Toyo 69/45 rollfilm holder questions

[dante]

Hi -

I was studying buying some Toyo 6x9 rollfilm holders (with 4x5 mounts) with the idea of cutting them down to fit my Silvestri 6x12, whose rollfilm holders are essentially (if not actually) 4x5 Horseman units machined down to 3-3/8 x 5. I'm not a huge fan of the Horseman-style mechanisms because they are a little fiddly to load, and they bend the film around a corner before you shoot it. They are also a bit thick from front to back, which makes it difficult to get your eye to the viewfinder on the Silvestri. Hence the idea of using a Toyo. In connection with this potentially ill-advised project, I had a couple of questions that maybe the wizards of the large format section might be able to answer.

1. On the 4x5 version of the Toyo rollfilm holder, above and below the main body and door, it looks like there are "wings." Since these don't appear on the 2x3 version of the roll holder, I assume that these do not serve a lightproofing purpose but instead are guides so that when you shove one of these under the groundglass of an older camera, it slides in smoothly and evenly. I would need to remove these.

2. Would someone be able to tell me the distance between the screws that hold the "wings" on (top to bottom distance) and how far the center screws (for the wings) are from the edges of the film gate? I would like to make sure I am not in danger of cutting the mounting plate right through the screw holes.

3. What is the overall width of a Toyo rollfilm holder?

4. Anything weird or quirky about these backs? I know they have a singular way of retaining darkslides...

Thanks a million!
Dante

 

[Austin_Jessup]

Hi Dante,

I have a 67/45 and use it pretty regularly. I may have time this weekend to do some measuring and let you know on some of the spacing questions you've mentioned.

You stated there's a 2x3 version of the Toyo, and I also found one listed but no longer available on B+H which looks mostly identical to the 4x5 version as you've mentioned. Are these especially hard to find and is that why you are looking to cut down the 4x5 size holder? Here's the link with https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/61072-REG/Toyo_View_180_727_Roll_Film_Holder.html

As for weird or quirky - this is the only rollfilm back I've ever used. It all seems normal to me. I do have to slide the holder out a quarter of an inch on my 45A to crank to the next frame.

 

[Oren Grad]

I'm not a huge fan of the Horseman-style mechanisms because they are a little fiddly to load, and they bend the film around a corner before you shoot it.

Late to this thread, but FWIW: the Toyo rollholders bend the film around a very sharp (very small radius) 90-degree turn before the film gate. I have one of the 2x3/6x9 ones.

Rather larger - longer - than the Horseman baby Graflok holders, too - it hangs out from both sides of the camera body when mounted on my Horseman VH/VH-R cameras. On the plus side, it does feel a bit more robustly built.