Toyo 45A vs. 45AII

[Johnny Laidlaw]

I am considering buying a used toyo 45A. I'm curious what sacrifices I'll be making by not buying the more expensive 45AII. I'll be using it almost exclusively for landscape work. Thanks Johnny

[tim atherton]

Almost nothing (though I may miss a couple of things).

The older 45A is similar to the 45AX in that it has a regular back not a rotating one - which I find I rarely need - and saves on weight.

Other than that the other main difference I think is the AII has rubberized knobs...

I think that's about it.

I bought an older 45A close to 10 years ago because it was cheaper and it's probably my most used 4x5

[Eric Brody]

I have a 20+ year old 45A and agree with Tim. Everything that really matters is the same. The only significant difference is the rotating back. Since I've never had one, I'm not at all sure why one would need one. It takes <5 seconds to change the back. Rubberized knobs might be nice but my plastic ones work just fine. Clearly one must look at what the price difference is, I might do it for $50, I'm not sure I'd be willing to spend more than that, but it's up to you.

[Witold Grabiec]

You also get (should) a folding focusing hood as part of the original package. Some don't like it anyways, but it works fine for me. The rest is basically cosmetic and that's a stretch too.

[Merg Ross]

I have used many 4x5's over the years, some with rotating backs and some without. For the past several years the Toyo AX has been my primary field camera. As Tim noted a rotating back adds weight and also cost. With a little experience, changing orientation of the back takes about ten seconds. The Toyo field cameras are very sturdy and a good choice unless you plan to use long lenses and need something in excess of 13" or so of bellow.

[darter]

I use the rotating back all the time, so it is useful if you have it. I believe the AII has an enhanced fresnel as well.

[austin granger]

I used an AX quite a bit. Just to second what everybody else above has said, manually switching the back from horizontal to vertical is no big deal at all. Also, I bought the folding focusing hood and found it to be near impossible to actually focus with it; Toyo's claims of being able to do away with the darkcloth are very optimistic. It does protect the ground glass pretty well though...

Anyhow, my two cents says the AII isn't worth the extra dough.

[sekao07]

I have a Toyo 45A complete with some accessories that I am currently taking offers to sell it. It is in excellent condition. I live in Ontario, Canada

[Ted Harris]

One big plus for me in favor of the AII is the ruberized knobs. They make it dead easy to focus in very cold weather while wearling mittens (also present on the AX). If you don't do that then the only other difference worth mentioning is the Toyo Super Screen fresnel. It is a very bight view. I have used many field cameras and the Toyo's are among the fastest to setup and get focused. Alos tough. Mine etakes a beating all th time and aside from a lot of paint scrapes keeps on going.

[Asher Kelman]

I have a Toyo 45A complete with some accessories that I am currently taking offers to sell it. It is in excellent condition. I live in Ontario, Canada

Did you get to sell you 45S?

Just looking for something portable and old for a new 229mm lens. I dont mind non-rotating back if the camera is lighter however, the 45AII is interesting as well!

Asher Kelman

http://www.openphotographyforums.com

[JP Pestana]

Hi I am a new LFPF member and this thread, among others, influenced my decision to purchase a used Toyo 45A vs a new, or used 45A11.
I received my 45A today. No problem. Nice condition.
However, wasn't I surprised to see it has a 360 degree revolving back. Did Toyo ever offer the revolving back as an option on the 45A?
Or, do you think it is most likely this was a later upgrade to this 45A?

I just read another post somewhere that claimed the 45A actually did come with a revolving back.

Anyway, I have one now and was surprised to say the least.

[Gem Singer]

The later versions of the Toyo 45A came with a rotating back and a folding focusing hood, as does the newer 45AII.

The 45AX comes without those features, but Toyo offers them as optional accessories.

[srbphoto]

The main difference between a 45A and the 45AII are the rubber knobs. The 45A came with the rotating back. The 45AX has the removable back. I have had my 45A for about 15 years. It is an awesome camera. I have used it in all weather conditions and have never had a problem with it.
Enjoy!

[Darin Boville]

I used to use a Toyo 45 with a rotating back. At first I thought it frivolous but I found myself using it to make slight adjustments to the camera to level it. Very useful...

--Darin

[srbphoto]

I used a wooden 4x5 (Deardorff) and always hated taking the back off to rotate it. The 45A system is a lot nicer.

I purchased a level that snaps into the flash bracket. It's really useful.