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NoBob
29-Oct-2012, 22:52
To get an Arca Swiss Discovery to shoot 120 roll fim, what would you need to change/add (in addition to the roll film back) on the camera?

Thanks.

Jeff Keller
30-Oct-2012, 00:49
For 120 roll film you will probably be using some fairly short focal lengths. Check the minimum bellows extention for the bellows.

Jeff Keller

Tim Meisburger
30-Oct-2012, 01:13
Nothing. All of your lenses will cover. The one thing people do is mark the format on their ground glass. You can do that with a pencil, or tape, or post-its.

Emmanuel BIGLER
30-Oct-2012, 07:20
To get an Arca Swiss Discovery to shoot 120 roll fim, what would you need to change/add (in addition to the roll film back) on the camera?

The Arca Swiss discovery is fitted with a an international 9x12 cm / 4x5 inches springback and graflok-type latches.
Hence you should only pay attention to the kind of rollfilm back you intend to use
- most, if not all, insertion-type rollfim backs that fit under the ground glass like a 4x5" or 9x12 cut-film holder are OK;
- rollfilm backs that attach to the graflok latches should be fitted with the proper 4x5 inches attaching plate. You have to remove the ground glass to attach his kind of rollfilm back.
For example; Horseman has two lines of rollfilm backs, some are designed without plate to directly fit a baby-graflok 2x3" - 6x9 cm camera back, they will not fit on the Arca Swiss discovery directly. Look for those backs designed to fit a 4x5" camera.
Same applies to Linhof rollex or super rollex rollfim backs, the small Linhof 6x9 or 6x7 backs will only fit 6x9 linhof cameras, they are not compatible with the baby graflok 2x3" - 6x9 cm style and will not fit the Arca Swiss either.
However Linhof Super Rollex backs with the the 4x5" plate will perfectly fit the graflok latches of any Arca Swiss 4x5" F-line or M-line camera.
There is a Sinar-Zoom insertion-type back that should fit (I've never tried so I do not actually know).
Horseman has a nice 6x12 back, that perfectly fits. Beware however the a very similar 6x12 Horseman back is offered for the Horseman 6x12 camera, this 6x12 back is proper to the Horseman 6x12 and does not have the 4x5" attaching plate. But they are rare.

In general you simply should pay attention that the graflok-type rollfilm back you have in mind has the proper 4x5", graflok-style, attaching plate.

Rod Klukas
30-Oct-2012, 08:20
Emmanuel has it correct.
- rollfilm backs that attach to the graflok latches should be fitted with the proper 4x5 inches attaching plate. You have to remove the ground glass to attach his kind of roll film back. These are the correct backs and are, as he said available in 6x6, 6x7, 6x9, and 6x12.
Arca-Swiss, Horseman and Wista will work very well with your discovery.
Rod

NoBob
30-Oct-2012, 08:47
Thanks all very much! That's good news. I was thinking I'd have to get a different rear standard or something...

Carsten Wolff
31-Oct-2012, 14:01
Thanks all very much! That's good news. I was thinking I'd have to get a different rear standard or something...

I used to have a sliding 6x9 A-S adapter with a dedicated 6x9 screen which allowed to focus and shoot within a second of each other...neat, but I sold it because I wasn't using rollfilm. Never seen anotherone since.

neil poulsen
1-Nov-2012, 06:59
Here's another option that's a little less obvious. (By the way, "obvious" is good!)

I have a Mamiya Press Universal adapter for 6x9 film backs that I will have mounted into an Arca Swiss, 171mm lens board that will fit on the back of an Arca Swiss camera. The adapter includes the Graflok 6x9 latches, the ground glass that can removed, etc. This will require that I have a rectangle cut out of the board, attach it with screws, etc.

The neat thing about these Mamiya adapters is that they accept Mamiya RB67 film magazines, whereas in my experience, standard international 6x9 Graflok camera backs will not. They also accept standard 6x9 Graflex film backs. The smaller 6x9 Graflex film backs are easier to store, take up less room, etc. Plus for me, I can easily interchange them back and forth between my old-style 6x9 Arca.

After I get this put together, I'll post it on the DIY forum.

By the way, if you decide to go with 6x9 Graflex backs with the 4x5 plates, be aware that they exist in two sizes. The knob type backs are usually 2.25x3.25. The lever film backs typically are aren't quite as long, like about 2.25x3.125, or a little less.

mike rosenlof
1-Nov-2012, 17:38
Just make sure you get a 4x5 rollfilm back. If you look somewhere like KEH, there are the 6x7 or maybe 6x9 backs and there are the 4x5 6x7 backs. You will want one that fits a 4x5 camera.

NoBob
20-Nov-2012, 05:12
Thanks all. Would any of these work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arca-Swiss-120-Roll-Film-Back-6x7-Holder-10-Exposures-611000-397-USA-WARRANTY-/400335267469?pt=US_Film_Backs_Holders&hash=item5d35d7668d

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Horseman-120-Roll-Film-Holder-452-10EXP-6x7-for-4x5-camera-film-back-EXC-/271099499893?pt=US_Film_Backs_Holders&hash=item3f1eca1575

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Horseman-120-Roll-Film-Holder-452-10EXP-6x7-for-4x5-camera-film-back-Near-Mint-/271101244345?pt=US_Film_Backs_Holders&hash=item3f1ee4b3b9

Are these the "under ground glass" or "remove ground glass" type?

B.S.Kumar
20-Nov-2012, 07:03
The ArcaSwiss back is the 'baby' Graflok type, and will not fit your Discovery camera. The Horseman backs will fit your camera (and all modern 4x5 cameras), and are the "remove ground glass" type.

Kumar

NoBob
20-Nov-2012, 08:10
Thanks Kumar.