Toyo 8x10 sturdy enough for 12" Portrait Ektar?

[MMfoto]

Hi, I'm looking for an 8x10 to do mostly waist up vertical portraits using a Kodak 12" Portrait Ektar mounted in a large Acme shutter (iirc Acme #3?). The lens is pretty substantial. I've been keeping my eyes open for a Gandolfi 8x10, but a nice Toyo 8x10 GII just crossed my path, and I'm looking for feedback on using that camera with largish lenses. The front standard appears pretty solid, but seems a little on the edge for larger lenses. I should add, that any camera I buy, I would like to be able to collapse sufficiently to get through carry-on on regional flights, maybe under the seat. Then, the holders and lens would go in a shoulder bag; tripod in checked bag. The Toyo is very compact when taken apart, which is why I'm considering it, plus it's just a nice camera to use.

Suggestions?

 

[jp498]

That's really not that huge a lens. If you can make a lens fit on the lensboard, use it. You might even want a slightly longer lens.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Getting it all into a carry-on won't be an issue, but you might run into a weight limit conflict if that second bag over your shoulder strategy
doesn't pass muster. You might need a Plan B for the tripod too - I sure wouldn't risk anything like that being checked in nowadays. Theft from
checked-in baggage is getting pretty bad in some airports. The last time I did check in a tripod, it was a spare big heavy clunker wooden one, not anything cool-looking to tempt them. Now for flights, I opt for a carbon fiber tripod which will actually collapse into the carry-on.

 

[jp498]

Last time I checked a tripod on a flight, it was a cheap surveying tripod. It didn't make it through a connecting flight with me. The workshop was over and I was gone before the tripod was delivered.

 

[Alan Gales]

A lot of your 12" (305mm) Kodak Portrait lenses were mounted in Ilex #5 shutters which are huge shutters. Your Acme shutter may be similar in size. I use a 14" Kodak Commercial Ektar in an Ilex #5 on my Wehman 8x10 field camera with no problems. I wouldn't think you would have any problems using your Kodak Portrait on an 8x10 Toyo monorail.

 

[DREW WILEY]

The Toyo G's are pretty heavy, not my idea of an ideal 8x10 carry-on. But Toyo does use a big lensboard.

 

[Tom Taylor]

I have the Toyo810G which is 2 lbs lighter (17 vs 19) than the newer GII – it doesn’t have the fancy knobs that the GII has – and have found no problems with attaching a 360mm Schneider Symmar-S which weighs 1545 gms (3.4 lbs). Of course the camera requires a substantial tripod and head – mine is a Series 5 Gitzo and head. It does collapse without the rail attached but still occupies a rather large diameter which may or may not fit under the seat or in the overhead.

Thomas