Shen Hao back?

[jwarren116]

I recently bought myself a shiny new Shen Hao 4x5 from Badger Graphics. Absolutely love the camera. I came across a Polaroid 545 back for sale for a whopping $19, and bought it up. All the specs I've found on the Shen Hao list it as taking Polaroid and Quickload backs, as well as 120 film backs. All was fine and dandy until I tried to put the 545 back into the camera! It makes a snug fit, but the grooves that the sliding locks should clip into aren't in the right spot. They're too far apart it seems. I'm pretty sure it's not an error on my part mechanically. Am I mistaken in thinking it can take a 545 back? And if so, how do I go about getting a 545-capable back for the camera? I didn't see anything on Badger's website, or any websites for that matter.

[jwarren116]

Nevermind. I feel insanely stupid right now. I was trying to do something completely wrong.

[Asher Kelman]

Nevermind. I feel insanely stupid right now. I was trying to do something completely wrong.

Don't leave us in the dark! What was the error. I ask because of a problem with the measurements of a Shen-Hao look-alike (which may or may not be the same camera with a different badge).

Asher

[Turner Reich]

The Calumet C1 Roll holder doesn't fit the Shen Hao camera either, and it's no mistake, I would have to shave out some wood to have it fit in and seat correctly.

[jwarren116]

I was trying to attach it like you'd attach a roll film back. I took off the GG and tried to use the little sliding lock tabs to lock the 545-back into the rear of the camera. If I'm not mistaken, those are used for roll film backs, right?

[Gordon Moat]

With a Polaroid 545, it fits fine under the ground glass, so no need to remove the ground glass holder. You are not the first to try only fitting a 545 using the sliding locks; there were at least two questions on SHUG (Yahoo) about the same thing.

The sliding locks will fit a Polaroid 550 and Polaroid 405, which are both pack film holders. While a 405 does fit under the ground glass, it seems to place quite a bit of pressure on the ground glass springs. Therefore, I think it is less severe to remove the ground glass and use the sliding locks when you are using either of the Pack Film holders. You can also force a Polaroid 550 under the ground glass, but it is an even tigher fit than a 405 holder.

Using a rollfilm back also requires removing the ground glass, somewhat due to the thickness of those backs, but also to leave room for the lever winder filom advance. My Linhof Super Rollex fits great and works nicely in this way. I know others who have Horseman, Graflex, and Wista rollfilm backs, and they also work fine. I know one Shen-Hao user with the Sinar Zoom rollfilm holder, and that fits under the ground glass, negating the need for removing the ground glass.

I did a check on the Fuji Quickload holder, which has slots cut into it that are not full length. That also will not line up with the sliding locks on the Shen-Hao. However, since it fits under the ground glass, that is the preferred method in which I use it. So I am left with one way to mount the Quickload holder to the camera, and not two.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

[timbo10ca]

I tried my 545 holder in my new 4x5 reducing back (for a 5x7 camera) by inserting it under the GG as I would a normal film holder. If I push it as far as it goes (like I would with a regular film holder), the holder is on an angle and I can see a crack of light from the winder side. If I only insert it part way so the face is flush, the end doesn't reach to the far side like a normal film holder would and the film edge is not at the far end of the GG (does this make sense???). I've never used a 545 holder before, but assumed it would fit into the back like any other holder would. Am I doing something wrong, or does the 545 not fit in this reducing back?

Tim

[walter23]

Yeah, you figured it out. The 545 fits fine under the GG on a shen hao back.

[Ralph Barker]

Tim - the reducing back needs to have sufficient offset from the "space-filling" section of the back to accommodate the bulge of the Polaroid holder. It sounds like yours may be too shallow.

[Marko]

Don't leave us in the dark! What was the error. I ask because of a problem with the measurements of a Shen-Hao look-alike (which may or may not be the same camera with a different badge).

Asher

Asher,

I have to add that both the Quickload and Polaroid 545i holders that I also have did fit normally on that particular camera. Also worth noting is that both needed to be positively pushed for an additional tiny step once they stop moving in. But they are both made to slide under the GG, while the problem was with the Graflok-type fit.

Marko