Interestingly on a custom printed recessed lens board you can get a G-Claron 150/9 in a Copal 0 to fit folded up into a Nagaoka. JUST. But it works, and is fantastic!
I was lucky to get as much information that I could get before starting my LF journey and I love everything about it btw... I also knew what I wanted out of my first LF camera, it had to be light, quite compact and idealy able to carry a 150mm 5.6 Sironar N lens inside, so I can set it up fairly quickly and check the scene asap, I'm more of a 110mm - 210mm guy. And again light and compact, but also a modern designed black camera that reminds me more of an 80's Mamiya RZ67 rather than of a 50's classic Hasselblad with silver or even gold knobs... So when I found a Toyo CF (CF for carbon fiber) with a Rodenstock Geronar 150mm 6.3 lens (I still have this great sharp and contrasty lens for certain situations!) in like new condition for a price below $700, I got it right away and love it like no other camera I own ever since... It is simply amazing, you have to be a little gentle with it, but it rewards you with everything you need for the best start possible into LF photography. I have other cameras now, but go back to the ToyoCF all the time, it is a LF-pleasure! If you have an expensive metal field 4x5 and can't even drop the lens 1-2 inches without 10mins of fiddling with it, I find it annoying and not user friendly in the field. The ToyoCF was one of the best thought out designs in LF period. Now prices are up so much more and I look at the ToyoCF on eBay every week, thinking if I should get a 2. one for the rest of time...
Thanks for the comparative video. If forced to replace my 4x5 monorail with one of the two field cameras in your video, I would choose the Nagaoka because I need movements and I primarily shoot wide-angle.
If that Nagaoka had more refined engineering in the metal parts, it could be a winner for me, for light-weight, short focal length lenses. But yes, the Toyo is better specified as a technical camera and far more sturdy, thus every bit worth the extra cost. (I use Linhof Technikas 4x5 & 5x7) This is a very interesting and informative presentation. Thank you Tim. 👌 Cheers, Kevin P.
yes, with the toyo, there is limitations to how wide you can go, like the Linhof technikas, as if the "drop_bed" doesn't have a 30 deg. position, then the bed will be in the shot, esp. if you are looking at 65mm or less, and even the 4x5" Linhof technikas had a "focus adaptor" to focus these wide lenses (the bellows extension {65mm} means you have to house the standard in the "home" rack, so can't use the focus bed); the 15 Deg. position is for 90mm -70mm lenses, which equates to 35-28 mm in 35 format; the 65 is 21 mm in 35 format roughly speaking, as for the 47mm lenses, these are ~ 17 mm in 35 format!! and can only be used in certain camera types due to bellows draw (camera design to allow close proximity of standards).
The Nagaoka is super nice, but for me Toyo is 100% the way to go as they’re one of the few professional LF producers that are actually still in business. You can get lens boards, backs, ground glass, bellows, etc brand new from their technicians.
Having had both an Ikeda Anba (very much the same as the nagaoka) and now a Toyo Field 45Aii I think the lightness of the Anba was great but it was really flimsy as you show in this video. With the 210mm Schneider lens I have the front standard would sag badly on the Anba and the knobs also would constantly come loose and try to get lost. The Toyo is much heavier but it's a tank and it also has a rotating graflock back. the reason I got the Anba was when I was starting out I thought I was going to be shooting all of these wide lenses I was attracted to the rear standard sliding forward to accommodate wide lenses but truth is I rarely shoot even a 90mm and tend to use 135mm and 210 a lot. yeah I paid about 1100$ for the Toyo but I feel like I will have it until I die :)
Tim what about getting a microphone? You seem that have great content to share but it is honestly tough to follow for people who are used to a certain sound standard on RUclips
Actually, we've got a pretty fancy microphone (Azden) and it sounded fine to us. Of course, we knew what was being said; we'll have to double check things next time.
The meaning of rotation in the English language. Strictly speaking these camera backs do not rotate nor revolve. You do remove the back for either landscape or portrait. You could state lengths not in nonsense millimeters but in comprehensive centimeters (cm). The Wista 4 X 5" camera is superior to the Nagaoka and Toyo.
Interestingly on a custom printed recessed lens board you can get a G-Claron 150/9 in a Copal 0 to fit folded up into a Nagaoka. JUST. But it works, and is fantastic!
