Difference Between Arca 6x9 Film Backs vs. Other Modern Backs?

[neil poulsen]

I recently received an Arca Swiss 6x9 film back that I plan to use for color film. It fits fine on both an older style Arca 6x9 camera and a modern Classic F 6x9 camera. (To be expected.)

But, it won't fit onto a Mamiya Press with the Graphic back attachment. In the meantime, older Graphic 6x9 film backs fit fine on all of the above.

QUESTION: I don't of course necessarily expect members on this forum to be familiar with Mamiya Press details. My question is whether anyone's noticed differences between Arca Swiss 6x9 film backs and how they attach, versus other modern 6x9 backs like Horseman, Toyo, Wista, etc?

[Oren Grad]

I've not handled an Arca rollholder myself, but in pictures they look awfully like rebadged Horseman rollholders. There is a known problem with fitting a Horseman rollholder to a Mamiya Press back - see, for example, this discussion (http://photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00PNFM).

[hoffner]

Oren is correct - the Arca 6x9 rollfilm holder is a rebadged Horseman one. His link is also spot on.

[toyotadesigner]

I use several Arca/Horseman 6x9 roll film backs on my 6x9 Arca. I also have a Mamiya RFB for 120 film, which fits more or less (a little bit of 'play' in it). So I had to modify the thickness of the 'rails' by gluing a thin plastic strip to the RFB of the Mamiya to achieve a 100% fit on the Arca.

So I think there is a small difference in the dimensions of the Mamiya backs.

[rfesk]

I had to modify the back of my Mamiya Press camera for the Horseman back to fit. The problem is the bar on the left of the back that it too thick plus the locking slides need "notches" filed in them so that they can lock the back on the camera. This has been done successfully on a Mamiya Press with the Graphic style back, a Mamiya Universal "G" adapter and the back of a 6X9 Crown Graphic.

[neil poulsen]

I've not handled an Arca rollholder myself, but in pictures they look awfully like rebadged Horseman rollholders. There is a known problem with fitting a Horseman rollholder to a Mamiya Press back - see, for example, this discussion (http://photo.net/medium-format-photography-forum/00PNFM).

Thanks so much. That eliminates the Arca and Horseman. Will check out Wista.