1930s Rokuoh-sha Ocha question

[Akagi]

Greetings, I'm new here so I'm not sure if this is the correct thread for this.

Anyways, I recently bought a Japanese Rokuohsha Ohca and it came with a attachment for sheet film and another that I believe holds dry plates. But I'm troubled because this attachment has a slit on the top for... Something?

I asked Claude a.i. what it's use could be for, but it was having issues telling what it was looking at. Said it was for a "light shield" if that's what it's called, but there's already one to the front of this attachment. it also said it could've had felt lining that aged and fell off, but there isn't old adhesive on the inside.

a little clueless what this gap is for and if something is missing. if anyone knows please let me know.

#rokuosha #dryplate #6x9 #1930 #question

 

[mshchem]

Welcome to Photrio. I'm not sure what that's about.

Hopefully someone here does.

Best Regards

 

[awty]

I assume it's for a film pack that's not available any more.

 

[Kino]

Yes, that back is for film packs that are no longer available.

The light trap was in the film pack itself.

You can cut a plate of ground glass to fit inside the film pack holder to make a focusing device.

Film pack - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia

 

[loccdor]

You can cut a plate of ground glass to fit inside the film pack holder to make a focusing device.

That's exactly what I did recently to a Horseman 970. And 3d printing a viewing hood that friction fits inside it as well.

 

[Akagi]

alright i thought this opening looked like a slot for sheet film pack or something like that. so i take it this whole attachment is for this specific pack and not for dry plates? as a semi intermediate beginner in photography, how difficult would it be to find a 6x9 pack case and insert sized 6x9 or self cut sheet film myself? i'll take your word that no-one like Film Photography Project or Zebra makes these packs either.

 

[loccdor]

I have a hunch that if you cut a piece of plywood to fit snuggly inside the pack holder, as well added some extra light sealing to the pack holder, you could tape a single piece of film to the plywood, load the plywood in the pack holder and attach it to the camera in a changing bag. That would allow you to take a single shot.

 

[Akagi]

I have a hunch that if you cut a piece of plywood to fit snuggly inside the pack holder, as well added some extra light sealing to the pack holder, you could tape a single piece of film to the plywood, load the plywood in the pack holder and attach it to the camera in a changing bag. That would allow you to take a single shot.

this was something I had thought of too. tweaking the spacing and the fill the light gap to be able to take single shots. off topic, i mentioned to someone on Instagram about 116-122 film that if i could I'd just make homemade rolls and sell them to the small market of medium format enjoyers. if i could, I'd bring back film packs just for cameras like these and Japanese yen cameras.

 

[loccdor]

There are a few 6.5x9 plate to roll film converters, original antiques, on eBay, going for like $150 if you search for 6.5x9 film back. Although, you can buy whole 6x9 folding cameras for less money than that.

 

[Kino]

alright i thought this opening looked like a slot for sheet film pack or something like that. so i take it this whole attachment is for this specific pack and not for dry plates? as a semi intermediate beginner in photography, how difficult would it be to find a 6x9 pack case and insert sized 6x9 or self cut sheet film myself? i'll take your word that no-one like Film Photography Project or Zebra makes these packs either.

The original film packs contained 12 shots on very thin base film. They were (more or less) lightly glued to a very long paper ribbon and the film had to make an almost 360 degree turn within the holder at the bottom as each exposure was shot. Reproducing these would be a feat beyond most people's skill AND really not worth the effort.