rb67 back conversion

k_jupiter · Sep 27, 2007

Interesting idea hit me on the way to work today...

I have some extra 645 backs for my rb... I also have a 635 Yashica with all the eety beeety leetle pieces to make it into a 135 camera.

Has anyone done the work to use these conversion pieces to run 35mm film through their rb (or rz)67?

Or maybe I ought be looking at a 6x7 back for the same porpoise.

Any thoughts on this matter?

tim in san jose

paul ron · Sep 27, 2007

Why bother shooting 35mm through that RB? The portion of the image hitting the film will be such a small detail of your picure, it's not even worth the effort.

If you are planning on destroying a 645 back, I'll trade you a 6x7 back for one of your spare 645 RB backs?

k_jupiter · Sep 27, 2007

paul ron said:
Why bother shooting 35mm through that RB? The portion of the image hitting the film will be such a small detail of your picure, it's not even worth the effort.

If you are planning on destroying a 645 back, I'll trade you a 6x7 back for one of your spare 645 RB backs?

I sent you p-mail. Maybe shooting 24x45mm doesn't make sense, but the thought of a 24x70mm image sounds pretty good.

tim in san jose

Greg_E · Sep 27, 2007

I though they made a 135 back for the RB. And I also though it would do some form of wide frame size. I also could be incredibly wrong on both parts.

k_jupiter · Sep 27, 2007

Greg_E said:
I though they made a 135 back for the RB. And I also though it would do some form of wide frame size. I also could be incredibly wrong on both parts.

I've never seen it on the charts, but I've never seen a lot of stuff on the charts that occasionally make their way onto ebay for a rb67.

If I ever found one, it would probably be expensive.

tim in san jose

Dan Fromm · Sep 27, 2007

k_jupiter said:
I sent you p-mail. Maybe shooting 24x45mm doesn't make sense, but the thought of a 24x70mm image sounds pretty good.

tim in san jose

Why not shoot 120 or 220 and crop to suit? Why restrict yourself to just one of the 24x45 or 24x70 possibilities?

epatsellis · Sep 27, 2007

Two spacers, scotch tape on the take up roll, a few drops of super glue on the roller that senses film rotation, unload in a changing bag. Pretty straightforward. Though I found it not worth the bother, just crop 120 or 220 film. YMMV, of course.

erie

Greg_E · Sep 27, 2007

I must be thinking of something else since I didn't find anything for the RB or RZ. Is there a way to fit the 135 back from the M645 system?

keithwms · Sep 27, 2007

Why not just split a darkslide and mark your ground glass accordingly, and shoot 120/220. In the worst case you'd need to rig some sort of divider / light-seal to cover the small gap between the two halves.

Anyway the rb actually covers something like ~78mm so it might indeed be fun to shot ultrapano this way. I think that a mamiya 6 or 7 with a 35mm converter gizmo would yield better results though.

P.S. Erie I just realized I forgot to send you that hammered RB lens, so sorry, I will do it when I get a chance to pack it.

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 27, 2007

The only potentially interesting reason for doing this that I could see would be to shoot panos on Kodachrome. Otherwise, it makes more sense to crop, because you can crop from any part of the frame. Crop the pano above center, and it's like getting front rise on a view camera, or front drop if you crop below center, or simulate shift with verticals.

k_jupiter · Sep 27, 2007

David A. Goldfarb said:
The only potentially interesting reason for doing this that I could see would be to shoot panos on Kodachrome. Otherwise, it makes more sense to crop, because you can crop from any part of the frame. Crop the pano above center, and it's like getting front rise on a view camera, or front drop if you crop below center, or simulate shift with verticals.

*L* The only reason to do it is to do it. I've been either an electro mechanical tech or a robotics engineer for a long time. I like the thought of running PanF+, Efke25 or whatnot through something like this.

tim in san jose

fschifano · Sep 27, 2007

OK, I can understand you wanting to do it for the challenge. PanF+ and Efke 25 are available in 120 though, so it still makes no sense to me except that you get more frames on a roll.

Greg_E · Sep 27, 2007

You can't drop 120 film in the nearest drug store for processing, but you still can for 35mm. Not for a pano of that size, but for normal framing yes. That's why I have a 35mm back for my M645.

k_jupiter · Sep 28, 2007

Greg_E said:
You can't drop 120 film in the nearest drug store for processing, but you still can for 35mm. Not for a pano of that size, but for normal framing yes. That's why I have a 35mm back for my M645.

These days, it's getting harder to even drop color off at the local market. It IS a sight cheaper to process 135 color. I do all my own B&W no matter what the size. The film is a lot cheaper but I am not too concerned about that either. It's more... do something different. That's what camera building and modification is about.

Let's be realistic. Nobody NEEDS all the cameras I have. Nobody NEEDS to shoot as many formats. Nobody NEEDS to build and modify anything.

We are all in this for our own porpoise.

tim in san jose

Steve Smith · Sep 28, 2007

Have you seen this?

http://www.stansanders.com/35in120/

Steve.

k_jupiter · Sep 28, 2007

Steve Smith said:
Have you seen this?

http://www.stansanders.com/35in120/

Steve.

A bit ticky tacky, but it does look like fun. I am going to have to try this.

tim

Steve Smith · Sep 28, 2007

k_jupiter said:
A bit ticky tacky

Yes. But it could be done with a bit more precision.

I may try it myself.

Steve.

Nick Zentena · Sep 28, 2007

With the lack of backing paper why not use a 220 back instead? Plus they almost pay you to take the things these days.

k_jupiter · Sep 30, 2007

Nick Zentena said:
With the lack of backing paper why not use a 220 back instead? Plus they almost pay you to take the things these days.

That's not an issue with a mamiya 120 back. There are no red windows or anything on that back. The pressure shouldn't be an issue with 135 film thickness..

tim in san jose

epatsellis · Sep 30, 2007

Tim, when you get back, let's see if we can figure out a 6x14 mod, should be pretty easy, but without any machine tools anymore, I'm back to cave tools.

erie

k_jupiter · Oct 5, 2007

I assume you mean a 6x14 mod to put on a 4x5 adapter back?

Anyhow, I broke out the 635 conversion kit and pulled a rb67 back out. Does not look like any modifications to the rb67 back. The adapter kit looks like it needs two pins driven out of the spindle assemblies and a way to make the takeup reel solid with the drive assembly of the rb67 back. I'll have to figure out how to do this without destroynig the 135 adapter kit. I might want to put it back in the Yashica one day.

tim in san jose

epatsellis · Oct 5, 2007

Tim, what if you could find a few guide sprockets, like what used to be on both sides of the film rails, when they made cameras that last forever. pin the roller on the take up side (that goes to the counter) and pin the take up reels in place, heck 1/16" piece of stainless or brass would probably work, a take up spool on a 120 reel and you'd be good to go.

erie

rb67 back conversion

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