Found this gem,curious if anybody can brand it?

[andrewglennmiller]

Got my hands an a wood 5x7 field camera, looks similar to the Tachiharas and alike.

It has a 4x5 back adapter, I believe graflock. Curious if anybody could put a name on it. It is coming in the mail to me, so I'll be able to investigate further later but I think it will remain a mystery but It'd be entertaining to know. Looks beautiful regardless, pretty excited.

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[Dugan]

The 4x5 back has been cobbled up from a Crown/Speed Graphic.
There were many no-name wood field cameras made in Japan.
Perhaps member Kumar can help with identification.

[B.S.Kumar]

Indeed there were many unnamed Japanese cameras. A lot of cameras also shared hardware, so it is quite difficult to say whether a particular camera is a specific brand or not.
Most Japanese cameras would have been half plate size. It's quite easy to add a 4x5 back to them.

Kumar

[andrewglennmiller]

Indeed there were many unnamed Japanese cameras. A lot of cameras also shared hardware, so it is quite difficult to say whether a particular camera is a specific brand or not.
Most Japanese cameras would have been half plate size. It's quite easy to add a 4x5 back to them.

Kumar

Right. I had a feeling it could be near impossible. I am curious if the bellow extension will be around the 12-13" mark as well.

[r_a_feldman]

The tripod mount is not original. See https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?49776-Camera-Tripod-Mount for a discussion of what it would have been. Unfortunately, the pictures that were attached to that thread no longer show.

[B.S.Kumar]

These cameras had this kind of tripod mount:
https://i.postimg.cc/26hfb9wF/5x7-Camera-06.jpg
The inner triangular plate is a later accessory for modern tripods. Without that part, one would use wooden legs that were inserted where the plate is attached.

It was also possible to drill a hole like this:
https://i.postimg.cc/zXQPNGJ4/WPCamera-5x7-Back-06.jpg

Or cover it up with a metal plate like the OP's camera.

Kumar

[andrewglennmiller]

These cameras had this kind of tripod mount:
https://i.postimg.cc/26hfb9wF/5x7-Camera-06.jpg
The inner triangular plate is a later accessory for modern tripods. Without that part, one would use wooden legs that were inserted where the plate is attached.

It was also possible to drill a hole like this:
https://i.postimg.cc/zXQPNGJ4/WPCamera-5x7-Back-06.jpg

Or cover it up with a metal plate like the OP's camera.

Kumar

Right. Thank you.

I will have to wait until it is in my hands to know the lens board size and the hole size that comes with the one.

[Drew Bedo]

The 4x5 back has been cobbled up from a Crown/Speed Graphic.
There were many no-name wood field cameras made in Japan.
Perhaps member Kumar can help with identification.


Japan, and elshere too. I once had a a copy of a baby Derdorff, exact in every way, except it was made from a tropical hardwood (not rosewood). A very close examination showed that many of the metal parts were hand crafted with layout lines on the side next to the wood. Screw holes would not match up right to left and so on. No ID on it anywhere. Someone told me it was a Rajah from India.

Wish I'd have kept it now. If your camera works for you, usit.

[andrewglennmiller]

I am now realizing having my camera here that my Ride stock 210 can't reach infinity focus with this homemade reducing back on it. I think I got to hunt around for. Slimmer reducer now

[sharktooth]

I am now realizing having my camera here that my Ride stock 210 can't reach infinity focus with this homemade reducing back on it. I think I got to hunt around for. Slimmer reducer now

That doesn't make sense. A 210mm lens is the standard focal length for 5x7, so it should have plenty of movement to account for the thicker adapter back. Did you check if the rear standard can move forward? The knobs at the base of the rear standard are usually used for adjusting the position of the rear standard (similar to the knobs at the base of the front standard). Back standard forward adjustment is useful, since moving the front standard rearwards with wide angle lenses can result in the front of the bed becoming visible in the image frame.

[andrewglennmiller]

I figured it out! Thank you! I didn't realize the back can be moved off its position on the rail. What a relief.

[Bessa72]

it could also be an earlier version of an actual Tachihara Hope. Originally maybe it had an half plate back, whats the actual format size of yours?
From The posted photos the hardware very much looks like so, the leather handle missing, the troipod mounting triangle and back were replaced.