Toyo 45A vs Zone VI/Wista

[Jay Abramson]

Hello everyone. This is my first post here, and I hope you can help. I want to step into the LF world with a 4x5, and am considering a Toyo 45A, Wista Field DX and a Calumet (Tachihara?) camera.

I would love some input from the forum as to which would be a better choice. $$ wise, they are only about $100 apart, except for the Calumet, which has a 150mm lens for about $900.

Also, I am concerned about the ability to change the back orientation from portrait to landscape. Is it fair to assume all of these cameras have some mechanism for this? A rotating back per se is not important.

Thank you all in advance for your help!

Jay

[srbphoto]

I love my 45A. I bought it used 15 years ago. It has a rotating back. Heavier than wood. I do like the look of wood cameras as well. But my 45A has been bombproof.

It also makes an excellent weapon, but you can't burn it in an emergency.



edit: I used a Deardorff before my 45A.

[Mark Sampson]

The Tachihara has 13" of bellows draw, just enough to make a 300mm lens usable. I believe that the Toyo and Wista have shorter bellows, 12" maybe, worth remembering if you like the perspective of a long lens. And although there are 'top-hat' extension lens boards, and supplemental bellows to add on, for the other two cameras, both of those solutions are awkward at best.

[jeroldharter]

You can use a 300 mm lens with a Toyo field camera. Built like a tank but not too heavy. Can't use lenses longer than 300 mm (or perhaps 360 telephoto, not sure) without the 4 inch extension back, but that is a nuisance. Likewise on the short end, the Toyo can use a 90mm lens but the bellows are tight and non-interchangeable. If you think you will need < 90mm and/or >300mm lenses, then spend more now and get Canham or Chamonix or Arca Discovery. But the Toyo is an excellent camera for ~80% of what most people shoot.

[Jay Abramson]

I love my 45A. I bought it used 15 years ago. It has a rotating back. Heavier than wood. I do like the look of wood cameras as well. But my 45A has been bombproof.

It also makes an excellent weapon, but you can't burn it in an emergency.



edit: I used a Deardorff before my 45A.

Thanks! I hear my old Nikon F4S has been used to beat off a bear attack, then document the retreat!

Jay

[Jay Abramson]

The Tachihara has 13" of bellows draw, just enough to make a 300mm lens usable. I believe that the Toyo and Wista have shorter bellows, 12" maybe, worth remembering if you like the perspective of a long lens. And although there are 'top-hat' extension lens boards, and supplemental bellows to add on, for the other two cameras, both of those solutions are awkward at best.

Thanks! I'm not sure at present if I'll go long, I'm thinking more in the wider to normal range at present. That said, it would be nice to have the capability to go longer without resorting to "rebuilding" the camera.

Jay

[Jay Abramson]

You can use a 300 mm lens with a Toyo field camera. Built like a tank but not too heavy. Can't use lenses longer than 300 mm (or perhaps 360 telephoto, not sure) without the 4 inch extension back, but that is a nuisance. Likewise on the short end, the Toyo can use a 90mm lens but the bellows are tight and non-interchangeable. If you think you will need < 90mm and/or >300mm lenses, then spend more now and get Canham or Chamonix or Arca Discovery. But the Toyo is an excellent camera for ~80% of what most people shoot.

I don't think I would go wider than 90. Maybe longer than 300, but not sure at present.

Thanks very much!

Jay

[Jay Abramson]

Thanks everyone for your speedy, thoughtful responses. To revisit part of my question, do all the cameras feature some way to change the orientation of the back (verticle/horizontal)?

Again, many thanks!

Jay

[jeroldharter]

Toyo AII cameras have a revolving back that "spins" in place. The Toyo AX (what I used to have) has a rotating back which requires you to remove the back, rotate it 90 degress and then re-attach. Some people don't like that because of the possibility of dropping it but most cameras are like that and I have never dropped one.

I don't know the Wista but you should be aware that some cameras have backs that are permanently horizontal and unchangeable.

[srbphoto]

The Toyo has a revolving back. You can use a 300mm (barely, without the extension back) The shortest I use is a 90mm. I have used the 90 very close with almost full rise but it did crunch up the bellows. A bag bellows would have been better. I have a friend who uses a 75mm on his 45A. I don't know if he uses a recessed lense board.

I think the Wista has a revolving back as well.



edit: I use a regular board on the 90mm