Rittreck View 5x7 Large Format Camera Backs & Holders Guide

[@terrytowells5500]

Lots of great information in this video - thank you!

[@VonBromPhoto]

Glad it was helpful!

[@andyvan5692]

one thing to note with the single metal slides on the Linhof 5x7", is that the back is NEITHER a "wet plate" back, even though the ground_glass hinges open; or a Graflok back!!, these have a bar which slides into a groove on the holders; this has a window cill which the bar on top holds the top edge of the single sheet holders, but is too thin, and is not meant to hold the other backs. I got one of these, BUT I am fine with it, as the 'kit' also included 9 of these holders, so I can still use this back!

[@VonBromPhoto]

Hello Andy, can you send me a photo of your camera back and film holders, I'm interested in seeing them. Thanks.

[@matthewbushey9455]

Nice discussion of the various sizes between film holders and such. If you're ever interested in selling your Rittreck 5x7 setup, I'd gladly entertain the purchase! Can't hardly find a Rittreck 5x7 these days online for sale anymore.

[@VonBromPhoto]

There is a Rittreck 5x7 back on eBay right now... the back alone is about twice the price of a whole camera with 4x5 back.

[@matthewbushey9455]

@@VonBromPhoto yeah, that eBay listing you mention (with the custom back) has been there for some time now . . . But it doesn’t come with any other back, 5x7 or otherwise. The last complete Rittreck 5x7 came and went in about a day many months ago. No 5x7 backs to be had in individual listings, either (other than a cassette). I almost popped for a rare Canham metal 5x7 a few months back, but again, at $3K US, is a tough purchase pill to swallow. Guess I’ll keep waiting for that rare Rittreck 5x7 listing! Keep up the great content. Make some more soon! 💯

[@VonBromPhoto]

I was referring to a listing for the back itself. This particular example is missing the focussing cover but would otherwise work ok. www.ebay.com.au/itm/155564521853

[@matthewbushey9455]

@@VonBromPhoto yeah, that was the cassette I mentioned in my last reply . . . Not a bad option, but would prefer the focusing hood since I mainly shoot portraits, and don’t prefer to use a cloth hood over my head and the camera. Will that 5x7 cassette actually fit the 4x5 model? Or do I need the actual 5x7 camera to use it? (If there are in fact 2 different camera bodies?)

[@andyvan5692]

amen, the Linhof tech iii 's in 5x7" also had a simmilar back varient, for metal single sheet 'septums' if you could call them that, in your bookform holder and graffmatic holders this metal sheet holder is called a septum; and with most of these, you can't fit a polaroid into it, and you must be cautious about what film they take, for instance, buying a linhof baby, these take 6.5x9 CM film, NOT the 4x5" sheets!, so you have to cut the film to fit.

[@masihmotretpakefilm2770]

Hi, can i ask about 4x5 film back? is it compatible with horseman roll film holder 6x7, 6x9, 6x12? thank you

[@VonBromPhoto]

Most Rittreck View 4x5 backs do not have Graflok clips so roll film backs that replace the ground glass won't fit. Some late model Rittreck 4x5 backs made when the company changed to Wista are Graflok compatible but these are uncommon: right now (2003-09-15) there aren't any on eBay, either the back by itself or a camera with the back on it. Roll film holders like the Toyo 67/45 and 69/45 and some SINAR roll film holders slide under the ground glass and are compatible with most 4x5 cameras including the Rittreck View 5x7 and these would be the best choice IMHO. Rittreck made roll film slider backs, these have both a ground glass and a mount for a roll film holder, and slide so the ground glass can be moved into position for focussing then moved out of the way for the roll film holder. These come up regularly but most were made for the Mamiya Press roll film holders which were available at the time but are now reasonably uncommon, or were designed for a Rittreck-branded roll film back that is even less common. If you were considering buying one of these backs only get it if it comes with a roll film holder that is known to fit and work with it.

[@dedinurdin]

thank you very much for comprehansive expanation. i'm really really appreciate it and so so helpull. I just bough rittreck, it come with 4x5 back and i am looking for a back for medium format film. thank you again.

[@philippeducros5315]

Thank you for the video but I can add some informations .In Japan wooden holders 1/2 frame or full frame seems to have allways the same size .In on no brand back for half frame you can use half wooden holders (I bought 30 wooden holders in japan and all fits well) .Foma produce still today ,B & W film in 4 3/4 x 6 1/2 in 100 ASA .I think ,in Europ it is better to have the full range of sizes (ANSI specifications) because if you don't find your favorit size like 5x7 you can buy 13x18 .

[@VonBromPhoto]

Thanks for the info!

[@darrylroberts5235]

Great. Do you use regular lens boards or the Linhof adapter?

