Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/08/27

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Subject: Re: Rolleiflex 3003 System
From: "Patrick G. Sobalvarro" <pgs@sobalvarro.org>
Date: Wed, 27 Aug 1997 23:35:56 -0700

At 04:38 PM 8/27/97 -0400, Marc James Small wrote:
>At 09:37 AM 8/27/97 -0800, Donal Philby wrote:
>>The 3003 is the 35mm system, yes?  I remember looking at it some years
>>ago as the one truly innovative system.  Especially for us location
>>shooters working with lights and needing a polaroid back, it seemed
>>wonderful.  Even the way it fit the hand.  The lenses were reported to
>>be excellent (typically Rollei), if limited in scope.  
>>
>>I especially loved the interchangeable backs.
>>
>>Is the system still made??  Perhaps it was just too innovative for the
>>traditional market.
>
>
>The 3003 was withdrawn from commercial sales in 1995, though it does remain
>available for technical and industrial applications, especially in a
>photogrammetric variant with a Reseau screen.

I almost bought one of those cameras, but was concerned about the way
Rollei had dead-ended the SL35.  I also almost bought an SL66 once upon a
time.  Now I'm really glad I didn't get into either system, even though I
think the 3003 is about as cute as can be.  But one can't trust Rollei to
build backwards-compatible systems the way Leica do.