Once upon a time , in the 70s ,80s , Singapore became the 3 rd country in the world outside Europe and Japan to manufacture cameras . Technical personnel were sent for up to 2 years training in the Rollei factory in Germany .The factory in Chai Chee made many models of the SL 35 , 35s and the slide projectors . For a while , it was great . Then like the many times in Rollei's history , they foldered up , being never really good in mass marketing . Staff were retrenched and equipment sold to Avimore which became the biggest optical manufacturer in Asia outside Japan .
The good technical staff went to serve service departments in Canon , Nikon , Leica , formerly Minolta and Contax .
We should keep the made in Singapore cameras -They are our legacy .
Some even claimed the 100 lines per mm optics made in Singapore were better than those made in Rolleis Braunshweig factory .
In 2007 the Rollei factory started making the high end MF Afi for Leaf and the Hy6 for Sinar .
In April this year , Rollei went bottoms up again , victims of the credit crunch .
Pulling Leaf and Sinar down as well .
And this time it could be RIP.:cry: