Are There Roll Film Backs for Sinar 4x5?

[RedSun]

I'm sure there are, but do not know who makes them and how much they go for. Are there also film back adapters to Hesselblad, Mamiya and Bronica?

[C. D. Keth]

Which sinar camera? I think sinars generally have a graflock back in which case nearly any rollfilm back will work.

[Jeff Keller]

Sinar Zoom 2 will slide under ground glass of Sinar P.
Cambo RFB will slide under ground glass.
Horseman 4x5 RFB will lock to back after removing ground glass.

[Bob Salomon]

Linhof Super Rollex and Techno Rollex will mount with the gg panel off the Sinar. Linhof Rapid Rollex will slide under the gg of any 45 view camera.
All Wista roll film backs for 45 cameras will fit with the gg panel removed.

[RedSun]

This is a Sinar F2.

[Bob Salomon]

Doesn't make any difference. All Linhof and Wista roll backs for 4x5 120/220 and 50' 70mm will fit.

[RedSun]

Which back do you prefer? Relatively new, decent price?

I've seen the Sinar Zoom and Horseman backs, they look nice.... The the Sinar Zoom costs too much now....

[Frank Petronio]

The big consideration is how the film is held and wound - you want flatness that comes from larger radius rollers and a good quality winding mechanism.

Also how the back mounts matters - the conservative, prudent approach is to remove the ground glass frame (very easy with a Sinar - spring loaded arms hold it in place) and use the Graflock slider tabs to hold the back tightly in place . Some more radical designs slip under the ground glass and extend the spring arms out - these can be very good with the Toyo and Sinar backs - or a disaster as in the Calumet C2 backs.

The Horseman/Wista backs are a good value and the Linhof backs are the very best quality.

Generally you want to avoid old Calumet C2, Graflex, and simple Chinese backs unless you can't afford anything better. The Sinar backs are nice but may be overly complicated... the Zoom 2 is more reliable than the Zoom 1 in that regard, so I've been told.

Any post WW2 back meant for 4x5 will fit any Sinar 4x5. Be careful though because some roll film backs are designed only for 6x9 medium format cameras. You need something to fill the 4x5 space in the back - The Linhof, Graflex, Wista, Horseman all have platforms to accomplish this - other backs are designed to fit the available space.

I think you might be able to find an adapter for a Mamiya RB or Hasselblad back but I've never seen one and it would likely cost as much as an entirely new back anyway. You'd also lose frame counting and winding might be painful - not sure.

The cost of 120 film will be less than 4x5 but depending how much you shoot, for many people shooting 4x5 is more efficient. Perhaps a 6x12 back hits a sweet spot for maximum image area from a roll back ~ if your work fits that format.

Another thing is that focusing and movements, being for a smaller area, is even more critical.

If you simply want to avoid loading film holders or are afraid of dust in the field, do yourself a favor and sell the Sinar - get a Fuji 6x9 rangefinder like the GW690III - and just go shoot. Seriously.

[Drew Wiley]

Horseman backs are common and well-priced at the moment, and are precise. You just remove the back using the clips - just takes a second. But make sure any Horseman or
similar Wista back has the oversize 4x5 plate, and is not the style made only for MF camera
use. The Sinar back will be a lot bulkier. It is common to find Horseman backs in 6X7,6x9,
and for somewhat more money, 6x12. Nice for travel sometimes, but one need to focus
very carefully, since the degree of enlargement is more than with full-sized sheet film, and
it's harder to view the smaller image. Still, the net results can be sharper than with conventional MF cameras because you have use of movements, provided you have high
resolution view lenses to begin with. Finding appropriate wide-angle lenses will be more
difficult than normal to long.