Shown here is the focusing side of an SL66 camera.
It becomes obvious why the left side of the camera extends alongside the magazine: the 2 inch long Nylon focusing rack (the white dented structure in the middle of the metal focusing rack) needs that space when the bellows is fully retracted. The indentation is towards the outside and connects to a disk attached to the focusing knob.
The tilting mechanism is hidden by the focusing rack scale cover.
The left side panel of an SL66 classic (focusing side) taken off.
On the bottom middle are the 2 flash contacts. The gold colored (brass) disk is attached to the focusing knob and connects to the Nylon focusing rack via its helicoids located on the outside under an angle. This is the reason why the focusing knob seems to be tilted forward and is not exactly 90 degrees to the camera's side panel.
On this drawing, the interaction between the focusing knob (black, with camera side panel drawn in black) is shown. The brass disc (dark yellow) has helicoids which engage only on one side of the disc with the Nylon focusing gear (red in the drawing (the photos on top of page show that the rack is actually made of white Nylon). When the focusing know is turned, the helicoids move the focusing rack slowly forward or backwards.
This is the right side of a "classic" SL66 camera with magazine attached.
This is the right side of an SL66E camera with magazine attached. The green circuit board transmits the position of the shutter time selector to the metering system (only in SL66E, X and SE). All models SL66 cameras have fully mechanical shutter constructions.
Picture taken with GE developed "Neutrography". The process uses a beam of neutrons to record objects on X-ray film in greater and more subtle detail than X-rays can.
