6x7 back

[Krzys]

I plan to use my 4x5 for landscapes and architecture, however I do sometimes dabble in portraiture. I am looking at getting normal to wide lenses and have been thinking that a 6x7 back with a 150mm lens would be ideal for portraits.

Can anyone please share information on the array of backs floating around and which I should be looking for. Also your opinion on how practical my idea is.

 

[mjs]

Information about your camera would be helpful. Essentially, there are two types of 4x5 camera back: Graphlex and non-Graphlex. Graphlex backs can use ordinary film holders as well as Graphlex holders: the part of the back containing the ground glass can be removed to facilitate use of specialty backs, such as roll film backs, too bulky to fit underneath ordinary ground glass backs. There are roll film backs designed for this type of back and they're generally too "fat" to fit under the ground glass of regular backs. Then there are some roll film backs designed to fit ordinary, non-Graphlex backs. You need to know what sort of back you have so you know which kind of roll film holder you need. Both types are available.

Mike

 

[Ian Grant]

There's also a Wista back that will fit both a Graflock type Wista back or the plain Wista spring back, this has a plate that allows the wooden edges of the focus screen back to sit on it, without it the roll film back would damage the screen.

There are thin fit backs that can fit any back that takes modern International darkslides but these tend to be expensive, and the film has to pass 100 degrees over a small roller, this can lead to problems if a film isn't used quickly (it doesn't lie flat).

Ian

 

[keithwms]

Consider also staying with sheet film, but shooting to 3.25 film (which is still available and you can also cut larger sized own). That way, you keep all the advantages of single-sheet processing, i.e., you can tune your development on a shot-by-shot basis.

I did have a 6x7 and 612 rollfilm back for 4x5 and... I sold them both, I hardly ever used them. That's just me of course.

 

[Ian Grant]

If you can't remove the ground glass frame, look for a Calumet back or similar. They are meant to slip into the camera like a standard film holder. If you can remove the frame and use sliding locks in a Graflok system, any type of roll film holder will do. I have a Graflex RH-10 like the one pictured.

Wista make two variations of their own back (the OP has a Wista) the first is identical to the image Greg has posted, the second has the a additional plate to rest the focus screen frame on.

The Wista spring back is designed to open far wider than the thickness of these roll film backs.

Ian