mm. I wanted a pocket camera, so I bought a Rollei 35. It was an uncomfortable, heavy brick, so I never used it. Then they came out with the Minox 35, and it was a dream come true. It was as comfortable as a cell phone in your pocket.

[@benoit2900]

I really wanted to like the Minox 35’s until both of my ML’s developed faults even after being repaired! Too many shots lost, too much time/money wasted!

[@simval84]

"Hopefully the lens is sharp, we'll see when we get the shots back"... he says while using Harman Phoenix, which is a new experimental film known for having very big grain that makes it hard to see how sharp the lens actually is without bumping into the grain structure of the film.

[@niccollsvideo]

Yup. But the black and white film has tight grain and good sharpness so…

[@ericaceous1652]

10:10 whoever's idea that was - genius 👏

[@NeonShores]

Cool choice shooting Harmon Phoenix. Looks like a rad little camera for sure. I do have to ask why the Action 5 footage is so over sharpened? Is that just the look of the footage no matter what?

[@jwestrik9308]

I still have my Rollei 35 SE and 35S cameras. I bougth the S as I liked the look more than the SE. But the 35SE has seen many a roll of slide film. Once you have some experiece with the hyperfocal distance focusing at f5.6 ot f8 and know where to aim for good exposures, I could shoot from the hip, the car etc. without always fiddling. My friend took longer to take a photo with his Nikkormat than I did with the Rollei. And exposure was good. The most fun I had was with B&W infrared film and infra red filters. I see that prices for the classics have gone up a bt.

[@straydog6166]

That red farmhouse/barn in the background is awesome.

[@CarletonTorpin]

Anecdotally: every Mint product I’ve purchased has felt half-baked, and ending up being returned. Their Instax TLR is the biggest disappointment to me.

[@thebitterfig9903]

The viewfinder was so good on that TLR… but the exposure system was such utter misery to use, and the aperture plates were often misaligned, giving the worst vignetting, even stopped down.

[@CarletonTorpin]

@@thebitterfig9903 Accurate review

[@simonkimber1152]

Have their latest tL 70 plus and it’s great. The metering is pretty good now…rf70 was also ok

[@antonyhands5662]

Another vote for the new TL70 Plus. Every camera Mint brings out has better quality - these guys are truly learning from experience.

[@ronbokje6213]

owned almost all the old Rollei camera's and also the minox small 35mm camera's. loved the compactness of it, later switched to a Pentax MX with the 40mm pancake. bit bigger but more real camera and less finicky with my big hands.

[@mattslaboratory5996]

My old Rollei 35 that I had in the 1980's is probably the best camera I've ever had. The one with a Tessar lens. Compared to the Contax SLR I had back then, the Rollei took terrific slides and could be carried anywhere. My ex-wife has it now, in a box somewhere.

[@proto57]

Maybe she would be amenable to returning it? That might be worth an "ask". I had one also, and loved it. It is one of my cameras that I just can't remember what happened to. My best guess is it went to the junkyard in one of my Peugeots... that had a nifty tray under the dash, to the left of the steering column. It was carpeted! I used to keep the camera there, and may have forgotten it.

[@husshardan3511]

Nice review. FYI it does not have TTL metering. The meter cell/window is that little circle on the left of the lens (looking down at the camera).

[@niccollsvideo]

Ah thanks. But it would still meter with filters on it so I hope they do that eventually.

[@thebitterfig9903]

@@niccollsvideo what I’ve heard is that the meter is the little bubble over by the shutter dial, so rather out-of-the-way from any filters.

[@brennenf]

Absolutely the best images/scans with Phoenix I've ever seen. A year on this film getting better, like this rollie will.

[@rednelob9951]

All the Harmon Phoenix colour shots reminded me so much of the film I shot in the 1970's with cheap cameras long forgotten.

[@merricfoley6481]

Pre-ordered one and can’t wait. It’s a cool, quirky film camera with a warranty. If I want image sharpness, I’ll react for my a7rv

[@KarlDomning]

Chris’ opposing collars were hard not to stare at. Where is the wardrobe team! Good Review!

[@alexsomeing8192]

Ricoh 500G is my choice for compact 35mm film camera. also dirt cheap

[@ubeeh]

Having looked at all kinds of sample images, I've decided to stick with my Mju-II, which I had bought new back in the day and still is going strong.

[@ThroughJoesLens]

Good video except the in car clips. Whatever action cam being used for that footage needs the skin softening setting dialed back a bit. 🤦🏻‍♂️😂

[@AnthonyJGianotti]

So excited something like this is on the market, huge props to mint! I’ll wait for a later version with the kinks worked out, Info in the viewfinder, and filter threads though. I’m not spending $800 on a beta lol.