[@VonBromPhoto]

I use both! I have a 65mm on a recessed Linhof board and a Fujinon SF 250mm in a Copal 3 flat Linhof board which i use with an adaptor. The flat Rittreck boards are the most convenient but take more room in the camera bag, but if you have multiple cameras the Linhof board seems to be the most versatile.

[@GOLDDYNACO]

Some photos in 5x7 seem to have significantly vignetting and sharp edges. Does your optics have insufficient image circle? Can a sinking bellows make the sharp edges? It is a good idea to look into the lens from the side at the front of the camera to detect to excessive shifts/tilts/swings in the setup.

[@VonBromPhoto]

A couple of the photos are made with a 75mm lens (a 16mm FFE) which only just covers 5x7. Such a short lens doesn't fully cover 5x7 plus will display cos4 illumination falloff: lenses 90mm and shorter usually need to be used with a centre filter to balance out the cos4 vignetting particularly with colour transparency film. I think another made with a 90mm has some bellows vignetting.

[@gunadwi9177]

Hi, can i ask about 8x10 film back? is it compatible with most of the 8x10 lenses? how long the bellow draw this camera has? thank you

[@VonBromPhoto]

Ah, good question! From what I have read (I haven't seen an 8x10 back in person, only photos) the extension back is about 150mm deep which makes using long lenses easier, but it restricts the minimum infinity focus to about 200mm: a 210mm lens will focus on infinity, but anything shorter will not. Movements can be restricted by physical vignetting from the the geometry of the camera body and extension back blocking the light path. Consensus seems to be that it's OK for a 210mm to 300mm lens with modest movements and at modest magnification, so good for simple landscape or head-and-shoulder portraits. Note that for close-up work, a subject that's 8x10 in size is 1:1 and will require 2x the focal length in bellows extension (and 2 stops additional exposure). I picked up a whole plate (6.5x8.5 inch) back recently and will post a video on that soon.* That back has about 65mm extension and the shortest flange distance is about 130mm. Plasmat 135mm and longer lenses will infinity focus, anything shorter will not, although the Fujinon NSW 125mm wide angle lens has a long flange distance and works as well. Note that the whole plate back is quite light but has the same volume as the whole rest of the folded camera. I can fit the camera, 4x5 or 5x7 back and two lenses in a camera bag, but the whole plate back needs a bag for itself. The 8x10 back would be even larger again. * I picked up two whole plate backs: a spring back that takes modern film holders, and an old-style hinged back that uses wooden bookform glass plate holders. I've purchased some J.Lane dry plates and am working through those now: the Rittreck is a very versatile camera! Note that the plates are ortho and can be tray processed insafelight, so they are easier to work with than panchromatic film.

[@gunadwi9177]

@@VonBromPhoto Thank you for details information..im really interested with this camera especially with 8x10 back.

[@VonBromPhoto]

@gunadwi9177 A somewhat later response: currently the Rittreck 8x10 extension back is selling for about AUD$1000 including shipping, which is around 3 times the cost of a whole Rittreck View 5x7 camera with 4x5 back, and about 2x the cost of a 5x7 back (they are quite expensive but worth the cost IMHO). For what I've read the 8x10 back is quite limited in the lenses it will work with, both short and long, and though the back is quite light it's a fair bit larger than the camera itself. I don't think the Rittreck back would be a good way to get into 8x10. A Toyo View 810G monorail camera is about AUD$2,500 (I'd not recommend any monorail camera for use outside a studio) while a Toyo Field 810M is around AUD$4000. A wood 8x10 Tachihara Fiel Stand is around AUD$3000 and other cameras go up in price from there. Note that 8x10 film holders are around AUD$300 each: nothing 8x10 is cheap, IMHO buy once and buy well, good equipment will maintain its value and be easy to sell, likely getting what you paid for it.

[@carlgarner9477]

I recently purchased a Rittreck View with a 10x8 back for £150 on eBay, it's in great condition however I had to source a ground glass screen and fresnel along with a lens plate adapter to take Horseman boards. I haven't managed to get out with it yet tho, don't seem to get a minute to myself these days!

[@noc838]

Are those two metal 4x5 and5x7 backs graflock backs?

[@noc838]

And could you use a 6x17 roll film back on this camera?

[@VonBromPhoto]

No official Rittreck 5x7 back has graflocks. Late model 4x5 backs made after Rittreck re-branded as Wista do have graflocks, but the one in this video does not.

[@VonBromPhoto]

Using one of the later 4x5 graflock backs, yes a 6x17 back will probably mount. Note that a 6x17 roll film back will probably cost 2 or 3 times as much as the camera, and you can get the same panoramic format by cropping a 5x7 sheet, and save a lot of money.

[@user-kcrpine]

Shanghai… that didn’t last long, unfortunately.