OK, Embarrassing Question time

srmcnamara · May 28, 2009

Stupid Question:
Is this back compatible with accessories such as roll film backs or polaroid backs?

More details:
it's an Ikeda Anba 4x5 view camera, really basic stuff. I was looking at some panoramic images last night and thinking, "hey I really want to try that." I think at this point I won't be able to afford any sort of panoramic option but it would certainly seem to be easier to just slap a back on this cam rather than buying a whole new one.

here's the camera

Here's the empty back hole (technical term)

here's the lonely back

I wouldn't think so but one can hope.

Jim Noel · May 28, 2009

it will work with a Polaroid back. It will also work with or roll film holder, which has both supply and take-up spool on the same end.

archphoto · May 28, 2009

Panoramics can be made with a 75mm SA and cropping.

There are some 6x12 rolfilm backs that can be inserted with this camera.
You will need the "thin" ones.

Peter

removed account4 · May 28, 2009

hi,

nice camera!

to put a roll film back on a camera, usually you remove
just the ground glass, not the whole back as you have done.
does the ground glass come off ( latches ) ?
if so, it is probably like an "international back"
if not, you probably can make a back or buy one
that fits on like the one you removed, with a speed graphic
or graflok ( old name for international back ) and use your roll film adapter.

maybe someone with the same camera can give you a better answer ...

good luck!

john

Ian Grant · May 28, 2009

Polaroid yes, but long gone.

Some roll film backs will fit, essentially there are 2 types, and the thin type fits I can't give names & detail as as my Wista back allows all types, so I've not gone into it.

David A. Goldfarb · May 28, 2009

It looks like a regular spring back, as opposed to a Graflok/International type back, so as the others have said, you would need the type of rollfilm back that slips under the groundglass like a regular filmholder. There are some less costly ones made by Calumet, and fancier ones made by Sinar (Zoom, Zoom II, Vario I think, and a few others) and Linhof (Rapid Rollex--not easy to find used, and very expensive new). The Sinar Zoom backs are multi-format.

srmcnamara · May 28, 2009

Thanks, everyone.

the glass is sadly, not removable.

As I suspected. Thanks again!

Oren Grad · May 28, 2009

Your back doesn't have the Graflok retaining clips, so you need a slide-in type rollholder.

Sinar (Panorama, Vario, Zoom, Zoom2) and Calumet/Cambo (C2N) have made slide-in backs in 6x12 format. They're quite big and heavy, and you may find that the rear standard of an ultralight camera like the Ikeda flexes a bit under the weight.

The Sinar ones were frightfully expensive - the last new price was in the thousands of dollars - but now can occasionally be found used for a semi-reasonable price. The Calumet/Cambo is still listed new at $869.99.

dwdmguy · May 28, 2009

What not "mask" the ground glass with Gaffer tape and compose from there cropping in the darkroom? I don't know if the film plane can be masked????

Lee L · May 28, 2009

Wista (and possibly others) also make a modified thicker rollfilm back. It has sliding 'wings' that allow it to take pressure from a spring back frame, but also works with a Graflok system. I have 6x7 and 6x9 versions of this back. They work fine in my wooden Wista field camera, but do push the springs pretty far. The wings need to slide down for the film advance lever to operate. You'd have to check to see if they would work with the spring system on your camera. Thickness from the front face to the wings is 47mm. That's the distance from the front of where a regular film holder would rest to the point on the 'wings' where the wooden spring back frame would rest.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/largeimages/63424.jpg

Lee

glbeas · May 28, 2009

If you just want to shoot a panorama now and then don't bother getting special backs, just a decent wide angle, then pencil mark the ground glass with your favorite ratios and crop in the darkroom. Much like the way the APS cameras were with the different selectable ratios. This way if the image happens to have a composition that makes it full frame as well as pano you have the option of recropping and experimenting.

Vaughn · May 28, 2009

Cut a darkslide in half (actually just a little more than half) and do two 2x5 images on each 4x5 piece of film. I do this with 8x10 all the time.

Or just crop the 4x5 film, using a mask as already suggested -- it is cheap.

Vaughn

Below is from using the modified darkslide on an 8x10...

Last Light, Yosemite Valley -- scanned platinum/palladium print

vdonovan · May 28, 2009

Isn't APUG AWESOME!

srmcnamara · May 28, 2009

It really is!

I think I'm just going to crop in the darkroom for a while.

keithwms · May 28, 2009

You can use a Fuji PA45 back and the Fuji 4x5 instant pack films.

