6x17 back(on e bay)

[du a gwyn]

hello everybody,does any of you use/bought the 6x17 back that are sold on e bay? how easy it to use/load etc,etc.
all view's very much appriciated.
diolch yn fawr.

[Charles Twist]

I have the DaYi off the Internet - considerably cheaper than RW but still a rip-off. It's a lump of carved-out, anodised aluminium. Very solid and just as agrarian as the Toyo. It has the feel of vintage Soviet gear. It works very well for my limited 6x17 needs. Problems you need to consider:
(i) the peep-holes at the back (to tell you the film position) are not lined with red film, so old style film (eg Efke PL25) will be a problem.
(ii) the film does not always wind on perfectly tight, so be careful when you offload. Don't squeeze the film or you'll leave burn marks on the last picture.
(iii) check with your camera and lenses, which focal length you will be able to use and whether you get even coverage of the film. Build a mock up with some card-board and some grease-proof paper for a quick answer (not kidding).
(iv) make sure your camera has an international back.
(v) it's a slow process, as you need to put the ground glass back on first to set up the camera, then you remove that back to put the roll film holder back on.
Other than that, it's a great bit of kit that has given me much pleasure, in spite of the fact that I only use one lens with it (the 135mm).
I hope that helps.
Charles

[du a gwyn]

Charles,many,many thanks for the excellent reply to my mail.i can't ask for more than this.the robert white model from shen hoe seems very,very expensive to me.i do fancy a go at it though especially for making some of the mountain shot around me.
diolch yn fawr.

[Charles Twist]

To give you an idea of what can be achieved with the 6x17 back, using the 135mm lens, I achieve an image on the 120 roll equivalent to a 210mm lens on the 5x4 format on the short axis, while the long axis is equivalent to a 90mm. So you lose a lot of height. Which can be a problem when photographing high mountains... There is much to be done though, so don't be put off. The combination of movements to increase DOF or maintain perspective with a 6x17 frame is near enough unique. I really like the work of Mark Denton with his Fuji G617: I like the way he places the foreground on one side of the wide frame and uses the rest to show the sweep of the landscape. A matter of course with the view camera but tricky with the fixed planes.
Charles