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View Full Version : Advice needed: Focus 617 Back & Toyo 45A



Oortti
15-Apr-2008, 10:05
Hello!

I've recently acquired a Focus 6x17 panorama back for my Toyo Field. However, I didn't consider the issue how to mount it on the back.

So I'm asking: any suggestions? I have a normal Toyo 45A revolving back with a ground glass with the springy expander section - I could always dismantle the ground glass from the current back but then it would leave me a otherwise useless back.

I was thinking about getting another Toyo back, with or without the ground glass and modify to suit my needs. Or would a normal graflok back fit this task better?

Here are some images of the focus back, so you know what I mean:

http://bizweb.cn/com/poodley/pic/1165333003.jpg

Any suggestions or previous experiences are welcomed!

Steve Barber
15-Apr-2008, 10:47
What you need is a Graflok back. Both the film holder and the viewer are designed to be used with that.

Oortti
15-Apr-2008, 10:59
Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't graflok-backs designed to be screw-mounted to the
frame? I might be incorrect on this one.

The only back attachment option Toyo gives is the sliding locks - of course this will not be an issue if the locks fit to the graflok back.

Steve Barber
15-Apr-2008, 11:11
Toyo makes a Graflok back to fit your camera. It would attach the same way your revolving back does.

Dave Wooten
15-Apr-2008, 11:13
I think the Toyo is international? It should fit, my Da Yi fits on an old graflex crown.

Steve Barber
15-Apr-2008, 11:21
The sliding locks you are speaking of, you have these now? I can't tell from the tiny image on Toyo's site, but what they say sounds like the revolving back is a Graflok style back. If you have the sliding locks, then all you need to do is release the revolving back portion using those and then attach the panoramic back the same way.

Dave Wooten
15-Apr-2008, 11:25
Oorti,

I just tried a Focus 6 x 17 back on a Toyo , it is a perfect fit. Just remove your Toyo ground glass, your Focus glass can then be used to compose the 6 x 17, and then insert the 7 x 17 film back. for 6 x 12 etc and smaller, just compose on your Toyo class.

richard brown
15-Apr-2008, 11:30
when i bought a horseman 6x12 roll film back for my older toyo 45A, i encountered the same problem. the early toyos sometimes came with a standard non graphlok back so i had to hunt around and find one ..... i have seen them at auction so check it out and see if your existing back has the two thumb sliders that pop the gg frame out of the back...
not the sliders top and bottom used to remount horizontal or vertical for non rotating backs. good luck with the pano world, its fun.
richard

Oortti
15-Apr-2008, 12:26
Thanks all,

as Richard Brown said, the first Toyo 45A's came with the older slider locks and thus regular graflok backs cannot be fitted into them as some of you proposed.

I've also considered and tried to remove the ground glass from my old back, but since it comes with the spring, the removal of the ground glass and the spring is way too complicated (and while possible, but rendering the back unusable for future use in normal 4x5 composing).

Here are some images to clarify the toyo locking mechanism for those who are not familiar with it: http://www.peronvuo.fi/toy/

While it looks like a graflok locks, trust me, they aren't ones.

So far the best option is to get a toyo back (I'm not sure if they make it for the 45A anymore), or find one (without the spring) from ebay (didn't find any to fit 45A, since it has a different lock than the newer models) or make my own backplate for the toyo with ie. graflok back screw-in holes.

Steve Barber
15-Apr-2008, 12:32
Quick and dirty, but they show a Graflok style back; with the ground glass, the ground glass section by itself and the back without the ground glass. Looking at the ground glass section, you can see the thumb levers on the sides that lock and unlock the ground glass section in the back by depressing and sliding them sideways. The back, with the ground glass removed, is the part that you would attach the panoramic adapter to using the sliding locks on each side.

tmu
16-Apr-2008, 03:13
I've also considered and tried to remove the ground glass from my old back, but since it comes with the spring, the removal of the ground glass and the spring is way too complicated (and while possible, but rendering the back unusable for future use in normal 4x5 composing).

Here are some images to clarify the toyo locking mechanism for those who are not familiar with it: http://www.peronvuo.fi/toy/

While it looks like a graflok locks, trust me, they aren't ones.


Yes, you're right. Those tabs hold the camera back in place.

However, your pictures don't include one from the rear side of the ground glass. There may be two tabs that hold the ground glass frame in place. The second part of the manual at http://www.butkus.org/chinon/toyo-view/toyo-view.htm should help (if your back really is a graflok back).

Oortti
16-Apr-2008, 03:30
Yes, you're right. Those tabs hold the camera back in place.

However, your pictures don't include one from the rear side of the ground glass. There may be two tabs that hold the ground glass frame in place. The second part of the manual at http://www.butkus.org/chinon/toyo-view/toyo-view.htm should help (if your back really is a graflok back).

True, they don't, but there are no graflok locks on the front side which makes the removing of the ground glass obsolete since there's no way to lock the 617 back in to the frame.

One solution would be to custom CNC a back for toyo and then fit a graflok-back to it. Actually I've already asked my friend to make one. Seems to be the easiest way to solve this since the old Toyo 45A backs are not easily found on ebay or elsewhere.

David A. Goldfarb
16-Apr-2008, 04:19
Given the price of used cameras, I suspect you could find another camera for your 6x17 back for less than the price of a custom Graflok back.

Oortti
26-Apr-2008, 22:17
Given the price of used cameras, I suspect you could find another camera for your 6x17 back for less than the price of a custom Graflok back.

If you're in Finland, the graflok-type cameras are a rarity and you'd have to Ebay it, add customs expenses (for all items above 50 USD) and to have mount-ready boards for the lenses. Sounded too much of an hassle compared to finding one cheap graflok -back...

Which I fortunately did find, and hammered it out to fit my Toyo specifications. Works like a charm and for 30 USD seemed like a best solution to this problem. I might later on CNC-machine the backboard for finished look and take the locks from the current graflok-back, as I have the specifications and measurements done already.

Anyway, thanks all for the replies, here's the end result:

http://www.peronvuo.fi/focusback.jpg