Greetings to all.
I have recently purchased a used Toyo 45 AX field camera. I thought it came with an owner's manual, but apparently not. My question is, how does it unfold? I pressed the small round button on the top, and the bed folded out, but the front standard is still attached to the bed. How do I release it? And of course if you have any do's or don't's about operating the camera without the manual, I'd be most appreciative.
Regards,
James Flowers
Ok. Set the camera on your lap with the ground glass facing you, and with the big rubber knobs on the bottom. Press the small black button on top and push one of the small rubber focusing knobs away from you. Open the bed all the way and lock it down using the big rubber knobs.
At this point, the front standard is laying down against the bed. Make sure the two knobs on either side of the front standard rails are loose, as are the two levers on the base of the front standard. Pull the lensboard holder away from you. It'll slide in the front standard rails. As you pull it away, tilt the whole standard into an upright position.
On the base of the front standard is a lever. It can point either down the middle of the bed, which is open, or to the left or right, either of which is locked. Move it to the middle. You should then be able to slide the whole standard forward. Slide the lever one way or the other to lock it. Now raise or lower the lensboard holder until the white dots align. When they do, tighten the two small rubber knobs.
If the Standard pivots at the bottom, put it in the upright position and use the two levers, one one each side at the bottom of the standard, to lock it. Rotating the levers up locks the joint.
To focus, move the lever on the right side of the camera away from you, still with the lens opening facing away from you. You can then use the two front focusing knobs to focus. When you get the standard where you want, move the lever back to lock the movement.
There are also some locks for stopping various movements at home positions. Those should be pretty clear once you have the camera opened up. Note that there are two small winged knobs on the bottom of the camera. Loosening these will allow you to slide the back to gain more extension.
Hope this helps.
Peter
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
you are still having problems raising the front standard away from the bed, it's because the lens board frame is slid in to the point where it is not allowing the front standards to be raised. It is normal for the lens board to be slid in like this to allow the camera to close. Conversely, it must be slid out to allow opening and raising the front standards.
Perhaps someone tightened the wheels on the side of the standards that normally allow the lens board to go up and down in the upright condition.
A first rule of folding and unfolding these cameras is that all control knobs are loosened so parts can move freely. If you fold a Toyo or other field camera with the front controls tight, you will create what are known as "misfolds" in the bellows which will stay there when you use the camera in the future.
Loosen all control knobs before folding.
Here is a link to user manuals from Toyo, picked out of another similar post on this site a couple of weeks ago. You are not alone.
http://www.toyoview.com/AskToyo/toyo_orderbklts.html
BTW... great camera. I love Toyo field cameras. Even, and particularly, the CF.
Thank you all for the information. It's been a big help. I think I just need to use the camera a bit until the controls are second nature. The camera I purchased already has misfolds. I hope this doesn't develop into a problem. At the moment, it doesn't seem to be a concern, but I'm wondering how this will progress over time. Is there anything that can be done about this, or am I worrying over nothing? Again, thanks for your help.
James
Just before closing the camera make sure that there aren't any mis-folds.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
Exactly! I always pop the back off and have a look just to make sure. You have a terrific camera. After a few times in the field, its use will be as natural as breathing. Enjoy!Originally Posted by Peter J. De Smidt
so have you opened it yet?
It is a great camera.
Erick
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