Rollei's 6x6 SLR with bellows and tilt — focal-plane shutter, interchangeable backs, 1966.
The Rollei SL66 is a 1966 medium-format SLR from the German maker Rollei, a 6x6 system built as an alternative to the Hasselblad V. It is distinguished by a built-in bellows for close focusing and a tilting lens mount, features unusual among 6x6 SLRs that allowed macro work and plane-of-focus control without accessories.
It is a medium-format (6x6) SLR producing a 56x56mm square frame on 120 or 220 film through interchangeable film backs. Unlike the leaf-shutter Hasselblad C system, the SL66 uses a body focal-plane shutter, so lenses do not need their own shutters and can be reverse-mounted for close-up work. The integral bellows and forward lens tilt provide focusing and perspective control. It takes interchangeable finders and focusing screens on the Rollei SL66 mount; there is no built-in meter.
The bellows and tilt movement made the SL66 a choice for photographers wanting close-focus and plane-of-focus control in a 6x6 SLR, useful for landscape, product, and portrait work. The focal-plane shutter and reversible lenses add flexibility that leaf-shutter systems lack, at the cost of not syncing flash at all speeds.
Test the focal-plane shutter for accurate speeds and even travel, and check the integral bellows for pinholes or light leaks. Inspect the tilt mechanism, film-back seals, and the dark slide, along with the mirror, screen, and finder mirror. Confirm foam seals have not perished, and verify lens and back compatibility within the SL66 system.