Rocca 35
The Rocca 35 is a 35mm compact camera, built by Montanus Kamerafabrik in Solingen, West-Germany. It was released in 1958.
Imitation exposure meter
The Rocca 35 had two main claims to fame - a rose tinted viewfinder and an early example of "one upmanship" in that you could buy the camera with an imitation meter (see illustration), complete with honeycombe and dial! This could be changed at a later date for a Bewi "Automat" meter at a cost equivalent to 40% of the original price.
The particularly well built and specified Roccamatic was a on a par with the Baldamatics of the period and very competitively priced. It also had similar luxury features such as a Bright Line finder that adjusted for parallax.
Unfortunately, in the UK they did not have a very good agent in Amplion and they never got the advertising exposure of Balda (J.J. Silber), franka (R.F. Hunter) or Paxette (Neville Brown).
There are very few Roccas advertised by camera shops during this period and by 1961, they had vanished from Amateur Photographer's annual Camera Guide.
Specs
All nine Rocca 35 models had a fixed 45mm f3.5 (Model 2 & 2m only) or f2.8 3 element Ennagon or f2.8 4 element Ennit lens made by Enna of Munich. Conventional metal construction (not a hint of plastic!) Bright Line finder, rose tinted viewfinder, lever wind, double exposure prevention, body release on front of camera and a film type indicator similar to the Retina models.
Dimensions:
Width:123mm Height:90mm Depth: 67mm (Rocca 35 Model 2) 70mm (Roccamatic)
Rocca 35 Model 2
- f3.5 Enna Ennagon lens
- 3 Speed Vario shutter 1/25 - 1/50 - 1/200
- Exposure calculator
- Price £14.19.11
- Optional Bewi Meter £8.8.0
- If supplied with meter, sold as the model 2m for £23.2.7
Rocca 35 Model 3
- The Rocca 35 * f2.8 Enna Ennagon or Ennit lens
- Prontor LK Light Value 5 speed shutter - 1/15 - 1/30 - 1/60 - 1/125 - 1/250
- Exposure calculator
- Price £21.5.7
- Optional Bewi Meter £8.8.0
- If supplied with meter, sold as the model 3m for £29.19.11 (Photo right is the Hanimex Duomatic Version)
Rocca 35 Model 4m
- f2.8 Enna Ennit lens
- Prontor SLK Light Value 9 speed shutter (1/300 - 1sec)
- Coupled Bewi Automat exposure meter
- Price £36.12.3
Rocca 35 Model 5m (Photo left)
- f2.8 Enna Ennagon lens
- Prontor LK Light Value 5 speed shutter - 1/15 - 1/30 - 1/60 - 1/125 - 1/250
- Coupled Bewi Automat exposure meter
- Price £30.12.10
Rocca 35 Model 6
- f2.8 Enna Ennit lens
- Prontor SVS 9 speed shutter (1/300 - 1sec)
- Non-Coupled Bewi meter
- Coupled Rangefinder
- Price £29.19.6
Rocca Roccamatic LK
- f2.8 Enna Ennagon lens
- Bright Line Finder with parallax adjustment
- Prontor LK Light Value 5 speed shutter - 1/15 - 1/30 - 1/60 - 1/125 - 1/250
- Coupled Metrawatt exposure meter with needle visible in viewfinder
- Rangefinder
- Price £39.19.6
Rocca Roccamatic (Photo Right)
- f2.8 Enna Ennit lens
- Bright Line Finder with parallax adjustment
- Prontor SLK 9 speed shutter (1/300 - 1sec)
- Coupled Metrawatt exposure meter with needle visible in viewfinder
- Rangefinder
- Price £45.17.6
Bibliography:
All prices taken from advertisements by the British Agents, Amplion Limited of London, in the March 1959 & July 1959 editions of Practical Photography.
Information on Roccamatics from Amateur Photographer Camera Guide 19th August 1959 & 8th June 1960.
