Arca Swiss 4x5; 171, 141 and 6x9 weight, size and movements questions

[r.e.]

Emmanuel,

Terrific details on the Arca line.

From what I've seen, the F-metric function carrier and Orbix tend to go hand in hand, but yes, I should have made the distinction.

[Emmanuel BIGLER]

I hope that this information will be useful to our readers.

There are so many possible combinations in the present Arca Swiss system that I know how confusing it can be. But the number of possible combinations is beyond what ou could think. Some are eccentric but actually work. For example you can use a 141 front standard and a 110 rear standard if you have a lens mounted on a 141 lens board and a baby graflok rollfim back !! For this you need one of the 110-to-141 bellows, mounted in the reverse position.
To date there are 3 110-to-141 bellows :
071037 "flat bag" leather bellows for ultra wide angles, looks like an elegant (but austere) ladie's bag

071035 standard molded leather bellows max extension about 270 mm (about 300, 12" but not much) the look is totally different, it is closer to the flexible arms of Tintin's space suit on the Moon
071033 long synthetic bellows stretch-able to 60 cm (24")

Refer to Rod's web site for a precise correspondence between a part # and the actual object. The "old" pdf catalogue is a very good starting point describing the 110 and 171 system and the fundamental ideas behind.
But many parts of course have been introduced since 2004, the 141 system and some specific parts for the R-line, but compatibility is still considered as very important by the Vogt family. For example R-line users can add a rear bellows for macro work, for this they simply need existing parts, a rail element, a 6x9 bellows and a function carrier.

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In fact I have accumulated bits of text files on the subject and merged them together, some of the text was posted here in 2004 when the misura was introduced. A LF friend in France was one of the first to purchase a misura and he carefull weighted all parts of the camera.
At the time I only had the F-metric 6x9, since then I have acquired the conversion kit 110-to-141.

Sorry for the long post but sometimes it is better to have one long text in one place, even if it is a cut-paste of previously posted material.
This is what happens on discussion forums, lot of information is actually somewhere but scattered in the archives.

There are some data about weights still missing, namely the detailed weights of some parts in the 141 system. For example the reduction plate 141-down-to-110 which I have, permitting the attachment of baby graflok rollfilm backs (Horseman/Arca 6x6, Mamimya RB 6x7 and 6x8) to the 141 rear standard.
I know that a 141 F-classic format frame is only slightly heavier than a 110 format frame, but true figures are always better than vague descriptions.

Regarding the new dovetail plates of narrower widths, I have used the term "Slidefix" but Arca Swiss also uses the term 'Monoballfix' so use any of those terms to denote the new line of clamps and dovetail plates of same width as a single rail element or folding rail.
Although I now have a clamp with the double dovetail on my (upgraded) B1 head, I continue to carry my 8.5 cm connection bracket ... just in case. At our informal LF meetings, friends can use my camera if they have any reasonably compatible clamp accepting the classic Arca Swiss plates.

[evan clarke]

Hi Rod (and Emmanuel),

Can you confirm that Arca can add Orbix to an existing format frame (in this case, adding Micrometric Orbix to a 110 frame)? Many thanks.

Hi John,
I had a camera retrofitted with Orbix but the frame had to go back to France and took a few months.. They were very nice, providing a loaner frame. There is a possibility that Bob Watkins at Precision Camera Works near Chicago may be set up and authorized to do the upgrade now. http://www.precisioncameraworks.com/ Evan Clarke