Horseman Rotary Back

**Phil Smith** · 21-Aug-2007, 08:58

I have never used the Horseman Rotary Back. Seems as if it would help speed up time from focusing to shooting. I have an opportunity to acquire one for my Horseman 6x9 VHR. I read the instructions on how to mount and use the accessory. From the instructions (the pictures) it seems that the rotary back can only be used with the back in vertical position. Am I mistaken? Would appreciate someone clarifying this for me.
Phil

**Rob_5419** · 21-Aug-2007, 14:45

From the instructions (the pictures) it seems that the rotary back can only be used with the back in vertical position. Am I mistaken? Would appreciate someone clarifying this for me.

Er...the film back rotates with the viewing glass, whilst your camera is in landscape format.

if you have a way to set up your Horseman in vertical portrait mode, then the rotary back will rotate the film back with the viewing glass around that axis. That would be possible by turning your camera 90 degrees on a tripod....and turning the tripod head 90 degrees plane so that you can shoot in horizontal landscape mode..

**keithwms** · 21-Aug-2007, 21:24

There are two separate rotations.

I assume that the rotating back accessory you refer to is the two-port object that fits onto the normal rotating back, in place of a 6x9 film back. This round gizmo gives you two ports. I use that routinely. I normally put a mono viewer on one port and a rollfilm back on the other port. You can do handheld stuff fairly easily that way. You can also rotate between two rollfilm backs of course, and on a VH-R that would be nice since you don't need the GG or mono viewer.

You can get all configurations you like, no need to rotate the body of the camera. The one lever is a little hard to find but once you get used to it....

**Phil Smith** · 23-Aug-2007, 08:28

Thanks Rob and Keith for your helpful words. I went ahead and ordered the the rotary back and think it would be very useful. I didn't realize that I could attach two backs (one at each port) at the same time with two different films or shoot one roll of Tri-X at N and the other at N-1. It's great that this community exists to share the expertise that exists out there.
Phil

**keithwms** · 23-Aug-2007, 18:28

Phil, the first time that you try to put two rollfilm backs on there you briefly won't believe that it works.

But then, open one of the rollfilm backs and simply reverse the film holder in it. There won't be any problem with the pressure plate. Once you do that, you can then fit two rollfilm backs on the rotary gizmo- the winding levers will be on opposite sides. You will need to gently snap the second back on but it will correctly seal. Make sure the washer-like things in the center properly engage both backs and all will be well.

Do be sure to do this before loading film so that you can rotate from one back to another, with darkslides gone, to test the seal. You will see that the rotary gizmo has a very clever mechanism to shield a back when it is rotated out of shooting position. But still I always use darkslides while rotating.