ROLLEIFLEX SL66 User manual

Rolleiflex SL 66 User Manual
Revised and updated by RolleiClub
©2002 RolleiClub.com

Lens mount locating mark
Lens carrier panel and tilt
Magazine back door release catch
Waist level nder
Focusing hood release button (each side)
Carrying strap connector (each side)
Depth of eld scale
Distance scale (meter or feet)
Focal length selector for distance scale
Focusing knob
Accessory shoe (not a hot shoe)
Rollei type ash plug release
Flash sockets X & FP
Locking knob for lens tilt function
Release lever for lens tilt function
Scales for extension, image scale, lens
tilt and exposure correction
Diaphragm stop down control
Dual front bayonet ring for lters, retro
mounting and lens hood
Rolleiflex SL 66 Parts
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Storage compartment of magazine slide
Magazine slide handle with window to insert
lm box top for lm type indication
Change-over control for 12 or 24 exposures
Counter for 12 or 24 exposures
Magazine winding knob for lm advance
Shutter speed setting dial
Film transport disengagement for multiple
exposures
Shutter tensing and lm transport crank
Mirror pre-release
Magazine lock
Magazine winding knob release button (not on
early models)
Magazine loading indicator
Release button, lockable, w. cable release
thread
Dove tail tting for tripod and hand grip quick
coupling
Lens change release button
Tripod thread
Parts
Rolleiflex SL 66
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Rolleiflex SL 66
We might assume that as an owner of the
professional SL66 camera you will know all
about the basic technicalities of photography.
So, we have kept this revised manual concise.
Taking pictures, extended functions of the
camera, and the interchangeable components
are covered in three chapters.
Tables and reference charts show all
important data at a glance: focal length and
camera extension at various magnifications.
We are sure that you will be successful with
your Rolleiflex SL66, as this system has
proven its superior quality and durability for
over 30 years.
If you have any questions, please contact the
RolleiClub at [e-mail]
5 The Most Important Rule
Taking Pictures
6 Loading the Magazine
7 Checking the Readiness to Shoot
8 Shooting
9 Film Transport & Shutter Tension
9 Unloading the Magazine
Extended Functions
10 Distance Scale
11 Scale of Reproduction
11 Depth of Field
12 Extended Depth (see also Page 26)
12 Mirror pre-release
13 Multiple Exposures
13 Flash Connectors
14 Filters & Lens Hoods
14 Tripod Coupling
15 Neck Strap
15 Film Type Reminder
Interchangeable Components
16 Lens Change & Retro Mounting
16 Focusing Hood Change
17 Magnifier Eye Piece Change
17 Focusing Screen Change
18 Magazine Change
19 Loading a Spare Magazine
Tables & Data Summaries
20 Interchangeable Lenses
21 Scales of Reproduction. Lens Extensions
& Exposure Corrections
22 Normal or Reversed Lens Mounting?
23 Infra-red Focusing Correction
24 Focusing Ranges Summed up
26 Scheimpflug Tilt Indicator Instructions
30 Care of Your Camera
30 Rolleiflex SL66 Accessories
31 Trouble Shooting
Contents
Rolleiflex SL 66:
The Camera System for Experts
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The Most Important Rule Taking Pictures
Before you load or unload a film
Before you remove or fit a magazine
Before you press the release button -
Always check that the crank is unfolded and
blocked.
For this purpose, swing the crank fully clock
wise as far as it will go (1) - about 270
degrees -, and back again (2).
This tensions the shutter and advances the
film. It also sets and activates automatic
safety interlocks to prevent waste of film dur-
ing film or magazine changing.
Accidental double exposures, blank frames
and overlapping pictures are not possible this
way.
Once the crank is locked, you are sure that
the camera is ready for correct operation.
For taking pictures, you will find all neces-
sary basic information on the next four
pages:
From loading a new film to unloading the
exposed roll.
You can also practice the individual steps
on your camera without a film. To do this,
the camera must be in its standard shooting
mode - with the magazine attached and the
dark slide stored in its compartment in the
back of the magazine door.
