SD back on an RB Pro

Wayne · Mar 2, 2016

Most everything I've read says the backs are interchangeable. I was just about to pull the trigger on an SD back for my PRO then I encountered the last post on this thread which says it didn't even fit his PRO-S:

http://photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00UaZz

"I recently purchased a Mamiya RB67 Pro S with the Pro S revolving back. I later purchased a Pro SD 120 film back to go with it because it was mentioned everywhere that they are interchangeable.Come to find out my Pro SD film back will not fit onto my Pro S body. I assume you need the Pro SD revolving back as well to attach the Pro SD film back to it."

So what am I to think now? Was that poster just drunk, confused or mistaken?

MattKing · Mar 2, 2016

Reznitsky would disagree: http://www.reznitsky.info/Mamiya/Comchart.htm

I think that that last poster on the photo net thread must have some other issue involved.

rwreich · Mar 2, 2016

I have the Pro-S Revolving Adapter and a Pro-SD 120 back and I have zero issues.

Trail Images · Mar 2, 2016

I only have the ProSD setup. So I cannot give a precise answer, but knowing how Mamiya tried to make things forward and backward compatible I'd be surprised if it did not work.

Trond · Mar 2, 2016

I also have a Pro S (and Pro S revolving adapter) and a Pro SD back. Works perfectly!

Trond

Kyle M. · Mar 2, 2016

I always used Pro-SD backs on my RB67 Pro-S simply because they don't have the foam seals that the Pro and Pro-S backs have. It's also nice that it has a built in dark slide holder. I don't know about usage on a Pro body for sure. I know that on all the original pro backs I've seen you had to manually hit the little lever below the winding lever after exposing a shot in order to unlock the winding lever to wind on to the next shot. The Pro-S and Pro-SD bodies have a pin that protrudes from the back of the body when you make an exposure to release that lock. At worst you'd just have to release it the same way you do on a Pro back.

Wayne · Mar 2, 2016

Knowing how many little pins, tabs and locks there are to confuse and confound the new RB user (and me sometimes), I figured that the poster in that link probably was just not unlocking the adaptor. Sure enough I looked at his other posts and found that he later discovered he wasn't unlocking his Pro-S adaptor completely. Problem solved. The back worked just fine.

I too just want the SD back because of the light seals. I've replaced the seals in both of my backs and they both still developed leaks in a short while, so screw that. I have no patience for tedious jobs like that anyway. I will gradually upgrade to an all SD system starting with the back.

Trail Images · Mar 2, 2016

Wayne said:
I will gradually upgrade to an all SD system starting with the back.

This is a good optional idea, just keep in mind if you do it is advised to use the lens collars or spacers on the older lenses. As the SD unit has a slightly larger front opening to accommodate the 75mm shift / tilt and 500mm lens.

Wayne · Mar 3, 2016

Trail Images said:
This is a good optional idea, just keep in mind if you do it is advised to use the lens collars or spacers on the older lenses. As the SD unit has a slightly larger front opening to accommodate the 75mm shift / tilt and 500mm lens.

ah. That's good to know, otherwise I'd be posting a "why won't my C lens fit" thread. At least they aren't too terribly expensive.

SD back on an RB Pro

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