Clueless on How to use lens

abruzzi said:

I think the issue is that the SL66 uses a focal plane shutter, but the lens has a leaf shutter that you can use instead. The trick (which I don't seen in the instructions) is how you setup the camera and lens to use the leaf insteal of focal plane. For the leaf shutter lenses on the Pentax 67, you have to set the FP shutter to a very slow speed like 1/8sec so the FP is wide open when the leaf shutter triggers, I expect the Rollei is similar, but I've never used an SL66.

I assume this is the lens you have?

Carl Zeiss Sonnar 150mm F/4

Short telephoto prime lens. Announced: 1966. Production status: Discontinued. Maximum format: Medium format 6x6. Mount: Rolleiflex SL66. Slow speed. Built-in leaf shutter. Manual focus only. Automatic diaphragm. Bayonet-type filters.

lens-db.com

I'd probably start like I said and just run the FP shutter very slowly and try some test shots.

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Alex Benjamin said:

Sounds like an obvious question, but have you checked the manual ?

Rolleiflex SL66 instruction manual, PDF user manual

Rolleiflex SL66 camera instruction manual in PDF format.

butkus.org

In general, with leaf shutters, you don't have to coordinate anything.

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Alex Benjamin said:

Sounds like an obvious question, but have you checked the manual ?

Rolleiflex SL66 instruction manual, PDF user manual

Rolleiflex SL66 camera instruction manual in PDF format.

butkus.org

In general, with leaf shutters, you don't have to coordinate anything.

Click to expand...

BrianShaw said:

Never heard of “R” synch. Are you sure? X is for electronic strobe. The other should be for flash bulb and should be FP or M.

It’s a really nice camera. You should sincerely execute Alex’s recommendation rather than just fiddling and pondering. Enjoy!

EDIT: Welcome to the forum. Please keep posting on your adventures with that SL66 (or any other cameras you use).

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reddesert said:

The camera has a focal plane shutter, so the user has to get the focal plane shutter to open longer than the leaf shutter, and get the camera to trigger the leaf shutter to close/open/close.

I don't have an SL66, but I suggest the OP visit: http://www.sl66.com/pg/lens_index.shtml
and click on the little ">>" links for more info that are at the right hand side of the table rows for 80/4 and 150/4 leaf shutter lenses, or direct link: http://www.sl66.com/pg/sl66_lenses/80mmlf.htm From there:

"With the 80 and 150 leaf shutter lenses, no special procedure is needed to use the camera's focal plane shutter as usual.

In order to use the leaf shutter for flash, cock the leaf shutter on the lens before the exposure, attach a flash to the sync connector on the lens, and set the camera shutter time to 1/30 of a second or shorter [sic]."

IMO, the "shorter" is almost certainly an error and the camera shutter needs to be set to 1/30 sec or longer (1/15, 1/8 sec, etc).

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abruzzi said:

I think the issue is that the SL66 uses a focal plane shutter, but the lens has a leaf shutter that you can use instead. The trick (which I don't seen in the instructions) is how you setup the camera and lens to use the leaf insteal of focal plane. For the leaf shutter lenses on the Pentax 67, you have to set the FP shutter to a very slow speed like 1/8sec so the FP is wide open when the leaf shutter triggers, I expect the Rollei is similar, but I've never used an SL66.

I assume this is the lens you have?

Carl Zeiss Sonnar 150mm F/4

Short telephoto prime lens. Announced: 1966. Production status: Discontinued. Maximum format: Medium format 6x6. Mount: Rolleiflex SL66. Slow speed. Built-in leaf shutter. Manual focus only. Automatic diaphragm. Bayonet-type filters.

lens-db.com

I'd probably start like I said and just run the FP shutter very slowly and try some test shots.

Click to expand...

RJSPHD55 said:

Hello, I just purchased a Rollei SL66 and the 150mm lens with the build in leaf shutter and flash syncs.

I have never used such a lens (or this camera for that matter) and a not clear how to coordinate the curtain shutter in the camera with the leaf shutter in the lens.

Any explicit direction on how to use this lens would be appreciated. So far I haven't found anything online to help me figure it out.

Also, there are two sync ports on the lens X and R. Please what are the differences?

Clearly I am a newbie and will be grateful for any help.

Rob

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Alex Benjamin said:

In general, with leaf shutters, you don't have to coordinate anything

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Taylor Nankervis said:

It is the focal plane shutter of the camera that requires to be set to a typically slower sync than the leaf shutter, which in turn can be set to any speed marked on it. On some cameras the FP sync speed is around 1/4 to 1/8 sec.-- the sync speed varies widely across cameras. The user manual for the Rollei/LS lens should have particulars of setting LS and FP speeds.

I see a lot of new users in the Pentax 67 ecosystem, for instance, coming to frustration and grief with LS lenses. Apart from studio strobe/flash use, they are also useful for multi-exposures - - but that hat trick is a subject for another day and plenty of time!

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