Lens boards for Wista 45D - same as Technica? [Archive]

jrickards615

5-Oct-2021, 10:23

I see a number of lenses for sale with different lens boards. The Technica lens board looks like the Wista but I'd rather have you confirm/deny this so that when I choose my first lens, I don't have to remove the lens from an incorrect board and buy a Wista one to put it on.

Doremus Scudder

5-Oct-2021, 10:56

From the Wista 45D spec. webpage: "Lens Mount - Linhof-type/ accept WISTA or Linhof boards"

These are the Linhof Technika boards. They are available from many manufacturers. Some fit better than others.

Best,

Doremus

Bob Salomon

5-Oct-2021, 11:19

Greg

5-Oct-2021, 13:44

Worth repeating here for Forum members to be on the lookout for Linhof board ripoffs. A few years ago I acquired a lens from a reputable dealer here in the USA that came mounted on a "Linhof" board. This particular lens and board combo never did fit solidly in my 4x5 Chamonix. At a "book readers" distance, the board looked to be an OEM Linhof board, including the logo/crest. Under a simple AGFA 8x loupe, the quality of the logo/crest was not up to Linhof's standards. When I used a digital caliper to measure the thickness of the board and compared it to the thickness of an OEM Linhof lensboard, the board was the slightest bit thinner, which explained why it did not sit solidly in my Chamonix.

Tin Can

5-Oct-2021, 14:13

I have a lot of lens boards, some I make, some I need custom made

I have at least bakers dozen of LuLand knockoffs

They are excellent, this is not an auction

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3490034.m570.l1313&_nkw=Luland&_sacat=0

Chuck Pere

6-Oct-2021, 15:49

Does that Wista model use a centered or offset hole?

Bob Salomon

6-Oct-2021, 16:19

Does that Wista model use a centered or offset hole?

It is in the same position as Linhof’s boards so when all camera movements are zeroed the lens is centered on the film.

Havoc

8-Oct-2021, 02:22

Does that Wista model use a centered or offset hole?

You can find both. An offset lenshole on a Wista means it is offcenter of the negative. A centered lensboard makes the lens sit in the center.

With the offset lensboard you get directly a shift down. Can be useful but if you need mostly shift up, then get a centered lensboard. I changed all my lenses to centered lensboards.

B.S.Kumar

8-Oct-2021, 03:47

You can find both. An offset lenshole on a Wista means it is offcenter of the negative. A centered lensboard makes the lens sit in the center.

With the offset lensboard you get directly a shift down. Can be useful but if you need mostly shift up, then get a centered lensboard. I changed all my lenses to centered lensboards.

This is not correct. Unlike other cameras, Wista and Linhof Technika cameras need the offset to center the lens on the negative. Why the offset is needed is apparent from the design of these cameras. Both cameras use three sliding beds on top of each other. Naturally, as the height of the front standard increases, the lens is also shifted upwards. The offset to the bottom lets the lens be centered again.

Kumar

Havoc

9-Oct-2021, 03:43

This is not correct. Unlike other cameras, Wista and Linhof Technika cameras need the offset to center the lens on the negative. Why the offset is needed is apparent from the design of these cameras. Both cameras use three sliding beds on top of each other. Naturally, as the height of the front standard increases, the lens is also shifted upwards. The offset to the bottom lets the lens be centered again.

Kumar

Sorry Kumar but I have measured this on my Wista and only with a centered lensboard sits the lens in the middle of the film. I have posted those photo's already here somewhere.

Paul Ron

9-Oct-2021, 04:27

thats weird hovoc... i have a wista and the offset lens board does center the lens perfectly. when i first started using the wista i thought it was strange to have an offset hole till i pulled the bellows all the way back n measured where the center was in relation to the film... its centered!

maybe the wood wista is what you are refering to? im not familiar with that one.

B.S.Kumar

9-Oct-2021, 06:54

Oren Grad

9-Oct-2021, 07:49

I can only reiterate that Linhof and Wista cameras are designed to use lens boards with holes offset downwards, and that such boards center the image on the film. The standard lens boards manufactured by Wista and Linhof have offset holes. Wista lensboards for Copal 3 and 3S shutters, and extension boards have center holes.

A technicality: Wista has offered boards with centered holes in all sizes, not just #3. See, for example:

https://www.wista.co.jp/show/acces/rens.html

So one needs to be careful about the exact specifications even if one is buying a "Wista-branded" board.

Havoc

9-Oct-2021, 08:11

I'm not at home right now and they are not on the ftp since I changed provider. I'll post them again when I'm home.

B.S.Kumar

12-Oct-2021, 07:08

I was wrong, and Havoc is right. When used with a Wista field camera, lens boards with mounting holes offset down will shift the image down, while a board with a centered hole will center the image on the film. However, since Wista field cameras do not offer front fall, their standard #0 and #1 lens boards are offset down by 7mm. This gives a built-in fall and it is necessary to raise the lens by 7mm if one wants a centered image. In real life usage, it does not matter what lens board is used. However, if maximum rise is desired, a center hole board is better.

I've used a Wista 45D for 15 years, and learned something new today.

Thank you, Havoc.

Kumar

Havoc

13-Oct-2021, 11:14

Back home, I remade the photos to show it very clearly. Kumar explained it already but I promised the photos so I'll post them anyway.

Setup was the Wista on a tripod and a self-leveling laser cross beam. I set it up so the center of the laser cross was centered on the opening of the Wista front standard:
https://www.quirinus.one/forum_foto/toestellen/offset_01.jpg
Looking at the ground glass you see clearly that this cross comes in the center of the negative:
https://www.quirinus.one/forum_foto/toestellen/offset_02.jpg

So now I put an offset lens board on it. This was a Toyo branded one:
https://www.quirinus.one/forum_foto/toestellen/offset_03.jpg
And looking at the ground glass:
https://www.quirinus.one/forum_foto/toestellen/offset_04.jpg

To me the lens opening is shifted down from the center of the negative.

Havoc

13-Oct-2021, 11:17

Now I put a Wista branded lens board with a center hole in it:
https://www.quirinus.one/forum_foto/toestellen/offset_05.jpg
And the ground glass looks like this:
https://www.quirinus.one/forum_foto/toestellen/offset_06.jpg

For me this confirms that a lens board with a centered hole also centers the lens in the middle of the negative.

It is as Krumar notes, the Wista doesn't have down fall if the front standard is in the neutral position and you use a centered lens board. It is very dangerous to extrapolate from other brands/types of cameras.

So what you use as a lens board is likely determined by your use of rise/fall. I'm mostly photographing buildings so I always use rise. For me these offset lens boards rob me of 7mm rise!

B.S.Kumar

13-Oct-2021, 17:54

The photos explain it clearly. I used a distinctly low-tech approach to come to the same conclusion:
1. I taped a piece of tracing paper on a Wista offset #0 board
2. I found the center of the circle by drawing two lines intersecting each other.
3. Then I mounted the board on the Wista camera, and pushed the front standard as far back as it would go.
4. I removed the focusing screen and inserted a thin bamboo skewer into the paper at the intersection.
5. I put a tiny blob of Blu-Tack on the point of the skewer and replaced the focusing screen.
6. Holding the skewer as straight as possible and touching it to the back of the focusing screen showed me that Havoc is right.

Kumar