Rolleiflex SL66 Photobooks and Guides?

Certain Exposures · Jan 29, 2025

Are you aware of any photobooks comprised of images taken with just the Rolleiflex SL66? Or guide books (other than the standard manual)?

So far, I've read a few suggestions to get Barry Thorton's book Elements. I also read a suggestion to watch a documentary about Brett Weston (however it doesn't appear to be available online anymore).

I am looking through the SL66.com website and the posts on Photrio.

john_s · Jan 30, 2025

Almost all of the lenses for the SL66 are Zeiss lenses from the late 20th century with Hasselblad equivalents, so many Hasselblad photos will give you an indication. The main difference is that the SL66 has built in lens tilt which can be useful in near-far compositions in landscape and architecture, and differential focus for portraits with faces well focused and other parts of the photo out of focus. I have seen a few examples and I'll try to locate some.

If you do a search for "SL66 photos tilt" you will find a few examples.

Alex Benjamin · Jan 30, 2025

I second Barry Thornton Elements. Most, if not all photos in the book were made with the SL66. He talks a bit about why he liked the camera so much, although I can't remember if that's in Elements or Edge of Darkness (I'm away from home, so I can't check). Had I read these before getting my Bronica SQ, I would have opted for an SL66.

Certain Exposures · Jan 30, 2025

john_s said:
Almost all of the lenses for the SL66 are Zeiss lenses from the late 20th century with Hasselblad equivalents, so many Hasselblad photos will give you an indication. The main difference is that the SL66 has built in lens tilt which can be useful in near-far compositions in landscape and architecture, and differential focus for portraits with faces well focused and other parts of the photo out of focus. I have seen a few examples and I'll try to locate some.

If you do a search for "SL66 photos tilt" you will find a few examples.

Thank you. Hasselblad photos look great! The tilt is what interested me.

Alex Benjamin said:
I second Barry Thornton Elements. Most, if not all photos in the book were made with the SL66. He talks a bit about why he liked the camera so much, although I can't remember if that's in Elements or Edge of Darkness (I'm away from home, so I can't check). Had I read these before getting my Bronica SQ, I would have opted for an SL66.

Thanks, I have a copy of Elements to flip through this weekend. Great profile picture, by the way.

ic-racer · Jan 30, 2025

Alex Benjamin said:
I second Barry Thornton Elements. Most, if not all photos in the book were made with the SL66. He talks a bit about why he liked the camera so much, although I can't remember if that's in Elements or Edge of Darkness (I'm away from home, so I can't check). Had I read these before getting my Bronica SQ, I would have opted for an SL66.

I forgot all about The Edge of Darkness. Yes, that is a book every SL66 user should have! I got it when it first showed up in the book store around 2002. Even though I was using a 2.8F and SLX, that book was my guide for the first decade of the 2000s. I had not opened the book in years, it was nice to look through it again.

Certain Exposures · Jan 30, 2025

ic-racer said:
I forgot all about The Edge of Darkness. Yes, that is a book every SL66 user should have! I got it when it first showed up in the book store around 2002. Even though I was using a 2.8F and SLX, that book was my guide for the first decade of the 2000s. I had not opened the book in years, it was nice to look through it again.

Does it include a large chunk of text on how to best use the camera? Or mostly example images?

Pieter12 · Jan 30, 2025

I don’t think either book has much on how to use the camera beyond some technical information about the photos. Get the user manual and shoot. You really shouldn’t need more instruction than that.

ic-racer · Jan 30, 2025

Like Pieter12 suggested, the Barry Thorton books are image making books with technical details. Not so much "how to use the camera."

The user's manual is pretty nice explaining how the camera works:

Certain Exposures · Jan 30, 2025

Pieter12 said:
I don’t think either book has much on how to use the camera beyond some technical information about the photos. Get the user manual and shoot. You really shouldn’t need more instruction than that.

ic-racer said:
Like Pieter12 suggested, the Barry Thorton books are image making books with technical details. Not so much "how to use the camera."

The user's manual is pretty nice explaining how the camera works:

View attachment 389507

Okay, thank you. Do either of you or anyone else in this chat know where I can find the official SL66E 6x6 film back manual?

I found a copy of the SL66SE manual. It claims the SL66E is almost the same. However, the instructions seem like they're for the SL66SE film back which differs slightly from the SL66E. I've only skimmed it so far. I'll edit this comment if I realize I'm incorrect.

Pieter12 · Jan 30, 2025

Certain Exposures said:
Okay, thank you. Do either of you or anyone else in this chat know where I can find the official SL66E 6x6 film back manual?

I found a copy of the SL66SE manual. It claims the SL66E is almost the same. However, the instructions seem like they're for the SL66SE film back which differs slightly from the SL66E. I've only skimmed it so far. I'll edit this comment if I realize I'm incorrect.

This might help.

The Rolleiflex SL66 SE film-loading procedure - www.sl66.com

Chronologic overview of all Rolleiflex SL 66 cameras

www.sl66.com

Certain Exposures · Jan 31, 2025

Pieter12 said:
This might help.

The Rolleiflex SL66 SE film-loading procedure - www.sl66.com

Chronologic overview of all Rolleiflex SL 66 cameras

www.sl66.com

Thanks, so far I've only found guides like this one on the SE. I suppose the E is close enough despite the missing crank. I'd still like to find the "Original" E manual to see what Rollei wrote.

Edit: on second thought, the text here implies that the SL66 and SL66E use the same style film back so I'll refer to the original SL66 manual:

SL66.com:
With the introduction of the Rolleiflex SL66-SE Rollei redesigned the Film magazine as well. The newer , thinner films often caused problems with the end-of-film detector in the old magazines. The procedure to load the magazine properly is different from the procedure for the original film holder.

