Would you buy a Rollei SL66 if...

campy51 · Feb 8, 2019

I currently have a Hassy 500 C/M, Rolleiflex 3.5F and a Kowa Six but that's mostly for show in a small collection, but I have the opportunity to buy a Rollei SL66 in good condition for $550. The 500 C/M was bought last summer and the Rolleiflex was bought about 2 months ago. I know I don't need it and won't use it all that much but it seems like it's a good deal and think if I bought it and played with it for a while I could probably sell it for at least what it cost me. I love to collect the old classic cameras but I am afraid I am getting to be like my wife and her shoes, but at least she only spends less than $100 for most of them and many being only $20-30. I really don't have the money to have cameras worth 1000's just sitting in a case. I also have many old 35mm cameras, mostly non working but look great. Do I need an intervention?

naaldvoerder · Feb 8, 2019

Nope. If it comes with an 80mm planar, buy it as soon as possible. After you played with it for a while, you will probably sell the Hassy..

Johnkpap · Feb 8, 2019

Buy it ...I have one they are wonderful cameras the same only downside is the cost of accessories and they are sometimes hard to find.

At $550 you can afford to try it out.....and like me you will find that you like it a lot, the coolest feature is the reversible lens trick aka instant macro and the ability to mount large format or oddball lenses on a blank plate. The build quality of these cameras is second to none.

Buy it your wife won’t notice .....do you count how many pairs of shoes she has?

Johnkpap

campy51 · Feb 8, 2019

I forgot I also have a Kodak Medalist II, but it's not a very good handling camera.

Colin Corneau · Feb 8, 2019

I'm not sure what you're actually asking here..?

If you're worried about money, sell off other cameras. If you're not, well...problem solved, then.

Patrick Robert James · Feb 8, 2019

If I stumbled over a Rollei for $550 I would have ended up with it instead of my Bronica. The Rolleis are great landscape and macro cameras, and portrait cameras too if you like to get close. Plus the lenses, the lenses! Good stuff.

jvo · Feb 8, 2019

you need another camera!

(she needs another pair of shoes!)

Kodachromeguy · Feb 8, 2019

Go for it as long as it really is in good condition. But if it needs some adjustment or maintenance, in USA, that could cost a bundle, and I am not sure who handles SL66 repairs now. Sure, you don't "need" another camera, but they are not being made any more, and prices for good equipment are rising quickly. (I recently bought a $34 Voigtlander Vito BL camera, but I definitely did not need another 35mm camera.....).

RalphLambrecht · Feb 8, 2019

campy51 said:
I currently have a Hassy 500 C/M, Rolleiflex 3.5F and a Kowa Six but that's mostly for show in a small collection, but I have the opportunity to buy a Rollei SL66 in good condition for $550. The 500 C/M was bought last summer and the Rolleiflex was bought about 2 months ago. I know I don't need it and won't use it all that much but it seems like it's a good deal and think if I bought it and played with it for a while I could probably sell it for at least what it cost me. I love to collect the old classic cameras but I am afraid I am getting to be like my wife and her shoes, but at least she only spends less than $100 for most of them and many being only $20-30. I really don't have the money to have cameras worth 1000's just sitting in a case. I also have many old 35mm cameras, mostly non working but look great. Do I need an intervention?

The RolleiSL66 is a fantastic camera and could become your only camera but resist collecting what you don't use.That gets expensive and in the end, you have no body of work to show.Sell what you don't use first, then, buy what you use.

k.hendrik · Feb 9, 2019

You always need another camera! I have the sl66se; best camera ever made
https://www.flickr.com/photos/77846450@N00/23957867440/in/dateposted-public/

lantau · Feb 9, 2019

Three years and a month ago I bought the electronic successor to your SL66. When searching for lenses on the bay the ones for the SL66 came up as well and some were a lot cheaper than the ones for mine. Especially the generally more expensive focal lenghts. The market may have changed a bit in those three years, but if the camera is in good working condition it could make you really happy and the lenses are there if you want them.

If you don't find lenses in the US look at eBay Germany. Heidifoto in Munich has a website and they list on ebay as well. I bought a 50mm lens for my SLX from them once. Beaten up, but functionally and optically perfect, just as described. With the generous customs allowance you enjoy in the US for incoming parcels that would a viable alternative.

