Rolleiflex 3.5E

Pre-meter elegance — pure mechanical precision.

1956–1959 6x6 on 120 film Made in Braunschweig, Germany
Rolleiflex 3.5E twin-lens reflex camera

Photo: Michele Campeotto from Italia · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source

Specifications

Taking LensCarl Zeiss Planar 75mm f/3.5 or Schneider Xenotar 75mm f/3.5
Viewing LensHeidosmat 75mm f/2.8
Lens Elements5
ShutterSynchro-Compur
Shutter Speeds1s - 1/500s + B
Light MeterSelenium (built-in)
Filter MountBay I
FocusingCrank with auto film stop
  • First 3.5 with built-in meter
  • E2 and E3 variants
  • Selenium cell meter

History

The 3.5E models preceded the metered F series, offering the same legendary optics in a simpler, meter-free design. Many photographers prefer these for their mechanical purity and the fact that there's no meter to fail.

Innovations

  • Refined pre-meter design

Collector Notes

Added built-in metering to the 3.5 line.

Current Market Prices (USD)

ConditionPrice Range
Poor$350 – $550
Average$600 – $850
Good$850 – $1200
Excellent$1200 – $1600
Mint$1600 – $2200

Source: eBay 2024

Manuals & Documentation

Shoot with your Rolleiflex 3.5E

metergeist is a free light meter app and film roll tracker built for TLR and medium format photographers. Meter light, load film, track every frame.