645 AFD Film back on a Technical Camera

[Tsbphoto]

so this is my first post here and this may be a stupid question but is it possible to use a Mamiya 645 AFD Film back on a tech cam like an Alpa 12 TC?

i started building out my Alpa kit maybe a month ago and got to a point where i had the 12 TC body, a Lens, and a back adapter to take phase one and Mamiya backs.  im still waiting to get myself a digi back ( probably a used P45+ ) and thought i would pick myself up a film back and shoot some BW through it in the meantime.  well i got the 645 AFD today from a seller on ebay and i may have backed myself in a corner.  i know how to load it but i have no idea how to wind it or advance the film without a 645 body that can send it commands through the pins on the back.

is there a way to wind and film advance a 645 AFD without a 645 body?   everything ive found online is how to load it when you have the body its supposed to go on.  the back adapter is the Alpa first party version.






 

[BobShaw]

My first question is if you are going to shoot film then why limit yourself to 645 (6cm x 4.5cm) when you can shoot 612 (6 x 12cm) or even may 4" x 5"?
The back I have used are like this
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221943975478?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
(That is mine)

I have used the Mamiya 645AFD and didn't think much of it, so I went To Hasselblad. I am pretty sure that you can't manual wind film though.

[Tsbphoto]

Thanks for your reply Bob.  Unfortunately my kit was built out with the ultimate intention of shooting medium format digital so everything i got was based around the 645 format.  The lens i have is the Rodenstock HR 23/5.6 Alpagon.  It has a 70mm image circle which will cover 645 and not much more. The back adapter i have is specifically for Medium Format Digital Backs and so i chose to choose a film back that fit onto that adapter which is a Mamiya mount

So thanks for your questions but i think i need more information on what I have right now instead of what I don't have.

Thanks

Tyler

My first question is if you are going to shoot film then why limit yourself to 645 (6cm x 4.5cm) when you can shoot 612 (6 x 12cm) or even may 4" x 5"?
The back I have used are like this
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/221943975478?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
(That is mine)

I have used the Mamiya 645AFD and didn't think much of it, so I went To Hasselblad. I am pretty sure that you can't manual wind film though.

[gebseng]

I am pretty sure this won't work, since your film back lacks battery power from the AFD body.

best,

geb

[Tsbphoto]

There is a battery in the back and the LCD panel on top works when i press the two buttons on top.

Thanks

Tyler

I am pretty sure this won't work, since your fil back lacks battery power from the AFD body.

best,

geb

[Gigi]

The answer is in two parts:

- can the back mount on the Alpa physically? Seems you've got that.
- can you manually advance the film in the back, even without a camera?

Some do that well (Linhof Super Rolex), some kind of can do it either with knobs or a cludge to fool the back, and it abvances, and some just don't work.

If you hold the back in your hand and can't make it advance at all, it's likely a no-go.

[BobShaw]

If your image circle is 70mm then it won't be much of a technical camera. You won't be able to do rise and fall which is the whole point.

[TonyW]

I have no idea if what you are proposing is feasible, however it would appear that the key is understanding the pin out on the film back. HERE
It is likely that just two of these pins are used to trigger film advance e.g. Ground + Pin?, but what are the functions of the other com. Pins?
Trial and error may reveal the correct combo but there may be small risks associated with shorting pins.  If you can find the combination a simple trigger could be fabricated

[epines]

If all else fails, you could get a horseman 6x7 back (inexpensive, excellent build quality) and just crop the final images to your lens's image circle.

[Tsbphoto]

Thabks everyone for your responses and it seems now that it is not possible to trigger the winding and film advance without working with the internal electronics on the back.  Now i am not very good with electronics but i am very good with mechanical assemblys.  I am a machinist with tons of cnc machines at my disposal and have made quite a few photography equipment over the years.

So with that in mind i decided to buy a 645 Pro/Pro TL/Super film back wich is a mechanical back, but doesn't fit in the 645 afd cameras. From inspecting images of the 645 Pro/Pro TL/Super back it appears to be a similar mechanism as the AFD back, with the light baffles being obviously different.  I plan on modding the 645 Pro/Pro TL/Super back, be it by machining a new aluminum mount plate or by retrofitting the AFD mount onto the new back all while maintaining a correct film register distance. 

This should be an interesting project and I will keep everyone updated on the status of the mod.

Thanks

-Tyler

And if anyone does discover an easy electronic trigger id be happy to hear about it

I have no idea if what you are proposing is feasible, however it would appear that the key is understanding the pin out on the film back. HERE
It is likely that just two of these pins are used to trigger film advance e.g. Ground + Pin?, but what are the functions of the other com. Pins?
Trial and error may reveal the correct combo but there may be small risks associated with shorting pins.  If you can find the combination a simple trigger could be fabricated

[DanielStone]

Just a thought:

Why not pick up the graflok adapter, so you can use RB67(including a 645 back(which is in the vertical orientation), Horseman or other 2x3 Graflok sized backs on it.

-Dan

[Tsbphoto]

Because of $$$  im saving up for a digital back and don't need to spend around a grand to get a film back in to my alpa.

But yes that would work

Just a thought:

Why not pick up the graflok adapter, so you can use RB67(including a 645 back(which is in the vertical orientation), Horseman or other 2x3 Graflok sized backs on it.

-Dan