About Rollei 35 TE
The Rollei 35 TE is a 35mm viewfinder film camera renowned for being one of the smallest 35mm cameras ever produced. It’s a fully mechanical, manual focus camera with a built-in light meter. The camera was released to the market in 1979, and production ended in 1981. It was designed by Heinz Waaske, a German engineer. His innovative design for a compact 35mm camera was later acquired and produced by Rollei. Although Rollei cameras are typically made in Germany, some models of the Rollei 35 series, including the 35 TE, were produced in Rollei’s Singapore factory. Cameras manufactured in Singapore are often marked with "Made in Singapore" on the back. This camera is not widely associated with any famous photographers, but the Rollei 35 series has been favored by street and travel photographers due to its compact size and high-quality lens. It’s particularly popular among those who value portability without sacrificing image quality. The camera features a Carl Zeiss Tessar 40mm f/3.5 lens, renowned for its sharpness and optical quality. Despite its compact size, the Rollei 35 TE offers full manual control over exposure, making it ideal for photographers who enjoy the process of manual shooting. What’s truly unique about this camera, besides its size, is that, unlike many other 35mm cameras, the film is loaded from right to left, which can be unusual for users at first. While the TE model includes an electronic light meter, the rest of the camera remains mechanical, making it more reliable and less prone to failure in challenging environments. The camera uses a mallory PX27 battery type which is not a usual battery for cameras and not widely available, but you can find them on Amazon. As of 2024, a well-maintained Rollei 35 TE can range between $200 and $500.
