What on earth has someone done to this camera?

[Joanna Carter]

Our local camera club has been holding on to an LF camera for several years, in the vain hope that someone would like to borrow and use it.

I was made aware of its presence when I joined the club about 4 or so years ago, but never got the opportunity to actually inspect it because it is stored in a relatively inaccessible building. Anyway, we have our Ebonys, so we didn't really have any need to investigate further.

Anyway, somebody has now joined the club, very much interested in learning about LF, but the "guardian of the camera" is very difficult to contact.

The new member has already been waiting over a year to do anything, or even see the camera and got in touch with me to see if I could help.

Well, I found out that it is a Wista Cherrywood(?) 5x4, which on inspection of some pictures sent by a friend in the club, appears to have been right royally vandalised and not in a state that I would consider using it to teach a "newbie"

Especially puzzling is the "cage" that has been used to mount a lens so that the front of the lens is in line with the front standard.

There also appears to be damage to the bottom of the rear standard where I think someone has "adapted" it to take a right angled viewer.

I would be really interested to hear your comments, especially @Ian Grant

 

[Ian Grant]

Despite using a Rosewood Wista 45DX since around 1986/7 I'm not familiar with the later Graflok back version. I'm not sure which part you think might be damaged.

I have seen that lens cage on eBay, but that appears to be a 90mm WA lens and there are no problems with a 90mm or even 75mm and the regular bellows. I guess it would make using movements with a 65mm or 58mm lens a little easier, but you would still get the front of the camera bed in the image. It's a bit odd.

Ian

 

[HowLarge]

Looks like a VX back has been grafted on , perhaps to allow the use of the reflex viewer, not very sympathetic to the DX , the standof lens panel is weird, as per Ian I would wonder about the bed being visible unless this was all some construction to make use of a graflok roll film holder that would not benefit from the revolving VX back.
It is a bit horrible , wooden Wista are normally lovely and petite capable cameras.

 

[Nas]

I have the same Wista Graflok back for my 45DX and yours looks complete. I've never seen a bag bellows modification like that. As Ian said, you can use wide-angle lenses with the standard bellows, it's just a bit restrictive when you want to do some movements with 75mm and wider.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/162352-REG/Wista_214535_Graflok_Back.html/accessories

 

[HowLarge]

Oh I thought they did a wooden one with the sliders like the Ebony/Shen Hao type .
Found one that was for sale like that

For Sale - FS: Wista 45DX III Camera with 90mm 150mm Binocular Viewer Beautiful Camera

Up for sale is a Wista 45DX III field camera in beautiful condition. $2200 shipped in the US, including paypal fees. Make an offer if interested in just the camera with Bino. It includes: - Rodenstock 90mm f/6.8 MC Grandagon on brand new Wista board with new Wista quick release L cable...

www.photrio.com

the mixed materials jar for me .

 

[Ian Grant]

Joanna, could you point out the area you think has been "adapted"

the mixed materials jar for me .

It is a bit of a codge job, by Wista themselves, obviously parts for a VX back, using wood to replace a casting.

My 45DX back opens wide to allow a Roll film holder to be used, but only the one made by Wista which has a screen protector on it, I have one for 6x9.

Ian

 

[HowLarge]

The DX Wistas have nice soft springs in the back and it does make inserting and removing a dark slide a relative pleasure compared to some bear trap things that really need a bail back feature .

 

[Graham Patterson]

It looks like it was forced to use something short (65mm, 58mm, or even 47mm) with a roll-film back. I'd have thought the work was more than the cost of a suitable camera if that is the case. It seems to be a bit of a cyborg to me.

My Wista DX with rear shift will handle a 90mm on a flat board, and is fine with a 75mm on a 10mm recess. That bag bellows makes me think really short lenses.

I 3D printed an exchangeable Graflok back for my camera - if I can do it, it can't be that hard to make a neat and reversible job.

 

[David M]

The “cage” is the equivalent of a recessed lens board. Its advantage is that all the controls are more easily accessible and much more visible too.
Walker Cameras makes something similar, but obviously for Walker cameras.

