90 years of Rollei 90 years of photo history

The founding years

The beginning of a camera legend: the Rolleiflex

page 1-2

Profound crisis: the Second World War
The golden fifties and sixties

page 2-3

Years of transformation

page 3-4

New company concept - Rollei Fototechnic

page page

Digital revolution

The new Rollei

Rolleimade by RCP

page 6-7

The founding years A fortunate coincidence brought together the brilliant technician Reinhold Heidecke and the experienced businessman P a u l Franke. Their different talents complemented each other perfectly, and Rolleis success story began in 1920 with the foundation of the Werkstatt fr Feinmechanik und Optik Franke and Heidecke in Braunschweig, Germany. Production began under cramped conditions, in what had once been a small dance hall, with a few high-precision machines and a handful of people. A mere 16 months after the companys foundation, Franke & Heidecke presented the Heidoscop. This initial technical innovation in the field of stereo cameras laid the corner stone for their future international success. The stereo photo received new impetus with the use of roll film, which had already been developed at the end of the 19th century. In contrast to the plate technique, it was now possible to capture multiple images in succession. Taking photos and the basic handling of cameras thus became more simple and grew in popularity from the turn of the century. With the introduction of the Rolleidoscop (1923), the first 35-mm camera for roll film, F&H then succeeded in making a decisive breakthrough in 1926, catapulting them into the vanguard of camera manufacturers. The product name Rolleidoscop simultaneously gave rise to what would later become the company name Rollei", even at this early stage. The beginning of a camera legend: the Rolleiflex 1928 saw the production of the first ten prototypes of the legendary twin-lens Rolleiflex. Up until the start of series production in 1929, it underwent a number of technical modifications. The patented twin-lens Rolleiflex was notable for its quality features, which had never been seen before in this category of camera: an all-metal design with precision film guide and one of the best lenses of the day, namely the Tessar. For professional photographers, the first compact reflex camera with six pictures 6x6 on B1-6 roll film became the measure of all things. The global demand exceeded all expectations, and Franke & Heidecke began to expand. The production facilities, which had already been extended substantially in 1923, were now no longer sufficient. Shortly after the companys 10th anniversary, production was able to be transferred to a new factory building with 1,400 m2. Work continued without interruption on further development of the Rolleiflex. In 1931, F & H presented a version for the 4x4 format. In 1933, the Rolleicord, a scaled-down, cheaper version of the Rolleiflex, was introduced. In contrast to the expensive 6x6 Rolleiflex costing 178 Reichmark, with a price tag of only RM 88, it was also affordable for amateur photographers. 1
88, it was also affordable for amateur photographers. As the enthusiasm for Rollei cameras continued to grow around the world, the companys workforce and sales figures also continually increased. Up to 1935, the company managed to sell a total of 180,000 cameras. At this point in time, the factory employed a workforce of around 238. The crowning moment of this success came when the company was awarded the Grand Prix at the International World Fair in Paris in 1937. Franke und Heidecke received this prestigious award for the outstanding design of their Rolleiflex camera. The same year saw the launch of the 3rd Rolleiflex generation. Whilst the technical development of photography continued to advance rapidly in the twenties and thirties, hardly anyone in Germany dared to accept photography as an art form. Many photographers did not regard themselves as artists, but simply as good craftsmen. An initial milestone on the road towards photography becoming recognised as an art form in Germany was the Werkbund photo exhibition Film und Foto in Stuttgart. In 1929, international photographers such as Edward Weston, Immogen Cunningham and Man Ray presented exhibits there for the first time ever.