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Loading the Magazine
The procedure for loading a magazine is the
same whether the magazine is attached or off
the camera.
When there is only a single magazine in
use, there is no need to remove it from the
camera to load or unload film. In this case,
the dark slide can remain permanently in its
storage compartment in the back door of the
magazine.
Basic Rule: Unfold the crank (1) and turn
it clock wise 270 degrees and back to its
original position until it locks.
Open the magazine: Unlock the back (2)
and swing open the back door (3).
This also causes the magazine winding knob
(4) to pop out; the exposure counter (5) is
reset to # 1.
Take the film insert by the central bar (6)
and swing it out of the magazine.
Setting the magazine for 12/24 exposures:
Switch over the film length selector lever (7).
The film counter window (5) shows 12 or 24 to
indicate the selected setting for 120 or 220 type
roll film. On magazines for 4,5x6cm exposures,
it shows 16 or 32.
You can change this setting even after the film
is loaded and the magazine is closed, as long as
the film counter still shows # 1.
Loading a roll film: Swing open the lower
spool holder (8). Remove the seal of the film
and fit the new spool (9) between the right-side
fixed and the hinged shaft pins on the left side.
The black inside surface of the backing paper
(10) must face outwards as shown.
Run the backing paper around the back of the
film insert and thread it into the slot (11) of the
empty spool in the upper part of the film insert.
Tighten the paper leader by one or two turns of
the gear wheel (12). There is no need to watch
for the printed arrows on the backing paper,
since the camera senses the beginning of the
film automatically.
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Loading the Magazine
Take the loaded film insert by its center bar
and slide it into the magazine with the upper
take-up spool first (13), so that the gearing
wheels on the insert and inside the magazine
engage.
Check the film advance by a short clock wise
turn of the winding knob (14). Then, swing
the magazine back door up and push it
closed (15). Check that it is properly locked.
Advancing the film to exposure # 1:
Turn the magazine winding knob (14) until it
automatically locks when the camera senses
the beginning of the film emulsion. Then
push the winding button into the magazine
(16). The camera is now set and ready for
the first exposure. For subsequent exposures,
the crank will take care of transporting the
film.
The loading indicator (18) in the bottom of
the magazine reads like an exclamation
mark ! when the magazine is loaded with a
film. When the magazine is empty, the dot
and the stripe do lot align.
To unload a film before it is fully
exposed, press button (17) on the bottom
of the magazine with a pen or similar. The
magazine knob pops out and you can pro-
ceed as indicated on page 9.
If in doubt, it is possible to check readiness to
shoot by pressing the crank release button (18)
and pushing the crank clock wise at the same
time without wasting a frame.
If the crank is locked, the camera is ready. If the
crank is not locked, start moving it clock wise,
let go of the lever (18) and complete the crank-
ing movement fully back to its original position.
If you notice that you forgot to wind the crank
only when pressure on the release has no effect,
the same procedure still avoids wasting a film
frame.
You can loose the first picture - and in fact wind
the film through completely - only if the crank
movement was not completed and the crank is
not pointing forward.
While this in no way harms the camera, you can
avoid it by making a habit of always check-
ing that the crank is locked before loading
the camera.
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Checking Readiness
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Taking Pictures
Remove the lens cap (turning it counter clock
wise with old style caps, or pressing the but-
tons on new style caps).
Open the focusing hood (1). To raise the
magnifier press the silver key (2). To close
the focusing hood, press down the magni-
fier frame between the magnifier and the
upper front of the focusing hood (3) until it
engages. Then, push the side panels inside.
1. The Shutter Speed
Turn the shutter time knob (4) to select
the desired shutter time. The figures from
1 through 1000 represent fractions of a
second, B is a setting for unlimited time
exposures. Intermediate settings are not
allowed.
Shutter speeds for flash: see page 13.
Exposure value correction: pages 21 & 25.
