Hello,
can anyone tell me about a first hand experience with this camera?
or if they know anything about it?
is focusing smooth? and can it hold heavy lenses? (2 kilo or more ? symmar 360 f6.8 or heavier) without the front standard tilting or falling by its weight?
Is it hard to get parts for it?
thanks alot.
I have used a tan Toyo 810M for over 10 years as it is my primary field camera because it is quick to set up, it has dual focus tracks that are smooth and lock down nicely and a front that slides forward and locks down quickly and has a full compliment of movements. Some say that it is a bit on the heavy side to them (it does not bother me at all) as it a solid stable camera platform that holds heavy lenses easily. I like the back bail opener for the film holders and how it squares up to vertical quickly on each standard. Toyo is no longer manufacturing the camera likely due to lack of demand (it was an expensive camera new) and as a result parts are getting increasingly harder to obtain as the inventory depletes. As a result I am very careful in using the camera and knock on wood, it continues to do its thing for me and I use it weekly. The longest lens I can use on my 810M is 24" and the shortest I have used is a 120mm mm although one has to be careful of the front standard encroaching in the image area with that wide view as the rear standard does not move forward. If I am packing 8x10 I take my Canham wood 8x10 which is a bit lighter and is capable of a broader lens selection. Cheers!Originally Posted by Jbuck
Last edited by Michael Kadillak; 6-Sep-2018 at 16:37. Reason: typo
Thanks a lot. I need to decide between this and a p2..which will be a hard decision.
I do mostly portrait work (indoor and outdoor) and i know sinar is heavier...
What about bellows. Is it hard to find the longer toyo bellows? Or lets say a fresnel for the toyo?
Both are heavy. You'll need to factor in the weight of a similarly heavy tripod support. Components are much easier to acquire for the Sinar system. Why a P2? All its fancy gearing is really overkill for portrait work. There are much lighter Sinar options which will do the job equally well. In fact, the Toyo G design is modeled after the original Sinar Norma series.
I found the standard replacement bellows here on this forum a while back. That said if you have the standards Camera Bellows will do the job at a substantial discount to the factory bellows if they had them in stock. I don't use a fresnel on any of my 8x10 cameras but surely if that is a must have there must be options to consider. I do not find myself encumbered in getting a focused image not he GG even in lower light conditions or with F9 or F11 lenses. It is a big piece of GG that is exceptionally easy to work on for me. A P2 as previously mentioned is overkill for the task at hand.
What about a Sinar F2 ?
Much lighter than the P2.
- Leigh
If you believe you can, or you believe you can't... you're right.
Sinar P -vs- Toyo 810M, they are quite different cameras. Owned and used a 810M for a few years decades ago. IMO, this is the best metal 8x10 field camera made. Precise, rigid an nice to use in every way. It's prime limitation is bellows draw due to camera limitations. Otherwise, it is really an excellent 8x10 field camera. The Toyo front standard can be removed then replaced with a Sinar frame and matching bellows. This allows using a Sinar shutter on the 810M which adds a LOT to it's ability to use non-shuttered lenses. Highly recommended.
Sinar is essentially a view camera system with no significant limitations. This camera is precise, repeatable, stable, easiest to use in a studio if camera movements are used often due to the asymmetrical movements with two point focus as a starting point to achieve proper camera movements. A Sinar can be configured to meet nearly any view camera image making need within some film size limitations (4x5, 5x7, 8x10 is standard, but non-standard film formats such as 4x10, 8x20 and such can be done.) If the image needs are mostly indoors and outdoor images is limited to not far from the vehicle, Sinar P could do. Know the Sinar can be configured to have a lower weight F front with a P rear or 8x10 rear with F front essentially turning this into a 8x10 F, or interchange with Sinar Norma parts. Sinar interchangeability allows all this with little difficulty. Add the Sinar shutter allowing the use of nearly any non-shutter lens within the diameter limit of the Sinar shutter has a lot of benefits that are not often apparent.
For portrait work, camera movements offered by the P is questionable.
As for weight, once into 8x10, weight is a given. Proper tripod, film holders, lenses and more all add up to significant weight with the camera being a smaller percentage of the whole. Only real way to significantly reduce weight is to go down in film format size.
What about post-processing of film and finished images? 8x10 brings on an entirely different set of problems over smaller film format.
Bernice
Or 8x10 Sinar Norma.
Even a basic 8x10 Sinar F is good.
To upgrade, apply different Sinar front or rear standards.
Bernice.
My 8x10 field camera is less than half the weight of a P. All that "yaw-free" hype has little real-world significance except for certain tabletop studio applications. And I'm a long-time Sinar user.
I have used the 810M since about 1990 and agree with everything Michael said above. Prior to acquiring it from KEH for $1200, I used Deardoff 8X10s, a B&J monorail, and even a Zone VI 8X10, which I returned to Picker after a few days. I had been assisting a photographer who had the 8X10M and bought the first one I could find. Never looked back or felt the need for anything else in 8X10, but I have recently assembled a correct 8X10 G from parts obtained on eBay for studio use only. Toyo bellows of that era always develop pinholes and need to be replaced, not with NOS Toyo bellows but something from the aftermarket. I still have a Western Bellows on the 8X10M, still perfect after eighteen years and put one from Rudy on the 810G.
I use a 120 Nikkor in horizontal with the bed dropped and never caught the bed. Never tried it vertically and bed might well intrude if I did. Sorry to hear it is out of production. 8X10M is an excellent camera for portraits and other close work because it has geared rear focus, lacking on many field cameras. When you fold the camera for transport or storage, you can lock down the front standard but leave everything else loose, otherwise the camera can be forced into misalignment by pressure in a bag or case.
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