Here is my 4X5 field camera, a 4 3/4 X 6 1/2 Toyo Field fitted with a 4X5 back. When I purchased the camera in excellent condition a few years ago it came with an original 4X5 revolving back. All my lenses, except two of the largest are in Graphic lens boards and I use them on Toyo views with Toyo flat and recessed adapter boards. I liked the camera but not the back. The pre G Series Toyos used a bail system to lift the ground glass back to assist in loading a film holder, a feature almost mandatory on such a light weight camera. The bail however will not open over a folding focusing hood, or my favorite viewer the Toyo monocular. Neither could the camera focus to infinity with my 47mm Super Angulon XL. After some consideration, I was able to fit the top half of a Toyo revolving back in place of the original. I could not make it revolve, a feature I can do without in any case. Now I can use all my G Series accessories and because of the much closer fit to the back plate, I can focus the 47 to infinity with room to spare.
Last year I was able to obtain a late production back plate for this field camera which will accept G film backs. However the extension with a revolving Toyo G back is 5/8" more than my reworked version, and even with a non-revolving Toyo back it is 1/2" more. Again it won't work with the 47 so I have never used it on the camera. I have replaced many pin-holed Toyo bellows on G Series cameras, but the silk-lined leather original on this much older camera is still supple and light tight. I did replace the questionable original leather handle with nylon strapping.
Photos show the camera with 270mm 5.6 Tele-Arton focused at tight headshot distance and the 47mm Super Angulon XL focused at infinity. This is a versatile little camera I'll be keeping.
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