6x12 backs

[William Pearce]

Being a poor and struggling student i will be buying one of the cheaper import backs as apposed to something a little more substantial.

I have seen 2 types on ebay the DAYi and Guoh

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAYI-6x12-6x9 ... 415e8d09d6

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-6x12-Roll ... 4157f78f06

just wondering if any one here has much experience? theres about a £50 difference between them. is this just because the DAYi has the option of switching it to 6x9, 6x6 etc or is there also something in the build quality?

also i read somewhere that the DAYi is also essentially the shen hao 6x12 back?

[dave_whatever]

I haven't used these but I remember reading that the type in your second link are mainly plastic, but the dayi type are all metal. I'd give up drinking for a few months, save up and buy the metal type. i've got a dayi 6x17 back and its built like a brick sh!thouse, fairly utilitarian design but no real problems with build quality.

[William Pearce]

yes I was a little concerned about the plastic build! think i will go for the Dayi thanks for the advice.

sadly most of the drinking had to be given up for film already but i will sacrifice the rest for the sake of LF!

[David Rees]

William,

The Dayi back works fine -- I have a 6x12, and I'm happy with it. I use it mostly as a 6x9 back, simply because I prefer that format. If I really want long and wide, I tend to use a Dayi 6x17 back.

One minor issue -- the 6x9 aperture is a true 9cm in width, rather more than my Nikon 8000ed scanner can cope with (the 6x9 format seems to be 56mmx82mm in practice). I've taped the frame to make it suit my scanner, and the matching frame marks on my ground glass.

[Adrian Twiss]

I have a Shen Hao which is a re-badged version of the Dayi. It is a well built piece of kit. Not as sophisticated as the more expensive offerings but it does the job. Mine has the benefit of having format masks for 6x9, 6x6 and 6x4.5 as well.

[William Pearce]

thanks guys,

in terms of scanning im lucky enough to have access to a flextight x5 so i should be able to scan 6x12 without a problem

and i did look at the 6x17, i think it would be a little too wide for me!

[William Pearce]

just to continue this i was looking at the dayi backs on ebay.
i have seen 2 with a slight difference.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DAYI-Multi-Form ... 27cdebbffa

on this version notice that where the dark slide comes out there is a plate with 4 screws holding it in place? as apposed the the version below.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DAYI-6x12-6x9-6 ... 415e8d09d6

where it is just one full metal plate on the back. i assume its to do with the sealing?

David, do you know which version you have? seeing as you said yours works fine i'd like that version!

cheers again

WIll

[David Rees]

Will,

I don't see any significant difference between the two backs, I think they are identical. The second auction doesn't show the extra plates for smaller formats, but the screws are there. Description seems to indicate that the format plates are supplied.

These Dayi backs are heavy, and not elegant in any way, but they do the job well enough.

[William Pearce]

thanks david,

I think its just me being picky!

[William Pearce]

just thought i would give you guys an update.

in the end i found an arca swiss on ebay, went for £170 in the end

needless to say i'm a happy bunny

here is an image from the other day, still needs a bit of cleaning up.

http://willpearce.tumblr.com/image/42439500949

[Andrew Plume]

'the road to the pulping mill'............??

andrew