Toyo 810G

[DKirk]

So, I've just taken the plunge and picked up a 10x8 Toyo monorail back. Waiting on it plus bellows to make it's way to me.

Does any one have any experience on the Toyo 810G - Are there any peculiarities with it, or is it just a scaled up 45G back?

also, looking for some advice on lenses for portrait (already have a 360mm Symmar f/5.6 but concerned it ma just be a little short)

Apologies for not using search as well as I could, but currently using phone, and have an agonisingly slow connection where I am at the moment.

[Ari]

That's a great, solid monorail; congratulations.
The 810 back is exactly like the 45 back, minus the pop-up hood.
The G system is modular, and accessories can be found quite cheaply, though Toyo is by no means of cheap quality. If anything, it is overbuilt and on the heavy side.

As for portrait lenses, my main, and right now, only portrait lens is in the 300mm range; others might suggest a longer lens, but I really like the 300mm FL for portraits.
It retains just the right amount of roundness while still giving lots of nice out-of-focus areas.
It will boil down to personal taste, but I will never go longer than a 300 or 360 for portraits; beyond that, things start to flatten out too much for my liking.

You'll have a great camera and lens kit to start with, so just shoot with that as much as you can, then decide if you want something more.

[DKirk]

Cheers Ari, forgetting it's the Convertable Symmar so I've got a choice - 360mm or 620mm. . . Good to know there's no major differences between the two.

Now I just need to wait on it coming through from the States. . . Surprised how local it was to get a darkslide - Anstruther, just a mere 3 miles from my Gran's house in Fife :) And roll on Payday and I can get some film. Just wish I hadn't eBayed the Paterson Orbital some time ago :(

[karl french]

I think 360 is just about perfect for portraits on 8x10.

[Alan Gales]

I think 360 is just about perfect for portraits on 8x10.

So thought Yousuf Karsh (14" Commercial Ektar) and Richard Avedon (360mm Schneider) for his American West series.

[neil poulsen]

I have one that's set up for another format. But I have all the 8x10 components and can use it for that format.

After some trials setting it up, I found a plate on which I could mount two clamps. Very solid, although a little heavier. I can still use a 250mm lens, which is as wide as I have for 8x10. It would be nice to find a 5x7 reduction back, but they're scarce. The 4x5 reduction back is really nice, and with a single clamp and a recessed lensboard, I found that I could use down to a 75mm lens.

You can find bag bellows on EBay. But, I get the impression that the 8x10 Toyo bellows tend to be a bit frail and can easily develop corner pinholes. Two additional 8x10 bellows came with my camera, and by putting a light inside either of them, I turn my darkroom into a planetarium.

There are multiple rail configurations. A good way to go is the main 250mm rail with female on each end. Then get two 250mm extensions with male on one end, and one can gradually build from a 250mm short, wide angle rail up to a 750mm rail. (That's a little longer than the long, 8x10 bellows can handle.) If on top of that, you have one or two of the 500mm rails, it's possible to build up to a total of a 1250mm rail. Separate caps can be found, so that at any point, one has a full rail with caps. Every once and a while, an intermediate standard shows up on EBay, that would enable you to extend the bellows from the 8x10 through a 4x5 bellows. Even though it's possible to build up to a 1250mm rail, I'm not sure it's possible to use more than 1000mm, even with the 4x5 bellows extension.

It's easy to find reasonably priced, compendium lenshoods, as I did. But, Toyo also made one with four adjustable blades for really tight control.

A Sinar pan-tilt head could be excellent with this camera. (I've only read about it.) It could keep the center of gravity low to avoid moment arm vibrations, and there's enough side to side tilt built into the camera's rail itself, that you would have what you needed in all three degrees of freedom. Another possibility would be one of the Ries heads. (Although, the 200 does not have pan.) I got the large, low profile Gitzo head, and although heavy, it works fine. Since I'm using a plate, I centered the camera forward a little further over the head's fulcrum.