L Gebhardt · May 28, 2009

Unless you are going to shoot a lot of panoramics (6x12) it would probably be best just to crop down 4x5 sheet film. If you want to use one of the 6x17 backs you will need to get a graflock backed camera as others have suggested. If you have wood working skills either a Chamonix or a Shen-Hao back could be made to work on my Nagaoka (same camera as yours I think), though it would be easier to just purchase one of these cameras to start with.

Jeff Bannow · May 28, 2009

Vaughn said:
Cut a darkslide in half (actually just a little more than half) and do two 2x5 images on each 4x5 piece of film. I do this with 8x10 all the time.

Or just crop the 4x5 film, using a mask as already suggested -- it is cheap.

Vaughn

Below is from using the modified darkslide on an 8x10...

Last Light, Yosemite Valley -- scanned platinum/palladium print

I agree. This is really easy to do and works great.

Vaughn · May 28, 2009

Jeff, it is easy to do...but one has to maintain some level of mental sharpness while using it. My last time I used it was coming from Yosemite -- stopped by a river and photographed sunlight on bare alder branches...would have been a great image. But I composed the shot to use the bottom half of the GG...but slipped in the modified dark slide to expose the top half. Did it again when I turned the film back 180 degrees. So the neg had two images of the wrong part of the scene and was not well focused. First time I made that mistake! I was pretty burnt from giving a 5 day workshop in Yosemite and just was not thinking as clearly as I should have!

Vaughn

srmcnamara · May 28, 2009

Yes. Considering the cost and the amount of use it would give me, I'll definitely be waiting awhile before I get a dedicated solution. I have also forgotten to compliment Vaughn on the wonderful image he shared with us. Thanks !

Jeff Bannow · May 29, 2009

Vaughn said:
Jeff, it is easy to do...but one has to maintain some level of mental sharpness while using it. My last time I used it was coming from Yosemite -- stopped by a river and photographed sunlight on bare alder branches...would have been a great image. But I composed the shot to use the bottom half of the GG...but slipped in the modified dark slide to expose the top half. Did it again when I turned the film back 180 degrees. So the neg had two images of the wrong part of the scene and was not well focused. First time I made that mistake! I was pretty burnt from giving a 5 day workshop in Yosemite and just was not thinking as clearly as I should have!

Vaughn

That is true - it does take a certain amount of focus or mistakes can happen. I use a piece of tape on each of the 4 sides and remove them when it is exposed - that helps a little for me.

Using a roll back is the easiest though. I've moved to the DaYi back, which I got on flea-bay for $200 or so.

PHOTOTONE · May 29, 2009

You have a wood camera with a removable back on a wood frame. You could make (or have made) a replacement back that has a salvage graflok-style back from an old Graflex press camera. This would give you access to all the possible roll film options. I do this myself for my
larger-format wood field cameras. Essentially you cut a piece of high-grade plywood to the exterior dimension of the camera, then route-out a light trap on the inside, then cut a hole to fit the salvage graflok-back. Spray-paint everything flat back, and improvise a wee bit of hardware and you would be good to go.

Doremus Scudder · May 30, 2009

I decided long ago that I could buy a lot of 4x5 film for the price of a 6x12 (or other) rollfilm holder and simply crop when I wanted a panorama view.

This has several advantages: 1. I can develop each sheet optimally, not at an average development for an entire roll. 2. I don't have to lug an extra, heavier holder around. 3. I can use different aspect ratios easily just by cropping. 4. I don't have to wait until the entire roll is exposed before seeing results. 5. I don't need different storage systems, extra developing tanks, reels, negative holders for the enlarger, etc. (again, more expense that could be better invested in film). 6. I don't have to change rolls in the field. 7. For a lightweight field camera like you (and I) use, rollfilm holders are often impractical due to weight and thickness. Plus, they defeat the goal of keeping things lightweight. 8. The list goes on...

The only downside I can see is if the film you like is not available in 4x5.

Just my opinion, but, I hope, helpful.

Best,

Doremus Scudder
www.DoremusScudder.com

thomnola · May 30, 2009

Richard Ritter modified a spring back for my Deardorff Special. He used a Sinar international graflock back so now I can detach the glass and use my Horseman roll film backs and all the Sinar accessories like the Vario Mask, etc. The job was done well and I now have 5 cameras in one; 5x7, 4x5, 6x12, 6x9 and 6x7. I could even put a (gasp!) medium format digital back on it with the right adapter.

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