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Rm3Di Users: How do you cover your MFDB in the field?

following the thread: "Alpa Users: How do you cover your MFDB in the field?"
i wonder how you guys with rm3di gear protect your back?

there's no cover for the mounting plate plate as far as i know, so that you could keep the back on the mounting plate while apart from the camera and in the backpack.

so either you let it on the cam, or mount it every single time you shoot.
but to cover the rear lens element you have to switch between the mounting plate and the ground glass too.
you finally end up with 3 steps:
°remove back from mounting plate and cover it with the original back cover
°remove mounting plate from camera
°attach ground glass on camera and move on to the next location

or by comfort - give up ground glass composing and don't remove back in the field. especially in bad weather conditions. ;)

i also got the rotaslide back which should be a solution, but it adds bulk and i can't focus at infinity with mine, so i won't use it in the field :(

does anyone have found a good solution to that?
 

Frederic

Member
Most of the time I keep the back attached, if I really have to take it off I leave the adapter plate on the body.
But then I don't use the ground glass much...
 

jagsiva

Active member
I leave the back mounted on the body. I have a make shift body cap, but apparently Arca does have one.

In my case, I use the Rotamount and Rotaslide, so the spacers are all sitting around. I just covered one of these and it makes a great body cap.
 
I leave the back mounted on the body. I have a make shift body cap, but apparently Arca does have one.

In my case, I use the Rotamount and Rotaslide, so the spacers are all sitting around. I just covered one of these and it makes a great body cap.
good idea :rolleyes:

what i would really like would be a mounting plate with a slider, just like an old hasselblad film magazine.
that would be a perfect solution to keep the sensor safe in any weather condition.
arca, please!! :clap:
 

jagsiva

Active member
good idea :rolleyes:

what i would really like would be a mounting plate with a slider, just like an old hasselblad film magazine.
that would be a perfect solution to keep the sensor safe in any weather condition.
arca, please!! :clap:
I do use the Rotaslide like this, but of course it is a very bulky solution.
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Back on camera, and either a snap cap that fits inside the Arca focus mount hole, or a large SK slip cover that fits over the Arca focus ring. I have to double check, but I think it's a 92mm snap cap for inside, and a 105mm slip cover for outside -- I have both and slightly prefer the outer slip.
 

Paul2660

Well-known member
I leave the back on the rm3di, and also leave a lens on it, usually the 35mm Schneider or 43mm. The 35mm can be a bit hard to get out since it has only one ring and fits flush, but I have learned to just rotate the helical a bit and then the lens starts to stick out enough to grab.

Jack, I believe the inner size is 95mm, Terry a while ago had posted a link to the cap that fits inside the focus helical. I purchased and it works great. The outer is 110mm and the Schneider cap fits fine. The only issue is that the actual focus numbering (silver and black) around the helical is a metallic tape and I was a bit worried that over time, the Schneider out cap might rub off the tape, which would a big problem. Schneider cap part number is SN223/81.1 which should show on B&H's site as a 110mm Cap.

If you have not able to get to infinity with the rotoslide attached, then I would recommend you have Acra re-calibrate it as you should be able to.

I don't use the ground glass at all, with wides, it's just too small and very hard to tell focus anyway, even with a loop, especially the corners.

Paul Caldwell
 

RodK

Active member
following the thread: "Alpa Users: How do you cover your MFDB in the field?"
i wonder how you guys with rm3di gear protect your back?

there's no cover for the mounting plate plate as far as i know, so that you could keep the back on the mounting plate while apart from the camera and in the backpack.

so either you let it on the cam, or mount it every single time you shoot.
but to cover the rear lens element you have to switch between the mounting plate and the ground glass too.
you finally end up with 3 steps:
°remove back from mounting plate and cover it with the original back cover
°remove mounting plate from camera
°attach ground glass on camera and move on to the next location
Your camera with the rotaslide mounted should focus with those lenses you listed

or by comfort - give up ground glass composing and don't remove back in the field. especially in bad weather conditions. ;)

i also got the rotaslide back which should be a solution, but it adds bulk and i can't focus at infinity with mine, so i won't use it in the field :(

does anyone have found a good solution to that?
Your camera with the rotaslide mounted should focus with those lenses you listed. You do have to remove the Rotaslide ring. Then it should be no problem whatsoever. I use a Crumpler Executive C medium backpack and can leave the 43mm mounted, the Rotamount installed, and the MFDB mounted. As for the ground glass, I like using the Variofinder better and the focus using numbers after calibration, is much more accurate than optical focusing, especially if the calibration is done correctly.
Hope this helps.
Rod
 
Your camera with the rotaslide mounted should focus with those lenses you listed. You do have to remove the Rotaslide ring. Then it should be no problem whatsoever. I use a Crumpler Executive C medium backpack and can leave the 43mm mounted, the Rotamount installed, and the MFDB mounted. As for the ground glass, I like using the Variofinder better and the focus using numbers after calibration, is much more accurate than optical focusing, especially if the calibration is done correctly.
Hope this helps.
Rod
when i'm focusing at infinity with the rotaslide i would have to turn the helical to -3,4 ... and, yes i removed the spacer ring ;)
guess i should get it calibrated, but would miss it maybe some weeks. and i bet i would need it just then :D
i like the variofinder too and groundglass only for proper composing.
never focusing on it.

all i need is a cover (or slider) for the mounting plate, so that i could leave the back on the plate, even when separating it from the camera.
 
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