rolleiflex camera question

[rosbif]

Hi - first post here, so please treat me gently!

I've just been looking at an old Rolleiflex that belonged to my father, and wondered if anyone could help in identifying the year, and model? I think he used it in North Africa during WW2, so I'm pretty sure it's pre-war.

The Rolleiflex serial number is 265718

The lens is a Carl Zeiss Jena, serial no. 1411589 Tessar 1:3,8 F = 7.5 cm, with 'COMPUR' marked around the bottom of the lens.

The rangefinder lens is marked Heidoscop Anastigmat 1:3,1 F = 7.5 cm serial number 261752

It's in its original case but the camera is hardly in mint condition, having spent five years in the desert, and seeing regular service into the 60s! Still, I would be interested to know a little more about its history, and what it's worth, if anything...

 

[IanG]

The lens is 1932/3 the camera should be an Original Standard Rolleiflex f3.8 Model 621, but you can check for yourself here.

The company history is also on the same website, in Europe Rollei's quickly became the tools of photo-journalists and Lee miller used one while on assignment as a war correspondent for Vogue in France & Germany.

In the UK many people gave their cameras to help the war effort as there was a desperate shortage as most pre-war cameras were made in Germany, these were then issued to army officers and also used by the navy and air force. My father documented his regiments march from India to North Africa and Egypt including El Alamein with a folding camera, not sure what make possibly an Ensign, later I used it aged 2

Your Rolleiflex isn't worth much, in good condition they are often under 100 euros, so less well used.

Ian

 

[rosbif]

Thanks Ian, that's interesting. My father was in a photographic reconnaissance squadron in North Africa, always loved his photography, so the camera and optics are in good working order, but it is looking well used.

I'll hang on to it along with some of the photos he took during the campaign, clearly the value is sentimental rather than monetary.