Mint’s long-awaited Rollei 35AF film camera is finally available for preorder. However, due to high demand, the preorder window is slated to close in just two days, so analog photography enthusiasts don’t have long to pull the trigger.
“A project as important as this shall not be taken lightly,” Mint explains. “While the final product bears a striking resemblance to its predecessor, its capabilities have undergone a remarkable transformation.”
The Rollei 35AF, based on the beloved Rollei 35 S, is designed for beginner and advanced photographers alike, boasting automatic and manual exposure meter systems. One of the biggest modernizations on offer is the LIDAR-powered autofocus system. Further contemporary accouterments include an OLED display next to the mode dial on top, a built-in flash, and a self-timer.
However, despite some fanciful upgrades, the Rollei 35AF is very much an analog camera built with a tactile experience in mind. The blocky camera has a classic Rollei look and the curvy Rollei logo, which is used with Rollei’s official blessing.
Mint founder Gary Ho says the company wanted to address three main shortcomings of the original Rollei 35 S for a modern audience while still evoking the same sense of joy for photographers. These shortcomings include a lack of autofocus, built-in flash, and cumbersome ergonomics.
As for autofocus, the LIDAR-equipped Rollei 35AF can precisely focus from 70 centimeters (27.5 inches) to infinity, which Mint says, “eliminates the frustration of guessing the wrong focus.”
“No more manual zone focusing — simply point, focus, and capture your prefect shot every time,” the company promises.
There’s not a lot to say about the built-in flash except that it’s present and promises to automatically balance with the prevailing lighting conditions in a scene. The flash has a range of 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) at f/2.8, per Mint.
Ergonomically, the camera includes a tripod socket, self-timer dial, shutter speed dial (1s to 1/500s plus a bulb mode up to 60 seconds), film type dial, and numerous buttons and switches, including manual film advance and rewind levers. The camera’s viewfinder offers 0.5x magnification and 90% area coverage, so photographers will need to be careful with the edges of their shots.
The Rollei 35AF includes a built-in 35mm f/2.8 lens. The lens comprises five glass elements, and the aperture can be stopped down to f/16 in full-stop increments.
As mentioned, exposure can be controlled automatically or manually. The camera’s film speed (ISO) selector dial also serves as the Rollei 35AF’s exposure compensation control. The camera uses a center-weighted average metering system.
Sample Images
Pricing and Availability
The Rollei 35AF is available to preorder now in silver ($799) and black ($829) colorways. Preorders will be fulfilled in the order they were placed, and the first shipments are expected later this year.
Mint says orders may take “several weeks or months” to fulfill after the camera starts shipping. Further, preorders are only open until September 12 at 3 AM GMT, which is 11 PM ET (8 PM PT) on September 11. Time is running out on this highly anticipated brand-new 35mm film camera.
Image credits: Mint