I got that 35S and still Why oh Why

My 35S arrived a few days ago from the auction site and everyone is right that I love the

camera except.. even though the seller said it was in good working condition, it is total

crap condition and needs complete overhaul. The shutter speeds are way off, the asa

dial is nearly too stiff to change, which doesn't matter because the little arm with the circle

is disengaged from the shutter and fstop wheels and doesn't move. The good shape

body with just a small ding on one corner looks like it barely survived a car crash and has

a big dent where you push down the lens release button.. which you don't need to push

down to release the lens.

 

The good news is the glass of the lens is completely pristine and clear and the multi

coatings look perfect and new.

 

I don't think I can wait the 3 months you have to wait to get your camera back from Harry

Fleenor so I am thinking of giving Krimar a try. The cheap little camera is going to end up

costing me a bundle but the seller did say no returns. If anyone wants to know I bought

the camera from..... 4uweauction at ebay. Never again.

 

At least I will have the pleasure of rescuing a little Rollei 35S with a great lens. Some

solace in that.

If Krimar doesn't work out, you might also give a try to Vermont Camera Works, which is where I bought my Rollei, and where it is now hospitalized, awaiting a repair that is estimated to be just a little more than what he sold it to me for (got it for 60 bucks, will get it fixed for 65! Believed to have a worn-out shutter cocking mechanism needing a cannibalized part). These little things are addictive. Anyway, VCW (i.e. Jim McRea) knows his way around a Rollei 35 and can probably do the work, and they do estimates on line.

 

http://www.vermontcamera.com/

Dennis - if you feel the item has been badly described you should tell them. As a power seller

if you paid by PayPal you are protected by their buyer protection scheme if the description

was wrong. Sounds like you have bought a "parts" camera from your description. I'd email

them and tell them you are unhappy and thinking of registering a PayPal claim (unless, of

course, you didn't pay with PayPal) If it's crap you shouldn't accept it.

 

RX

I agree with you RX though I am not sure what you mean by parts camera.. i

guess a camera that is good for nothing but salvaging the parts off it. I do

intend to write the seller and complain. However as I said the optics on the

camera are pristine and I think it could be completely rehabilitaded. I didn't

initially intend to take on a restoration expense but I guess I would rather do

that than send the camera back. I won't give them a negative feedback

because they would just give me one in return. But I won't add to their list of

positives and I will complain to them. Eventually I will have a nice camera

with a great lens.

eBay is gambling...plain and simple. I've bought cameras that were described as "mint condition" which were total cr*p, and also some that I am sure were never taken out of the box. One of my worst experiences was with a Rollei 35...described as "mint condition"...Not working, battery leaked and frozen in, someone's I.D. number scarthced in and then scratched out, and smelling like mildew. Nearly $300 in repairs later, it really is a gem, but in the long run I would have done better to buy one at a local camera shop for more money. When I contacted the seller, he reminded me that the ad said "final sale, no returns".

Personally, I would initiate a dispute. I looked at this seller's current items and it's a strange collection of items. I suppose it's possible he/she was totally ignorant about the Rollei and assumed that, since it did not appear to be run over by a large truck, it was in working condition. But if it said "good working condition" you have a right to expect good working condition.

 

I'm always amazed at how a seller can assume (and say!) that something is working, when they don't have a clue. You know, the "works fine, needs battery" (how do you know it works if it needs a battery?). I've inquired on items that were said to be in working condition and, when I asked when last used, was told it was used many years ago or even that "I've never used it". And that stuff is not even the outright fraud.

 

But I will say that most (many? some?) sellers that exaggerate in the listing will be more honest in answering specific questions.

 

In a way what's worse is that we did it to ourselves. The last 10 or so items I've sold were sold with a 10 day return privilege. But my impression is that I didn't garner any higher a price than similar condition (by photo and description) items sold "as is". Maybe the return privilege is not considered credible or maybe buyers are naive and focused only on price.

You bought from someone who lists items on eBAy for other for a fee - don't expect them to know anything about the item. From what you say they made a full disclaimer. Don't buy cameras from these guys unless you like gambling.

 

Stated simply the cost of buying a working camera on eBay is less than the cost of repair (from your account the basic camera is in poor condition and not a good candidate for repair). Buy from someone with high positive feedback whose description commits them to a level of condition you wish to purchase. That way you have a reasonable chance they will take it back if not as described.