I liked how the Tri-X pictures turned out. What developer was used?

[@danigonzalez4299]

So you say the Pentax 17 is a way better option?

[@FrankP83]

I've the original made in Germany and LOVE how the zeiss lens render the pictures...amazing for such a little lens! ❤

[@benjhaisch]

Oh hey, dibs on reviewing it after as well?

[@MasticinaAkicta]

Part of me wants to shoot film again. Another part knows it has a Full Frame Camera that is REALLY good already. And all I need to do is to send files off to print! Make a fresh new photobook!

[@leungyikwai]

Guessing the explosure and focus was one of the fun thing shooting the rollei 35

[@segercliffhanger]

I'm 160 years old and I used this camera for at least 15 years of my career. I really loved it. I've owned 3, I think. It's handsome, it's f*n sharp if focus is right, which it became to be in a growing number of cases after using it for so long, it's likeable to people you portray (what do you have there, can I see that thing?), negatives from it looked really healthy and lively in the darkroom, and so did the prints. It felt and it definitely was heavy. And extremely sturdy, build and buttons. Great idea to bring it back to life. In fact, I looked into getting a secondhand just last week, I really did. I'd say; get some simple face recognition to this thing, maybe even get rid of AF altogether. Focusing worked flawlessly on mine without after 200 rolls:). Hope MiNT can get some decent sales on this one and prepare for a V2.

[@pedro77167]

What? Why is your comment so incoherent. And how are you 160 years old.

[@unstanic]

​@@pedro77167 he is a highlander

[@jlwilliams]

@@pedro77167 He's writing from the future...

[@charliewaterman816]

Love the creator sharing :) and sounds like a threaded button for a soft shutter addition could help the cause.

[@a_deep_breath_in]

Paying it forward!! Your good people

[@antonyhands5662]

Having tested it for the last month with multiple rolls I can confirm that I have experienced none of the issues that were evident in the camera tested here. No missed frames, no incorrect info in the display. It is important to remember that ALL OF THE CAMERAS CURRENTLY IN CIRCULATION ARE PRE-RELEASE. The final cameras for delivery to purchasers are being assembled now and may have variations in some aspects to address recommendations from pre-release testers.

[@bingbong4848]

This camera just got 'friend zoned' by Chris 😊

[@bobcartledge5250]

I liked your shots on the Harmon. They had a vintage feel

[@TheFlyingDogFish]

You guys can make even the review of the most useless products fun and interesting to watch.

[@JeffreyHauser]

Was that a Wotancraft Pilot Camera Bag that I detected Chris was wearing?

[@francochamps3855]

Knew there would be reliability issues. I respect what MINT are trying to do - with all their cameras - but this camera should never have been sold with the bugs it clearly has. Fair play acknowledging the issue, MINT, but withdraw what's in the stores and get it right.

[@antonyhands5662]

It’s NOT BEING SOLD to consumers yet. Mint released a limited number of not finalised copies to internet reviewers.

[@stephanweiskorn6760]

Excellent video 😮!

[@philipcooper8297]

Film photography sounds like a great idea. Doing things different in today's digital world. And that's also where the novelty wears off for many quite quickly. I'm not talking about the cost of film, but the process of getting the images out of it and that can either be tedious or expensive. If you've already invested into film developing and/or scanning, then you'll find soon enough that a ''cheap'' fixed lens film camera isn't something you would actually want to use.

[@artistjoh]

Looks like the lens is superb, and f2.8 is so much better than the original. But likewise they should have exceeded the original by giving it 1/1000th shutter speed. These sort of things are so much easier to engineer these days. And filter thread is an essential for every camera. At least that one is likely to be addressed by someone like Ulanzi, and we get a glue-on one, but we shouldn't have to do that. It is not like it is an obscure thing that is hard to do.

[@Aravzil]

The original "S" version did have a f2.8 lens but yes, I do agree it's weird that a filter thread wasn't included... I never heard anyone mention that about this camera and just assumed it had one.

[@artistjoh]

@@Aravzil That is the problem with relying on memory. I thought the original was f3.5. A reminder that I should look things up. I just did the looking up, and most Rollei 35 models were f3.5 with the f2.8 not arriving until after the shift of production to Singapore in 1971. 185,000 f2.8 were made, which is about 1/5th of total production. The early models had a non-standard 24mm filter thread. The f2.8 had a 30.5mm filter thread. I would expect 24mm filters would be nearly impossible to find, but 30.5mm is a size still made sometimes but probably easiest to just use a step up ring. Bizarre that mint thought a filter thread unimportant. Perhaps they thought only beginners would buy the camera.

