How hard to put a roll film back on this oddball Toyo?

**paulr** · 30-Mar-2012, 13:16

I have a Toyo 4-3/4 by 6-1/2 with a 4x5 back. 1970ish.

Is there a way to put a 6x9 back on it without emloying a machine shop or lots of duct tape?

**lenser** · 30-Mar-2012, 13:26

Simple, use an insertable back like the Calumet version. Works exactly like a 4x5 film holder, so no modifications are needed. There is also a 6x12 version.

**paulr** · 30-Mar-2012, 13:54

Cool. Are these bulky and heavy? I'm worried about tweaking out the springs on the film back. last time I had to bend those back into shape it took a long afternoon with pliers and watchmaker's screwdrivers and not enough alcohol.

**Oren Grad** · 30-Mar-2012, 14:08

The Calumet is designed to be inserted into 4x5 backs. It may not make a complete light seal in the Toyo "kyabine" back. Can you measure the exact dimensions of the opening and post here? We can compare against 4x5 backs.

**paulr** · 30-Mar-2012, 14:40

Sure, I can do that, thanks. It's certainly an odd size back. Almost 5x7 but not quite.
This is more of a what-if? thought experiment. I don't think I'll be doing this anytime soon. But I can see it being a way to get some more use out of the camera.

**Oren Grad** · 30-Mar-2012, 14:45

It was a standard format in Japan. There is a 5x7 back for the camera but it's very scarce. I think 4x5 reducing backs are a bit more common.

**lenser** · 30-Mar-2012, 19:15

They are bulky on the end that holds both spools. The part that inserts into the camera back is no more bulky that a standard 4x5 film holder. I've owned two in my life, starting in the late 1960's and I've borrowed a friend's 6x12 version. They all work basically the same way and besides the slightly cumbersome process of loading the film, are dirt simple to operate. I think you'll find them just what you want. The 6x7 and 6x9 versions are relatively inexpensive, while the 6x12 runs several hundred dollars. All are workhorses. Oh yeah, they also work with both 120 and 220 rolls.

**Frank Petronio** · 30-Mar-2012, 19:42

It's a simple flat mount, I had one. The seller cobbled a crap steel DeVere back onto the one I had. You could do the same with any sacrificial back from an old camera and a sheet of model aircraft plywood painted black with a hole cut out. Very basic crude woodworking skills only.

The are nice cameras, a lot nicer with the OEM backs ;-/

The bellows are often funky at this age too.