Rollei SL66 Loading Question

[rknewcomb]

The Rollei sl66e that i recently bought from a forum member here may have a film loading problem.

When you open the film chamber back door and remove the film roller insert, is the film frame counter on the side of the camera suppose to reset to Zero?

The counter on this camera stays reading "1" even when the back door is opened and the insert removed.

It seems that loading should be straight forward ie: put the the empty roll on the the top, the roll of film in the bottom, thread the film under and across the insert and into the top empty roll, attach the film to the empty spool, closed the back door and turn the knob on the film magazine until it stops. The counter should read "1" at that point.

Any help?

thanks,
Robert

 

[eggen]

Hi Robert,

I don't have a SL66e, yet, but I am a Rolleiclub member. Maybe this helps You.
http://www.sl66.com/pg/sl66SE_magazine.shtml

Best regards
Esko

 

[rknewcomb]

Hi Esko,
Thanks for the link but the SL66 and SL66e load differently the SE model.
regards...
Robert

 

[Slixtiesix]

I think this is perfectly normal. There is no zero included on the counter. It starts with Number 1. There is no zero because the mag has an indicator on the bottom that shows whether a film is in or not, so no need to have a zero. Nothing seems wrong with your camera. Have you put a whole film through it yet? You should have gotten 12 frames! And by the way: have you cocked the shutter before you opened the back and loaded the film? Otherwise you will get only 11 frames.

 

[rknewcomb]

I got 11 frames - that's why I'm asking because I'm a SL66 virgin.
Robert

 

[Slixtiesix]

Have you cocked the shutter? If not then this was your problem. If yes then the problem lies elsewhere...
Not cocking the shutter before loading the film won´t do any harm to the camera, but since cocking the shutter and advancing the film is one operation you will end up with only 11 exposures if you don´t do it. I hope that this was the case and there is no serious issue with the camera... If you have put in a film without having the shutter cocked you can however do it by pressing the double exposure button. This will cock it without advancing the frame.