Toho Shimo FC-45X

[naturephoto1]

Hi Rakesh,

The Kinesis V092 bag just arrived about an hour and a half ago. I have been playing with it and configured it to carry: the Toho FC-45X camera broken into its 2 pieces for travel with lens attached, 3 additional lenses (stacked separated with closed cell foam), my Zone VI modified Soligor Digi Spot II meter, 4? packed Singh-Ray Cokin P sized filters, Cokin P holder with 2 adapter rings, Horizon 4X lupe in a Zing lens pouch, and my BTZS focusing cloth. The packing does include putting things on top of the camera rail. The lenses that I loaded were on lens boards on the camera into placed into the case are: Rodenstock f5.6 150mm Apo Sironar S, Rodenstock f9 240mm Apo Ronar MC, Rodenstock f9 300mm Apo Ronar MC, and a Congo F6.3 WA 90mm lens. I have to borrow a digital camera so that I can upload photos of the kit. Amazingly compact and light weight set-up. The bag as mentioned earlier in the thread is normally to be carried in my custom made McHale panel loading pack, but will also fit into much smaller panel loading packs as well.

Rich

[roteague]

The Kinesis V092 bag just arrived about an hour and a half ago. I have been playing with it and configured it to carry: the Toho FC-45X camera broken into its 2 pieces for travel with lens attached, 3 additional lenses (stacked separated with closed cell foam), my Zone VI modified Soligor Digi Spot II meter, 4? packed Singh-Ray Cokin P sized filters, Cokin P holder with 2 adapter rings, Horizon 4X lupe in a Zing lens pouch, and my BTZS focusing cloth. The packing does include putting things on top of the camera rail.

Wow!! That is quite a bit. Any idea what the weight on that thing loaded is?

[naturephoto1]

Wow!! That is quite a bit. Any idea what the weight on that thing loaded is?

Hi Robert,

Using my Excel spread sheet for the above items (including the equivalent to 3 Linhof cable releases and UV filters on each lens) (and based upon the weight of the individual items, not confirmed for the total package) is about 144.2 oz or 9.0125 pounds. I hope that I have not forgotten anything on the list in the spreadsheet. The weight is only for the gear mentioned and the case itself which needs to be carried inside a pack. This weight does not include my Readyload Holder, 40 sheets of Fuji Quickload Film, Gnass Gear Rapid Load 3 Pouch to carry the Readyload Holder and Fuji QL film, Gitzo Carbon Fiber 1257 with Markins M20 Head, Think Tank Bazooka Tripod Case or Day or Backpack.

Rich

[roteague]

Good. That would put it under the 7kg limit of some foreign domestic flights, and leave plenty of room for domestic US flights as well.

[Rakesh Malik]

I think that I'll probably end up planning to get one of those Toho's for overseas travel, since my current kit with my Ebony camera and all of the lenses and necessities (including the tripod, film, and film holders) weighs in at close to 40 pounds. It's quite a bit of stuff to haul up a mountain!

[John Clifford]

I too have just received my Toho Shimo FC-45X and would like to play at replacing the rail mount with the MPR-73 or B27 plates mentioned above. But I am having a difficult time understanding the nature of a "plate". Is this something that fits between the Toho rail and the tripod plate which is clamped on my Giotto pan head? Or does the plate substitute for the tripod head clamp? In which case how do you fit it to your various types of tripod heads. ? Surely all tripods have their own unique plates..eg Manfretto will not fit a Giotto etc.
I have visited the RRS site and looked at the images and cannot see how I could fit the MPR-73 or B27 plates onto my Giotto or Manfrotto tripod heads. What am I missing here?
John

[Bruce Watson]

I too have just received my Toho Shimo FC-45X and would like to play at replacing the rail mount with the MPR-73 or B27 plates mentioned above. But I am having a difficult time understanding the nature of a "plate". Is this something that fits between the Toho rail and the tripod plate which is clamped on my Giotto pan head? Or does the plate substitute for the tripod head clamp? In which case how do you fit it to your various types of tripod heads. ? Surely all tripods have their own unique plates..eg Manfretto will not fit a Giotto etc.
I have visited the RRS site and looked at the images and cannot see how I could fit the MPR-73 or B27 plates onto my Giotto or Manfrotto tripod heads. What am I missing here?
John

Typically the "plates" are adapters -- they are the interface beween the tripod head and the camera. For example, I replaced the plate that came on my Toho (the one that's basically a big round nut designed for your "standard" screw-mount tripod head) with an Arca-Swiss quick release plate for use with my Arca-Swiss B1 ball head.

[naturephoto1]

Hi John,

The point of the RRS MPR-73 plate is to take advantage of the Arca Type QR clamps for mounting the camera to the tripod head. First you will need to remove the mounting block from the rail of the camera. The block screws in from the top of the rail. The screws used to hold the mounting block in place are metric an M5. These will need to be used to mount the RRS MR-73 plate in place. Using the screws you first need to remove the two captive 1/4 20 screws through the large end of the channel of the MPR-73. The M5 screws will drop in from the top of the plate however, you will need to purchase 2 M5 nuts to lock the plate in place at the bottom of the rail. The purpose of using the 2 rather than 1 screw is to prevent the camera/rail from twisting. You will need to make sure that the nuts will lock down inside the MR-73 channel so that they do not extend beyond the channel and interefere with the sliding of the plate in an Arca Type QR clamp.

Once the RRS plate is locked to the rail and the plate is locked into the Arca type QR you fill find that the rail and the camera are quite rigid with little flex. You may find a bit more flex when you extend the rail near its maximum with heavy telephoto or an extenstion tube top hat attached to something like the Fuji 450mm f12.5 C lens.

I will finally be testing the camera lenes etc. hopefully within the week. I have the Satin Snow Ground Glass on order from Dave Parker and look forward to receiving it in some months to come.

Rich

[John Clifford]

Thank you Rich and Bruce. I guess my confusion lay in thinking that Kerry Thalmann et al. were refering to a general method of attaching the Toho rail to any type of quick release plate not just the Swiss-Arca brand. Seem stupid now, but once one fixates on a particular idea it seems to take forever to work yourself out of it. Now all I have to do is see if I can attach the rail to my Giotto quick release plate using the two M5 screws. But maybe that will not be such an improvement. Once again thanks. We beginners owe you forum guys a lot.
Love the Toho after four years of using a Crown Graphic "machined" to give the lens board swing and tilt.
Best wishes
John

[naturephoto1]

Hi John,

Replacing the Camera mounting block and attaching the rail with the M5 screws directly to the QR plate for your Giotto head should lessen and/or elliminate much of the flex that was in the original mounting system for the camera. It should make the system lighter, faster to load, more sure in mounting to the tripod head, and more rigid with less flex. However, with this modification there may be a greater likelihood that the standards for the camera may interere with focusing lenses 75mm and shorter at infinity. Amongst other options, if that proves a problem is to move the front standard to the rear section (where you focus) and then to mount the camera/QR plate onto the tripod head. You will have to at least confirm on the GG that the front of the rail will not record on the film.

Good luck.

Rich