I sympatize and empathize with the contributors who have narrated horror stories about camera dlivery and service. But my experience, at least with one of the f irms mentioned, Wisner Classic, reveals an alternative picture. I have purchased cameras and accessories from ron wisner since 1988 and have exp erienced none of the problems mentioned here. When a camera was not delivered at its promised date, i received a phone call indicating it would arrive within 10 working days. It arrived, 9 working days later. Accessories, including lenses, tripods, etc. were shipped from wisner or through his company on time or within a reasonable window (1-4 days) of order. When I ordered one camera he and his representatives warned me that they had exp erienced back orders and would be going on summer holiday and that I was late in the line. When i inquired later about the status of my order I received a phone call or an email. The camera took a long time to get here, but teh Wisner firm kept me informed. i had the option at any point to pull the plug. Obviously others have different experiences with Wisner. Anyone can find an alternative view camera; many are celebrated on these pages a s the "ideal camera de jour", and so we read about Canham, Technikardan, Ebony, Arca-Swiss, and the hits keep coming. So to some limited extent each of us who o rders a specific brand and waits, drooling, for its arrival--myself obviously in cluded!--should do a reality check. Would it make any difference if we used a di fferent camera that we could readily purchase from a large retailer--Samy's, CPI , B&H? Are Avedon's images better because he uses a XXX, John Sexton's because h e uses a YYY, or Jack Dykinga's because he uses a BBB? Those of us who insist upon this or that tool--and all a large format camera is is our craftsman or home depot hammer after all should recall Fred Picker tirad ing against a participant in a workshop, saying that his(the paticipant's) image s would be better if he did not make them all in the desert southwest, if he did not use that T-Max 100, if he would just follow all of Picker's dogmas about e xposing for Zone VIII, and especially if he would get rid of that west coast sp ecial--a Linhof. Sound familiar?? "All art is conceived two inches behind the eyeball--the rest is tool manipulati on." A pretty darned good workshop leader--obviously not Fred-- made that commen t while discussing art, artists and life one night at Canyon de Chelley. Not a b ad view. Bob .