Last Updated on 07/19/2025 by Nilofer Khan
Rollei, once known as Rollei-Werke Franke & Heidecke GmbH, is known for its Rolleiflex 35mm film cameras. While it is designed by MiNT (and not the original company), the cameras, nonetheless, have been quite popular. As it appears, Rollei has now announced a new camera, which features a lens on the rear: the Rollei Powerflex X8. What makes the device interesting is not having two lenses, but where it could have been made. Let’s look at what it offers and what it means for photographers.
First reported by Photo Rumors, the Rollei Powerflex X8 has a 1/2.8-inch 64MP CMOS sensor and two lenses. The main lens is a 35mm equivalent of 38-310mm, while the lens at the back for selfies is 3mm. Some of its other features include 5K video resolution, a 3.6-inch display, and photo modes such as portrait, landscape, filter, and night.
Interestingly, the design of the Rollei X8 is reminiscent of the Sony a6000 series. When we checked the size of the camera, it happened to be larger than the a6700. Per the website, the X8 measures 12.6 x 8.4 x 7.3 cm, while the a6700, per DP Review, is 122 x 69 x 64 mm (in cm: 12.2 x 6.9 x 6.4), which is smaller than the X8. However, there is also a massive price difference. The X8 is available for 299 euros (approximately $346), while the a6700 is for $1498.
One of the reasons for the price difference is the make of the camera. Rolleiflex was originally founded in 1920, where they made a twin-lens reflex camera in Germany. However, the company changed owners over the years and its name. Now called Rollei GmbH & Co. KG, Rollei’s name has been licensed to MiNT, a company that is based in Hong Kong, per Camera Wiki. We dug a little deeper and found on Rollei’s Download Center a host of Viltrox lenses and their upgrades. Considering MiNT is based in Hong Kong, and Viltrox is in Shenzhen, China, we think the X8 is being manufactured in China. However, we haven’t received any confirmation about the same.
Either way, the Rollei X8 seems ideal for casual shooters who want better quality photos and videos than their phones. The device is large, the screen is huge, too, and it is quite cost-effective. Thus, a better choice as a replacement for the phone. Those keen on travel photos for social media will be delighted to use this. Otherwise, you can look at other options such as the list we made for a more professional camera.