Graflex 6x7 film back

[Rob G]

Hi Everyone,
I am new to the group (joined today) therefor this is my first post, so please dont laugh at the question.
After using medium format for many years and dreaming of large format I took the plunge earlier this week and purchased a Cambo SC with a Rodenstock 150mm lens and a Copal shutter,I am currently playing with this fantastic setup and trying to get to know it. When the Cambo arrived a Graflex 6x7 film holder was included. As I mentioned I already have medium format in 6x6 and 6x9 so using this on the cambo may seem pointless and the mis-use of a beatiful large format camera , BUT I hate to have things and not use them.
My problem is I cannot fit the holder to the camera, I wanted to ask if anyone has actually used one of these holders on a Cambo, was a new back required and if so were I may source one.
I would be grateful for any advice.
Regards,
Rob.

[Kevin Crisp]

Guessing here...but the back is probably made for a Graflok back. This was a proprietary back made by Graflex which allows the ground glass to be removed as a panel and other devices attached by sliding two horizontal rails to hold the devices on. If your camera has a graflok back, you can push in on two horizontal bars and slide the ground glass assembly off to the right. Then put the 6X7 back on and slide the tabbed bars that remain on the back of the camera to hold it on.

In use, you mask the ground glass for the 6X7 image, focus and compose, and then take off the ground glass, put the 6X7 back on, and take the picture. It is a bit inconvenient.

[Glenn Thoreson]

The advice given pretty much covers it. I'm like you, however, and consider using a medium format roll holder on a large format camera a waste of time. I have a whole pile of 6X7 Graflex and RB-67 holders but they are for use on my 2X3 Speed Graphics, where they're more at home. For a take along medium format camera to suplement the big guys, my favorite is (don't laugh) a GenFlex TLR. Horribly sharp lens on that baby.

[Vick Vickery]

Most Cambo's I've seen, including mine, come with a "universal back" which is about the same as a Graflok back. Look at your back and see if it does not have two levers on opposite sides (long sides) of the ground glass; push these levers in at the same time and slide the ground glass off; once off, put your roll film back in the space (I'm assumming here that it is made for 4x5 and has metal lips to fill the area left open on the camera all the way to the edges...they did make roll film backs for 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 cameras, too) and slide the locking rails still on the camera back in toward the roll film back to secure it in place. I will help you to mark the film area on your ground glass for ease of composition.

[Ernest Purdum]

I think these rollfilm holders do have a use on view cameras like your Cambo. The view camera allows use of movements which most MF cameras don't have. For a person starting out in LF, such holders provide a relatively simple and economical start.

They make lenses effectively longer. Somtimes an advantage, sometimes not, but the ability to use more than one format provides fuller use of your expensive lenses.