Rollei SL66 Hand Grip/Experience?

[Merg Ross]

I have had my Rollei SL66 system for over thirty years and love it. However, it has always been on a tripod, and now I have a project where I would like to use it hand held with 400 ASA films.

Has anyone had experience using this camera with any of the three grips: #208-930, 208-820 or 208-910?

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

www.mergross.com

 

[bennoj]

I used a grip (I don't know the model number offhand) a couple of times when I had my SL66 and found it awkward, but I rarely was shooting subjects where a handholding was necessary, so perhaps I just never got the hang of it. I've since sold my SL66, but still have the grip lying around. PM me if you're interested.

 

[archphoto]

I have the standard SL66 grip and it hardly leaves the camera !
With the Rollei SL66 grip you can hold the SL and focus at the same time: great !

Peter

PS forget the cable release, I never used it and needed it.

 

[elekm]

I use the grip and cable release and find that both make the camera much more manageable when used off of a tripod.

 

[Merg Ross]

Benno,

I appreciate your offer. I have one on the way, and will give it a try.

Thanks,
Merg

 

[Merg Ross]

Peter and Mike, thank you for your responses. I will be trying out the early model, without the shoe or release. It will be used for special situations; my preference is for tripod use when possible.

 

[hughck]

The best grip found

Having used Rolleiflex 3.5f cameras as my main cameras and the SL66 as my special effects camera at weddings. I found a foot that attached to the SL66 that allowed me to quick mount the SL66 to the same pistol grip that is used on the Rolleiflex cameras. The pistol grip makes the SL easy to handle and since I could fire the camera with the trigger it made the camera very steady to hold. I don't know if you can find that part anywhere, but if you can go for it. I've been thinking now that I'm retired about selling my SL66 system. I have the SL66 with 80mm, 150mm, 80mm with compur shutter, pentaprism, spotmeter prism and 2-120/220 backs along with misc other gear. I may be willing to sell all or some of this gear, since I'm not getting any use of it. By the way all or most of it is in near perfect condition, as the camera was only used for 12 shots per wedding and the whole system has not had more than 3000-4000 pictures taken with it.

 

[Merg Ross]

Having used Rolleiflex 3.5f cameras as my main cameras and the SL66 as my special effects camera at weddings. I found a foot that attached to the SL66 that allowed me to quick mount the SL66 to the same pistol grip that is used on the Rolleiflex cameras. The pistol grip makes the SL easy to handle and since I could fire the camera with the trigger it made the camera very steady to hold. I don't know if you can find that part anywhere, but if you can go for it. I've been thinking now that I'm retired about selling my SL66 system. I have the SL66 with 80mm, 150mm, 80mm with compur shutter, pentaprism, spotmeter prism and 2-120/220 backs along with misc other gear. I may be willing to sell all or some of this gear, since I'm not getting any use of it. By the way all or most of it is in near perfect condition, as the camera was only used for 12 shots per wedding and the whole system has not had more than 3000-4000 pictures taken with it.

Thanks for the reply. That does sound like a good set-up you had for the two different Rollei cameras.

I have received the grip and it will work well for hand holding. Most of my work is from a tripod, so I have attached the grip to a quick release plate enabling me to work either way.

As to equipment, I am pretty well set, with two complete Rollei SL66 outfits.

Thanks again.

mergross.com

 

[Hassasin]

Back to the future It's 2025. Since I don't have enough cameras (laughing again) I've tried to avoid SL66 but I seem to be failing the long established resistance. So SL66 is on my radar now, even if I don't intend to go full in. Will get the basic set up with Planar 80.

The left hand grip bugs me a bit, mainly due to "can hold AND focus at the same time". I'm guessing the special placement of the focusing knob puts it just where it needs to be for the same hand to hold the grip and spin the knob, and I'm hearing that this is natural. Yet I've failed thus far to find at least a photo of how this looks.

So, is the left hand grip really making handholding easier for overall operation, or is there a learning curve not everyone may end up liking?

The only left hand grip I like is one for Hasselblad EL series where it allows camera trigger, leaving right hand for focusing.

 

[Ulrich Drolshagen]

I have a SL66 and I am full in btw. It's a fine camera but it's realy big and heavy. Using it hand held is a pita. The hand grip is perfectly designed for hand held use but makes it even bigger and clumsier. Therefore I use my Rolleiflex TLR most of the time. Only when I intend to use other lenses I go with the SL66 but then I use a tripod.

 

[Hassasin]

I have a SL66 and I am full in btw. It's a fine camera but it's realy big and heavy. Using it hand held is a pita. The hand grip is perfectly designed for hand held use but makes it even bigger and clumsier. Therefore I use my Rolleiflex TLR most of the time. Only when I intend to use other lenses I go with the SL66 but then I use a tripod.

