The analog movie resurgence continues marching forward, arsenic MiNT’s Rollei 35AF camera seems poised to merchandise this year. The Hong Kong-based camera shaper first carved its niche making boutique instant movie cameras that remixed classics for illustration nan Polaroid SX-70. Now, it’s launched a website pinch a waitlist for imaginable customers willing successful this diminutive 35mm camera.
The Rollei 35AF is simply a reincarnation of nan original Rollei 35 from 1966, but while 1 ft remains successful nan analog past, nan caller creation incorporates lidar-based autofocus for its 35mm f/2.8 lens and options for automatic exposures. It’s still built pinch a boxy metallic assemblage for illustration nan original and seems to support a very compact size. According to MiNT, via PetaPixel and Kosmo Foto, nan Rollei 35AF is expected to waste for $650 to $800 erstwhile it launches later this year.
With Leica rereleasing its M6 rangefinder successful 2022 and rumors that a caller Pentax movie camera whitethorn beryllium imminent, caller movie cameras that are much than conscionable nan balanced of reusable disposables look to beryllium connected trend. I personally shudder astatine nan existent prices of movie and laboratory improvement costs these days, but I still emotion that analog photography’s bubble hasn’t yet popped.
I callback utilizing nan original Rollei 35 successful assemblage a bunch of years ago, and it was a nosy small camera — albeit 1 that asked a batch of its users. The original didn’t conscionable person a manual attraction lens (which was 40mm connected nan original), but it relied connected area focusing by measurement of nan attraction standard and immoderate musculus memory. It will beryllium really intriguing to spot what an autofocus remix of nan small Rollei is like.