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trink408
16-May-2008, 10:15
I was looking at buying a new 4x5 since my Crown is facing some issues right now.
I saw the toyo 45cf and was interested in the light-weight and reasonable price, wondering if anyone has one or has experience using one?

If you have other budget friendly suggestions feel free to add them!!

Thanks in advance,
Kevin

eddie
16-May-2008, 10:40
my friend has one. if my memory is right it does not have any rear movements. (but check this for me)

she "upgraded" to a chamonix 4x5 from the CF. you should look into the chamonix. i can put you in contact with her if you are interested in her CF.

eddie

trink408
16-May-2008, 11:02
my friend has one. if my memory is right it does not have any rear movements. (but check this for me)

she "upgraded" to a chamonix 4x5 from the CF. you should look into the chamonix. i can put you in contact with her if you are interested in her CF.

eddie

I might be interested in this cf, pm me details please.

Thanks

Morten
16-May-2008, 11:04
I have one and like it very much.. It's very LIGHT! But lacks any rear movement. Not (yet) a major drawback for me.

Se more info here (http://www.toyoview.com/Products/45CF/JanEntry45CF.pdf).

The chamonix will be a more advanced camera with more movements, IF you can get your hands on one for a good price. You should be able to get the Toyo 45CF for less than $500 (which is what I paid for a mint one from B&H)

Did I say its LIGHT ? (both the Toyo and chamonix)

Best regards
Morten

trink408
16-May-2008, 11:58
I have one and like it very much.. It's very LIGHT! But lacks any rear movement. Not (yet) a major drawback for me.

Se more info here (http://www.toyoview.com/Products/45CF/JanEntry45CF.pdf).

The chamonix will be a more advanced camera with more movements, IF you can get your hands on one for a good price. You should be able to get the Toyo 45CF for less than $500 (which is what I paid for a mint one from B&H)

Did I say its LIGHT ? (both the Toyo and chamonix)

Best regards
Morten

Gracias!!

I'm still a newbie with the movements, and I don't believe my current Crown Graphics has any rear movements, which has not been a problem for me yet.

I really dig the idea of it being light, looking at doing some backpacking trips this year, and every pound makes a difference...

I'm looking around for a nice used model if I can find one..

Mark Tweed
16-May-2008, 13:54
Kevin,

Brian A is selling a Horseman Woodman 4X5 in the for sale section of this forum (track it back a few days). This camera is in the comparison test in the Shutterbug article Morten provided a link to. It is lighter than they Toyo CF and has more movements, specifically, rear movements. Another plus is that it has the Graflock style back so you can use roll film holders. It's a nicely finished camera similar in concept to the Tachihara's or Wista's. The camera folds into a more compact package than just about any 4X5 wood field camera with the exception of Nagaoka/Ikeda/Anba series.

Take a look, Brian has posted some beautiful photos of it.


Mark

Eduardo Aigner
16-May-2008, 16:17
There are lots of info about the CF on the forum. Anyway, I love my CF.

Dave_B
17-May-2008, 09:31
This is something I wrote here on a thread discussing the Toyo CF roughly a year ago. I still use the camera and feel the same about it.


Folks:
I will come to the defense of the Toyo 45CF. I have one for my lightweight LF backpacking kit and I'm pretty happy with it.
Advantages:
1. Moderately priced, now $630 new at B&H
2. Lightweight-3lbs 6oz
3. Pretty solid for its weight-not like the 45AII but it does not cost or weigh what the 45AII does. It locks down to a pretty solid unit.
4. It will fold up with a lens inside to make a compact, rugged package that you could carry without a special camera case and is therefore lighter to carry. You can reverse the lensboard and fold the camera with a Nikkor 90 f8 inside for example. Smaller lenses can be folded up inside the camera with the board right side out.
5. If you have other Toyo cameras, you can use a common set of lens boards, view-finders, etc. for a lower cost of ownership.
6. It is a real camera with a range of movements allowing you to use 75mm to 500T lenses. As a practical matter, the real range is probably 90mm to 300mm lenses for most photography of the kind I would be willing to do. Focusing is geared. It has front rise and fall, front tilt, front swing and shift. It only has tilt on the back. It has a back that can moved to either portrait or landscape mode.
Disadvantages:
1. It is made of a type of plastic material. They call it glass fiber polycarbonate. You will call it plastic. The material is pretty solid and the camera works fine but it will not give you the same pride of ownership as will an Ebony. It basically is a lightweight camera that works.
2. The hardware is not bullet proof. It will require care in its use. Not overly so but some caution.
3. This camera will not take a lot of abuse. With care, it will be a functional, lightweight way to take pictures a long way from the car. Near the car, my 45AII or my Ebony will get used, not this camera. This is a camera to be used when the alternative is a digital point and shoot.

One of the posters asked why bother with lightweight LF systems. The answer is age. It is the same reason I give for ultralight weight backpacking gear. When I was younger, a fifty pound pack seemed like just the thing. Everything I carried was bullet proof with plenty of backup gear. Heavy packs, long distances, high mountains-I loved it. I was a horse. I am now a 55 year old with a dicey back. Now I carry an ultralight pack that has a base weight (no food or water) of ten pounds. My much lighter gear requires some care in its use but the alternative is to stay at home and read about other peoples trips. Ultralight weight gear lets me get out. The care in its use is a minor cost to still be able to still sleep in a tent in the mountains.

My current LF system for backpacking, built around the 45CF, weighs in at 12 1/2 pounds. This combined with my backpacking gear lets me get out for a multiday trip with an all-in pack of less than thirty pounds. It is about the limit for me but at least I can go. The sofa is a practice coffin. Not for me.
Cheers,
Dave B.

tgtaylor
18-May-2008, 20:06
This is something I wrote here on a thread discussing the Toyo CF roughly a year ago. I still use the camera and feel the same about it.


Folks:
I will come to the defense of the Toyo 45CF. I have one for my lightweight LF backpacking kit and I'm pretty happy with it.
Advantages:
1. Moderately priced, now $630 new at B&H
2. Lightweight-3lbs 6oz
3. Pretty solid for its weight-not like the 45AII but it does not cost or weigh what the 45AII does. It locks down to a pretty solid unit.
4. It will fold up with a lens inside to make a compact, rugged package that you could carry without a special camera case and is therefore lighter to carry. You can reverse the lensboard and fold the camera with a Nikkor 90 f8 inside for example. Smaller lenses can be folded up inside the camera with the board right side out.
5. If you have other Toyo cameras, you can use a common set of lens boards, view-finders, etc. for a lower cost of ownership.
6. It is a real camera with a range of movements allowing you to use 75mm to 500T lenses. As a practical matter, the real range is probably 90mm to 300mm lenses for most photography of the kind I would be willing to do. Focusing is geared. It has front rise and fall, front tilt, front swing and shift. It only has tilt on the back. It has a back that can moved to either portrait or landscape mode.
Disadvantages:
1. It is made of a type of plastic material. They call it glass fiber polycarbonate. You will call it plastic. The material is pretty solid and the camera works fine but it will not give you the same pride of ownership as will an Ebony. It basically is a lightweight camera that works.
2. The hardware is not bullet proof. It will require care in its use. Not overly so but some caution.
3. This camera will not take a lot of abuse. With care, it will be a functional, lightweight way to take pictures a long way from the car. Near the car, my 45AII or my Ebony will get used, not this camera. This is a camera to be used when the alternative is a digital point and shoot.

One of the posters asked why bother with lightweight LF systems. The answer is age. It is the same reason I give for ultralight weight backpacking gear. When I was younger, a fifty pound pack seemed like just the thing. Everything I carried was bullet proof with plenty of backup gear. Heavy packs, long distances, high mountains-I loved it. I was a horse. I am now a 55 year old with a dicey back. Now I carry an ultralight pack that has a base weight (no food or water) of ten pounds. My much lighter gear requires some care in its use but the alternative is to stay at home and read about other peoples trips. Ultralight weight gear lets me get out. The care in its use is a minor cost to still be able to still sleep in a tent in the mountains.

My current LF system for backpacking, built around the 45CF, weighs in at 12 1/2 pounds. This combined with my backpacking gear lets me get out for a multiday trip with an all-in pack of less than thirty pounds. It is about the limit for me but at least I can go. The sofa is a practice coffin. Not for me.
Cheers,
Dave B.

Well said Dave!

trink408
19-May-2008, 05:25
I see the price of this camera has gone up considerably, they are almost $900 now from B&H... :(

trink408
19-May-2008, 11:07
Kevin,

Brian A is selling a Horseman Woodman 4X5 in the for sale section of this forum (track it back a few days). This camera is in the comparison test in the Shutterbug article Morten provided a link to. It is lighter than they Toyo CF and has more movements, specifically, rear movements. Another plus is that it has the Graflock style back so you can use roll film holders. It's a nicely finished camera similar in concept to the Tachihara's or Wista's. The camera folds into a more compact package than just about any 4X5 wood field camera with the exception of Nagaoka/Ikeda/Anba series.

Take a look, Brian has posted some beautiful photos of it.


Mark

Does this camera fit well for my purpose, backpacking and traveling? I'm just concerned on the sturdiness of the camera...

petez
19-May-2008, 22:30
I see the price of this camera has gone up considerably, they are almost $900 now from B&H... :(

I have one for sale:

http://pkzphotos.smugmug.com/for%20sale

Pete

tgtaylor
23-May-2008, 20:06
I bought mine from B&H for $549.95 ("Under $550.00" was the Toyo ad at the time) when they first came out.:)

franklphoto
26-May-2008, 10:34
what are the benefits of rear movements?

Bob Salomon
26-May-2008, 10:58
what are the benefits of rear movements?

Rear movements allow you to control the shape of the object you are photographing. One example is they allow you to eliminate keystoning of objects when you point the camera up, down, left or right.