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Thread: Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

  1. #1
    Scott Rosenberg's Avatar
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    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    good day...

    I am looking for a metal field camera to take backpacking. once upon a time I owned a technika, and found it great for packing, though the rear movements caused me to ultimately sell it. I’ve owned an ebony, and am not interested in a wooden camera. as such, I am trying to find a camera like the technika, but with rear movements more like a traditional field camera, at least rear tilt.

    the Wista SP seems to be about the closest thing I can find. it folds up into a protective little box like the technika, but, from what I can find on the net, has better rear movements.
    1. Can some Wista SP users confirm that for me?
    2. Furthermore, what is the longest lens that can be used with the Wista? I own lenses from 75 - 450, but shoot 85% in the 75 - 150 range.
    3. I use rear tilts to ensure that the film plane is plum... is this easily and accurately determined with the Wista SP? this was the one thing that really caused me to sell my technika... the film plane tilted independently of the body, and the only level on the camera was on the body, so it was therefore difficult to see when the rear was straight up-and-down.

    if the Wista is not any better than the technika with respect to rear tilt, than I will simply buy a Master Technika 2000.
    1. could someone please confirm the usable range of lenses with the MT 2000?
    2. furthermore, what methods have you devised to determine when the film plane is plum? is it possible to mount a small vial level on the rear of the MT 2000?

    the obvious alternative to both of these cameras is the Canham dlc, which I’ve used, and is a fine camera with a long range of lenses. however, it does not fold into a little box, which I like very much.

    thanks for any inputs,
    scott

  2. #2
    Whatever David A. Goldfarb's Avatar
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    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    An easy way to check if the back is plumb when extended is to use an angle finder--a level with a flat surface on one side and a rotating protractor dial, so you set it at the angle you want (90 deg. for plumb), and when the level is level, the back is plumb to the earth. If the camera is also level, then it will be perpendicular to the back.

    A neat gadget that I've been using lately is a Suunto Tandem sighting clinometer-compass. You can use the clinometer to level or set the angle of the front or rear tilt and use the compass to adjust the swing, and you can also determine the angle of inclination of the desired focal plane for use with the Rodenstock or other tilt/swing calculator. Very handy tool for cameras without scales, if you like scales.

  3. #3

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    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    I am currently using a MT 2000 and love it. I use the little rod extensions to tilt the rear. It is much more work to do the rear tilt or swing than when I used a monorail, but the camera is definitely compact when folded up and virtually indestructable. I saw another photographers MT 2000 bounce across an asphalt parking lot with nothing more serious than the Linhof emblem falling off.

    I don't believe that you can use a 450 lens with this camera. The longest lens that I use is a Nikon 300M. The telephoto Nikon 360/500 is usable, and I may purchase one at some time in the future.

    A friend of mine has the DLC which has a serious amount of bellows!

    I have a bubble balance which I use on top of the camera on the shoe, and on occasion a little tenuously perhaps, I have stuck the bubble balance clip just under the dark slide clip to check the verticalness of the film plane.

  4. #4

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    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    My Horseman VHR has minor rear movements using extension rods... but I don't think it's a step up from a Technika in other respects. More of a step sideways.

  5. #5

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    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    I use a Canham DLC45 - you are right it doesn't fold up like a Technika, but I love the movements on this camera - they are very intuitive. I find that even when I have to take the camera out of the Canham back, "unfold" it, put the lens on, etc. I am quicker taking a shot with it than with a Technika (I have owned and used two of them). Adjusting the movements, focusing, etc, is way easier with the Canham - but as we all know, it's a very personal choice. Good Luck with your decision.
    Juergen

  6. #6
    Dave Karp
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    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    You can purchase extension lensboards that will let you use the 450mm (at least the Fujinon C).

  7. #7

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    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    I don't understand your problem with the Technika back. You say "the film plane tilted independently of the body, and the only level on the camera was on the body, so it was therefore difficult to see when the rear was straight up-and-down." Of course if you're tilting then by definition the rear isn't straight up and down. I assume you mean that if you're tilting it was difficult to see that the left and right sides of the back remained the same distance from the camera body. However, that shouldn't be a problem most of the time. When tilting the top backwards you just leave the base of the back flush with the camera (i.e. you don't even loosen the two bottom knobs) and vice versa for forward tilt. As long as the non-tilted (or swung) sides remain attached to the camera body they obviously must be parallel with it and with each other.

    The only time I can see having the problem you describe (if I'm interpreting the problem correctly, which perhaps I'm not) is if you're both tilting and also pulling the back out from the body to gain a little extra bellows extension. But that normally is unnecessary except with a lens longer than 300mm and you say you use lenses 150mm and shorter 85% of the time.

    My apologies if I'm misunderstanding your problem with the Technika. I certainly agree that the back movement system on Technikas is inconvenient to use. But once you accept the inconvenience and loosen the two knobs required to tilt (or swing) I don't see how there's a problem keeping everything in line with the camera body except in the limited situation described above.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  8. #8
    Scott Rosenberg's Avatar
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    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    hi brian...

    the precise situation i am referring to is thus...

    i've got the camera set and pointed upwards slightly on the tripod. to ensure verticals remain parallel, i need to tilt the rear forward somewhat. the circular level on the camera body therefore is not useful in determining when the film plane is straight up and down, unlike the level on my arca swiss, which moves with the film plane. if there was a way to attach a vial level to the part of the technika that actually tilts, this adjustment could be made far more accurately.

    when you said "Of course if you're tilting then by definition the rear isn't straight up and down." i think i must not have been clear in that when my camera is pointed up or down, i use tilt to ensure my standards are plum.

  9. #9

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    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    Scott - Thanks for the clarification, I do see now what you're talking about and yes in the situation you describe it would be a problem to make sure the back remains straight up and down (i.e. parallel with the subject). FWIW I "solve" the problem with the Technika (and other cameras that use a more conventional system since the same problem exists there as well) just by carefully aligning the grid lines on the ground glass with vertical lines in the subject (assuming there are any). A level would be better but I'm not sure you can use a level with the Technika back in the situation you describe. As you may remember, the rear half of the Technika back is itself not level, it's canted at about a 20 degree angle so there's nothing to put the level on that is itself level from front to back (unless the design of the back has changed with the 2000, I have a Classic Master not the 2000).
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  10. #10

    Metal Field Cameras - Technika and Wista ??'s

    i've got the camera set and pointed upwards slightly on the tripod. to ensure verticals remain parallel, i need to tilt the rear forward somewhat. ... i think i must not have been clear in that when my camera is pointed up or down, i use tilt to ensure my standards are plum.


    So the desired setup is that the lens plane and the film plane are vertical (plumb), but the lens axis is higher than the center of the film plane?

    Why not just use front rise?

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