| The
firm of Franke & Heidecke in Braunschweig, Germany is famous
for
The Rolleiflex TLR line of cameras first introduced in 1928. Before the
Rolleiflex, Dr. Reinhold Heidecke, in 1920, designed the Heidoscop and
the Rolleidoscop stereo cameras, one used plates and the other
rollfilm. Both of these cameras used a third lens between the
taking lenses for viewing and focusing of the subject. A ground glass
protected by a folding hood received a reflected image through the
third lens. From these two cameras came the inspiration for a two lens
hand camera for single pictures. In 1963 Rollei introduced
the
Rollei 16 as well as other smaller format cameras and in 1966 a SLR was
introduced into the Rollei family. Throughout the 70's and 80's Rollei
went through various owners but Rollei continues on today to make
cameras. |
