I got Mentor Studio Reflex SRL some time ago but it has a problem that it only accepts some rather uncommon 9x12 film metal holders.
I would like to convert it to accept standard 4x5 holders.
Could somebody hold my hand in this or perhaps offer it as a service.
Check with www.skgrimes.com. They do all kinds of custom work on cameras.
The German 9x12 single/double metal film/plate holders are by no means uncommon. You just have to recognise what they look like! 9x12 film is also easily available from Berlin. The only really hard to find holders are those for the pre-war Linhof folders!Originally Posted by erian
It is not this easy.
The holders must be 4mm thick and without any additional guides. It is possible to find them when I ask every seller to measure their holders.
But the holders must have also a special insert that supports film and most (if not all) available holders are only for glass plates.
I actually have a roll film holder so I could do 6x9 but it is kind of waste of time with this camera.
What era is the camera from? Is it post WW2 (DDR production) or is it from the "Glamour days" earlier in the 20th century?
9x12cm film sheaths are readily available for plate fim holder conversion.
I think I have located 3 of those double holders here in moscow. Later I will post a picture.
No rails.
I have to go to the house of this person during the weekend, if you want I can measure everything again.
If you can find holders, the film sheaths needn't be such a problem. I have a 10x15cm plate camera that I use, despite having film sheaths I ended up placing film on top of a 10x15 piece of glass. It seems easier in use, though a bit heavier. You could cut a piece of plastic or perspex sheet to size and lay the film on top - or as Steven suggested, find film sheaths.
It's almost impossible to find film sheaths accurately described, but if you just bid on poorly described lots of rusty looking 9x12 holders you'll end up with a good number of septums (septa?) fairly quickly.
Hacking up a Mentor seems a pity, it might be easier and more cost effective to sell it and get a camera with a native 4x5 back.
A little bit more about the camera.
It came with the Carl Zeiss Jena 250mm f/4.5 lens. As you can see on the larger image, current back can be unscrewed. This means that the camera can be restored to its historic state.
The back can be actually turned from portrait to the landscape orientation.
An additional adapter is necessary to fit the film holders.
Camera came with one 9x12 holder but I found that Rollex Patent 6x9 holder should be also work. I have not tried it but at least it fits nicely into the adapter.
Actually I do not know. I uploaded some images, perhaps there is a hint on them. The camera came with Carl Zeiss Jena lens, so perhaps it is DDR creation but I can not confirm it.
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