Wisner Apologetics

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Actually I bought a lens from everyone's favorite pipe organ repairman a few months ago. Lovely lens, everything went well. Thank you Ron.

If people wish to beat a dead horse, they should teach it to climb a tree.

[Kirk Gittings]

I'm not sure what your point is? I was of te understanding that he got out of the photography business a few years ago. So does that mean he is still in business? Is he making cameras, repairing them or what? Do you know anything in that regard. I'm sure there are people who would like to know definitively.

[RichardRitter]

Its hard to say what is going on with Wisner. His web site is up and running. Emile Deleon would be the best to fill us in. As of March 2008 Emile said he was getting a new 12 x 20 Wisner.

All I really know is I see allot of his cameras for repair and allot of thankful customers that I am around.

[Andrew O'Neill]

This is on the Wisner website:

Any customer who has old business with us, either an unfulfilled order or what have you, email us and it will be taken care of. We have been trying very hard to clear everything off our books. It is our belief that 99% of these are concluded. Please help us get those last few issues settled.

[jnantz]

maybe emile will chime in, a few months ago he said ron is still making cameras.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Kirk,

"I'm not sure what your point is?"

If people wish to beat a dead horse, they should teach it to climb a tree. Restarting a 4 month old dead thread to whine on about 5 year old news is a bit pissy at best.

The lens I bought thru eBay, it happened to be from Ron Wisner. Pleasant to deal with, lovely lens, everything was in a timely fashion. They even custom made a mounting flange to fit, it is stamped 'Wisner'. If they are finishing old business or open for new business I do not know. Either way, good luck and great fun to Ron Wisner, he's earned it.

[e]

Just shipped out a nice Brand New Wisner 8x20 to a very patient customer this week. Took forever to make....

The new smaller factory/workshop is up there in Marion MA. and looks great and all the machinery is good to go....but there will probably be no more than 3 or 4 cameras a year made from now on....if that...and only in ULF I would imagine. Some accessories can be made pretty fast though...

So for all intensive purposes Wisner really only exists for those who HAVE to have his cameras and are willing to wait... or buy what is available.

Yes there have been crappy cameras released....and good ones too....

The cameras usually need some testing and tweaking....here is where Richard Ritter comes in. He has all the solutions...he gave my 12x20 the once over and it is great now with all the locking metal parts that Wisner does not include....he is worth every penny.

So instead of being mad at RW just buy a Chaminox or similar...or like most Wisner owners...just keep using your camera and make some great images. Once you get the bugs out they really are very nice cameras. Same with Ron......

Emile/www.deleon-ulf.com

[MenacingTourist]

I'd like to hijack this thread a bit...
Is there a way to tell how old a Wisner (8x10) Traditional is? I'm not sure I've noticed a serial number. Pure curiosity on my part and I'm sure it's the newest camera I own aside from my Holga.

[Jim Galli]

I have had two Wisner cameras, both bought used. A 4X5, which I sold, and a 14X17 which I still own. I've chattered directly with Ron and found him helpful and affable, a genuine nice guy who probably got in some deep water and hopefully is finding his way back to safer ground. The problem with the whole negative positive thing is rather like Ebay isn't it. A seller with 756 positives is great but if there are 5 or 6 negative feedbacks mixed in, I'll take the time to try to read through them and decide whether there is a genuine risk or not. That's about 1% but it does matter.

[rpdelhorbe]

I'd like to hijack this thread a bit...
Is there a way to tell how old a Wisner (8x10) Traditional is? I'm not sure I've noticed a serial number. Pure curiosity on my part and I'm sure it's the newest camera I own aside from my Holga.

I have no idea if Ron did it this way always, but on my 4x5 Traditional the serial number is stamped into the brass surface area around the tripod socket (mine is in the low 300's and was purchased in 1999, but don't know how long it was on the shelf before that). How to relate the serial number to a real manufacturing date is beyond me ..... maybe someone has some ideas ....

Richard