Anyone know anything about this Mamiya RB67 bulk film loader and motor drive?

mitchamtuell · Mar 1, 2018

I recently bought a Mamiya RB67 Pro-S for cheap. It was in a heavy trunk-like case and came with the body (needs a bit of work), a 127mm lens (needs mold cleaning), a waist level viewfinder (partially disassembled, but everything is there), and a 45 degree viewfinder (great condition!).

Additionally, there were several large and heavy black metal objects that at first I didn't realize what they were, but after inspection I determined that they were a system for bulk loading film into the camera and a motor drive and electronic cable release. It looks like the motor drive piece attaches to the outside of the camera and actually presses the cocking lever and the shutter release mechanically with moving arms. I have no idea if any of it works because there is no power cable. I can't even figure out how to put it on the camera...

It says it's a Beattie Converter 67 Type 67-001.

Here are some photos of the set:

Does anyone know anything about this setup? I called KEH and they said they used to buy them like 20 years ago but don't anymore. Is it still usable or valuable to anyone these days? The camera didn't come with a regular 120 or 220 back, so best case for me would be to be able to trade this rig for a regular back, but I'm not getting my hopes up that it's even that valuable.

Thanks!

nakol · Mar 1, 2018

I don't know for sure, but it looks like a 70mm film back.

cramej · Mar 1, 2018

Probably a bulk system used for things like school portraits.

In the third photo, the 4 pins attach the adapter plate to the camera body. You would remove the film back adapter from the camera with the lever on the bottom(i think?) of the camera body and put this in its place. The film magazine would slide in from the side on the other side of the motorized adapter.

mitchamtuell · Mar 1, 2018

I don't know for sure, but it looks like a 70mm film back.

The kind used for unperforated 70mm cinematography film? Is that useful today?

Probably a bulk system used for things like school portraits.

Yeah that was how I imagined it. A bored guy taking 1000 identical portraits in a day. I guess your thumb would get tired of cocking the camera after all of that - with this all you have to do is press a button!

nakol · Mar 1, 2018

mitchamtuell said:
The kind used for unperforated 70mm cinematography film? Is that useful today?

70mm double perforated films I think.

https://mrmarcmorel.wordpress.com/2...-you-a-decades-supply-of-aerial-mapping-film/

This link may help to visualize the work flow

wjlapier · Mar 1, 2018

Looks like 70mm to me. There is a thread over on RFF that discuss many ways to shoot 70mm. I think that back could shoot unperforated and perforated film. There was a guy here selling a lot of C41 black and white unperforated.

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161383

voceumana · Mar 2, 2018

I think that there are no longer any 70mm film stocks available for still photography. About 15 years ago I looked into 70mm and only found a couple of films still available back then.

AgX · Mar 2, 2018

115 V , 3A

What is this thing doing ??
With this power consumption you could iron the film...

wjlapier · Mar 2, 2018

voceumana said:
I think that there are no longer any 70mm film stocks available for still photography. About 15 years ago I looked into 70mm and only found a couple of films still available back then.

The thread over on RFF is long but informative.

https://www.macodirect.de/en/film/i...ed-400s-70mm-x-30.5m-double-perforation?c=614

Took about 2 days to get here--PNW.

This is fresh film. Apparently you can get some from Ilford but you have to pre-order and it cost more.

Above film shot in a RB67 with 90mm KL.

Mainecoonmaniac · Mar 2, 2018

I think the bulk 120 film back is for volume portrait shooters like high school portraits and companies like Life Touch used them.
http://lifetouch.com/

Dennis-B · Mar 2, 2018

AgX said:
115 V , 3A

What is this thing doing ??
With this power consumption you could iron the film...

Just a guess, but cocking the shutter, and advancing the film takes a bit of juice just to get things moving from a dead start.

AgX · Mar 2, 2018

nakol said:
70mm double perforated films I think.

There is no sprocked wheel.

Torque seems only built up by the left, square core shaft.

mitchamtuell · Mar 2, 2018

Thanks for the information everyone. It's cool to hear that 70mm still film is still out there, but to be honest I'm not really interested in getting into it. I'm hardly into plain old medium format yet. I don't have a ton of space or money to store the stuff, so I'd love to get rid of it. Even if I got into 70mm stuff I think this whole electric rig is overkill and I would just get a manual wind one.

My question is: is it valuable to anyone? Would anyone pay for it? If it's useless I might just throw it away, as sacrilegious as that feels. Like I said, best case scenario would be to be able to trade it for a 120 or 220 back.

AgX · Mar 2, 2018

How is the shutter cocked by this back? I am lost on this.

mitchamtuell · Mar 2, 2018

AgX said:
How is the shutter cocked by this back? I am lost on this.

So I think how it works is in the third photo you can see a black lever arm coming out of the side by the switches, and that's what swings over and cocks the shutter. Then the silver piece sticking out just below it presses the shutter release button.

AgX · Mar 2, 2018

I see. So there are TWO units:
One consisting of the magazine and its drive, the other of the adapter, control-unit and cocking drive.

Anyone know anything about this Mamiya RB67 bulk film loader and motor drive?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency