weight of Rittreck View

[Joseph Kashi]

Something I've often wondered about the Rittreck relative to its weight...would it be possible to lighten it up a bit without compromising its strength/structural integrity? You know...remove a bit of metal here and there? Some well-placed holes?

Holes can be a good thing, if well-placed. Here is an example of well placed weight-reduction holes, the exact size and placement of which were determined using a Solid Works program, which enabled us to lighten the camera while actually adding strength:

Attachment 225331

My thought about the Rittreck is that the camera could be "imported" into a solid modeling program, and then re-engineered to incorporate weight reduction holes. Make sense?

I've rebuilt, and now use, two 5x7 Rittreck cameras, along with the 4x5 reducing backs for each. No question, it's heavy at 9 pounds, 6 ounces, but stable.

Offhand, like Tin Can, I cannot see where making any holes would effectively lighten the camera except in the shell, which is essentially the entire structural support system and which provides protection against dirt, weather, and damage when folded.

Where one could save a great deal of weight on this camera without sacrificing rigidity, structural integrity, or protective sealing of the folded camera would be to make the body shell and bed out of magnesium alloy, which is 33% lighter than the structurally equivalent aluminum and to honeycomb the thicker top and bottom plates of the apparently one-piece cast shell. Reesigning the front and back focus rail mechanisms on the bed would also help reduce weight as would shifting to a Toyo 45A-style compendium.

However, using more modern materials like Magnesium alloy would go a very long way in lightening the camera without a major retooling or redesign, probably reducing the weight of the 5x7 unit by at least two pounds, down to about 7.25 pounds, which would be much more manageable.

Any re-design would likely be expensive as the parts are largely die-cast, and making precision dies is costly, not something reasonably undertaken by a poorly-funded casual operation.

Wista, as corporate successor to Rittreck, might still have the dies, though. Rittreck 5x7 models stopped appearing in Wista's View Camera Magazine ads at the beginning of 1990, so the dies might still be around somewhere in Wista's back rooms.

[Feanolas]

I use a Rittreck and like it very much, but for the weight. I am also thinking about lightening mine. I have an ugly one (lots of corrosion on the back and ripped bellows) bought very cheap that will be going under the drill. I am planning to drill the bottom plate which is very thick and the sides and top of the body which do not need much structural rigidity. Maybe replace the back focusing rails with carbon rods, getting rid of the focusing knobs and just keeping a locking mechanism. Well, hopefully one day in the not-to-far future when I have some time to tinker !
John, if you decide to work on this idea, let me know.

[Vaughan]

What I would love is a bag bellows. It would need to be permanently fixed but these cameras are cheap enough to have one dedicated to short lenses.

[Feanolas]

What I would love is a bag bellows. It would need to be permanently fixed but these cameras are cheap enough to have one dedicated to short lenses.

Interesting idea, shouldn't be too difficult, front part is easy to remove, rear part is glued.
Take a Rittreck with a destroyed bellows and no back, they come up sometimes dirt cheap, and adapt a bag bellow or a shortened standard bellow. You can even get rid of the rear focusing mechanism, which would save a bit of weight !

Yet I am wondering what kind of lens you would use that requires such a bag bellows. I use sometimes a 90mm, at that bellow extension there is not a lot of movement offered by the bellows, but the lens coverage wouldn't allow much anyway, so the combo is adequate. My shortest lens with enough coverage to allow extensive movements is a Nikon 8/120mm, but at that extension there is almost no limitation (just checked: 25mm of rise and fall, plenty of tilt and swing).

[abruzzi]

As a side note--If you're like me and like to carry your cameras in a shoulder bag (backpacks don't usually work well for my uses) I did find the perfect bag for a Rittreck--the Domke 833.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...o_Courier.html

It has two narrow padded inserts. I put them at opposite ends. the camera fits nicely in between the inserts. One insert I fill with 2 or 3 lenses, the other with all the miscellaneous stiff like meter, loupe, linhof lensboard adapter. and the front pocket can hold 4, 5x7 film holders. Its heavy on your shoulders, but Domke sells a "postal" shoulder pad that works quite well.

[Feanolas]

As a side note--If you're like me and like to carry your cameras in a shoulder bag (backpacks don't usually work well for my uses) I did find the perfect bag for a Rittreck--the Domke 833.

I got me a messenger bag for laptop on aliexpress, well padded, two main compartments, the bigger one fits perfectly the Rittreck and there is some place for a lens or two, the second holds 6 holders, and small pockets in the front for miscellaneous accessories. Not a Domke for sure, but for $25, it fit the bill well enough.
I have a second small photo bag (old one) that contains additional lenses if needed.

[abruzzi]

I got me a messenger bag for laptop on aliexpress, well padded, two main compartments, the bigger one fits perfectly the Rittreck and there is some place for a lens or two, the second holds 6 holders, and small pockets in the front for miscellaneous accessories. Not a Domke for sure, but for $25, it fit the bill well enough.
I have a second small photo bag (old one) that contains additional lenses if needed.

Thats great if it works for you. Due to very bad knees, I need to operate out of a shoulder bag since I can't kneel down to pull things out of a backpack. A backpack would be less painful on my shoulders, but much more painful on my knees thanks to running into a badly driven F150 at 25mph on my motorcycle.

The Domke works great for me, though it can get a bit heavy. The Domke is essentially a messenger bag so it is a similar idea to what you have.

[Feanolas]

Thats great if it works for you. Due to very bad knees, I need to operate out of a shoulder bag since I can't kneel down to pull things out of a backpack. A backpack would be less painful on my shoulders, but much more painful on my knees thanks to running into a badly driven F150 at 25mph on my motorcycle.

I sympathize. Got in a frontal crash 6 years ago in my tiny Lotus Elise, both at 80 km/h... driver felt asleep! One's not on the winning side when tucked in a car half the weight of the oncoming: one knee busted, both feet, a wrist and a collarbone !

Have you tried one of these sling bags, like a Lowepro Slingshot? Could be a good option, don't know if it would fit a Rittreck though.

[abruzzi]

I haven't. I have seen the backpacks where you leave the belt attached and slide it around and enter it from the back side. They seem a bit clunky to use. The slingshot looks more usable and I've had other sling bags in the distant past (not camera bags, but school bags.) I'll definitely look into them next time I feel the itch for an improved bag. Thanks.

[rfesk]

I have been using a Galen Rowell Photoflex bag (the largest) for years with a Busch Pressman 4x5 outfit. It has a shoulder strap and waist strap. The flap folds away from the body when opened. You never have to put the bag on the ground.

They come up on ebay occasionally.