Shenhao or Wista DX?

[Adonis Villanueva]

Thank you all for the information.

"Unfortunately that's going to happen with any camera that doesn't have geared front rise and fall, which means it wasn't peculiar to your Tachihara, it's going to happen with the Wista and almost all other field cameras. It's Isaac Newton and his apple and all that stuff which tell us that if a solid object is suspended in space by a locked knob the object will fall when the knob is unlocked unless something is placed under it. In the case of a lens board that something is usually one's hand. "

This is exactly why I decided to purchase a Wista VX (geared rise and fall on the front standard). It's hovers around 5lbs which is lighter than the Shen Hao, a plus considering it's metal.

[Brian Ellis]

"This is exactly why I decided to purchase a Wista VX (geared rise and fall on the front standard)."

My point wasn't that you should get a camera with geared rise and fall so that the lens board doesn't fall when the knob is loosened. My point was the opposite, i.e. that keeping the board on a non-geared camera from falling is so simple that I'm surprised a "falling lens board" would be a relevant consideration in buying a camera. But buying a camera is a personal decision and if you dislike putting your hand underneath the lens board while you loosen the front knob enough to base a camera buying decision on not having to do that, it's your money and certainly your perogative.