Thanks, I have Bronica EC which is about same size/weight and actually like it a lot. SL66 has been on my mind long time ago, then I went into Hasselblad (mostly not too happy with it) but SL66 has that built in marvellous macro capability, which despite it's weight makes up for it in the field, if that is what one wants to do.

I think I have the Rollei TLR grip as I acquired most stuff for the 3.5F back in the day. May try that instead.

But back to the left hand grip, is it really easy to hold and focus with one hand ?

 

[Ulrich Drolshagen]

But back to the left hand grip, is it really easy to hold and focus with one hand ?

Easy? No.

 

[Hassasin]

Easy? No.

That seems to match my expectations, especially given the weight overall and probably off balance in the hand. I'll get one at a right price, but camera first.

 

[Arthurwg]

I have an RB67, a rather heavy camera. I bought a left had grip to go with it, thinking it would help with hand holding, but surprise, it made the whole rig that much heavier, making non-tripod work even more difficult. I note that the SL66 is rather heavy as well.

 

[Hassasin]

I have an RB67, a rather heavy camera. I bought a left had grip to go with it, thinking it would help with hand holding, but surprise, it made the whole rig that much heavier, making non-tripod work even more difficult. I note that the SL66 is rather heavy as well.

I agree with you. As some say "I have them all"( sans SL66 in my case). None of the left grips have made any sense to me with exception of the mentioned Hasselblad one for the EL line-up, where built in trigger causes everything to advance on its own and the other hand is left to focus immediately after.

The grip for SL66 has one significant design distinction vs. all others. it's placed way back towards rear end of camera, clearly to make that one-handed holding and focusing by near-by knob possible. When I get to it I'll likely get one out of curiosity as it does seem to differ from what others had done. Still though, 2 kg + grip. Surely other hand will balance things out (until film needs to be advanced), so it's probably more like filling in because others had them too, vs. yeah, this works and makes things a lot better to handle.

 

[MattKing]

I'm very left handed, and the left hand grips on my various Mamiya choices - C330, 645 Pro and (until relatively recently) the RB67 make hand holding significantly easier.
On the 645 Pro, adding the accessory focus assist lever permits me to focus with my right hand. For the other two, the grip permits my to focus with two fingers on my left hand.

 

[abruzzi]

The left grip on the Pentax67 makes little sense to me because the ergonomics of that camera are, like a 35mm SLR, right hand positions the camera and takes the shot, and the left hand supports the camera and focuses. The left grip is fine for supporting the camera, but it takes your hand away from lens making focusing cumbersome. Its maybe a little better if you have one of those levers that clamps on the focus ring, but that seems fiddly still.

The only medium format grip I've found that I like is the pistol grip for the ETR series, but only with the auto exposure prism (The pistol grip is designed to be held in the left hand. the left hand takes over the shutter release, and the right hand focuses the lens, adjusts the aperture on the lens, and advances the film. The shutter settings are on the left side and impossible to adjust with the left hand since it is holding the grip, and reaching over the camera with the right hand to adjust is possible, but awkward.)

 

[Hassasin]

The left grip on the Pentax67 makes little sense to me because the ergonomics of that camera are, like a 35mm SLR, right hand positions the camera and takes the shot, and the left hand supports the camera and focuses. The left grip is fine for supporting the camera, but it takes your hand away from lens making focusing cumbersome. Its maybe a little better if you have one of those levers that clamps on the focus ring, but that seems fiddly still.

The only medium format grip I've found that I like is the pistol grip for the ETR series, but only with the auto exposure prism (The pistol grip is designed to be held in the left hand. the left hand takes over the shutter release, and the right hand focuses the lens, adjusts the aperture on the lens, and advances the film. The shutter settings are on the left side and impossible to adjust with the left hand since it is holding the grip, and reaching over the camera with the right hand to adjust is possible, but awkward.)

Since you brought up the ETR, it's the Speed Grip that got me to own it, IMO absolutely brilliant invention.

Bronica had a great pistol grip for S series (will not fit properly to EC due to different base plate) that is a stacked double trigger, one triggers shutter, the other does DOF preview.

 

[Hassasin]

Easy? No.

Can the quick release block be removed from grip for use directly on tripod head ? This is not clear from photos of the grip I have found.

 

[naaldvoerder]

Can the quick release block be removed from grip for use directly on tripod head ? This is not clear from photos of the grip I have found.

The left hand grip is rather easy to get used to. The SL66 already requires focusing with the left hand, grip or not. The grip has a tripod connection on the bottom, so you do not have to remove it before mounting on a tripod.

 

[Hassasin]

The left hand grip is rather easy to get used to. The SL66 already requires focusing with the left hand, grip or not. The grip has a tripod connection on the bottom, so you do not have to remove it before mounting on a tripod.

Great, thank you.