 

[Joanna Carter]

The “cage” is the equivalent of a recessed lens board. Its advantage is that all the controls are more easily accessible and much more visible too.
Walker Cameras makes something similar, but obviously for Walker cameras.

Surely the restriction of the hole in the front standard would cause more vignetting than would justify its use and you'd more than likely end up with the baseboard in shot. We can't see the lens length but I can manage a 72mm on my Ebony SV45Te on a standard board without any problem. That's one heck of a recess!

Joanna, could you point out the area you think has been "adapted"

This…

 

[David M]

I haven’t used a “cage” myself, but I presume that some people find it useful. Wide angle lenses have always had these potential problems with field cameras.
Some field cameras have a rear standard that cannot be slid forward, or the construction limits how close the standards may be moved. The cage would help with that, too.
A monorail would eliminate the difficulty, as the front standard can easily sit at the front end of the rail.

 

[Ian Grant]

This…

View attachment 5676

That's what I thought you meant, but it appears to be original, with the stepped part on the left cut is away to accommodate the Graflok arm.

Surely the restriction of the hole in the front standard would cause more vignetting than would justify its use and you'd more than likely end up with the baseboard in shot. We can't see the lens length but I can manage a 72mm on my Ebony SV45Te on a standard board without any problem. That's one heck of a recess!

I use my 75mm SA on a flat board with no issues. Also my 65mm is fine on a flat board but I have to tilt the camera and then use front and rear tilt to avoid getting the front of the baseboard in the image. Anything wider than 65mm would be even worse.

The later Tachihara 5x4 cameras have additional rear focus to overcome this issue with WA lenses.

I guess the cage would be useful for 47mm & 58mm lenses and roll film backs, I think there would be no vignetting if the front of the lens was in the cut out of the front standard, and as @David M says then the front standard would not be inside the rear standard.

Ian

 

[Ian Grant]

You can see the same cut-away here.

Ian

 

[AnalogueWendy]

Well, I found out that it is a Wista Cherrywood(?) 5x4, which on inspection of some pictures sent by a friend in the club, appears to have been right royally vandalised and not in a state that I would consider using it to teach a "newbie"

Especially puzzling is the "cage" that has been used to mount a lens so that the front of the lens is in line with the front standard.

There also appears to be damage to the bottom of the rear standard where I think someone has "adapted" it to take a right angled viewer.

I would be really interested to hear your comments, especially @Ian Grant

Even the dog looks worried!

 

[David M]

I did a bit of searching and found the Wista wide-angle “cage.”
Both Wista and Walker cameras mention improved accessibility as the principal advantage.

ACCESSORIES2

 

[Joanna Carter]

I did a bit of searching and found the Wista wide-angle “cage.”
Both Wista and Walker cameras mention improved accessibility as the principal advantage.

Thanks for the link. Interesting that you need all that cage and bag bellows to go down to 65mm focal length.

My Ebony SV45Te can cope with 47mm just by adjusting the front and rear tilts and it can easily cope with my 72mm.

 

[HowLarge]

I don’t think you need them on the wista , just gives some extra movements

 

[Nas]

I use my 65mm lens on my Wista 45DX without any modifications.

 

[Ian Grant]

Thanks for the link. Interesting that you need all that cage and bag bellows to go down to 65mm focal length.

My Ebony SV45Te can cope with 47mm just by adjusting the front and rear tilts and it can easily cope with my 72mm.

I don’t think you need them on the wista , just gives some extra movements

I use my 65mm lens on my Wista 45DX without any modifications.

I think we all agree, an unnecessary option. Sure I have to use front & rear tilts to use my 65mm on my Wista 45DX but it's really quick and simple. And anyway my Wista doesn't have interchangeable bellows.

Ian

 

[Nas]

I think we all agree, an unnecessary option. Sure I have to use front & rear tilts to use my 65mm on my Wista 45DX but it's really quick and simple. And anyway my Wista doesn't have interchangeable bellows.

Ian

The lack of interchangeable bellows and on-axis movements is why I bought a Chamonix but I won’t part with my Wista and still enjoy using it when I don’t need lots of movements.