[@TheDarkroomLab]

Does it actually meter through the lens? I was under the impression that it’s like pretty much any other point in shoot and that it’s meter is not TTL but is that small little circle next to the dial underneath the viewfinder/flash. With that being said, I do think it would still be cool to have filter threads since it has exposure compensation, and you could compensate for the filter regardless of if it doesn’t meter through the lens.

[@FotoPirata]

Awesome! I wasn't expecting a review for this camera from you guys, but it's nice to hear the opinion of a non film photography channel. And if you want to help a smaller creator, I'd be happy to take that camera off your hands 😬

[@ChrisKoehn]

Yeah, it would be nice to be able to attach red or orange filters for some B&W films.

[@tai_you]

13:49 This is such a beautiful shot. Curious to see if people will review and cover later versions if they're any different from the initial run of these cameras.

[@Byron5369-k8p]

Wow thats the clearest I've ever seen Harman Phoenix. Lovely shots

[@abhinaybuiss]

Happy to own Pentax 17. Rollei has: 1. Cumbersome film loading mechanism 2. Long film winding lever throw 3. In some situations, lidar autofocus could be incorrect 4. The viewfinder is dull 5. Construction is flimsy 6. With old authenticity come old camera issues.

[@jjansendavid]

Have you shot with it?

[@abhinaybuiss]

@@jjansendavid no, I find Kamerastore reviews reliable. They covered these in the first week of its release.

[@rebours]

@@jjansendavidno need to do so to aknowledge the valid points he made, Mint did it wrong.

[@jjansendavid]

@@rebours oh gotcha. I thought you were merely speaking from experience. I heard great things about the Pentax 17. 👍🏽

[@randallstewart1224]

You missed the lens. One of the first videos shooting a Mint 35AF showed massive flare from both back- and side-lit subjects. After posting two videos about the camera, the site went dark on the whole subject of lens performance. Other videos have so far not shot the cameras under any challenging lighting, so that first examination may have been representative of the lens generally, or they may have just gotten a stinker. It might have been a relatively minor issue, had Mint not gone overboard trying to associate this camera with the quality reputation of Rollei, which so far appears to be just a bogus bit of advertising. Also, LIDAR is basically the same "project a bream and measure return to determine distance" system used in almost every P-N-S camera from 1975 to date, from the Oly Stylus to the T2. They suffer the same shortcomings, being fooled by certain subjects, do not focus in fog or through glass, etc. The difference is that LIDAR uses a laser projection of coherent light, and "plain old" AF uses a projection of non-coherent infrared light, which is mostly just using light of difference frequencies. Functionally, no difference at all. So why use a unique LIDAR system, much more costly, over an "off the shelf" infrared system? Advertising! LIDAR sounds cool and more high-tech.

[@gewglesux]

The shots with the Phoenix looks like a "film" Camera

[@erichramone7812]

Not having a way to put an ND filter and that wonky way of putting the film in makes this a bummer for me. Although that lens is sharp 🪒 as hell, and the meter appears to work well

[@HarrisonPainter]

I wanted to love this, but it's just not even close to an $800 camera. Especially because it feels like a half-baked gen 1 instead of a true update to a cool vintage camera.

[@wuokawuoka]

Working AF AND working exposure in a fun small package? The quirks are OK, except for the iso 25 and unreliable shutter. After those, add filter thread before having faster shutter. The Harmon Phoenix - I like it as is. Yes it is all wrong and surely not the colours you had in mind, and severely hampered by wrong WB (as stated in other comments), but...

[@108u9]

IMO for what’s still an indie camera company, that this was the first gen is respectable and somewhat understandable. A lot of the issues mentioned seem very much possible to address fairly quickly and are not deep issues that will require wholesale changes. Get the comparison to a Kickstarter product but IMO it’s a bit unfair because a lot of crowdfunding projects turn out to be vapourware. That Mint actually delivered on the camera is credit to them. Hope there is sufficient funding and revenue to go on and develop a V2 or focal length variants of the V1 with the updates to address the issues mentioned.

[@azatrox]

Film is back! (For a very, very few niche photographers)

[@fbraakman]

No filter threads is really limiting. I shoot film and I always have a filter screwed in on sunny days especially.