Profound crisis: the Second World War The start of the Second World War reduced camera sales and ushered in a critical time for the now globally operating company. Rollei fans abroad became enemies and outstanding accounts in the enemy nations led to lost assets. Some 60% of the factory and company premises were destroyed during the war, although production was able to be resumed swiftly once the war was over. Right on time for the currency reform of 1948, the reconstruction work had already been completed and all necessary conditions created for the fifties and sixties.
The golden fifties and sixties The golden age began. Even by 1950, Rollei already employed more staff than before the war. Optimised models of the twinlens Rolleicord and Rolleiflex were introduced and, in spite of the numerous copies, global demand was undiminished. On 28 September 1956, the millionth 6x6 Rolleiflex left the factory. This twin-lens Rolleiflex became the symbol for medium format photography. It became an icon of its day and was used by countless travel, fashion and studio photographers. These defined the unique Rolleiflex photo style. Work continued on optimisation and further development of the Rolleiflex product family. An outstanding example was the Rolleimarin, an underwater housing that had been developed 2 for series production in collaboration with the diving pioneer Dr.HansHass. The heavy housing, weighing 5.3 kg, satisfied the increased requirements of underwater photography and allowed pictures to be taken with the Rolleiflex Automat 3.5
Rolleimarin, an underwater housing that had been developed for series production in collaboration with the diving pioneer Dr.HansHass. The heavy housing, weighing 5.3 kg, satisfied the increased requirements of underwater photography and allowed pictures to be taken with the Rolleiflex Automat 3.5 camera at depths of up to 100 m under water. The death of the two founders of the company, Paul Franke (1950) and Reinhold Heidecke (1960), cast a shadow over these successful years. They left a vacuum that posed immense challenges to the company. The firm was also had to rise to the demands of devising new innovations to counter the gradual market saturation in the sector of the twinlens medium format camera and the ever-growing significance of the 35mm camera. In spite of the difficult situation, the company Franke & Heidecke succeeded, under its new management, in presenting two promising new products in 1966 - the first single-lens roll film reflex camera SL 66 and the Rollei 35, the most compact 35 mm viewfinder camera of its day. Being the first 35 mm camera from a German manufacturer, it constantly ensured high turnover figures, with sales already increasing from 1966 to 1967 from DM 30 to 45 million. In the three decades that followed, some 3 million Rollei 35 cameras were sold worldwide. It offered many amateurs the perfect entry-level camera for 35 mm photography. During this period, amateur photography became the driving force of the photo industry. At the same time, photography as an art form became increasingly accepted. The MoMA photo exhibitions by Edward Steichen (The Family of man, 1955) and John Szarkowski (1960s) were decisive in ensuring widely acceptance of photography as an art form. This also coincided with the trend towards commercial art.

Years of transformation In 1966, the Franke family acquired all of the Heidecke familys company shares. In the wake of growing pressure due to competition from Japanese camera manufacturers, the company decided to launch a counteroffensive and moved its own production to Asia. In 1968, it managed to win Norddeutsche Landesbank as the majority shareholder (97%) in an effort to secure the high level of funding required for the expansion. die hohen Kredite fr die Expansion abzusichern. From the launch of Rollei Singapore (P.T.E.) Ltd. in 1971, cameras were produced in the Far East, whilst research and development activities remained in Braunschweig, Germany. Given the excessively high costs, low production numbers and obligations towards the Singapore government that could not be met, this project was ultimately doomed to failure.
One outstanding product to emerge from this period was the Rolleiflex SLX in 1974. The electronics, automatic functions and integrated motorised film advance feature were unique for a medium format camera at this point in time. Fully electronic cameras, which enabled the aperture, shutter speeds and focus to be automatically adjusted, made taking photographs increasingly more user-friendly. A further milestone in photo history. From 1974, a period followed for the company that was characterized by what was in some cases confused model policy, bad investments and changes of management. In 1981, the company Rollei-Werke returned to private ownership, with Norddeutsche Landesbank selling its shares to a number of shareholders amongst these Hansheinz Porst. From this point on, the bank that had once been associated with the company ceased to provide any funding. Only three months later, the company became insolvent, resulting in the subsequent liquidation of the business by its creditors. New company concept - Rollei Fototechnic In that very same year, a small contingency solution was worked out. The new company Rollei Fototechnic was to take up the old Rollei concept again and use the production facilities in Braunschweig for producing high-quality, unrivalled professional products in small quantities. In January 1982, United Scientific Holdings of London took over Rollei Fototechnic. The new product range included the proven Rollei cameras Rolleiflex SLX, SL 66 and the SL 2000F, Rolleis first 35 mm reflex camera with an interchangeable magazine. In addition, high-precision opto-electronic equipment for civil and military use was produced. The years up to 1986 were also characterised by the return to the Rollei classics. Special limited editions such as the twinlens Rolleiflex 2,8 F Aurum and the Rollei 35 in gold and platinum were greeted with enthusiasm the world over. On 10 July 1987, the German company Optische Werke Schneider of Bad Kreuznach took over Rollei Fototechnic. The focus was on know-how transfer and the joint utilisation of the research capacities, taking the latest technologies into account. In the same year, the modified classics Rolleiflex 2,8 GX with TTL exposure metering and flash control and the Rollei 35 classic caused a sensation. At the photokina exhibition in 1988, the Rolleiflex 6008 was presented as the most cuttingedge medium format camera featuring a new lens.

