Jim Brick
2010-06-08 21:44:47 UTC
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.
Loading Image...
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
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.
Loading Image...
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