Schneider Hi End Back and Schneider Vacuum Backs

[Matthew S. Comern]

Does anyone have experience with or knowledge of the Schneider Vacuum Back or Sc hneider Hi End back? Are they the same product? How effective and/or easy to use ?

[Simon_443]

Haven't used them (or it); some info is at http://www.schneideroptics.com/large/hiend/hiend.ht

[Michael Klayman]

The Hi-End Back is a vacuum back, so yes, they are the same thing. It would probably take you about 15 or 20 minutes of loading and reloading the same piece of film into the holder in order to become completely comfortable with the whole system, but it does have advantages over a regular film holder. The holders themselves are thinner than regular holders and prevent dust from getting on the film. The vacuum back keeps the film flat during exposure, assuring good focus.

[Simon_443]

That URL I gave above should, of course, end with "htm", not "ht"

Seems like I'm always getting cut off just when I'm trying to make a point, such as the importance of m

[Sal Santamaura]

Schnieder's Hi End Back is a system, consisting of film loading fixture, holders and a vacuum back. The back replaces the ground glass on your camera, and is held in place by the camera's sliding locks. In other words, you may only use this system on cameras with a Graflok feature.

While Michael points out that film is kept flat, just as important is the fact that film is positioned in the same plane as the Hi End Back's ground glass. Taking a system approach to back and holder is the only way to insure this. I've not yet convinced myself that such performance is needed in my work, and thus haven't purchased this system. However, if one is shooting at large apertures, using short focal length lenses, or pointing the camera down, it should be invaluable, providing results unobtainable any other way.

[Bill Glickman]

If you do not plan to shoot downward often, which is the main purpose as I see it for the vacum backs, try loading some film holders with double sided tape. It holds the film perfectly flat, just as if it was shot in normal position. Lot less gear to carry and at the cost, you can buy yourself a new XL instead! Sinar also makes film holders with adhesive backs, although I have never used them.

[linhofbiker]

This is an old thread, but I have never heard of this system until it came up on an Ebay item having this back. Can't find anything about it, and the Schneider website says nothing about it that I can see.

[Oren Grad]

It wasn't on the market for very long, and it was discontinued and vanished from the Schneider website long ago.

If you look at the S-K website from that era in the Wayback Machine you can get a glimpse of it under "Accessories"...

https://web.archive.org/web/19990203030807/http://www.schneiderkreuznach.com/Produkte.html

...but there's no link to more detailed information.

[Arne Croell]

Yes, it is the same thing. I bought one used about 14 years ago and have used it occasionally. I'll probably use it more when my stash of Readyload envelopes is gone (soon). When I bought it used (German ebay), it was gone from Schneider's web site, but they still had a bunch of the special holders available at the company, so I bought several then. Not sure if that is still the case.

The system consists of three parts, and you need all three:

1. The replacement screen/vacuum back for the regular back, attached using the Graflok prongs. Make sure the Schneider back comes with the blackout plate that goes over the ground glass/vacuum platen during exposure, and the rubber bulb.
2. The film loading/unloading jig.
3. The special film holders (double sided).

If I remember correctly, the Schneider rep told me that static electricity and dust can become a problem, which was part of the short-lived presence in the market (in addition to the price when new), so you have to be careful when loading. It hasn't been a problem for me yet. I can post some pictures of the parts if needed.

[linhofbiker]

196630196631The system consists of three parts, and you need all three:

1. The replacement screen/vacuum back for the regular back, attached using the Graflok prongs. Make sure the Schneider back comes with the blackout plate that goes over the ground glass/vacuum platen during exposure, and the rubber bulb.
2. The film loading/unloading jig.
3. The special film holders (double sided).

What part is this:
196630

[Arne Croell]

That is the back, replacing the original ground glass frame on the camera using the Graflok adapter. It does have the blackout plate - that is the part with the two blue knobs. Suction/vacuum is produced by a rubber bulb which is attached to the small steel tube located in the upper right hand corner, below the Schneider-Kreuznach lettering. If the original one is not there, a replacement could probably be found.

[Drew Wiley]

Vac holders are easy to make out of regular Fidelity or Lisco holders. One side is converted into the vac chamber, and holes are drilled through the septum. It's a bit more involved, but that's the basic concept, and they load the same as always, with just one sheet of film per holder rather than two. No need to switch out backs each time as in Graflok devices.

[Arne Croell]

The - at least theoretical - advantage of the Schneider vacuum holder vs. others was that it eliminated any variation and tolerances in ground glass position vs. film position, since the film was sucked onto the ground glass. The offset in that case is the film base thickness but that is quite small.

[Arne Croell]

Here are some images of the system, more to follow, showing the back with ground glass, rubber bulb, and detached cover plate; the back with cover plate installed; the film loading/ unloading jig; and one film holder.

[Arne Croell]

Some more pics: film holder with one internal clamping frame removed; clamping frame with film; frame and film holder in the loading jig; and the holder inserted into the back.

[Arne Croell]

And the final stage, the film pressed to the ground glass.

[Tin Can]

Thanks Arne for images of the system

A picture is far better than 1000 words

[europanorama]

Now we would like also to read the manual, thanks.