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

  1. #1

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

    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
    Last edited by mhayashi; 6-Sep-2020 at 10:04.

  2. #2
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    Re: Nagaoka cameras are still made in Japan. The story of a wooden LF craftsman.

    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!

  3. #3

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

    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
    Last edited by mhayashi; 15-Sep-2020 at 16:32.

  4. #4
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    Re: Nagaoka cameras are still made in Japan. The story of a wooden LF craftsman.

    Thank you for those details!

    Street view, for those who are curious what a factory that makes wooden view cameras looks like from the outside:

    https://www.google.com/maps/place/%E...ICCAI?hl=en-JP

    The box in front is labeled "Nagaoka" in katakana (ナガオカ).

    The video that Hayashi-san linked gives a feel for the inside.

  5. #5
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    Re: Nagaoka cameras are still made in Japan. The story of a wooden LF craftsman.

    Tin Can

  6. #6

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

    I remember seeing ads for Nagaoka cameras in Popular Science, placed by some distributor on King St in Honolulu. How I wish I had ordered one but I was a broke college kid whose big night out consisted of a dollar draft and a 25 cent hardboiled egg at the Silver Dollar Hofbrau.

    I've always wanted one of his 5x7s for when I get too old to sugar ant a "biten" around the mountains.

    Thank you for a posting a delightful article!
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  7. #7
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    Re: Nagaoka cameras are still made in Japan. The story of a wooden LF craftsman.

    A few years ago I got a made-to-order Nagaoka 5x7 with the help of a Japanese colleague. It's the "Woody" model, not the one on the cover of the brochure Randy linked. At the time Nagaoka-san said he couldn't get the metal parts to build the more traditional version. The bellows was installed slightly misaligned so it has some "personality". I used to think it was the last camera Nagaoka-san made, but now it seems that may not be true.

  8. #8
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    Re: Nagaoka cameras are still made in Japan. The story of a wooden LF craftsman.

    The thing that stands out for me in that Gin-Ichi brochure is the reference to a 6.5 x 8.5 model. Quite a few years back now I made an inquiry through a Japanese friend but didn't get very far - ended up with a barely-legible fax in Japanese that amounted to a polite brush-off. Not sure whether that was just because I was overseas. But based on an article I saw in Japanese a while back it's probably moot now anyway, as possibly apart from pinhole stuff, it sounded like he was down to making only 4x5 and 8x10.

    He's gone to the Phillips-like front standard in at least some of his recent cameras - certainly 5x7 and 8x10. I wonder whether that's because the parts are easier to make now that he has to do his own.

  9. #9

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

    A Nagaoka was the first field 4x5 I ever saw, at South Plaza Camera in Rochester in 1981. I was instantly smitten with the whole idea, but by '82 when I had enough money, I bought a Tachihara. Finding any of the Japanese cameras in the USA was a difficult task back then... The Tachi was a fine machine but the Nagaoka always remained in my mind. Now I want a Nagaoka again, although I don't need it and my gear budget is tiny. I'm very glad to know that Nagaoka-san is still plying his craft. Thanks for letting us know!

  10. #10

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

    Quote Originally Posted by mhayashi View Post
    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

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