Frank53 · Feb 9, 2019

campy51 said:
I currently have a Hassy 500 C/M, Rolleiflex 3.5F and a Kowa Six but that's mostly for show in a small collection, but I have the opportunity to buy a Rollei SL66 in good condition for $550. The 500 C/M was bought last summer and the Rolleiflex was bought about 2 months ago. I know I don't need it and won't use it all that much but it seems like it's a good deal and think if I bought it and played with it for a while I could probably sell it for at least what it cost me. I love to collect the old classic cameras but I am afraid I am getting to be like my wife and her shoes, but at least she only spends less than $100 for most of them and many being only $20-30. I really don't have the money to have cameras worth 1000's just sitting in a case. I also have many old 35mm cameras, mostly non working but look great. Do I need an intervention?

The Sl66 imho is a much more attractive camera than the Hasselblad. Problem is that there is is always something that should be repaired on the sl66. Mine just came back from the repairman or it was on its way. I’m happy with my 500c/m and my 3.5F. Glad I sold the SL66. Resist the urge to buy one, don’t do it. You have two of the best camera’s there are.
Regards,
Frank

Deleted member 88956 · Feb 9, 2019

Frank53 said:
... You have two of the best camera’s there are.
Regards,
Frank

Not to mock this but what exactly constitutes "... best cameras ..."? I can assure you there are a number of cameras other than these 2 that easily either match or outdo them in most scenarios, several from actually same manufacturers. Hyperbolic statements are kind of cool these days, but sometimes they just stand out too much.

or did you just mean these 2 are part of huge number of best cameras? which brings my question anyways: what constitutes a best camera?

macfred · Feb 9, 2019

RalphLambrecht said:
... Sell what you don't use first, then, buy what you use.

This!
---
The SL66 is on my wish list for several years ( Rolleiflex 3.5F; a bunch of FUJI medium format rangefinder cameras and a 645 Bronica ETRSi) - go for it.
Hans Klinkhamer in The Netherlands (dekamera@hetnet.nl )still does great service on these cameras.

Frank53 · Feb 9, 2019

Witold said:
Not to mock this but what exactly constitutes "... best cameras ..."? I can assure you there are a number of cameras other than these 2 that easily either match or outdo them in most scenarios, several from actually same manufacturers. Hyperbolic statements are kind of cool these days, but sometimes they just stand out too much.

or did you just mean these 2 are part of huge number of best cameras? which brings my question anyways: what constitutes a best camera?

That’s an interesting question.
In this case it just means that there are many very good camera’s and these two are among them.

Sirius Glass · Feb 9, 2019

campy51 said:
I currently have a Hassy 500 C/M, Rolleiflex 3.5F and a Kowa Six but that's mostly for show in a small collection, but I have the opportunity to buy a Rollei SL66 in good condition for $550. The 500 C/M was bought last summer and the Rolleiflex was bought about 2 months ago. I know I don't need it and won't use it all that much but it seems like it's a good deal and think if I bought it and played with it for a while I could probably sell it for at least what it cost me. I love to collect the old classic cameras but I am afraid I am getting to be like my wife and her shoes, but at least she only spends less than $100 for most of them and many being only $20-30. I really don't have the money to have cameras worth 1000's just sitting in a case. I also have many old 35mm cameras, mostly non working but look great. Do I need an intervention?

No intervention needed here. If I were you I would buy it. It has some features that the Hasselblad does not have.

Soeren · Feb 9, 2019

Sirius Glass said:
No intervention needed here. If I were you I would buy it. It has some features that the Hasselblad does not have.

What??? Youre not trying to talk him into buying a hassy? Are you feeling ok?

Sirius Glass · Feb 9, 2019

Sirius Glass said:
No intervention needed here. If I were you I would buy it. It has some features that the Hasselblad does not have.

Soeren said:
What??? Youre not trying to talk him into buying a hassy? Are you feeling ok?

He already has a Hasselblad, a Rollei TLR and a Kowa Six. Besides as I pointed out the Rollei SL66 has some features a Hasselblad does not have.

Alan Gales · Feb 10, 2019

A very good friend of mine owns an SL66 and 5 or 6 lenses for it. I've held it in my hands but I've never shot it. It's nice! He loves it but also bought a Hasselblad as a spare camera. He heard that the Rollei parts are getting harder to find.

john_s · Feb 10, 2019

I would buy an SL66 if I didn't already have two of them. I bought a very solidly used one, and as Iive in a country where camera repairs can be a big problem, I bought a spare. I have never needed it. I give them both a run. It is a beautiful versatile camera, but I have found it a bit clumsy for fast use. I tried some wild life shots while doing some landscape work and it was a complete flop (in my hands), and the wildlife concerned was not exactly fast moving (an echidna). For landscape and portraiture it's a dream. Read about it if you want to use flash, as the focal plane shutter sync speed is quite slow. There are a couple of leaf shutter lenses for fast flash use.

There is some info at sl66.com

Would you buy a Rollei SL66 if...

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