Zone VI ( Wista ) vs Deardorff 4x5

[Dan95]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/813ndavid/7565453550/

Its a stunner alright.

[Bob Salomon]

But has it been used those years? The fact that the gold bling is still there leads me to think not.

Wista wood cameras that we have imported over the past have all had brass knobs, not brass plated, and are coated with a clear finish to resist handling. We officially started offering Wista to USA dealers on July 26, 2001. The cameras and literature that we received from the earlier distributor, Norbert Kleber, also had brass hardware and fittings. I have no idea what Fred Picker had on the Zone VI cameras that he sold that were made by Wista but brass fittings on his cameras would not surprise me.

[Drew Bedo]

I own and shoot with a Wista made Zone VI. love it! It is light and compact, has plenty of movements—and is beautiful. The one you are offered is from a more limited run with an exotic wood and gold plated hardware. The down side is that it may be a little shaky and has only 12' of bellows draw. Axis tilt is not provided. The front standard is not strong enough for hefty lenses. The Zone VI can be expertly serviced by Richard Ritter and others

The 5x7 Dearsorff is also good looking, and has an historic cache for many. It is significantly larger than the Zone VI and so it is heavier. The 5x7 format is much liked by many photographers (there are whole threads on just that). Original reducing backs are available for 4x5. Factory service is available again from the new Deardorff company.

Both are fine cameras. Both are offered at a good price. If you bought them BOTH the total would still be well below the cost of any brand new 4x5. I would do that. I'd do what I could to free up the money to buy both of them. In my case this would mean some begging (bordering on shameless groveling). I would hope that in your case it means just writing two checks.

Please let us know what you do, and post pix.

Cheers!

[Drew Bedo]

There was a definitive article on the history of Zone VI cameras by Richard Ritter in the Jan/Feb 2003 issue of View Camera Magazine. VCM has a PDF of this article available to subscribers.

I have exerpted the main points of that article below:

Zone VI Camera History

Notes from an article by Richard Ritter in View Camera Magazine, Jan-Feb 2003 issue.

Late 1970s
Tachihara: Japan ,
“Zone VI” name plate
cherry wood, chrome plated metal.
Single focusing rail, 12” bellows extension

1980
Wista 4x5 camera
“Specially Made for Zone VI” name plate
Single focusing rail, 12” bellows
Made by Wista, modified by changing to a beefier base plate.

1986 (not in catalog till ’87)
<150 units produced by 1988
S/N Range :100-250
Name plate :
“The Zone VI Classic, Made for Zone VI Studios, Newfane VT

"Made by Wisner Classic Mfg. Co., Marion Mass”".
Mahogany and polished brass.
Double focusing rail, Interchangeable bellows

1988 Wisner out of the picture

1988
“Zone VI
Made By Zone VI Studios, Newfane Vermont USA”
They jobbed-out parts and assembled them at the Studio.
+3000 units built
Mahogany wood S/N Range: 1,000 - 4,500 (with gaps)

1989
Larger knobs, GG Loding Bail
Wal nut and Cherry models (limited run) S/N in 9,00 range

1991
Gold Plated Fittings
1,800 units S/N range :3,000-4,000 (? I can’t make this fit . . .sorry)

1991
Calumet bought out Picker and marketed the same camera. Then changed to black anodized aluminum fittings.Called it the “Lightweight”


My Camera
Wista Model
Single focusing rail with 12” bellows
Wista branded Ground Glass
Mahogany with Brass fittings
Name Plate: “Zone VI Studios Inc. Newfane VT”
S/N 05345

[neil poulsen]

One way to get into Deardorff a little less expensively is to find on with no front swings. (Usually abbreviated as NFS.) I had one of these for a while.

One really nice feature of the Deardorff is that the front raises without putting pressure on the bellows. Great feature.

A couple of negatives with mine, though. It had been refinished, and the new bellows didn't pack as tightly. So, it was tough to get a 90mm lens to focus at infinity. Also, the bellows insides were more gray than black. It was my assessment that, for wide angle lenses, the bellows reflected light back onto the film. It looked like images from wide angle lenses (e.g. 121mm) with this camera suffered from flare.

[Len Middleton]

A couple of negatives with mine, though. It had been refinished, and the new bellows didn't pack as tightly. So, it was tough to get a 90mm lens to focus at infinity. Also, the bellows insides were more gray than black. It was my assessment that, for wide angle lenses, the bellows reflected light back onto the film. It looked like images from wide angle lenses (e.g. 121mm) with this camera suffered from flare.

Neil,

Was this an issue of the Deardorff camera design or original build, or of the work done by the individual who did the post-factory work and the materials they used?

Just want to be sure I fully understand the situation you are describing,

Len

[E. von Hoegh]

Neil,

Was this an issue of the Deardorff camera design or original build, or of the work done by the individual who did the post-factory work and the materials they used?

Just want to be sure I fully understand the situation you are describing,

Len

He's describing a replacement bellows which did not meet the specs of the original bellows.

[Vaughn]

1988
“Zone VI
Made By Zone VI Studios, Newfane Vermont USA”
They jobbed-out parts and assembled them at the Studio.
+3000 units built
Mahogany wood S/N Range: 1,000 - 4,500 (with gaps)

My Zone VI 8x10 was built around this time -- same verbage on he name plate. Nice camera, light baffle where the camera back attaches to the camera is minimal and occasionally leaks light if things are not all lined up correctly. But other than that, I have enjoyed it...not a light-weight.

I had a Indian knock-off of a Deardorf Special (4x5/5x7). I used it for 5x7 and the 'real thing' must be very nice to use, as the Rajah was a pretty close copy. In fact I bought a Deardorf 5x7 back for the Rajah, originally bought as a 4x5, and it fit perfectly without any modification. In my youth, it did not seem that heavy!

[Drew Bedo]

Yeah, I had a Rajah back in the early '90s. Made from an exotic hardwood, it looked great. It too was a 5x7 body, but had a 4x5 revolving back. To this day, I regret trading it for a box of lenses—which were then sold off at the Houston Camera Show.

[Dan95]

Sealed the deal for the Wista/Zone VI. It should arrive in 2 weeks.

I will post some images. Though I would need to get a gridded ground glass first, since the one coming with the camera is plain. The only other ground glass I have is the one on my Speed Graphic ( Gridded ). Dark as hell, paid 24USD for it.

Anyone can recommend a ground glass for the Wista/Zone VI ?