[@sjc9832]

I wish we could get a new film camera with the metering, AF, modes, and shutter speeds of an entry level DSLR

[@quixoticelixer594]

just get a nikon f90

[@TRISTRAMY]

I'd have loved to see a side by side comparison between the 35AF and an actual Rollie from KEH. That would have been fun.

[@davidottman9501]

Thanks for another great review! I picked up an original last year, it's great! Just keep it in the dark or the light meter will drain the battery. :) As for this new version, I'll pass. The old mechanical ones are still working, and will more than likely still be working long after these new ones are dead. That RPX25 film is incredible, and for what it's worth, Ortho 25 might be even better.

[@rezzoc91]

Sounds nice but I will stick with my Vito B for the moment. Maybe they could make some snap-in filters in the style of the Vito, even if they're not the best

[@thomassandfield835]

Im here for the video functions.. 🤣

[@ReDevilJR]

Chris (& Jordan), even though I have no interest in getting a film camera, I really appreciate these videos, if not for the history lessons in photography, then for the travel photos. Have you guys heard of "Pocket Dispo"? I was thinking of getting one for my older Sony body (A7C) for a disposable/travel photo look in digital.

[@c.augustin]

No cable release thread anywhere? Haven't one seen or mentioned …

[@thebitterfig9903]

@@c.augustin The Mint Rollei has a self-timer, but does not appear to have a cable release in my googling. The Pentax 17 doesn’t have a timer, but does have a release socket, although it’s a modern electronic one, 2.5mm which the same remote as a Kf, K3iii, or K1ii.

[@c.augustin]

@@thebitterfig9903 Thanks for the clarification! The 2.5mm socket is a good choice, as it was used in the past. But my stance is simple: If a camera shoots film, I want a cable release thread. As all analog cameras had in the past (not always at the shutter release button, but somewhere). Even in digital cameras, I like to have it (like in my Olympus PEN F digital).

[@pawel_stocki]

I was hoping for lens test charts shot on 25 iso film 😄I would be overkill, but really fun one.

[@pacheaco727]

Looks interesting, hopefully they’re successful enough to produce follow up generations that address some of the issues. Can’t wait to see others irresponsibly burning through their limited funds to learn film photography like me.

[@Julianpms]

Big downside for me on this is that you get no readout of the shutter speed in the viewfnder when using aperture priority. I'll stick to my Minox 35s (which have this) and set the hyperfocal distance using the scale on the lens rather than AF.

[@JoeLopez]

Film never left

[@gewglesux]

I love 35mm for street shooting...If i didn't already have an MP i would consider this. Filter threads would be something i miss.

[@MarkPiercy-x7p]

I quite like your pictures with the Phoenix 200!

[@-grey]

I'd love a digital version. Even with a type-1" sensor. The ZV1-F just doesn't do it for me for some reason... 😂

[@cborel83]

Great review. I’m hope they can work out the bugs

[@AnotherOtherMan-alive]

That Harmon 200, though experimental, does have a nice look to it. Wonky colours sure but with people and under exposing a bit to reign in that flaring you should get some nice results. Definitly a film I'd throw in a small camera like the rollie or, in my case, the pentax espio 115, has a very 'summer camp in the 90s' kind of vibe.

[@stephendrahos9000]

Finally a review using B+W film

[@samwang5831]

Looks like a pretty good lens and the Rollie look sells itself. I hope other manufacturers will jump on the bandwagon and bring on more film cameras

[@richpence]

One of my only issues with the Rollei 35af is the lack of any manual focus overrides. It doesn't need a full manual focus, but an infinity focus lock function would be really useful. Pentax and many other companies in the '90s discovered the need and added the feature in their point and shoot cameras. Specifically for taking photos out of windows, where I imagine even the lidar system in the 35af could get confused. Plus with the otherwise excellent manual controls, locking to infinity would be great for doing some fine landscape work. Adding an infinity lock and filter threads would really upgrade the camera's viability for experienced shooters.

[@michaellee9354]

You can get the infinity focus using a finger to cover the lidar.

[@richpence]

@ that’s a great tip!

[@natekong3596]

This is a problem I have with Mint, their products always look so good on the website but when you actually get your hands on them they feel like a toy and I don't think that's going to change. It's almost like lackluster build quality is their signature now.

[@doctorwhoish8769]

what is Harmon?

[@guyjordan8201]

16:41 - big up vote for the Olympus XA series. Still have one and still use it once in a while. Kudos to Mint for coming out with this new camera, and AF is good, but that price… Yikes.

[@allinsiteUK]

Would have liked some led exposure indicators in the EVF.. love that little gaff!

