Building a back for a camera

tobias620 · Jun 3, 2015

I have what I believe to be an Orionwerk camera, perhaps one of the rio models, and I think it is from the early 1920s, late 1910s.
Anyway, it only has one back that has a ground glass for viewing the image and a fold out hood that shields the ground glass.
the ground glass measures about 9cm by 12 cm.
Im wanting to both find out more information about this camera and hopefully assemble a back that I can use for 120 film.
I don't want to just leave this camera as a show piece, it has a good lens, perfect ballows, and it has a screw to adjust the height for the lens.
The lens is very easy to clean too, you just unscrew the front element and clean it.
Cheers

AgX · Jun 3, 2015

There were simple roll-film backs. If you find one of those you might be able to adapt it to the slots of your camera.

Let you inspire by this catalogue:

http://www.galerie-photo.com/manuels/dos-rada.pdf

Ian Grant · Jun 3, 2015

There are Rollex & Rada 120 backs available for the camera they can be inexpensive but you need to find one with the right edge fit. I have an Orion Werks 9x12 with an excellent 135mm f4.5 Eurynar lens, I have plate holders with film inserts along with a Rollex back for it.

I come across Rollex backs quite frequently they are much more common than the Rada's in the UK.

Ian

Steve Smith · Jun 3, 2015

If 6x9 is big enough for you, it might be easier to modify an old folding camera's body or perhaps a 120 Holga. In fact, there is a 120 film 6x12 pinhole Holga which would be ideal for this. Just attach it to a 5x4 film holder with a slot cut in the central divider to give it a dark slide so it can be removed. You will also need to make a ground glass holder with the glass the same distance away as the film in the holder.

Steve.

tobias620 · Jun 3, 2015

Are the backs for these cameras very common, like common enough for people not to charge $300 for one, do you know the price range for them?
Cheers

Ian Grant · Jun 4, 2015

tobias620 said:
Are the backs for these cameras very common, like common enough for people not to charge $300 for one, do you know the price range for them?
Cheers

They are very common but there's a variety of edge fits so getting the right fit can take time, you need to be careful as some are 620 not 120.

Rollex became part of Linhof it's the older versions that were made for 9x12 cameras that you need, I'll look what I have.

Ian

Ian Grant · Jun 8, 2015

Tobias620 asked for some photos of my Orionwerk 9x12, I've posted them here so others can view them as well,

It's not the original focus screen but works fine, the lens is a 13,5cmm f4.5 Rodenstock Eurynar.

Ian

wombat2go · Jun 8, 2015

Something like this ":bolt on" 6x7 adaptor might do.
I milled it out of 6061 plate, I use the Graflex RH10 backs.
The Mamiya RB67 back ( shown on top) does not quite clamp, so I would have to make another set of clamp plates for it.

Ian Grant · Jun 8, 2015

wombat2go said:
Something like this ":bolt on" 6x7 adaptor might do.
I milled it out of 6061 plate, I use the Graflex RH10 backs.
The Mamiya RB67 back ( shown on top) does not quite clamp, so I would have to make another set of clamp plates for it.

I've made wooden versions for my Quarter plate Houghton Victo camera to take a Graflex RH10 back, and another to use 5x4 DDS with a British half plate field camera. That works well when the camera takes book-form plate holders with a large T distance (face of holder to film) so the film is in the same plane for correct focus as the ground glass screen.

The Orionwerk 9x12 camera has an Infinity lock and focus scale which isn't adjustable, that kind of adapter moves the focus plane back, you'd need a new focus panel/screen that fits it. On a few 9x12 cameras (of this style) the infinity lock and scale could be moved or swapped by a dealer depending on the Focal length the camera was supplied with. usually 135mm or 150mm.

Ian

Ian Grant · Jun 9, 2015

Here's the Rollex roll film backs.

Ian

Building a back for a camera

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