Digital revolution Digitalisation has had a major impact on the history of photography. The first commercially available digital cameras, which were still referred to as still video cameras, began to appear on the market from the mid-eighties on. After 1991, digital photography became increasingly more popular, with the launch of the first professional cameras. Rollei Fototechnic entered the world of digital photography in 1991 with the Rollei Digital ScanPack an add-on for the Rolleiflex 6008. The images were scanned by means of a highresolution CCD line sensor, saved on the computer and edited on the monitor. In 1994, the digital imaging system was extended with the high-speed Rollei ChipPack camera back, which was followed 4 years later by the DSP-104 digital camera back. Parallel to this, analogue photo technology was further advanced during the nineties. In launching the Prego AF in 1991, Rollei presented its first modern compact camera with autofocus. In 1995, the Rolleiflex 6008 integral, with a completely redesigned electronic concept, became the most state-of-the-art professional camera for the medium format. With this camera, Rollei succeeded once again in setting new standards. In September 1995, Rollei Fototechnic was sold to the Korean conglomerate Samsung. Through integration into this globally-active corporation, Rollei hoped for a significantly enhanced competitive position in the high-tech future. The company was proud of the Rollei / Samsung research and development centre that was inaugurated in April 1996. Because of the Asian economic crisis, however, Samsung also soon found itself obliged to sell off its shares in the company. The new buyers in 1999 were Paul Dume and six other managers. In November 2002, the Danish investment company Capitellum, headquartered in Copenhagen, subsequently took over Rollei Fototechnic. The new millennium brought a host of new product releases. In the spring of 2001, Rollei presented five new compact cameras, followed by the AFM 35 along with two new digital cameras in autumn. 2002 saw the market launch of six new compact cameras, the Rollei d530 flex (a digital reflex camera), the Rolleiflex 6008 AF (first medium format camera in 6x6 format with autofocus) and the digital 35 mm camera Rollei d330 motion. The Rollei 35RF and the Rolleiflex4,0FW wide-angle camera were also introduced at photokina. The years that followed also saw the consistent development of the digital camera lines.

The new Rollei In 2004, the company Rollei Fototechnic GmbH moved its production to the newly-founded Rollei Produktion GmbH. Digital cameras and MP3 players were presented at photokina under the slogan The new Rollei. In 2005, the company Rollei Produktion GmbH changed its name again to Franke & Heidecke GmbH. Amongst the shareholders were two grandsons of the companys founders: Kai Franke and Rainer Heidecke. The focus returned to the production of professional medium format cameras, projectors, technical photo accessories and lenses at the old company site. In the same year, the company Rollei Fototechnic GmbH changed its name to Rollei GmbH and moved its company headquarters to Berlin. From 2006, it fully gave up the operative side of the business and concentrated on licensing of the Rollei trademark rights from then on. In 2007, the Rollei trademark rights were assigned to three product categories, thus re-allocating usage: Franke & Heidecke GmbH received the trademark rights for the professional medium format products, whilst Rollei Metric GmbH took over the rights for the cameras in the aerial photography and surveying technology segment and RCPTechnik GmbH & Co KG the pan-European distribution for consumer electronic products (digital cameras and accessories). Rolleimade by RCP Since 2007, new Rollei products have been characterised by their user-friendliness, high quality, modern design and the excellent value for money they offer. The diverse product range includes compact digital cameras in the model lines Compactline, Flexline, Sportsline and the camcorder line Movieline. Since 2009, digital picture frames and photo/slide film scanners have also been included in the range. The ongoing development and high quality of the products is assured thanks to the companys own firmware and team of engineers. The Rollei Service and Call Centre guarantee a high level of service quality and customer support throughout Europe. At the end of 2009, RCP-Technik GmbH can look back over three successful business years. It has succeeded in increasing the market share in the compact camera sector within Germany to 9%. With its digital picture frames, the company rapidly acquired a 10% market share.
Due to the succesful development of the company, RCPTechnik GmbH has acquired the Rollei brand to 1 January 2010, and thus coinciding with the start of Rolleis 90th anniversary year. The acquisition of the Rollei brand includes the global licensing rights and points the way towards future international activities. On 1 march 2010 the first subsidiary in Hungary was founded. Distribution to the Balkan region will be continually developed from the Budapest location. RCP-Technik GmbH's Turkish subsidiary will begin operations from Istanbul on 1 April 2010.

Rollei products are currently internationally available in Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Portugal, the UK, Greece, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands. The goal is to double the number of countries by the end of 2010.
Marking the start of the anniversary year with the presentation of its Flexline 100 inTOUCH, Rollei has launched a compact digital camera, which convincingly meets the current needs of amateur photographers, thanks to its amazing design and exceptionally user-friendly touch screen. Compact digital cameras are now increasingly-fashionable accessories, which we carry around with us wherever we go so that we can send our snapshots quickly and easily to all our friends via the Internet and social media. For this target group, the Rollei compact cameras constitute the perfect digital companions. In the future as well, Rollei will be using its products to pick up on the latest trends of the digital age and making these available to a broad priceconscious clientele seeking value for money.
- Approved for publication Further information on the jubilee of Rollei can be found on www.90-years-of-Rollei.com. For all enquiries and image data, please contact rollei@move-communications.com or visit the online press section at www.rollei.com.

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Jutta Rossi, Phone: +49 (0)89-452219-22, E-Mail: rossie@move-communications.com Barbara Dornwald, Phone: +49 (0)89-452219-24, E-Mail: dornwald@move-communications.com move communications GmbH, Fraunhoferstr. 8, 82152 Martinsried