Rollei's Rolleicord II TLR — 6x6 on 120, waist-level finder, leaf shutter, 1936.
The Rolleicord II continued the Rolleicord line from Franke & Heidecke as the more affordable companion to the Rolleiflex TLRs. Introduced in 1936, it followed the Rolleicord I within the simpler branch of the Rollei twin-lens range. It is a pre-war body now generally treated as a vintage camera.
This is a twin-lens reflex (TLR) exposing 6x6 frames on 120 roll film, using separate viewing and taking lenses on one front standard with a waist-level finder over ground glass. A leaf shutter sits in the front standard behind the taking lens. As part of the Rolleicord line it used simpler controls than the Rolleiflex. Confirm the taking-lens make and shutter markings on the specific example.
The Rolleicord II suits portrait, documentary and general square-format work, and its lower-cost design made it an accessible entry point into the Rollei TLR system for students and beginners. Handling follows the familiar waist-level TLR pattern with straightforward mechanical operation.
When buying used, compare taking and viewing lenses for haze, fungus and separation, remembering only the taking lens affects the negative. Check focus smoothness, verify the leaf shutter and aperture work across speeds on the front standard, test the film-wind and counter, and inspect ground-glass brightness.