I was lucky to get as much information that I could get before starting my LF journey and I love everything about it btw... I also knew what I wanted out of my first LF camera, it had to be light, quite compact and idealy able to carry a 150mm 5.6 Sironar N lens inside, so I can set it up fairly quickly and check the scene asap, I'm more of a 110mm - 210mm guy. And again light and compact, but also a modern designed black camera that reminds me more of an 80's Mamiya RZ67 rather than of a 50's classic Hasselblad with silver or even gold knobs... So when I found a Toyo CF (CF for carbon fiber) with a Rodenstock Geronar 150mm 6.3 lens (I still have this great sharp and contrasty lens for certain situations!) in like new condition for a price below $700, I got it right away and love it like no other camera I own ever since... It is simply amazing, you have to be a little gentle with it, but it rewards you with everything you need for the best start possible into LF photography. I have other cameras now, but go back to the ToyoCF all the time, it is a LF-pleasure! If you have an expensive metal field 4x5 and can't even drop the lens 1-2 inches without 10mins of fiddling with it, I find it annoying and not user friendly in the field. The ToyoCF was one of the best thought out designs in LF period. Now prices are up so much more and I look at the ToyoCF on eBay every week, thinking if I should get a 2. one for the rest of time...
Thanks for the video. I haven't seen a whole lot of info on the Nagaoka. It's a nice little camera. I wish it had a Graflok back though.
Thanks for the comparative video.
If forced to replace my 4x5 monorail with one of the two field cameras in your video, I would choose the Nagaoka because I need movements and I primarily shoot wide-angle.
If that Nagaoka had more refined engineering in the metal parts, it could be a winner for me, for light-weight, short focal length lenses. But yes, the Toyo is better specified as a technical camera and far more sturdy, thus every bit worth the extra cost. (I use Linhof Technikas 4x5 & 5x7)
This is a very interesting and informative presentation. Thank you Tim. 👌
Cheers, Kevin P.
yes, with the toyo, there is limitations to how wide you can go, like the Linhof technikas, as if the "drop_bed" doesn't have a 30 deg. position, then the bed will be in the shot, esp. if you are looking at 65mm or less, and even the 4x5" Linhof technikas had a "focus adaptor" to focus these wide lenses (the bellows extension {65mm} means you have to house the standard in the "home" rack, so can't use the focus bed); the 15 Deg. position is for 90mm -70mm lenses, which equates to 35-28 mm in 35 format; the 65 is 21 mm in 35 format roughly speaking, as for the 47mm lenses, these are ~ 17 mm in 35 format!! and can only be used in certain camera types due to bellows draw (camera design to allow close proximity of standards).
The Nagaoka is super nice, but for me Toyo is 100% the way to go as they’re one of the few professional LF producers that are actually still in business. You can get lens boards, backs, ground glass, bellows, etc brand new from their technicians.
Having had both an Ikeda Anba (very much the same as the nagaoka) and now a Toyo Field 45Aii I think the lightness of the Anba was great but it was really flimsy as you show in this video. With the 210mm Schneider lens I have the front standard would sag badly on the Anba and the knobs also would constantly come loose and try to get lost. The Toyo is much heavier but it's a tank and it also has a rotating graflock back. the reason I got the Anba was when I was starting out I thought I was going to be shooting all of these wide lenses I was attracted to the rear standard sliding forward to accommodate wide lenses but truth is I rarely shoot even a 90mm and tend to use 135mm and 210 a lot. yeah I paid about 1100$ for the Toyo but I feel like I will have it until I die :)
I have a Nagaoka--and the base is cracked just like yours! Still, I love it for its weight. And I like shooting a 75mm.
Tim what about getting a microphone? You seem that have great content to share but it is honestly tough to follow for people who are used to a certain sound standard on RUclips
Actually, we've got a pretty fancy microphone (Azden) and it sounded fine to us. Of course, we knew what was being said; we'll have to double check things next time.
@@timklein185 you may want to put it in the same room LOL
Tim Klein joke aside, I assume your microphone is on your camera that is too far?
The meaning of rotation in the English language. Strictly speaking these camera backs do not rotate nor revolve. You do remove the back for either landscape or portrait. You could state lengths not in nonsense millimeters but in comprehensive centimeters (cm). The Wista 4 X 5" camera is superior to the Nagaoka and Toyo.
If you buy the 45AX you will have back swing and tilt.
You can use a 45mm wide-angle on a Toyo-Field camera !
www.toyoview.com/Products/45AII/45AII.html