Sliding back???

[John Conway]

Someone please explain what the heck the sliding backs were used for on studio cameras. I have one camera (Century) with the sliding back and another (Ansco) with no back. Every back that comes up while searching is a sliding back. Did anyone use regular backs in studio's back in the old days?

[cdholden]

Sliding backs gave the photographer the ability to shoot two portraits on a single piece of film. When 5x7 was used, this gave 2 portraits of about "postcard" size on a single piece of film, oriented in "landscape" position (horizontal).
If 8x10 was used, it gave two portraits slightly smaller than 5x8 each.

[John Conway]

Thank you. Now if I have a sliding back(5X7) and I want to make just one 5X7 image, can I use a 5X7 holder and make just one full 5X7 image?

[cdholden]

If the sliding back has a way to remove the baffle, maybe. I'm not familiar with them enough to say. I've only ever used one on a field camera and it was not interchangeable. To shoot 5x7 with the sliding carriage on my Ansco 5x7 was not possible. The camera required a separate 5x7 back.

[Mark Woods]

I have my dad's 5x7 with a sliding back that he made. He had a portrait studio in Hollywood. He could shoot two images on each sheet of film. This was quicker and more economic than putting in multiple film holders. It still works, although I don't use it.

[John Conway]

That is what I was hoping you wouldn't say. The sliding back I have for the Century is missing a part. That is why I couldn't figure out how it worked. I really want an 8x10 back for the Ansco. A 5x7 slider came up on ebay so I thought maybe I would try 5x7 if I could get it cheap enough. I think it will be best to wait for an 8x10 back to come along.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Sliding backs are great. I have one for the 8A. Man is it nice!

[Merg Ross]

At my first studio job, in 1960, we used the 5x7 with sliding back for Passport and similar portraits. Two shots per sitter on the split back, sitter chose the best, and then contact prints were made. Sizing was done by camera location. We later went to a 70mm roll film back; 5x7 sheet film in the 60's was the studio standard, and inexpensive.

[Joseph Dickerson]

I may get into trouble with the nuance police on this but so far I think everyone has described a "split back" not a sliding back.

The split back allows two images on one piece of film, while the sliding back allowed the photographer to focus on the ground glass and then slide the film holder or roll film holder into the place previously occupied by the gg. On the sliding back the gg was next to the aperture for the film holder. I think the confusion stems from the fact that on a split back the film holder is "slide" or shifted between the two exposures.

I started out shooting with a Deardorff fitted with a sliding back and a 5 inch roll film holder. Needless to say, that was a loooooooooooooong time ago. The camera also had a split back which gave two 3.5 x 5 inch images on one sheet of 5x7 film.

I still have a similar back made by Horseman that lets me shoot with my Mamiya 67 backs on a Sinar (or Horseman). This one rotates rather than slides, but it's the same idea.

Hope this clears up any confusion.

JD

[Bob Salomon]

I may get into trouble with the nuance police on this but so far I think everyone has described a "split back" not a sliding back.

The split back allows two images on one piece of film, while the sliding back allowed the photographer to focus on the ground glass and then slide the film holder or roll film holder into the place previously occupied by the gg. On the sliding back the gg was next to the aperture for the film holder. I think the confusion stems from the fact that on a split back the film holder is "slide" or shifted between the two exposures.

I started out shooting with a Deardorff fitted with a sliding back and a 5 inch roll film holder. Needless to say, that was a loooooooooooooong time ago. The camera also had a split back which gave two 3.5 x 5 inch images on one sheet of 5x7 film.

I still have a similar back made by Horseman that lets me shoot with my Mamiya 67 backs on a Sinar (or Horseman). This one rotates rather than slides, but it's the same idea.

Hope this clears up any confusion.

JD

Clears it up just fine. The sliding back (or Rapid Shift back) is also used commonly today for stitching with a digital back on a view type camera.