Hassy back not fitting to H-mount adapter plate. Ideas?

[torger]

So I just got my new H4D-50, and want to use the back on my Linhof Techno with a Phase One H 101 adapter plate, the same plate I'm using for my H-mount Aptus back.

Unfortunately the H4D-50 back does not fit on the adapter plate. It's hard to see exactly where it collides, but I have a theory. The safety catch button on top of the back collides with the release button on the adapter plate housing. It fits under it still and it does not seem to be that which holds it off (but rather a misaligned light-trap or peg feature of the plate), but I'm thinking that it forces down the back in a too low position forcing the other features out of alignment.

Looking at pictures of older Hassy gear it seems like they did not have this safety catch button, and I'm guessing that my adapter plate was manufactured at that time. Another theory is that the plate is not up to spec, which would be scandal for a $500 plate...

I've attached pictures of the safety catch button and the release housing of the plate. I've started to sand it down to make space, but I need to get a better tool.

I thought I'd ask here and see if anyone has come across this problem before and know the reason, and if my theory is correct. Guesses are welcome too

 

[tjv]

Is this a Linhof made plate, of Phase made plate?

 

[torger]

As far as I understand Linhof and Phase (flex adapter) plates are both made by Linhof, just different branding. You get to pay a bit more for the Linhof branding, because as we know Phase One is a budget brand

Looking at photos in a Linhof catalogue my plate looks the same as on their pictures.

Linhof looks like attached image to the left (the one with the blue release button), ie exactly the same, with the bizarre detail that the "Phase One" brand is still on the plate, but it has been painted over, you can see that in the attached picture. I have that on my V-mount plate, so it's not like they print "Linhof" on their brand and "Phase One" on the ones they make for Phase, instead they print Phase One on all and then put black paint over and leave it unnamed if you buy the Linhof brand.

Linhof are not good at updating their pictures in their catalogues though (the image of Linhof Techno is still the olde(st) version), so I don't know if the plate has changed design today. Looking at a Cambo H-mount plate (image attached) they have put the release button on the side so it won't collide with the back's safety catch button, perhaps Linhof's newer plates looks like that, anyone who knows?

 

[torger]

Here's a video of Sean Conboy shooting with Linhof Techno and a Hasselblad back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSsjTrYMz3U

you get a small glimpse of the adapter plate, and it seems to look the same as my plate... Hmm..... I wonder why mine does not fit.

 

[tjv]

I think the best solution would be to email Paula. Sean now shoots with an H4D-60, I believe, so his back fitting should be exactly the same as yours.

 

[Pemihan]

I first had trouble fitting my IQ160 to the Cambo adapter plate (Mamiya mount)
The solution was to remove some shims under the bottom latch.

Edit: Come to think of it I actually think I needed to add some shims I had removed earlier in order to get my Aptus more firmly mounted...!

Peter

 

[yaya]

Phase One used to make the plates for their Flex Adapter and for Linhof. I have had the same plate since ~2004 and I've used it with 10's of different Leaf and Phase One backs without problems.
Try to undo the 2 screws that hold the bottom lug so it has a little bit of play. If it still doesn't fit then it's either the light trap on the back or that locking lever at the top. I wouldn't blame it on the plate in this case...

 

[torger]

Thanks for the feedback.

The bottom screws are loctite'd but I guess I just need to heat them to make them come loose. My adapter plate looks like it has been through war anyway so making a few more marks on it won't make it worse . Maybe a soldering iron will be hot enough?

Yeah it could be the back that's not following the spec too. I guess it depends on if one's a Hasselblad or Phase One fan which one's preferred to blame. I won't do any violent modifcations to the back though

 

[fotografz]

Over the years, I used 8 different Hasselblad H digital backs on my Rollie Exact-II using the same sliding H adapter from Kapture Group. I doubt it is the back mount design or specifications unless it was damaged.

- Marc

 

[yaya]

Thanks for the feedback.

The bottom screws are loctite'd but I guess I just need to heat them to make them come loose. My adapter plate looks like it has been through war anyway so making a few more marks on it won't make it worse . Maybe a soldering iron will be hot enough?

Yeah it could be the back that's not following the spec too. I guess it depends on if one's a Hasselblad or Phase One fan which one's preferred to blame. I won't do any violent modifcations to the back though

Does your Aptus fit the H4 body?

 

[torger]

Does your Aptus fit the H4 body?

I don't know, haven't tried. It's a good idea, I'll try tonight.

I'll also sand down the housing to make more space for the safety catch button. I've heard from one user that did not have problems fitting the back, but once there it was so tight he could not get to the safety catch, so he had to thread a thin fishing line behind it to be able to pull it to be able to detatch the back.

Then if that does not solve it alone, I'll try to loosen the bottom lug (hopefully the loctite or whatever glue used will come loose with soldering iron heat) and fit a shim under it to move it further out, which would lower the position of the back slightly.

That's the ideas I have now...

 

[torger]

Problem solved. Sanding down the housing of the blue detach button was enough. Now it sits with zero jiggle. Unfortunately it's not easy to remove, will probably need to use a fishing line to get hold of that slippery safety catch button. Half of the button is hidden under the housing so I can't get hold of it with just a finger.

Another minor problem is that the flash sync contacts is very tight against the adapter plate fastening mechanism, it works but I'll probably make a custom sync cable with a less bulky tip to make it fit better in the available space.

(I tried my Aptus on the H4 body, and it fits there, with jiggle. There's quite some jiggle when it's put on the adapter plate too, so clearly Hasselblad has made a tighter fit. I don't think the Aptus jiggle is a problem though, as it only jiggles sideways, ie the distance is still correct.)

 

[miska]

Glad that it works now. It's funny how these little pieces of metal can make a hugely expensive hardware kit unusable !

I encountered a similar problem with my IQ160 (Hassi V mount) and Arca Swiss Factum. I had to fiddle with two tiny adjusting screws on the adapter plate to remove most of the wiggling, and it's still not 100% snug. I don't think it affects image quality, but I would prefer to have it completely snug and not moving.

 

[torger]

I'm going to contact Linhof and complain, the current design of H-mount plate is no good since the safety catch button was introduced. If it wasn't for the centered detach button housing the back would have fit snuggly at first try. But now it's a high risk that you need to sand it down, and even with that the back becomes really hard to remove since the safety catch button disappears under the housing.

 

[tjv]

Did you contact Paula at Linhof Studio? I'm wondering if she might know something others here don't?

 

[torger]

I've got some further information, the H5D series has moved the safety catch button to the side, so this problem I got is probably for H3D and H4D models, H4D-60 possibly excepted (which shares many features with the H5D).

The reason they moved it to the side was not to make Linhof/Phase plates work but to be able to remove the back from the H body without having to remove the viewfinder.

This means that Linhof/Phase adapter plate works well with H5, so I guess they will keep the plate design as-is.

I have contacted Paula, no response yet though. I will provide further updates in this thread if I get more information, good to have for reference for other H users.

 

[torger]

Got reply from Linhof Studio, it's a well-known problem and they've raised the issue to the plate manufacturer several times but they haven't listened. The solution is to sand down when needed (I don't know how common it is that it's needed, probably not too common, it's easy to do in any case with a Dremel), and have a special tool to get grip of the safety catch button. I'm gettting that tool from Linhof Studio.

 

[tjv]

Bizarre that the plate manufacturer won't listen, especially considering the cost of it!