Does anyone have experience with or knowledge of the Schneider Vacuum Back or Schneider Hi End back? Are they the same product? How effective and/or easy to use?

-- Matthew S. Comern (mscommerce@hotmail.com), August 01, 2000

Answers

Haven't used them (or it); some info is at http://www.schneideroptics.com/large/hiend/hiend.ht

-- Simon (fourthpres@aol.com), August 01, 2000.

The Hi-End Back is a vacuum back, so yes, they are the same thing. It would probably take you about 15 or 20 minutes of loading and reloading the same piece of film into the holder in order to become completely comfortable with the whole system, but it does have advantages over a regular film holder. The holders themselves are thinner than regular holders and prevent dust from getting on the film. The vacuum back keeps the film flat during exposure, assuring good focus.

-- Michael Klayman (michael@schneideroptics.com), August 01, 2000.

That URL I gave above should, of course, end with "htm", not "ht"

Seems like I'm always getting cut off just when I'm trying to make a point, such as the importance of m

-- Simon (fourthpres@aol.com), August 01, 2000.

Schnieder's Hi End Back is a system, consisting of film loading fixture, holders and a vacuum back. The back replaces the ground glass on your camera, and is held in place by the camera's sliding locks. In other words, you may only use this system on cameras with a Graflok feature.

While Michael points out that film is kept flat, just as important is the fact that film is positioned in the same plane as the Hi End Back's ground glass. Taking a system approach to back and holder is the only way to insure this. I've not yet convinced myself that such performance is needed in my work, and thus haven't purchased this system. However, if one is shooting at large apertures, using short focal length lenses, or pointing the camera down, it should be invaluable, providing results unobtainable any other way.

-- Sal Santamaura (bc_hill@qwestinternet.net), August 01, 2000.

If you do not plan to shoot downward often, which is the main purpose as I see it for the vacum backs, try loading some film holders with double sided tape. It holds the film perfectly flat, just as if it was shot in normal position. Lot less gear to carry and at the cost, you can buy yourself a new XL instead! Sinar also makes film holders with adhesive backs, although I have never used them.

-- Bill Glickman (bglick@pclv.com), August 06, 2000.