Nagaoka cameras are still made in Japan. The story of a wooden LF craftsman.

[mhayashi]

Joe, I will attempt to contact him what’s the best way to order from abroad.
I found another blog of a Nagaoka user. The page can be translated by google chrome and translator.
It shows nice pics of the working space and tools he uses to make LF cameras.

http://modernism.jugem.jp/?cid=263

[Joseph Kashi]

Joe, I will attempt to contact him what’s the best way to order from abroad.
I found another blog of a Nagaoka user. The page can be translated by google chrome and translator.
It shows nice pics of the working space and tools he uses to make LF cameras.

http://modernism.jugem.jp/?cid=263

Thank you very much. I appreciate your help and I look forward to communicating with Mr. Nagaoka.

[David R Munson]

I had no idea! I would love to go, especially if I could get permission to photograph him in his workshop, but my Japanese is still too rough for that. I live nearby. This is going to dominate my mind this weekend.

[mhayashi]

I called the phone number and left the mesaage in a voice mail a few days ago, but no response yet.
My last attempt would be via a merchant like Gin-ichi and Shinbashi-ichi-camera.
I will let you know when the circumstances change.

[Joseph Kashi]

Thank you!

[Duolab123]

Seems like a nice fellow

[mhayashi]

Joseph, I managed to get his son’s phone number and succeeded to contact.
He is sick right now so I was told to wait until his recovery.

Shinbashi-ichi camera sells a nice conditioned Nagaoka camera too.

https://www.shinbashi-camera.net/p/s...eyword=nagaoka

[Helcio J Tagliolatto]

Thank you for those details!

Street view, for those who are curious what a factory that makes wooden view cameras looks like from the outside:

The box in front is labeled "Nagaoka" in katakana (ナガオカ).

The video that Hayashi-san linked gives a feel for the inside.

And it's the last detached house in the neighborhood!
I assume he resides in the upper storey of the property.

[tdicorcia]

Wonderful. So glad I found this thread. I also live nearby (well, west Tokyo, anyway).

Last Friday, I went to see the annual exhibition of the Ebony Camera Club at Fuji Film Square in central Tokyo. One of the club members had his Ebony 8x10 on display. Ebony stopped business just a few years ago. Coincidentally, three or four large lots of Ebony camera wooden, unfinished parts went for sale on Yahoo Auction. It was kind of sad to see inventory go like that. . The mahogany parts went for about $175 and the ebony wood parts went for about $225.

By the way, I'd love to connect locally with other LF photographers in the Tokyo area. The people at the Ebony club were very nice -- but, unfortunately, I don't own an Ebony. I'm a beginner, with a low budget, who picked up some old LF cameras that I am *slowly* modifying to 5x7 and maybe WP.

[David R Munson]

By the way, I'd love to connect locally with other LF photographers in the Tokyo area. The people at the Ebony club were very nice -- but, unfortunately, I don't own an Ebony. I'm a beginner, with a low budget, who picked up some old LF cameras that I am *slowly* modifying to 5x7 and maybe WP.

I'm in Saitama City, near Urawa Station. I currently have a 4x5, but for now no lens, film holders, or place to develop, so I'm temporarily out of the large format game, but always want to meet other photographers around here. Maybe let's plan some kind of (appropriately distanced) meetup.