TLRs were very hard to sell in the mid seventies, and stocks languished, special orders were filled up through 1980 from existing stock. The introduction of the whiteface marked the so called type five, of the 3.5 model, and type four late, of the 2.8. Unsold stocks of the previous model, the model four were fitted with whiteface nameplates then in production or in stock at the last gasp of the continuous production of tlrs by rollei which had begun in 1929. Not all whitefaces are from the concurrent build dates of the nameplate. The whiteface camera was the last of the regular production run of both the 3.5 camera and the last except the special editions of the 2.8 camera. The 2.8 began life as the 2.8 type four with serializatons in the range, 2799xxx - 2959xxx and ended production sometime prior to 1980., the model immediately succeeding the whiteface was the 2.8 Aurum edition of 1982. The nameplate read, rollei-werke franke and Heidecke 3.5 F 2xxxxxx, it was wider and lighter in color than the previous nameplate, kind of a flat silvery look rather than white. The second run in 79 began with 3555000 up to 355999.
The first run of whiteface 3.5's sport serial numbers beginning somewhere around 2840xxx, and end with serials around 2857149. A second and last run began and ended in 1979. The first and last models were Schneider Xenotar fitted, some were special ordered with Planar Zeiss lens. The changeover began in 1971 and the first run lasted until 1976, making these the newest and probably the best condition these days, given that. Rolleiflex Whiteface cameras came in both sizes, 2.8 and 3.5, both lenses, Schneider and Zeiss, The zeiss by the time the Whiteface came out was the six element version. And to get it fixed and cleaned to look like new with a better screen perhaps will cost me another $300, which is still cheaper than a whiteface (which most probably will need cleaning anyway and has the old screen). No body notices these when they see the pictures that it produces.
Don't use the timer, who cares about the screen, it will be replaced with Beattie anyway and waistlevel finder still does what it's supposed to do. Paid $400 for it 6 months ago 'cause the self timer spring was broken, screen was scratched and the waistlevel finder was damaged. Got the 2.8F3 with Schneider lens on it and love it. Given the choice between Zeiss and Schneider optics I take Schneider - high quality lens for less money. If you want a good user camera forget the premium you have to pay for whiteface and go for the normal one and a Beattie or Maxwell screen. Others please correct me if I am wrong.īob is right. I may be totally wrong, but I think the whiteface was produced with Zeiss lens only, thus also increasing its price.