[@alessandrocasella2680]

Finally a camera review without speaking about video features!!!😊

[@kevinl1492]

I have a broken Rollei 35 SE. Getting it repaired is a challenge - finding someone to do it, the cost, and of course, the time to get it back (probably weeks or months) are a headache. And to get metering to work properly, you have to use a modern battery that is a poor substitute for the original toxic metal battery. Buying 40 year old cameras is a crap shoot best only for the dedicated and highly knowledgeable. Or you can buy a fully refurbished Rollei 35 - and pay something close to this new product. Makes buying new with warranty a comfortable option.

[@lubietunes]

I received mine a few days ago, and took 24 photos at the same time as with a Rollei 35SE. I haven't yet fully decided whether to send it back. I haven't received my developments back yet, so I'm waiting to see if having autofocus makes a difference (especially seeing the results at F2.8, which you never do with an old Rollei 35 or set to infinity to blur the foreground). What bothers me: + The release button: you have to press it so far and so deep that it could make me move on slow shutter speeds. + No feedback on exposure, whereas with the 35SE it's easy to adjust the focal length while aiming because you have LEDs in the viewfinder (viewfinder which is much better on the old one, although it tints purple). + It looks more fragile and less well-built, you really get the impression of having a prototype in your hands (I should point out that I didn't receive a preview but a real order that I paid for). BUT here's what makes me want to keep it: + At last, an exposure meter I can trust (I still have to check it on my photos, but with the old rollei you have to put in a different battery model, which distorts the exposure meter and is not stable during the discharge). + An autofocus and auto mode that greatly simplifies things when you want to take a photo quickly (in extra-focal length, because otherwise you can over-expose without realizing it at F2.8). + One of the few full-frame 135mm cameras of this size with easy-to-read and accessible manual controls, so you can take it anywhere in a jacket pocket or small bag. Make a thumb up if you want me to upload the results of my testing and comparison :)

[@ianroe1076]

The problem with this camera is it seems to be going for too many different markets. It's a bit expensive, but not expensive enough to be high end. It's cheapish, but not enough for beginners. It's complex to use, but not complex enough to have full control. It's traditional in control scheme, but with a (seemingly dicey) electronic control mechanism. If this company can push out a model 2 after this, I imagine that one will be much better.

[@leanderhoefler]

Excuse me, the Harmon Phoenix being the worst choice? Dude, these colors are absolutely awesome!

[@MikeMikeYT]

Thoughts on Kodak stock? Seeing new film cameras is fascinating.

[@ZappaBlues]

I always thought these little cameras were really cool back in the day.

[@chrisw443]

Vinyl records and film cameras baby it's 1982!

[@jaycee6996]

I was interested in the original rollei 35 when it first came out. I loved the design but the lens was not wonderful and it was expensive.

[@RealSebus]

plastic lens part, no filter threads? glad i skipped the launch and went with Canon 7sz

[@jackplissken5328]

The sponsored segment really rubbed me the wrong way. Suggesting that people should buy an old Rollei 35 from KEH - before reviewing this truly game changing camera, just wow 😢. I’m not a Mint stan, but they need support for brining forth this model

[@airdailyx]

I agree. which is kind of fucked up I mean, they wouldn’t pull this shit if they were doing a Sony or Panasonic review. but there’s really nothing to lose by being blacklisted by this company.

[@dillank3240]

I'm curious to know how this camera is "game changing."

[@jackplissken5328]

@@dillank3240emm first new full frame 35mm film camera model introduced in like 20 years? (Leicas aside)

[@MickBenjamins]

1/8th of a Noc is a good weight for a camera like this

[@timdekyrke]

Harmon Phoenix the lost brother of Joaquin Phoenix :D

[@tonyzhu403]

Ah. By Mint, that makes sense. The ones who made the Analog Instant TLR.

[@thebitterfig9903]

@@tonyzhu403 I don’t dislike Instax, I think it can be a lot of fun. But the actual results from the Mint TL70 were so frustrating. I had sharper pictures and better exposure from the plastic lens Fuji.

[@tonyzhu403]

@@thebitterfig9903 I think only when you get to the Nons, you can get professional quality.

[@CalebThomasMedia]

Send it to me! Send it to me! Also, your Phoenix results are actually some of the best I’ve seen on 35! Phoenix really shines on 120

[@VariTimo]

Those are some of the best Harman Phoenix scans I’ve seen so far. Exposure also looks really good. The B&W looks like it was developed with a pretty flat developer.

[@kristoffergo6294]

The car scene looks so HDRish. Is that shot on an Iphone?