Toyo 5X7 Field Camera

[David Grandy]

I have a Toyo 5X7 Field Camera. Mine is configured as a 4X5 and I suspect as mo st of them were. It's grey aluminum and takes Graphflex lens boards. I've been looking for a instruction book for this camera for a while and if anyone out th ere knows of one I would like to hear about it.

I was told (by Toyo) that this camera wasn't sold in North America and that's th e reason there are no instruction books. But I just discovered a tiny display ad vertisement for the Toyo buried in an Olden Camera ad in a 1976 Popular Photogra phy. ($199 for the body, sigh) so it was sold at least in the grey market in Nor th America. So here's hoping.

[David Hedley]

I have the same camera, but even the manufacturers in Osaka, Japan have not been able to supply the instruction book in response to my requests. Not really needed though for operation, as it's a fairly simple camera to use. What is the shortest lense you use - I use a Fujinon 90mm f/8, which delivers excellent results on Astia / Velvia. I would like to try a 65 or 75mm, but suspect that the baseboard will intrude on the field of view. Do you know of any possible source for a 5x7 back?