How much weight can the Toyo field front standards support?

[Vaughan]

I have a Toyo 45G and did some testing with a Nikkor T ED 360/500/720mm lens that was mounted in a Linhof Technika board, itself mounted in a Toyo-to-Linhof adaptor.

Test procure: grab the lens and apply force to it.

Results: there were two places of movement. The first was in the tripod head, particularly the quick release plate. The second was the Linhof board moving in the adaptor. Both of these occurred only when significant force was applied. There was no movement in the standard itself nor any flexing of the rail (the rail being the short base rail with one short extension attached).

[wallpaperviking]

If using a monorail camera, you could get creative with an intermediate standard, some cardboard and a bit of duct tape to use as a support for the front of a long or heavy lens.

Good One! That is actually a good idea, using a modified extra standard for support...

[B.S.Kumar]

Toyo standards are very strong, and I don't think you'll face any problem. It would be better to mount heavy lenses on regular Toyo boards, not on adapter boards.
You don't need to modify the standard. An intermediate standard can be fitted with another lens board with a hole slightly larger than the diameter of the lens. Make the lens rest on the bottom of the hole. To avoid scratches on the barrel, the hole can be lined with foam or velvet.

Let me know if you want an intermediate standard.

Kumar

[wallpaperviking]

Toyo standards are very strong, and I don't think you'll face any problem. It would be better to mount heavy lenses on regular Toyo boards, not on adapter boards.
You don't need to modify the standard. An intermediate standard can be fitted with another lens board with a hole slightly larger than the diameter of the lens. Make the lens rest on the bottom of the hole. To avoid scratches on the barrel, the hole can be lined with foam or velvet.

Let me know if you want an intermediate standard.

Kumar

Thanks, much appreciated! That is what I was thinking, having a second standard that the lens would sit on... Tilt/Swing is going to be interesting...

[B.S.Kumar]

Thanks, much appreciated! That is what I was thinking, having a second standard that the lens would sit on... Tilt/Swing is going to be interesting...

Leave the knobs on the intermediate standard slightly loose so that they can move when pressure is applied eg when tilts and swings are used. Lock them firmly when you finalize your composition.

Kumar

[Jim Andrada]

What I've done on occasion is to use what's sometimes called an "Israeli arm" - a jointed metal rod that locks when you twist a lever and can have a clamp at both ends. I clamp one to a tripod leg and the other to the front end of the camera rail. It just braces and stiffens up the whole assembly.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/searc...c%20arm&sts=ma

[wallpaperviking]

Thanks for all the suggestions, they have been of great help!

[tgtaylor]

The heaviest lens that I have is probably a 14" (355mm) Wollensak Veritar which is a front mount lens. I use it on the Toyo 810MII and 810G and no sag occurs because no extreme extension is required. I recently ran into a "sag" problem on the MII with a 760mm Apo Nikkor attached and had to switch to the 610mm Apo Nikkor for that shot. That sag occurred when using a "large" acratech leveling base. I've used that same set-up before without any problems so maybe the base's lock weakens over time. It's rated to support a payload of "up to 25 lbs" but the torque at that extension pushes it.