I am going to invest in a digital view camera system, and try to find out if every view camera provides the possibility to turn the back 90 degrees?
I cannot turn the sliding adapter, that's clear. But most backs do not have fittings for portait mode (except Hasselblad V). So what do I turn then?

Phase one says that you can turn the insert (where the back is mounted) on most of the sliding adapters. Is that true?

Does anybody have experience with italian Silvestri cameras? They produce really intelligent products, as far as I can jugde that from their homepage.

More than likely...

The adapters for digital backs that I have seen use the Graflok system to attach to the back of the LF camera.

My particular LF camera (Ebony) supports Graflok and I can turn the entire film holder back which inlcudes the Graflock mechanism to either landscape or portrait orientation. So, if I use any type of Gralok film holder, I can get portrait or landscape orientation with it.

You probably want to make sure that the digital back adapter can work in either landscape or portait. The specific adapter for adapting the digital back to Graflok, may not work in one of the orientations.

I know this may sound confusing, but if you see a system in action, its really clear and obvious.

FYI, Phase One backs that fit the Haselblad V system can be mounted in either portrait or landscape mode on the back of a hasselblad V, so for this kind of back being able to rotate the film back adapter on the LF camera may be less of an issue.

Hope this helps.

Rich
NGOphotographer

have a look for the new sinar hy6 their back can rotate easily...

I use a Phase One back on Hasselblad V cameras, directly mounted on a Linhof M679 view camera, and also on the Linhof but with a sliding carriage. In all these applications the back can be mounted in either portrait or landscape orientation. However, the sliding back also allows you to "stitch" two shots together, but in this application the two stitched frames must be in portrait format producing a landscape format composite shot.

Kapture Group sliding back adapters also allow you to rotate the back by turning the insert 90 degrees. This also allow you to use a back in what ever mount you wish, such as Hassy H, as long as KG makes the appropriate insert.