S&K 4x5

[Marvin d martian]

As my launch into large format starts, I have managed to get hold of a monorail S&K camera.
Its badged also as S&K Shiro Photo company, Osaka Japan.

Does anyone have any information on it?

A couple of photos of the new acquisition (digital I'm afraid)

[IMG] S&K-1-3 by Marvin d martian100, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG] S&K-1 by Marvin d martian100, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG] S&K-1-4 by Marvin d martian100, on Flickr[/IMG]

Cheers,

Mart

[Ernest Purdum]

It looks to be from perhaps the late 1960's or 70's, a time in which Japanese LF camera makers were going through a period of radical change. Till then, most portable LF cameras in Japan closely resembled decent quality British field cameras circa 1905.

The Shiro Co. had a good example of one of these, but also sold and exported monorail cameras made by the Sakai Special Camera Co. under the "Toyo-View" name.

Your camera doesn't look like a rebadged Toyo, but I think it more than likely that Shiro had Sakai make it for sale under the S & K name. Which company designed it would be another matter.

[Gem Singer]

It looks similar to the Toyo/Omega 45E that was made by the Saki Special Camera Co. in Japan.

It's not a Toyo/Omega, but a very similar design.

Could be an early Saki, which later became Toyo View, distributed by Mamiya America.

[Marvin d martian]

Thanks for the reply's gives me something to go at finding some history on it. It was seriosly cheap as the guy had had it 5 years and never used it. I'll be putting the first few frames throught it this weekend.
Cheers,

Mart