[rollei_list] The SL66

  • From: Jim Brick <jim@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 8 Jun 2010 14:44:47 -0700

I currently have and use two Rollei SL66 cameras. I had three - a couple of years ago I bought a brand new SL66 (from the early 80's) which was still in the original packaging. All of the lubrication in it had dried-up so it was unusable. Harry Fleenor did it justice by bringing it back up to perfect working order. He told me that he could find no indication that it had ever been used. I eventually sold it as a new, upgraded, and serviced SL66.


The two SL66's that I use are 70's versions, one has been serviced by Harry, the other (my working camera) I bought from a chap in Germany and has never needed service, it works flawlessly. The serviced camera is one that I let my students use, which has always caused them to buy an SL66 of their own.

From 1960 - 2002, I used Hasselblad. For about fifteen years, ~ 1990 - 2005, I taught workshops for Hasselblad. As a Brooks Institute of Photography graduate, (1959 - 1961) I relied heavily on 4x5 & 8x10 view cameras. Scheimpflug was a crucial part of my work. It always bugged the hell out of me that Hasselblad had no Scheimpflug capability. Then they came out with the FlexBody and ArcBody. A good concept but a pain to use. Anyway, I started using a Flexbody, and teaching it for Hasselblad. Many times I ended up using my 4x5 instead of the Flex as it was easier to work with.

Then Barry Thornton wrote Elements, which I bought and read. I was unaware of the SL66's Scheimpflug capabilities until reading Elements. My local dealer, Keeble & Shuchat Photography, and whom I did Leica and Hasselblad workshops through, was not a Rollei dealer. Therefore I was in the dark.

I immediately bought an SL66 'kit' (camera, three lenses, two backs, filters, Rollei leather case for all). Not knowing anything about the SL66, I now would have not bought this kit. Interesting, in a hidden pocket in the case, was all of the original invoices for the equipment. It cost me $1700 for the kit and another $600 for Harry Fleenor to make it work. It was a real sow's ear, which Harry turned into a silk purse. It was in really bad shape and I accused Harry of replacing it with a new camera. Really exceptional work Harry!

I needed a second body so bought one from a friend in Germany. He bought it new in the late 70's, and used it enough to keep it working perfectly. A wonderful camera.

The lenses I have for my SL66's are all HFT lenses. A rare 40mm FLE, 50mm Distigon, 80mm Planar, 150mm Sonnar, 250mm Sonnar, 2x Extender, a full set of extension tubes, and four backs. My cameras have Maxwell screens and I adapted Hasselblad meter finders to my SL66's.

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

I put together a few SL66 pictures into small gallery. All landscapes (anything that has a near and far) used Scheimpflug, all close-ups relied on the built-in bellows.

http://www.visualimpressions.com/SL66_gallery/

Speaking of Scheimpflug, I finally came to the realization that I cannot be bothered with a camera system that is not capable of Scheimpflug. So my 4x5 and MF cameras have full Scheimpflug capabilities, and I have the T/S lenses for my Canon.

Long live the SL66!

:-)

Jim




---
Rollei List

- Post to rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

- Subscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'subscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org

- Unsubscribe at rollei_list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the subject field OR by logging into www.freelists.org

- Online, searchable archives are available at
//www.freelists.org/archives/rollei_list

Other related posts: