[rollei_list] My switch to the SL66

I now have three SL66's. One brand spanking new SL66, one from a German chap from near Nürnberg who bought it in 1978 and took exquisite care of it, and the third is a well used not taken care of version.
Two (the well used and the new) have been through the Harry Fleenor SL66 school of SL66 rebuilding. The German version just works perfectly as is.
The new SL66 had dried-up lubricants in the focus and shutter mechanisms. Harry did an in depth CLA including a flash circuit update. It is a gorgeous looking and working SL66. I use it as my main camera. The Nürnberg camera is my backup when I'm out shooting. Sometimes I switch their roles. Great great cameras!
The third well used SL66 was completely restored by Harry and when I got it back I was sure that he had sent me the wrong camera. It now looks and works great.
As some of you know, I have taught many workshops for both Hasselblad and Leica. Since Hasselblad has gone digital, they no longer schedule workshops. And Leica's rep/workshop/presentation/etc situation has changed to the point to where it is currently non functional.
As a result of my workshops, I met a lot of great photographers. I was asked by a participant if I would give private lessons and I said yes. The person has a Hasselblad 500CM, a couple of lenses, filters, and backs. So we started out by zeroing in on her obtaining an ASA and development time(s) for FP4+ and +/- zone development. On our outings I used my SL66 and she used her Hasselblad. Soon I loaned her my third (the sow's ear that Harry turned into a silk purse) SL66 and she was hooked. I had extra lenses and film backs so I loaned her a complete kit - SL66, 50, 80, 150 lenses, two backs, and a prism finder. Her search for an SL66 of her own started and she found a mint SL66 kit on eBay, bought it (80, 150, two backs, filter set, etc.) and then sent the whole set to Harry for a complete CLA. Meanwhile she used my loaner.
One thing I did early on was to adapt both the Hasselblad PME45 and the PME90 finders to an SL66 mount. This gives me through the lens metering for those occasions when TTL metering is advantageous. I did the same for my student - she now has a Hasselblad PME45 on her SL66. One of the reasons for moving to the Hasselblad metered finders is that they both have built-in adjustable diopters. That plus Maxwell screens makes using Scheimpflug for DOF control a piece of cake. No reason to try and use those confusing SL66 Scheimpflug charts! With a good viewfinder and bright screen, everything is visual.
I have a huge Hasselblad collection (I got my first 500C in 1962) and no longer use any of it. I guess if I were coerced into shooting a wedding I would use one of my Hasselblads. But I've decided to sell off much of it - I've already sold some - it's difficult to see it go. But for the kind of photography that I do, the SL66 is absolutely the greatest MF camera ever made!!!!! They are very inexpensive. And Harry Fleenor can indeed, turn an SL66 sow's ear into a silk purse.
I am talking to some new (private) students that want to learn 'film' photography. Instead of selling my third SL66, and based upon my past experience, I'm going to use it as a loaner and teaching tool. It's simply a great camera for field photography - built-in Scheimpflug, built-in bellows, built-in lens reversal, etc... Close-ups and DOF control with no added attachments. After learning the SL66, the move from an SL66 to a 4x5 field camera is trivial. 

Hassy finders on my SL66's:

http://www.visualimpressions.com/HassyFindersSL66.jpg

Jim


At 02:43 PM 4/16/2007 -0400, Mark Rabiner wrote:

All and all a far cooler camera than anything to come out of Sweden the
SL66.
I'm not dead yet. Maybe I'll get into it.
Its just that the Hassy stuff in camera stores now are for free or so close
to it as to not make any difference.
This SL66 stuff you proably have to pull out some real green for they just
won't give it to you for two rolls of film as you walk out the door. But
exquisite enough in every way. Form - function to be worth real money.
Noticing again the rail on the left side with all the number on it.
Magnification and exposure factors.

Mark Rabiner


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