I read somewhere that the very early 45A cameras were a light grey, slightly bigger, and had 13 inch extension. I have seen early 5x7 toyo field cameras that were grey. To me they didn't seem as robust as the later models.
I read somewhere that the very early 45A cameras were a light grey, slightly bigger, and had 13 inch extension. I have seen early 5x7 toyo field cameras that were grey. To me they didn't seem as robust as the later models.
I don't think the grey ones were ever called "45A". That is, I think that they were a different model.
Toyo...well actually, Sakai Manufacturing company, bought the rights/tooling/parts (?) for the Graflex Super Graphic and the "Super Graphic" brand name. They manufactured and sold the Super Graphics for a time. The Toyo 45 field cameras no doubt evolved from the super graphic line. Where exactly the grey, metal field cameras from Sakai / Toyo fit in this history, I do not know. I do recall that some of the early grey cameras took the same lens boards as the Speed/Crown graphics.
Here is an image of a TOYO Super graphic. Like the graflex preceding it, the covering is gray. Not on the top of the front standard is is branded Toyo. Otherwise it looks like the discontinued Graflex Super.Originally Posted by John Conway
http://www.cosmonet.org/camera/super_e.htm
Very interesting. I had no knowledge of the Toyo Graflex buyout. I can clearly see how the cameras evolved.
Come to think of it.... it seems Toyo did have a bit larger, grey metal field camera that was in addition to the Toyo/Graflex Super Graphic.
I seem to recall that Frank Petronio had one of these.... Frank???
They pop up on eBay every so often... maybe once or twice a year.
Yeah... I actually held one of the gray models in 5X7 at a camera shop a few years ago.I also remember a really nice 810M in a bone color with black knobs. It was a real beauty.
This was marked as a 4-3/4 x 6-1/2 camera but it accepted 5x7 holders. It took Graphic boards, but I made an adapter lensboard for mine to Linhof Technika boards. They also offered an extension adapter back to WP.
They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.
-Francis Bacon
I don't know the history of Graflex selling the Graphic camera tooling to Toyo but I did see a Toyo version of the Super Speed Graphic on eBay years ago. Simply changed the logo I think. Perhaps those cameras are more popular in Japan? I had a Super Speed Graphic and wasn't impressed by the electronic BS but I think it evolved into the later Toyo A-series, which is a pretty nice set of rugged field cameras.
The early odd half-plate cameras were made early on and had 4x5, 5x7, and all those weird Japanese whole and half-plate sizes. Finding one with a good OEM 5x7 back is the trick but because the backs are flat, it is easy to cobble together a back from another camera and make it fit onto one of these.
This looks like Hell and, in my case, the seller "forgot to tell me" he used a modified steel back that weighed almost as much as the rest of the camera and stuck out an extra inch more than it needed to. So I never liked the camera cause I felt a bit hosed even though I made the guy give me a partial refund for sticking me with it. I still sold it at a loss too I think. Other than the bad vibe, it worked fine and a did a few nice shots with it.
It suffers from a thin, short bellows but it does close into a tight package... but I think the longest lens you'd want on it is a 240mm. The front standard uses Graphic hardware and is about as strong so don't plan on hanging a Copal 3 out front. Being from the 60s the bellows are often fried.
The strong suit is that it really isn't a bad looking camera and it works well - think of a lightened Technika made from sheet metal instead of castings - like a 1964 Datsun pick-up truck.
The only reason I'd get one if if you get a beater for $100 and have a wooden or light 5x7 back to adapt, maybe get some new bellows made - and for a few hundred bucks and some labor you get a nice field camera good for landscape work.
I searched for an operational copy for about 2 yrs and each time the ticket was too high or the camera itself was in need of some overall repair due to age. Things like bellows for example. The additional question mark was always the format being not quite a standard 5x7 capable of taking a Lisco or Regal film holder. I finally gave up and bought a cheapo but totally functioning B&J 5x7 field camera. It's a tank but it does do a fine job.
Good luck with this. As the two gurus above have noted there's an interesting history attached to the camera's evolution
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