Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best-selling in Film Cameras
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Film Cameras
As you may know, the Rolleiflex SL66 is the first Single Lens Reflex Medium Format Camera launched by Rollei at the Phokina Festival in 1966. History tells that Reinhold Heidecke and Victor Hasselblad had an agreement that non of them will interfiere in the other’s market niche. However, after the death of Heidecke and with clear signs that the camera business was heading another direction, away of the the traditional Twins Lens Reflexs Rollei build, their managers decided to seek new horizons, launching the magnific Rollei 35, the awesome SL66 [both in 1966], the surprising SL26 [launched on 1968] and finally the SL 35 [1970]. With the SL66, Rollei aimed real Pro’s users and tried to give them the best and most versatile MF SLR camera ever; and, in paper, it looks that way. Unfortunately, the SL66 was pricey, heavy, complex, over engineered and prone to stuck, Since most of them were already Hasselblad’s users, they prefer to keep their excellent 500C in ther bags, so, we can say now, in the long term the SL66 wasn’t so succesfull. I think that the SL66 is like a Lamborghini Miura [also launched in 1966!] beautiful but over engineered and impractical, certainly not the kind of car or camera you want to take out to the streets and use everyday. I have two SL66 and I try to use them frequently, but it’s not easy task. I found that their right enviroment is in the Studio, sitted in a good and firm trípod and coupled with their short or long leaf shutters lenses After all, if you are going to use it only with the 80mm normal lens, why bother?? Get yourself a TLR!. The main thing you need to ask if you’re looking for a SL66 is “Why?” because forty five years later there’s not very much reasons to buy one except the pleasure to own one of this complex beasts. You can’t even put a digital back to them! So, my advice for you is to think very well what you want and why you want it. If you really want a Medium Format SLR, why not a Hassy or even a Mamiya? And, if you really want a Rollei, are you sure that the regular TLR isn’t enough? If not, ok, buy yourself a Miura, and if you don’t have the Money, ok, the SL66 is a good alternative.Read full review
The camera is a beutiful one in spite of used in long years. It works completely. As an amateur photographer,I am using often this camera with 645 format. I appreciate to Rollei engineers.