Review Summary
2013-04-01T21:00:00
Yes this is a low cost 4x5. You get what you pay for. But it makes great pictures, light, and fast. Sure it is made of carbon fiber. It also does not cost 3k. It is also new with a warranty. No problems just use it and make great photos.
mattymatt
Pretty good
By mattymatt
Yes this is a low cost 4x5. You get what you pay for. But it makes great pictures, light, and fast. Sure it is made of carbon fiber. It also does not cost 3k. It is also new with a warranty. No problems just use it and make great photos.
The Toyo-Field 45CF is an impressive mix of large format capabilities and affordability combined in an ultra lightweight housing. Utilizing lightweight Polycarbonate/carbon-fiber material, the 45CF is up to 40% lighter than equivalent metal field cameras without compromise in stability (less than 3.5 lbs.).
Movements include front standard rise and fall, tilt, swing and shifts, along with drop-bed adjustment, offering control of depth-of-field, perspective and distortion. The 45CF includes a versatile tapered bellows, which provides extensive front standard movements while enabling compact bellows compression for portability. A full range of focal length lenses ranging from a 90mm wide angle to a 400mm telephoto, are fully compatible when mounted on a flat lens board with the 45CF. Similar to other Toyo field cameras, the 45CF also accepts roll film backs and digital backs via its built-in Graflok slider locks. Other features included are a dual-spirit bubble level, accessory shoe, 6x7 and 6x9 ground glass format markings and both a 1/4-20 and 3/8" tripod mount.
The 45CF front standard offers rise, swing, tilt and shift. The rear offers tilt. With these controls, correction of distortion, adjustment of depth-of-field, and manipulation of selective focus are all possible.
Tilting the lens stage forward or backward will extend the plane-of-focus far beyond the effects of using small lens aperture. This adjustment allows near and far objects to be in focus at the same time.
Swinging or rotating the front lens stage left or right will extend the plane-of-focus far beyond the effects of using small lens aperture. This adjustment allows near and far objects to be in focus at the same time.
Raising or lowering the front lens stage alters the camera lens' point-of-view. This movement effectively raises or lowers the positions of the image relative to the film without tilting the entire camera up or down. This adjust allows for the control of convergence of vertical lines within a scene and maintaining lines parallel in a photograph.
Left and right movements of the front lens stage alters the camera lens' point-of-view. This movement effectively repositions the image left or right relative to the film without moving the entire camera left or right. This adjustment allows for the control of convergence of vertical lines within a scene and maintaining lines parallel in a photograph.
With a wide-angle lens, it's possible for the camera bed to obstruct the viewing angle of the lens. By dropping the bed of the camera, a clear path is provided for a wide-angle lens.
For ultra close-up photography, the extended bellows provide macro magnification capabilities without the need for accessory extenders or macro lenses.