Focomatter · Jan 31, 2025

There is a "Way" book (Focal Press) on the SL66 that also covers the SLX but not the newer models. Lots of pix and diagrams on the older models that is generally applicable to the newer ones.

Certain Exposures · Jan 31, 2025

Focomatter said:
There is a "Way" book (Focal Press) on the SL66 that also covers the SLX but not the newer models. Lots of pix and diagrams on the older models that is generally applicable to the newer ones.

Thank you. I see a copy for sale for $500. I'll keep looking in case something more affordable pops up.

john_s · Jan 31, 2025

The magazine for the SL66E is more like the standard older SL66 magazines except that it has a film speed selector. Loading is the same, and probably has the same sensitivity to adjustment as it detects the thickness change as the tape passes under a feeler. Thinner films+tape was known to cause problems (not start of film trigger, so the whole film could be wound through without the frame counter starting.

The magazine for the SL66SE is quite different as the feeler mechanism has been dispensed with, just the match the arrow system familiar to most MF users. It is more reliable because it is simple.

Lachlan Young · Jan 31, 2025

Certain Exposures said:
Does it include a large chunk of text on how to best use the camera? Or mostly example images?

Thornton was a better journalist than developer formulator or sensitometrist. Treat with caution.

What is it about the metaphysics of the SL66 that appeal to you? You seem to be looking for a camera solution to a photographic question that you haven't really formulated.

Pieter12 · Jan 31, 2025

This is for the SL66, maybe it will help.

Certain Exposures · Jan 31, 2025

Thank you

john_s said:
The magazine for the SL66E is more like the standard older SL66 magazines except that it has a film speed selector. Loading is the same, and probably has the same sensitivity to adjustment as it detects the thickness change as the tape passes under a feeler. Thinner films+tape was known to cause problems (not start of film trigger, so the whole film could be wound through without the frame counter starting.

The magazine for the SL66SE is quite different as the feeler mechanism has been dispensed with, just the match the arrow system familiar to most MF users. It is more reliable because it is simple.

Thank you. I suppose I will find out what's considered thin and isn't.

Lachlan Young said:
Thornton was a better journalist than developer formulator or sensitometrist. Treat with caution.

What is it about the metaphysics of the SL66 that appeal to you? You seem to be looking for a camera solution to a photographic question that you haven't really formulated.

It's interesting that you mention that because I just saw the long thread about his developing formulas.

I wouldn't say I'm looking for a specific solution at the moment. I am letting my curiosity lead me where it may.

Pieter12 said:
This is for the SL66, maybe it will help.

View attachment 389607

Thanks again!

RezaLoghme · Feb 1, 2025

Certain Exposures said:
Thank you. I see a copy for sale for $500. I'll keep looking in case something more affordable pops up.

rollei way von mannheim - ZVAB

Rollei Way von Mannheim, L. A. und eine große Auswahl ähnlicher Bücher, Kunst und Sammlerstücke erhältlich auf ZVAB.com.

www.zvab.com

john_s · Feb 1, 2025

Certain Exposures said:
Thank you. I suppose I will find out what's considered thin and isn't.

There is an adjustment if the feeler doesn't detect the start of the film. I don't remember it but I have notes which I can look up if you would like.

Certain Exposures · Feb 1, 2025

RezaLoghme said:
rollei way von mannheim - ZVAB

Rollei Way von Mannheim, L. A. und eine große Auswahl ähnlicher Bücher, Kunst und Sammlerstücke erhältlich auf ZVAB.com.

www.zvab.com

Thanks, that's much more affordable.

john_s said:
There is an adjustment if the feeler doesn't detect the start of the film. I don't remember it but I have notes which I can look up if you would like.

Yes, I'd like to see whatever you've got - thanks!

Have any of you ever machined your own dark slide? Spares aren't common and they'll probably be listed at a high price when they do appear.

Certain Exposures · Feb 1, 2025

I 3D printed a couple items for the SL66E using STL files on Thingiverse. One of the prints could save you around $20 bucks on a lens cap.

Link to my makes and notes about each here. I added several interesting STLs to a SL66 folder in my "Collections."

baachitraka · Feb 1, 2025

First GAS in 2025. :-(

john_s · Feb 1, 2025

Certain Exposures said:
Have any of you ever machined your own dark slide? Spares aren't common and they'll probably be listed at a high price when they do appear.

I made a dark slide from a sheet of thin brass from a model railway shop. Well known American brand, can't remember offhand. I made it because I had to unlock an SL66 and there were instructions somewhere to make a dark slide with a notch cut out of one corner to prevent actuation of an interlock (one of Very Many interlocks!). Making a hinged handle would be beyond me, but a bent loop cut out of the metal might suffice.

You would need an original to copy, I suppose. Someone could trace one on paper and email to you. I could if you wanted.

All cuts have to be smooth to avoid damaging the light trap.

Focomatter · Feb 1, 2025

RezaLoghme said:
rollei way von mannheim - ZVAB

Rollei Way von Mannheim, L. A. und eine große Auswahl ähnlicher Bücher, Kunst und Sammlerstücke erhältlich auf ZVAB.com.

www.zvab.com

This may be the TLR Way book. There are multiple editions of the TLR book and many predate the SL66. I have only heard of one for the SL66 and SL66 is part of the book's title.

john_s · Feb 1, 2025

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Rolleiflex SL66 Photobooks and Guides?

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