The analog film renaissance continues to move forward as MiNT’s Rollei 35AF camera looks set to be released this year. The Hong Kong-based camera maker first launched boutique instant film cameras, incorporating classics like the Polaroid SX-70. Now it has launched a website with a waiting list for potential customers interested in the small 35mm camera.
The Rollei 35AF is the reincarnation of the original Rollei 35 from 1966, but while still firmly stuck in the analog past, the new design features lidar-based autofocus and autoexposure options for its 35mm f/2.8 lens. It still has the same boxy metal body as the original and seems to maintain a very compact size. According to reports from MiNT via PetaPixel and Kosmo Foto, the Rollei 35AF is expected to cost between US$650 and US$800 when it is launched later this year.
With Leica re-releasing the M6 rangefinder in 2022 and rumors that a new Pentax film camera may be on the way, new film cameras that aren’t just reusable disposables appear to be catching on. I personally shudder at the current film prices and lab development costs, but I still love that the analog photography bubble hasn’t burst yet.
I remember using the original Rollei 35 in college a few years ago and it was a fun little camera – albeit one that made demands on many users. Not only did the original have a manual focus lens (the original was 40mm), but it also relied on zone focus via a focus scale and some muscle memory. It would be really interesting to see what the AF remix of the Rolleiflex looks like.
