I'm researching the often neglected early years of the Rolleiflex. My particular interest is in the Old standard as they are one of my personal favourite Rolleiflex cameras!
I know that production started in April 1932, but am unsure when production finished.
I have never seen any advertising literature that features both the Old Standard and Automat, so my best guess is that the Automat took over and for a short period (a year or so) became the only 6x6 Rolleiflex. Later on ('38 or '39) the New standard came along, probably to fill the price gap between the Rolleicord 2 and the Automat.
I know that there were 3 different body styles to the Old standard, all relating to the red film peep windows. The earliest models had 2 windows, one for B2 (120) film and one for the 6 exposure B1 film. The camera was supplied with a blanking plug so that the window that was not in use could be covered up. These cameras were possibly supplied with 2 blanking plugs to prevent any fogging of the film in bright light.
The second type of window arrangement relied on just one at the base of the camera for 120 film. There was a built in rotating cover to cover the window up to prevent fogging of the film.
The third type is basically the same as the second but has a more robust sliding cover arrangement.
I know that there were 3 different lenses, all Tessars but with different apertures. I believed that the earliest had an F4.5, then very quickly they changed to F3.8 followed by F3.5.
However I have seen cameras later than mine (December '32) that have the F4.5 lens. Mine has an F3.8, which is a little puzzling.
I also believe that when Rollei upgraded to an F3.5 lens they also fitted the Compur-rapid shutter with a 1/500th sec top speed, replacing the basic Compur which had a fastest speed of 1/300th.
At the same time I also think that the edges of the film back were Nickel plated rather than being painted black.
When these changes all occured is a very Grey area, can anybody help me out please? Also if anybody owns an Old standard I would be interested to know what body type/lens combination they have with either the first digits of the serial number or better still an actual date of production.
Unlike later Rollei's the Old Standards are easy to date as the date of production is written in pencil on the underside of the mirror! This date relates to the date the mirror was made, but it is accurate to within a few weeks.
Oh, and sometime during production a bubble level was fitted onto the ground glass focussing screen. I have never seen an early model with one fitted, but most later ones do. My guess is that they were fitted from 1933.
This is purely a guess, but the Voigtlander Superb TLR was launched in 1933 and it incorporated as one of it's "unique features" a bubble level in the viewfinder. I imagine that Rollei saw it and thought that it was a good idea, so stole it for their own camera!
Thanks for reading all of that! I hope some found it interesting, at very least I hope you are still awake!
If anybody can clarify what I have said or fill in the gaps I would be most appreciative!
James