What does "rackover" mean

[ledbird]

Hi all:

I was looking at a camera the other day that had a "through-lens rackover viewing system".

What does rackover mean?
Thanks

 

[David Mullen ASC]

Old non-reflexed Mitchells basically had a rack-over system where the camera body slid sideways so you could first line-up the side-viewfinder to look through the real lens and then "rack over" the camera so now the film gate was lined-up with the taking lens, at which point you had to operate with a side viewfinder.

 

[ledbird]

Interesting. It was an old Mitchell that I was looking at.

Thanks for your help.