I had it in mind to use this camera out in the field as an 8x10. My idea was to put the front standard and two extension rails in my backpack, with my lenses and holders. I could carry the main 250mm rail mounted on the tripod in one hand and have a separate case for the 8x10 back in the other. It's easy enough to quickly assemble the camera, when one reaches a site of interest. It's workable, but still quite heavy.

[Derek Kennedy]

I too landed myself a Toyo 810G, about a month or so ago. Loving it so far.

It came with the 8x10 and the 4x5 back so Im good - although like you Neil it would be nice if I could get a 5x7 back but since I already shoot 4x5 I think I can do without the 5x7 for now. It also came with a compendium lenshood, an extension, and a couple film holders. Bought it from a local who was moving along with a Hasselblad 500 C.

It came with a Schneider 355mm lens, convertible to 620mm. Id like to get another lens board so I could maybe use my Schneider 210mm lens that I use for 4x5.

One thing I found - this camera is *heavy* to pack around lol. Putting it on an old Gitzo tripod, Im looking at 30 pounds plus a camera bag with the essentials (film holder(s), loupe, cable release, dark cloth, meter, note book - etc).

I havent used it much, but I love using it so far. Only shot a couple sheets of 8x10, 1 of 4x5, plus a few sheets of paper through it so far - waiting for winter to finally leave. My main idea was to use it in the field rather than a studio setup but I will be able to do both.

[karl french]

Toyo 810G in action during this lovely video.

https://vimeo.com/91495217

[Derek Kennedy]

'lovely video' does not do that video justice. leaves me speechless.

Thanks for that karl

[tgtaylor]

Actually, it's the newer GII which is essentially the same as the late model 810G but with the nicer (and heavier) rubberized control knobs instead of the plastic control knobs of the earlier models. I have a late model 810G and bought a Calumet waterproof case with wheels and a two wheeler to use the camera in urban settings. The camera in its case and a series 5 Gitzo with 2 tripod mounting blocks ride in the two wheeler and the film holders, etc in the backpack. For off-pavement 8x10 photography I now have the MII which is the same camera as the 810M except that the front standard reverses allowing for a longer lens.

Toyo bellows are finicky when it comes to closing and great care must be taken or you will have pin holes in the corners. If you use a BTZS dark cloth, make sure that the elastic closure sits on the frame and not on the bellows. If it does, it will slightly deform the bellows in that area and they won't close right. When closing I make sure all the folds are in the correct place and that the bellows "snaps to" correctly before closing.

Thomas

[neil poulsen]

. . . Toyo bellows are finicky when it comes to closing and great care must be taken or you will have pin holes in the corners. If you use a BTZS dark cloth, make sure that the elastic closure sits on the frame and not on the bellows. If it does, it will slightly deform the bellows in that area and they won't close right. When closing I make sure all the folds are in the correct place and that the bellows "snaps to" correctly before closing.
Thomas

Excellent advice! Thanks much; I will be careful about this.

[DKirk]

Counting down for delivery. . . It left Erlanger, KY 41018 at 9pm on the 24th. . . I feel like a wee kid at Christmas. Darkslide arrived on Monday, now just deciding on what film to go with - at £2.70 a sheet the Foma looks to be the cheapset to start with.

Cheers for the advice, and that video's got me wanting to try platinum printing. . . need to get a darkroom organised, my suggestion of painting the bathroom black did not go down well. . .

[Mick Fagan]

Counting down for delivery. . . It left Erlanger, KY 41018 at 9pm on the 24th. . . I feel like a wee kid at Christmas. Darkslide arrived on Monday, now just deciding on what film to go with - at £2.70 a sheet the Foma looks to be the cheapset to start with.

Cheers for the advice, and that video's got me wanting to try platinum printing. . . need to get a darkroom organised, my suggestion of painting the bathroom black did not go down well. . .

My purpose built darkroom, is painted white. Had it for about 27 years, never had a problem doing reversal colour printing, colour negative printing, nor any B&W printing. Developing film won't make any difference as virtually all film is developed in total darkness.

Mick.