Infinity Stops-Toyo 45A

**L. Klapstock** · 28-Jun-2004, 08:26

I'm new to 4x5. I have a Toyo 45A which I'm learning to use. Can anyone tell me if it is necessary to adjust the infinity stops in order to have full functionality of the camera? It seems very complicated to adjust them. Right now I'm using a 120 mm lens and I'll be switching to a 300 mm lens.

Thanks a lot.

**Leonard Evens** · 28-Jun-2004, 09:06

I am not too familiar with the camera, but I would guess that an infinity stop just allows you to set the front standard quickly at the correct distance for your lens when focused at infinity. But it should be obvious when you look at the ground glass whether or not you are in focus at infinity, at least close enough to get started. Many view cameras don't have such a feature. For example, with my Toho FC-45X, I have a distance scale on the rail, and I know the proper distance between the standards for each lens, so I can set it that way. But usually I don't bother because I can just slide the front standard forward until the image comes into focus and then proceed further with the fine focusing knob as needed. So unless I am missing something, I would say adjusting the stops will speed things up for you by a couple of seconds each time you use the camera, but you don't need to do it for full functionality.

Press and technical cameras often have rangefinder focusing as well as ground glass focusing, and to use the rangefinder feature, you would need to set the infinity stops accurately.

**Gem Singer** · 28-Jun-2004, 10:39

Judging from my experience with both the Toyo 45AII and the Toyo 45AX, you would probably be better off if you just moved the infinity stops all the way to the front of the rails, folded them over, and completely forgot about them.

The original purpose of infinity stops was to quickly sync the position of the front standard with the distance from the groundglass where the lens focuses at infinity. That distance varies with the focal length of the individual lens being used. I never could figure out why Toyo included infinity stops with a camera that doesn't have a rangefinder.