Rollei Rolleicord IV1953

History

Rollei introduced the Rolleicord line in 1933 as an affordable alternative to the Rolleiflex. The line iterated through Models I, II, III, IV, and finally the V series. The IV arrived in 1953 — the same year Rollei was updating much of its shutter lineup — with the Synchro-Compur replacing older synchronization designs. Because the V followed within a year, the Rolleicord IV was manufactured in relatively small numbers and is the least common of the later Rolleicord models. The V (1954), Va (1957), and Vb (1962) all outsold and outlasted the IV.

Why It Matters

The Rolleicord IV sits at the lowest-cost entry point into 1950s German TLR photography, occasionally found for less than its successors precisely because it is the least recognized member of the V-series family. Optically there is no reason to prefer the IV over the V or Va — the Xenar 75/3.5 is the same lens across all Rolleicord models of this period — but for a buyer who specifically wants the earliest version of the late-style Rolleicord, the IV is the find. The short production run makes it mildly collectible among Rollei enthusiasts.

Lenses & Accessories

Lens fixed. Bay I filter ring:

• Bay I filters — yellow, orange, red for B&W; UV.
• Rolleinar close-up lens sets for the Bay I mount.
• No prism finder compatibility on the IV (the removable hood came later on the Vb).

Sample Photographers / Notable Use

• The Rolleicord IV, as a transitional one-year model, does not have well-documented photographer associations.
• Its output is indistinguishable from the V; images made on the IV appear throughout mid-50s European amateur photography.

References

• Camera-Wiki: Rolleicord IV
• Wikipedia: Rolleicord
• Rollei TLR — The Complete History — Claus Prochnow.