Help me spend my money

[mark]

I have decided against a dedicated 6x12 camera. I would rather have the flexibility of a sinar roll film back that can do up to 6x12.

Any one know where one is that is for sale?

 

[butterflydream]

I made the same decision. There are two different version for this zoom holder, earlier one and version 2. If possible buy version 2, which is safer to light leaks. I have earlier one, which I experienced light leak by dark silide.

 

[infest]

I have decided against a dedicated 6x12 camera. I would rather have the flexibility of a sinar roll film back that can do up to 6x12.

Any one know where one is that is for sale?

Have a look at Robert White, he used to have some.

 

[mark]

I looked. They don't have it.

 

[makan]

I looked. They don't have it.

Be glad, it's horrendously expensive, difficult to load and if you only need it for 6x12 then a C2N Calumet RFH is a better shot.

 

[Early Riser]

Mark, they come up often on eBay. The old and new versions have different advantages. I have 4 of them (2 of each) and I take one of each with me when I travel, partly because they are fairly complex devices and while one has never broken on me I prefer to always have a spare. The older model would have a greater possibility of light leak due to it's use of a double curtain that meets in the middle of the film, however in my use they have never had a light leak. The advantage to the older zoom is that it doesn't have a dark slide that sticks out, this is good if you are shooting in the wind. The downside is that it's also less evident that you have opened the curtains and are ready to shoot. I have more than once exposed light to nothing more than the closed curtains. With the zoom II the dark slide sticking out is very obvious but also will shake in the wind. The zoom II is inherently a simpler device because it's dark slide is far less complex a machine than a dual curtain. However reliability for both of these is excellent.

One thing to note, you have to be very conscious of what you are doing when you are using these backs. While there are safeguards built in to prevent accidently opening the curtain/slide it is very easy to forget if you actually exposed the frame, advanced the frame, etc. So multiple exposures and blank frames can happen if you get distracted. Also keep them clean unless you like to retouch out film scratches. The film cassette in the back has felt strips that must be kept free of any particles. If you use the zooms properly and carefully they will provide excellent service and high quality results.

 

[mark]

I was drawn to these because of the multiple formats. My question now is just how often would I use the 6x4.5, 6x6, or the 6.7. I am mainly interested in the 6x12 and the convenience of sliding it in to the camera, instead of removing the back.

Does all this convenience make for more complication in design. Is that complication worth it. I am not one who likes buying something before I have put my hands on a sample. Thus my increasing weariness. In another thread John Callow refered to the sinar back as the "cat's a$$" and others have given it high praise, such as Early Riser.

So, is the complication in design and use worth the money. I have no question that the engineering and build is top notch, it is a Sinar after all, but I am concerned right now with the complication of use.

 

[makan]

I was drawn to these because of the multiple formats. My question now is just how often would I use the 6x4.5, 6x6, or the 6.7. I am mainly interested in the 6x12 and the convenience of sliding it in to the camera, instead of removing the back.

snip.

No need to agonize over the whole thing - only you know how often you use the other formats. If you only need the convenience of sliding it in the camera the C2N will be your good friend for a long time. Save your money for some lens instead, the 6x12 format is great with many lenses.

 

[Early Riser]

Mark, here is the procedure for loading and then exposing film with a zoom (or zoom II)

Loading- after loading film into the cassette and placing the cassette in the zoom, you press the release button and then thread the paper backing through to the take up reel and advance until the arrows align with the mark, and close the back. If you will be exposing film immediately then you need to set the lever to "load" and then press the load button, and advance the film to the first frame. It will stop there automatically. You then switch the lever from "load" to "exp". You can choose to set the film size (6x 4.5, 6, 7, 9, 12) at anytime but note that it only changes properly for the next frame you advance. So you need to change it before you advance from frame one to frame two.

If you want to have the back loaded, but will not be exposing in the very near future, do not advance the film after having aligned the arrows. Just close the back. Then when you see a shot you want to take, then press "load", advance to first frame, and then switch to "exp". This will keep the film flatter and will not cause any creases. This all sounds more complicated than it really is. After a few rolls you'll get the hang of this.

Now, exposing- You see a shot you want, you advance the film to the first frame and switch to "exp" (assuming you never advanced past the arrow alignment). Insert the holder into the camera back. On the Zoom you turn the knob to open the curtains, on the zoom II you pull out the dark slide ( it's attached and stops when fully extended and there are indicator marks). You now are ready to make the exposure. You shoot, then close the curtain or slide in the slide. Now if you plan to shoot another exposure of the same scene, you can keep the zoom (II) in the camera back, if not you can remove it. Before you expose again you need to press the release button again (you can right now change film format if you want) and advance the film to the second frame, it'll stop automatically. You are ready to expose again. That's it. When you finish the roll you switch back to "load" press the release button and crank the advance lever until the film is completely spooled on the take up spool.

If your mind wanders though you may forget if you advanced the film. I always advance the film after an exposure. If I am in doubt I am willing to advance the film again at the cost of an unexposed frame. You should also check periodically to make sure that you haven't accidently changed or set the film to a format that you don't want. It's not an easy knob to bump out of position but it can happen.

The way I work is that I pretty much dedicate the entire roll to a scene, it's only 6 frames (6x12) and as conditions can often get more interesting, and the film is not as expensive as 4x5 it seems to be a good move anyway. No doubt the zoom backs are a bit more complicated, but what you get in return is better film flatness than the other RFB's and a back that you can use without removing the GG.

One other thing, the zooms as well as perhaps all the other RFBs are heavy, and with a very lightweight or insufficiently rigid camera back, can tilt the back out of perfect focus.

 

[mark]

Sure is a lot of steps. I only have experience with my Graphlex 6x9 RFBs. I assume all of this gets pretty routine after a while. How easy is it to break one of these if you do something out of order?

 

[Early Riser]

Sure is a lot of steps. I only have experience with my Graphlex 6x9 RFBs. I assume all of this gets pretty routine after a while. How easy is it to break one of these if you do something out of order?

The only way you'll break a zoom is if you really force something or abuse it.

 

[mark]

Cool. Now I just need to get my hands on one. Thank you Mr. Riser.

 

[Early Riser]

You're welcome.

Brian

 

[makan]

Cool. Now I just need to get my hands on one. Thank you Mr. Riser.

I'm playing the devils advocate - sinar is much havier than C2N too, beside the complicated shooting procedures...