Toyo 810M

[Michael Graves]

Just got myself a Toyo 810M 8x10 field camera. She's a beauty. Very clean and all the movements are smooth. But before I decide to sell the old Eastman 2D that has served me well all these years, I want to solve one problem. There seems to be a small amount of fogging that occurs on every sheet of film that I exposed yesterday. It looks like its happening right at the gate where the film holder slides into the back.

Am I doing something wrong? My film holders are all relatively pristine Fidelity Elites and I never had any fogging with the 2D. What else can it be?

[Jack Flesher]

Check the bellows along the seam near that edge...

[Michael Kadillak]

When you drop the bail on the camera back over a holder. make sure that the film holders mates in the receiving groove correctly. When I am ready to insert a holder I open up the bail back and reach to the close left end of the ground glass assembly with my left hand and pry open the close side of the camera back to make it easier to get the film holder into position. After I close the bail and before I pull the slide, I jiggle the holder to make sure all is aligned correctly. Assuming that your bellows are light tight, you should be good to go.

Great camera that is easy to use and still (cross your fingers) supported my Mamiya/Toyo in New Jersey. I needed to have my left focusing knob assembly checked and lubricated as it was not as smooth as the right knob and the service was quick and the cost was very reasonable. Came back to me as good as new.

Cheers!

[Michael Graves]

Thanks, Jack and Michael.

I'll double-check both points. If I have any complaint at all about the workmanship of the camera it is only in that brass thumbscrew that locks down the bellows after extending it. All the other knobs are nice smooth black ones. That brass one is just a trifle rough. I'm taking it out again tomorrow. I loaded up the holders with some Arista Edu-Ultra that I want to test out.

[Michael Kadillak]

Consider calling the Toyo parts department and finding out what a replacement for the brass thumbscrew costs. If you can get original parts by all means investigate the possibility.

[John_4185]

There's not a knob that can't be made, and few that can't be found. Find out what thread it is (it's probably one of three common sizes). A trip to Ace Hardware will probably suffice.

[Barry Wilkinson]

Hi,

If the brass thumbscrew you are talking about is the large one at the bottom of the front standard, be carefull. The retaining screw has a Right Hand Thread, i.e. it is released by turning it clockwise. It can easily be broken turning it the wrong way (I know!).

I replaced mine on my Toyo 810MII. Toyo sent me a replacement after I spoke to them regarding the knob rubbing on the front standard when folded. It seems there was a manufacturing problem which they were happy to replace free of charge. The only problem I have is that the 'blanking' cap for the knob is fitted with a press (I assume?), I can not get mine to fit correctly. This is only cosmetic but I would prefer not to see it.

Barry
UK (No Toyo repairs here)