PDA

View Full Version : Canham 8x10 Traditional Lensboards



Michael Kadillak
1-Dec-2003, 13:39
I have a question about the Canham traditional 8x10 wooden camera that I understand accepts Toyo 8x10 lensboards. Are these lensboards interchangable - in other words, will the Toyo lensboard fit on the Canham camera and the Canham on the Toyo 8x10 metal field camera?

Thanks in advance.

clay harmon
1-Dec-2003, 14:23
Keith does not even make the big board, so you HAVE to use the Toyo board. He does make the small Toyo boards, however. Most people with his large cameras buy a Toyo adapter board and then mount their lenses on either the small toyo board or the canham boards (110mm square, i think), and just leave the adapter mounted to the camera. Keeps all of your lenses from taking up a lot of unneeded space.

Michael Mutmansky
1-Dec-2003, 14:54
Clay has hit the nail on the head, as usual...

I would add that it is laughable that the Toyo boards cost more than the Canham boards. One's made from machined aluminum, and the other from formed sheet metal. Guess which one's which?

Keith's new 8x10 camera (the metal one) uses Sinar (Horseman) sized boards, which are a bit smaller, enabling a smaller front standard. Unfortunately, there is no Sinar to Toyo adaptor out there, so users of the smaller Canham board have to have an adaptor built. Keith will do this, as will SK Grimes.

---Michael

Michael Kadillak
1-Dec-2003, 15:25
And that is why I asked the question Michael - it does not make a lot of sense.

Thanks to both of you for the information.

Jeffrey Goggin
1-Dec-2003, 21:11
Contrary to Michael Mutmansky's comment above, a mid-'90s vintage Toyo catalog I have does indeed have a listing for a 158mm Toyo-to-Sinar lensboard adapter. The part number is 8054 ASVG and the catalog description reads as follows: "For use of a Sinar board with TOYO-VIEW and TOYO-FIELD 810M."

In the interest of completeness (since the question of what's available does come up every now and then), the catalog also lists lensboard adapters for a Graphic Standard board to 158mm Toyo (No. 1050 AFVM); Linhof Technika to 158mm Toyo (No. 1051 ALVM); 110mm Toyo to 158mm Toyo (No. 1052 A4FVM); 38.7mm recessed board for Graphic Standard Board to 158mm Toyo (No. 1055 AWFVM); 39.8mm recessed board for Linhof Technika to 158mm Toyo (No. 1056 AWLVM); 39.7mm recessed board for 110mm Toyo to 158mm Toyo (No. 1057 AW4FVM); Graphic Standard to 110mm Toyo (No. 1630 AF4F); Linhof Technika to 110mm Toyo (No. 1632 AL4F); 69 Horseman (i.e., 8cm x 8cm) to 110mm Toyo (No. 1632 AH4F); and lastly, 24.8mm recessed board for 69 Horseman to 110mm Toyo (No. 1637 AWH4F).

Note that these are the original part numbers and most of them have been superceded since the catalog was printed. Also, be warned that some of these adapters are no longer available from Toyo or its distributors and because they weren't sold in very large quantities, they may be difficult to locate these days. That said, over the past four years, I've seen every one of them turn up on eBay and I have personally acquired several of them (Nos. 1052, 1057, 1632, 1637) as New Old Stock items for bargain prices (i.e., less than $25).

Happy Hunting!

Jeffrey Goggin
1-Dec-2003, 21:17
Oops ... re-reading Michael's comments, I realize that I got things bass-ackward! He is indeed correct: To my knowledge, there's no adapter that will allow you to use a 110mm Toyo (Canham) lensboard on a Sinar.

See what a 12-hour day at work can do to your faculties? Momma, don't let your kids grow up to be paralegals!

Colin Myers
2-Dec-2003, 12:00
I understand there to be two versions of the 8" x 10" Canham wooden field camera,lightweight and standard. The lightweight camera has a smaller front standard which accepts keith's own machined alloy, smaller panel. The standard camera has the larger front standard, taking the Toyo panel. It is only if you have very large lenses, with really big rear elements ,that fit becomes an issue with the smaller panel. Colin Myers