2. The Aperture
Turn the aperture ring (5) to the desired set-
ting. It engages at full and half stops (except
leaf shutter lenses: 1/3 stop). All lenses
except the 500mm and 1000mm lenses
have a fully automatic iris diaphragm. The
lens remains fully opened until the actual
exposure.
3. Focusing
Turn the focusing knob (6) until the picture ap-
pears sharp on the focusing screen (7).
With lenses of longer focal lengths and when
using extreme Scheimpflug depth tilt, the mirror
might cut off a strip at the top of the screen im-
age. This does not affect the picture taken: the
exposure will always cover the entire negative.
Distance Scale: page 10
Depth of Field: page 11
Scheimpflug Depth Tilt: page 12
4. Releasing
Unlock the release button by turning it coun-
ter clock wise (red dot points sideways when
unlocked, upwards when locked).
Time Exposures at B Setting:
Press down the release button for the duration
of the required exposure. For longer exposures,
the release button can be locked when pressed
down by turning the locking collar clock wise.
The shutter will close once the release is un-
locked or no longer pushed in.
The release button incorporates a cable re-
lease thread for standard cable releases.
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Film Transport &
Shutter Tension
After every exposure, unfold the crank and
turn it clock wise 270 degrees and back to its
original position (9).
The forward swing tensions the shutter, while
the return swing advances the film. The cam-
era is then ready for the next exposure.
During a shooting session, the crank may
remain unfolded for immediate operation.
After the last exposure on a roll of film, the
magazine knob pops out when you turn the
crank - an audible and visible sign that the film
is finished.
First complete any started crank movement
(10), fully forward and all the way back. Then
wind the magazine knob (11) clock wise until
the remainder of the film backing paper is
wound up completely and the winder knob turns
freely without resistance.
Open the magazine (12) and remove the film
insert by its central handle. Swing out the upper
spool pin at the left side of the magazine insert
and remove the exposed roll of film.
Transfer the empty spool in the lower part of the
film insert to the upper part, where the exposed
film was removed. This spool now becomes the
receiving spool for a new film.
Film Transport Principles Summoned Up:
To advance the film from exposure to exposure
use the crank - for winding backing paper
leaders and trailers always use the magazine
winding knob.
9
Unloading the Magazine
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Extended Functions/
Distance Scale In close-up work, the scale of reproduction is
more important than the subject distance. With
the aid of the scales (for three focal lengths) on
the bellows rail you can set the camera directly
to the desired scale of reproduction. In this case,
focusing is achieved by moving the camera back
and forth into position.
The scale (1) provides the following data:
Alongside the focal length figure (left) a trian-
gular mark indicates the normal (2) position
for 80, 150 and 120mm lenses and the "retro"
position (3) for the 80mm lens (bottom row).
The scale of reproduction (5) is the ratio of the
image size on the film related to the size of the
original object. For example, 0.2 = 1/5 natural
size. These values are set and read off alongside
the tilt indicator bar (4) and apply to the bar
next to the figures, which has the corresponding
exposure correction values (6) printed on top of
this bar.
The center line (7) indicates the length of the
bellows extension in millimeters (0 to 50mm).
This line also acts as an index for the degree
scale (4) when tilting the lens up or down (0 to
8 degrees).
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Scale of Reproduction
The distance scale on the focusing knob is
used only for estimated depth of field, for
zone focus settings and when using flash
lights.
The figures on this distance scale apply
only to the first complete turn of the focus-
ing knob (with the lens mounted in normal
position). Featured distance figures are
measured from the film plane to the subject.
The scales read either in meters or in feet
(when set to 80mm lens, starting at 20m or
50' after infinity mark).
The focusing knob is equipped with four
different scales for 50,80,150 and 250mm
lenses. The selected focal length is visible in
a window on the outside face of the knob
(see page 16).
The bellows extension of 2" (5cm) can be
further increased with extension tubes of 40
and 80mm, or a bellows system in any com-
bination. This yields even nearer focusing
with all lenses.
With the lens mounted in "retro" position
(reversed, front lens element facing the film)
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