Is a second Rollei back worth the $

[david_simonds]

Friends,

I am going to be traveling to the Middle East in March and will be

hauling my Rollei 6008i kit along. I plan to shoot Astia for bright

daytime conditions and NPH for early morning/afternoon/interior, and

perhaps for shots that are destined to be photo album fodder. But I

have only one 120 back. I tend not to burn through the film, and can

see my self in a situation where I have the perfect shot and

precisely the wrong film, ie: interior where tripod is prohibited,

and then back into bright sunlight where Astia shines. New backs are

serious money. Even used they run several hundred dollars. Other

than using just one film for everything, which involves other

compromises, do I need to suck it up and get another back to insure

the right film for the right shot?

[Ed_Ingold]

You put your finger on the situation when you say "I have the perfect shot and precisely the wrong film..." As you know, there's no effective way to rewind 120 roll film to change rolls. The film always buckles inside the paper backing. You have the right idea to limit the number of emulsions you carry; why limit your ability to use them.

 

Your alternative is to stick with one film, probably NPH, to handle the toughest situations (e.g., hand-held), yet be fine enough for landscapes, if not exactly ideal.

 

Now the other half of the story -- how do you persuade yourself to process that roll with one or two shots taken when you get home, instead of aging it in the back until you shoot the rest.

[siu_fai_au1]

Get the cheaper 6006 back for your Astia and your problem is solved.

[erik_ingvoldstad]

To me, one of the benefits of having an MF SLR is being able to change film whenever I

need to. What you could do is buy an older 6006 back, and keep your Astia in that one.

You won't be able to change ISO, without compensating in the built-in meter, but it will

reset your camera to ISO 100 when you mount the back. On the bay you could get a 6006

back for $250-300.

[silvergull]

Simple answer - yes. When I got my 6008AF, I bought a new 120 back and 2 used 120

backs, all from B&H. I also have 2 extra film inserts. All very useful. At least one

additional back is my recommendation.

 

Cheers, Jim

[work-page]

Backs are probably the most delicate parts of any modular MF system. The mere fact that they can be removed is cause of higher risk of light leaks and frame advance/spacing problems.

 

Of course these problems never occur when you're within five miles of a camera repair facility.. Trouble is, that as soon as you board a plane, many backs somehow seem to sense that and go into a stupor..

 

Just having a backup back with you will make the probability of having a working system throughout a long trip bigger. That they can be used to hold different films is an added bonus, but in my opinion a secondary consideration given that there's a mere 12 frames on a roll of 120.

[david_simonds]

Gentlemen, thanks for your kind answers. Peter, you raise a key point that can not be ignored. These beautifully crafted devices fail. It takes little imagination as I picture myself stuggling with a multi-thousand dollar system as other happily click away with their disposibles. And the look on my wife's face....The suggestion to go with a 6006 back is a great one, particularly for Astia or Reala. Actually, my 6008i (which I bought used with the 90mm Schneider), came with a 6006 which had been modified with a functioning ASA dial. That is what I will look for. Again, thanks you fellow Rollei owners for your kind assistance

[john_banister1]

If you get a new back, and you don't have them already, consider also

getting a couple of spare inserts. I've been in a situation more than once, where something new happened that made the perfect shot even better - just after I shot the last frame of a roll. With a pre-loaded insert in it's light-tight box, I can put new film into a 6008 faster than I've been able to put new film in any other camera.

[OCULUS New York]

Sure, it's worth the money, and especially given the high mechanical nature of the beast. Of all the little troubles I've ever had with Rolleis, most all seem to focus on the magazine. The counter, the clutch, little springs that going sproing. Headed into a harsh environment, I wouldn't think twice.

 

I just returned from a trip south, and took exclusively my 220 backs. Rarely do I do more than a dozen shots at a time, but this worked out well, having frames to spare.

 

BTW, do NOT buy a 6003 back; they require a different film gate...a nuisance to have to carry and change.

 

Have fun, click often.

 

Ray Hull