Wouldn't it be cool if...

ChristopherCoy · Mar 20, 2021

....someone created a film back that had interchangeable masks?

For instance, the RB67 has backs for 645, 6x7, and 6x8 - and I've read that there are a few rare 6x6 backs from the original Pro era. Wouldn't it be cool if a back were created for the respective modular camera brands, that had masks that were interchangeable, so that you could shoot all these formats with the same camera and back? Just switch out the film window and you get a new negative size.

Pieter12 · Mar 20, 2021

You would also have to be able to switch the film advance mechanism to accommodate the different formats--complicated. Otherwise, just shoot 6x7 or 6x9 and crop to your liking.

ChristopherCoy · Mar 20, 2021

I realize that I can crop... but it would still be cool.

Andrew O'Neill · Mar 20, 2021

More things for me to lose? I'll stick to cropping.

glbeas · Mar 20, 2021

The Adapt a Roll backs were a lot like that as in you could insert a short darkslide and go from 6x9 to 6x7. The counter was marked for both but I think it would be problematic to mix the two sizes on a roll. Several of the old folder type camera had optional masks and a choice of windows on the back to do the frame advance count.

cjbecker · Mar 20, 2021

Sinar had a zoom back. Cant remember the actual name of it. I thought it went from 6x9 to possibly 6x4.5

BrianShaw · Mar 20, 2021

Rollei did it long ago with film plane masks, as did Hasselblad.

ChristopherCoy · Mar 20, 2021

glbeas said:
The Adapt a Roll backs were a lot like that as in you could insert a short darkslide and go from 6x9 to 6x7. The counter was marked for both but I think it would be problematic to mix the two sizes on a roll. Several of the old folder type camera had optional masks and a choice of windows on the back to do the frame advance count.

I wouldn't want to mix formats in the same roll. But instead of having to buy a separate back for each format, you could have one back with interchangeable masks.

MattKing · Mar 20, 2021

Believe it or not, you already own that item.
The RB67 "backs" are actually two parts - an insert, and an outer shell which is more properly referred to as a back.
No one I've ever met thinks of them that way. But you can swap 6x4.5 and 6x7 inserts but still use the same "back".
The problem with interchangeable masks is that they would only work if you used multiple windows on the back, and the frame numbering on the backing paper.

Sirius Glass · Mar 20, 2021

I shoot mostly 6x6. If I need a different format I use 35mm, WideLux or 4"x5". No back problems here.

Vaughn · Mar 20, 2021

Any respectable photographer with GAS owns a camera for each format, if not more than one....

Paul Howell · Mar 20, 2021

Mamiya Press multi back, 6X4.5 6X6 and 6X9, came with a set of viewfinder masks, I've only seen one or two over the years forget how the user set the frame counter for each format. Almost bought one, but it was over $400 and that was in the 90s.

Sirius Glass · Mar 20, 2021

When I have had cameras with multiple masks, some of those masks were lost before I got the cameras. That is perhaps a reason that manufacturers stopped making them, besides it cutting their camera sales.

Pieter12 · Mar 20, 2021

Another thing to lose is you would need a mask for the ground glass that corresponds to the back mask. And every time you change the mask, you risk damaging the ground glass. Every time I shoot a 6x6 image, I could look at is as shooting two 6x4.5 images. Actually, because of the extra negative on either side, many multiples. And twice as many frames per roll! Just crop, why complicate things? It gives you so many more options.

ChristopherCoy · Mar 20, 2021

Old Gregg said:
I think you'd be happier with a viewfinder with interchangeable masks to assist framing. Backs can just take the maximum image allowed by the lens image circle, you can always crop later. I really like the frameline selector on Leicas, but unfortunately there's not much cropping to be done on such a small negative...

Well now there's something that I've never thought of...

Paul Howell · Mar 20, 2021

Old Gregg said:
I think you'd be happier with a viewfinder with interchangeable masks to assist framing. Backs can just take the maximum image allowed by the lens image circle, you can always crop later. I really like the frameline selector on Leicas, but unfortunately there's not much cropping to be done on such a small negative...

Wonder if you cut out a lens cap to right size.

Pieter12 · Mar 20, 2021

Paul Howell said:
Wonder if you cut out a lens cap to right size.

No. No. No.

Maris · Mar 20, 2021

Sinar Rollfilm Holder Zoom 2 for 4x5 cameras does offer formats from 6x4.5 to 6x12 by adjustable masks and they are all possible on a single roll of film. It even displays the remaining amount film to guide format choices.

Dennis-B · Mar 20, 2021

Paul Howell said:
Mamiya Press multi back, 6X4.5 6X6 and 6X9, came with a set of viewfinder masks, I've only seen one or two over the years forget how the user set the frame counter for each format. Almost bought one, but it was over $400 and that was in the 90s.

The Mamiya Universal/Press 23 used a back which had three different windows, each for the format numbers (6x4.5, 6x6, 6x6), and using the spool wind. There were accompanying masks for 6x4.5 and 6x6. Of course, no mask was needed for 6x9. There was also a viewfinder mask for those formats. I have a back with the 6x4.5 mask, but I'm still searching for the 6x6 mask. Those are really scarce.

Donald Qualls · Mar 21, 2021

glbeas said:
The Adapt a Roll backs were a lot like that as in you could insert a short darkslide and go from 6x9 to 6x7. The counter was marked for both but I think it would be problematic to mix the two sizes on a roll. Several of the old folder type camera had optional masks and a choice of windows on the back to do the frame advance count.

I have an Adapt A Roll Six-20. Advance is by "clicks" with eight clicks for a full 6x9 frame. There were (long ago) precut inserts for the dark slide slot for other formats, but other than 6x4.5, there was the issue of how many "clicks" to advance. What's 2/3 of eight for 6x6? Or 7/9 of eight, for 6x7? Hint: six clicks will leave extra wide space between 6x6 frames, but seven will overlap 6x7 frames a few millimeters. Not to mention that these (mostly, anyway) were made for 4x5 cameras; anything much smaller than 6x9 is pretty much a message to yourself that you brought the wrong camera (sure, you can shoot with a 300mm on 6x4.5 with your Graphic View or Toyo Field, but why?).

MattKing said:
Believe it or not, you already own that item.
The RB67 "backs" are actually two parts - an insert, and an outer shell which is more properly referred to as a back.

Yes, you can do this -- but the insert will still advance by the amount it's made for. The 6x7 inserts will put ten frames on a roll, even if those are 6x4.5 frames, and if you put the 6x4.5 insert into a 6x7 back, you'll wind up with about 90% of your image area overlapped with the frame before or after. Plus, you need a changing bag to swap the insert between shells in the field, and your insert/shell sets all need to be the same version (Pro, Pro S, and Pro SD had different shell shapes). Not practical, IMO.

MAubrey · Mar 22, 2021

The Fuji GF670 has a dial for changing between 6x7 and 6x6.

nosmok · Mar 26, 2021

The very rare Vidax press camera, made for 620 film though 120 would also work, had side curtains that you could dial in for 6x4.5, 6x6, or 6x9 frames, and 3 red windows on the back. You could only set it once per roll (adjuster was inside the film chamber), but there was also a sheet film option, so you could shoot variable format that way, I guess.

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