Mamiya RB67 Pro - rotating back issue?

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

Hi all,
I bought a RB67 from KEH & received it today. Purchased the body, back & lens separately. I'm having an issue with the rotating part of the back & can only connect the 120 film back upside down. I know this sounds odd & I've tried to rotate this back every way possible. It turns 1/2 turn from portrait to landscape as expected, however when in landscape mode, the film back is completely upside down.
I have taken off the rotating module completely, but it only mounts onto the body in one way, which makes the back mount upside down (back also mounts only one way due to a notch in the back). What am I doing wrong here? Thanks in advance!

Larry the sailor · Apr 29, 2017

Can you upload a picture so we can see this?
I pulled mine out and took a look. Not seeing how that would work. Starting in landscape orientation the back will rotate 1/4 turn clockwise to portrait and the reverse back to landscape. As you state the rotating mechanism will only mount one way and the film back will only mount one way to the back of the camera. Mine has an outline which is on top for whichever orientation you are set to.

Landscape

P4290690 by lmmiers, on Flickr

portrait

P4290692 by lmmiers, on Flickr

120 6x7 back

P4290691 by lmmiers, on Flickr

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

Yes, I'll upload a photo in just a sec. But I can tell you from looking at your photos, mine is the exact opposite. In landscape mode, the little pin sticking out, is on the lower right side.

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

Photos of the camera back. Took a couple of photos in portrait & landscape mode of the back, along with the direction it turns. As you can see when I take the entire setup off the back, it only installs one way due to the notches in the body for the back to fit into. I'm completely clueless as to the issue here.

480sparky · Apr 29, 2017

I don't think your mounting the film back onto the rotating portion of the camera correctly. In landscape orientation, the dark slide should be to your right, looking at the back of the camera. In portrait orientation, it should be on the bottom.

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

@480sparky - I can't put the rotating portion on the camera body any other way. I will post another pic with the film back on. Forgot that one initially. And I'm 100% sure something is wrong (most likely user error) because I have to push the little tabs in to get the film back off when I put it on instead of being able to simply slide the levers to the left to release the back.

480sparky · Apr 29, 2017

Something is wrong with the rotating part. Mine is exactly 180° apart from yours.

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

Ok here's the back with the 120 film holder installed on back. I swear this isn't my first MF camera so I'm really feeling like an idiot tonight! Thanks all for helping me with this issue.

Larry the sailor · Apr 29, 2017

Comparing mine to the OP's it looks like the mount for the rotating back is correctly oriented. My suspicion is that someone has disassembled the mechanism and put it back together reversed but I do not know if that is possible,

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

480sparky said:
Something is wrong with the rotating part. Mine is exactly 180° apart from yours.

Ok this makes me feel like I'm not crazy. I saw the same in Larry's post above also. So this camera back has some sort of issue. I'll contact KEH on Monday for a new back or a refund because this one only installs one way. Disappointing, but I'll patiently wait for another one.

480sparky · Apr 29, 2017

Sumpin' is effed up with the RB portion. Yours is rotated 180° somehow. I wonder if someone disassembled it and put it back together wrong.

Can you trip the shutter like you would if there was film in it? I mean, other than the orientation, does everything (mechanically) function as desired?

I wonder if the back is screwed up, would the safety for having the dark slide in still prevent the shutter from firing.

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

@480sparky & @Larry the sailor - I think you're both right. I needed this info when I complain to Keh on Monday. Appreciate you guys!! Thanks!!

480sparky · Apr 29, 2017

Feel free to copy my pix.

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

Thanks @480sparky!

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

480sparky said:
Sumpin' is effed up with the RB portion. Yours is rotated 180° somehow. I wonder if someone disassembled it and put it back together wrong.

Can you trip the shutter like you would if there was film in it? I mean, other than the orientation, does everything (mechanically) function as desired?

I wonder if the back is screwed up, would the safety for having the dark slide in still prevent the shutter from firing.

I missed the second part of your questions initially - but yes the shutter works as expected. I suppose I could still use it if I wanted true upside down & backwards images. Could be a cool experiment before I send it back.

Larry the sailor · Apr 29, 2017

More than welcome to also use the images I posted.

foxyscorpio1 · Apr 29, 2017

Thanks @Larry the sailor!!

chassis · Apr 30, 2017

Have a look at this manual: http://rb67.helluin.org/files/2011/01/RB67-Pro-SD-Brochure1.pdf

Pages aren't numbered, so go to the seventh page. There is a photo of the revolving adapter without a film holder. This shows the correct installation of the revolving adapter.

paul ron · Apr 30, 2017

mount the rotating back on the camera body so that chromed tit is at the top in landscaoe mode.

you are mounting it upside down!

480sparky · Apr 30, 2017

paul ron said:
mount the rotating back on the camera body so that chromed tit is at the top in landscaoe mode.

you are mounting it upside down!

I don't think it's physically possible to do that.

paul ron · Apr 30, 2017

you saw it done in the pix he posted?... thats upside down.

unless a diy repair put the halves together wrong?

.

paul ron · Apr 30, 2017

foxyscorpio1 said:
I missed the second part of your questions initially - but yes the shutter works as expected. I suppose I could still use it if I wanted true upside down & backwards images. Could be a cool experiment before I send it back.

but the signal tab that pops out wont trip the red flag in the film back... thats imposable if its upside down. you will have to manually trip the little tan on the film back to advance the film.

480sparky · Apr 30, 2017

paul ron said:
you saw it done in the pix he posted?... thats upside down.

unless a diy repair put the halves together wrong?

.

That's been posted twice already.

paul ron · Apr 30, 2017

well then it must be true!

.

foxyscorpio1 · May 8, 2017

All - I sent the problem body back to KEH & bought another & can now mount the back on (& rotate) correctly. Thanks to you all for your assistance again!!

Mamiya RB67 Pro - rotating back issue?

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