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

[mhayashi]

I want to share you that there is a column about Nagaoka cameras.
Nagaoka-san still makes wooden LF cameras, who is 82 years old now
and is the last wooden LF craftsman in Japan.

Here is a link in Japanese but you can use google chrome and translator in your language.

https://serai.jp/hobby/1002833

[Oren Grad]

Hayashi-san, that is fantastic, thank you!

Do you know if his workshop is still in Ueno? And is there any way to contact him? I know he communicates only in Japanese, and he has not wanted to deal directly with foreign customers. Does Gin-Ichi still serve as an agent?

Interesting tidbits:

Company was started in 1962.

He now has to make his own metal parts.

He's still tinkering with different kinds of wood.

He made a 20x24 once!

[mhayashi]

Oren, yes his workshop is still in Ueno, Tokyo.

（有）長岡製作所 2 Chome-11-4 Kitaueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0014 03-3841-3678 https://goo.gl/maps/FxnuAxcNvVSvW22U7

I happen to live in 4km or 10 minutes away from his workshop by car,
but have never met him before because I don’t own one of his cameras.
Gin-ichi is still in business. They are probably still a dealer of Nagaoka.

Here is another link of youtube taken in 2019. Japanese narration only.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlvlp_Q02pI

Here is his workshop address.
Maybe you could write a letter to him with some pictures
or I could translate your letter to him if you wish.

Nagaoka Seisakujo
2-11-4 Kita-Ueno
Taito-ku,Tokyo
Japan
Postal code 110-0014

[Joseph Kashi]

Oren, yes his workshop is still in Ueno, Tokyo.

（有）長岡製作所 2 Chome-11-4 Kitaueno, Taito City, Tokyo 110-0014 03-3841-3678 https://goo.gl/maps/FxnuAxcNvVSvW22U7

I happen to live in 4km or 10 minutes away from his workshop by car,
but haven’t never met him before because I don’t own one of his cameras.
Gin-ichi is still in business. They are probably still a dealer of Nagaoka.

Here is another link of youtube taken in 2019. Japanese narration only.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jlvlp_Q02pI

Here is his workshop address.
Maybe you could write a letter to him with some pictures
or I could translate your letter to him if you wish.

Nagaoka Seisakujo
2-11-4 Kita-Ueno
Taito-ku,Tokyo
Japan
Postal code 110-0014

44 years ago, my wedding present from my new wife was a 4x5 Nagaoka. I still have and use that camera and it's still in wonderful condition. Since then, I have moved mostly to 5x7 and I would like to obtain a new 5x7 from Mr. Nagaoka.

Can some one help me make contact with Mr. Nagaoka so that I can order a new 5x7 camera. I would be deeply appreciative. I am not in a hurry.

Thank you

Joe Kashi
Soldotna, Alaska, USA

[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!

[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