When I bought my 35SE a couple of years ago I found a web site that had the inside guts of one for sale. This looked like it could just be screwed into it into the body and was a new,shutter and everything your camera needed for its guts. I will try and find the site, you might try as well. It seems to me that the inside guts were around a $150. which would give you a almost new camera. I will let you know if I find it.

This might be the site, you might email them

 

http://www.rolleicamera.com/sales-spares.htm

Hi Dennis

 

I don?t know how much you paid for the camera, or if you intend to return it to the seller. However, speaking personally, I?m not sure that I would bother having it repaired ? I?d probably write it off and look for another one from a reputable source.

 

I bought a ?mint? 35 Classic around three years ago ? not from Ebay, but through a Rollei website that put the seller and myself in touch. The seller was a church minister in the USA (I live in the UK) and he said it was mint. I paid top price for it, and the camera did look fantastic ? like brand new. However, the first film through it showed terrible flare, plus the film counter wasn?t working. I sent it to Rollei for repair ? apparently it?s not uncommon for some of the blacking on the brass surfaces of the lens assembly to flake off. They repainted it all and fixed the mechanical fault etc. I didn?t use it much after that. I?ve just started to re-use it, and it still suffers from flare. I?ve sent it off to an independent Rollei specialist (about a month ago) but I?ve not heard back. I tried to email him at the weekend, but my email bounced back?I?m beginning to wonder if I?ve lost it!

 

What I?m trying to say is that I think they?re not the most robust of cameras, and that if you had it repaired then some other faults may show up necessitating further visits to the workshop. Also, my lens looks mint, but the end results are often unusable due to the flare. I?ve also clocked-up a fair amount in repair builds, although admittedly I could have returned it after the first time if I?d tested it and noticed it still wasn?t performing optimally.

 

I think I would try to buy one through a dealer, and then you?d have a good description and some sort of warranty. The 35S models seem readily available, and they?re not too expensive. In my, case I?d been looking for a Classic for months in the UK and not found one, hence my decision to buy from a private individual from abroad.

 

I did have a 35SE before I bought the Classic, and its performance was fantastic despite not being in mint condition (there was a ding on the top plate) but I cleaned it up, and it looked great apart from the wee ding. I dropped it in some water and it was un-repairable. I now own a bag of rusty Rollei bits ? you wouldn?t believe how many parts there are in one, or how intricately they?re linked. It?s an amazing design (to someone like me who knows nothing about the mechanics). I suspect that if yours needs a lot of work then it could well be uneconomical due to the man-hours that may be required to fully rebuild and test it.

 

So far, it?s the only 35mm camera I really enjoy using (I?m used to large format cameras etc) and hopefully my one will turn up soon, fully repaired. If not, I?ll HAVE to buy another one? They?re quite addictive!

 

David

thanks to all.

 

I did get a lower than usual price on the camera.. at least it seemed that way

after watching them for about 10 days. 132.00. Mint ones seem to go

something over 300. I am still waiting to hear from Krimar with a quote for

overhaul. I will call him again today. I was able to test the camera. I took it for

a walk yesterday and shot a roll of film with unkown shutter speeds. the 125

sounds like a 30th to me. I bracketed. Even though I know the camera is

distressed, I have to say I like the way it fit in my front pocket and the view is

clean and clear through the finder. I noticed that the force of my pushing the

shutter release always caused the camera to dip down in front. I will process

the film this morning see how the lens and my guesstimations did. Rewinding

the film was pretty stiff.

Just regarding that last line, mine also rewinds pretty stiffly, perhaps owing to the way the hinged plate clamps the film. I suspect it's the nature of it, and has never been a problem.

Send it back for a refund. There are plenty of others out there. I know, I got one for $68.

 

Ray Hull

Hi Dennis

 

How did the pics come out?

Ok to follow up I won't start a new thread.

 

My test pics came out pretty good considering I used fuji 400 and over

exposed every frame so that the film is so grainy that all fine sharpness is lost.

 

I sent the camera this last wednesday to Krimar.. which is across country from

me. On the following friday.. yesterday.. the guy..I think his name is Krikor

called me, not to tell me that he had already received the camera (in just 2

days), but to tell me that he had finished it already!!! He didn't even wait to

give me a quote to OK. Total 125.00 cheap and everything fixed including the

meter adjusted for alcaline battery, shutter recalibrated, meter arm that

wouldn't move fixed, dent in the top pushed back out. He says I will receive it

by Tuesday!!

 

So now I am quite happy assuming his work is as good as his reputation. I

can't wait to test again with controlled shutter speeds and finer grained film.