5 X 7 Toyo ??????

[Jaroslaw]

As some respondents to this thread may recall, I’ve been trying to hunt down a 57GII for some time now, but to no avail. I can only kick myself for failing to secure what could have been the last brand new 57GII on planet Earth (at Tokyo’s Map Camera), complements of taking too long with a confirmatory check on the required importation paperwork.

I’ve since gotten in touch with other Japanese retailers listing this 5x7 monorail and very quickly found out that in reality it is available neither new or used. Map Camera and Mediajoy even contacted Toyo and a few other local retailers (not sure if some of the other names mentioned by Gary were among them), and confirmed that not a single such item seems to be lying around in a Japanese storefront or warehouse, including Toyo’s. It would appear that only Gary has the power to disprove this thesis, as only divine intervention can cause a Toyo 5x7 monorail to appear outside of Japan. So far the divine has refrained from intervention.

Why do I find Toyo’s 5x7 monorail so desirable? My first LF camera was a used Toyo 45G, which was great for everything other than scaling mountains. I foolishly got rid of it and got a half-as-heavy 45AII field camera, thinking I could get away with it for architecture. I assumed that I would occasionally need to tilt the bed to get extra rise but I did not realize that I would nearly always be running out of rise in an urban setting and that the lack of precision and lack of axis tilts would be driving me nuts as well.

In the meantime, I also went through the usual yearnings for something larger, flirting with the idea of a sturdy 8x10, driven mainly by an appreciation of contact prints. I ultimately concluded that I should smack myself in the face a couple of times and not yield to gear hypertrophy. Prudence dictated seeking out a 5x7 monorail, especially after rejecting the idea of switching to a metal Canham field because of its lack of geared rise and numerous reports of its relative flimsiness.

Being in the market for a monorail, wishing to dabble in contact prints, and already owning a Toyo 4x5 field implied that complementing it with a Toyo 5x7 monorail (only 300g heavier than a 45G) would make the best of both worlds – or so I suspect – by creating an opportunity for using the latter as a 4x5 architectural machine and at once experimenting with something a notch larger without needing to buy new lenses, a new tripod, and a new backpack. An 8x10 would have created too much upheaval, also in terms of boosting the nuisance factor to potentially unacceptable levels. And if in, say, 10 years I feel that my fling with contact prints is not merely a fling and that I’ve bettered my craft sufficiently to deserve something even larger than 5x7, might as well consider going for an all-out ULF revolution.

So much for the gratuitous confession. I first need to find a damn 57G or GII to see if my cunning plan works…

Regards,
Jaroslaw

[Ralph Barker]

Uh-oh. I can see it now. a 10x14 or 15x21 FrankenToyo.

[Gary Smith]

A

I’ve since gotten in touch with other Japanese retailers listing this 5x7 monorail and very quickly found out that in reality it is available neither new or used. Map Camera and Mediajoy even contacted Toyo and a few other local retailers (not sure if some of the other names mentioned by Gary were among them), and confirmed that not a single such item seems to be lying around in a Japanese storefront or warehouse, including Toyo’s. It would appear that only Gary has the power to disprove this thesis, as only divine intervention can cause a Toyo 5x7 monorail to appear outside of Japan. So far the divine has refrained from intervention.

I am certainly not divine , but I can look around next time I get down there. If I do manage to find something I will let you know! It will be a couple of weeks or so before I get down there, but I will see what I can find.

Gary

[Jaroslaw]

Thanks in advance for you help, Gary.

Divine intervention (or e-bay) is indeed my last refuge for all markets other than Japan, as I seem to have exhausted all possibilities elsewhere. If your generous offer of market reconnaissance will not produce a breakthrough, the divine will have one more jurisdiction to look after...

Cheers,
Jaroslaw

[Oren Grad]

Jaroslaw, if it's that important, why not try to order the conversion pieces from B&H? Unless you have a severe budget constraint - but then, if you were thinking seriously about buying the unit that Map had...

Or just call MAC and see if they can supply a complete camera, either off the shelf or by cobbling together the pieces for you. It's possible that their web page is outdated and they're out of stock as well, but the only way to know for sure is to go directly to the source.

[Jaroslaw]

Oren, thanks for the tip, but I've already tried all of the usual (and some unusual) sources in North America, UK, Continental Europe, and Asia. This includes Toyo itself.
The unanimous verdict is that the 57GII is out of production and not a single one is left sitting in a warehouse or is still floating around in distribution channels.

Gary's good works aside, plan B would admittedly amount to getting a used 45GII in excellent condition and buying a rear 5x7 standard, back, and w/a 5x7 bellows. However, I understand that there also seems to be a (temporary?) problem with the actual availability of Toyo 5x7 backs...

Speaking of conversions, wouldn't adding a 5x7 rear standard to a GX front make more sense? It seems to me a GX front would retain more rise potential than a GII front that 'starts' lower and needs to be slightly raised to center it vis-a-vis the 5x7 back. Any thoughts?

Jaroslaw

[paulr]

Now I don't know how accurate this is; but the gentleman I had on the phone informed me that before any of the 5x7 backs actually went into production, somebody upstairs decided the larger back wouldn't be profitable and they never produced it. Therefore, as a field camera, if what he told me is accurate, the 5x7 is truly a mythological beast.

that's a sad story, but it makes sense. everyone's always looking for these and coming up empty handed.

i wonder how hard a job it would be for a machinist to make one. you could probably sell a couple of dozen of them right away.

[Ramiro Elena]

Please allow me to refloat this thread for advice. I am being offered a Toyo View 57G with a Schneider Symmar 5,6 / 180mm and a couple film holders for $720.

I've gotten the bug for 5x7 after reading some much praise in this forum. I already own a Toyo Field 45A and a couple lenses so, is it a good price?
What do you guys reffer to when speaking of hard to find backs?

Thanks! (sorry if this shouldn't go here, just don't want to start a new topic)

[Iga]

Hi ! I know, it is not good coz it is mine, but take a look at ebay 250556786249 fot the pictures. I can't sell it for more than half of a year.. Crazy.. Two years ago I was offered 1200 Euro for the kit..
Best regards,
Igor.

[Michael Graves]

I own an older style gray-body Toyo 5x7. It's my favorite among my large format camers. It is tough and durable, most of the standard Toyo parts fit on it and it is nearly as lightweight as the identical model Toyo 4x5 I have. They do pop up from time to time.