Wista 45VX help?

[Nick Wood]

Just purchased a used 45VX from Robert White over here in the UK. Unfortunately they didn't have a manual for it.

Build quality seems to be almost 'Linhofesque' and most of it seems pretty intuitive, but there are a few things which I need help with.

If the orientation is for sliding a film holder in portrait from the right, there's a lever/catch protruding from the top right corner of the camera back - can't figure out what it's for.

How do you remove the entire 'door' which closes over the focussing screen (and which houses the folding hood)?

Can the circular tripod mount be changed to a different thread size?

Any guidance on general lubrication and care?

At some stage I'll probably get the wide angle bellows - but how do you change bellows?


If someone should happen to have scanned a set of instructions for this camera then obviously I'm all ears!

Thanks

Nick

[Joe Forks]

The pins are spring loaded. Lift up on the whole hood putting pressure on the top pin and it should compress allowing you to remove the hood.

>>>>>How do you remove the entire 'door' which closes over the focussing screen (and which houses the folding hood)?

[Sal Santamaura]

...If the orientation is for sliding a film holder in portrait from the right, there's a lever/catch protruding from the top right corner of the camera back - can't figure out what it's for....Release for the rotating back. Lift/hold it up and the back will be free to turn.


...How do you remove the entire 'door' which closes over the focussing screen (and which houses the folding hood)?...Joe covered that one.


...Can the circular tripod mount be changed to a different thread size?...On mine the socket is 1/4-20. It's held in place by three screws so is readily removeable. I don't know whether Wista offers a replacement for 3/8 screws; the official UK importer (Robert White?) should be able to answer that. If there's no OEM part available a machinist like S.K. Grimes should be able to convert the existing assembly for you.


...Any guidance on general lubrication and care?...All I've ever done is put a small bit of Lubriplate on the rails. Everything else has been so robust as to not need any maintenance.


...At some stage I'll probably get the wide angle bellows - but how do you change bellows?...First, place your index fingers into the top of the rear standard "box" and press up on both ends of the retaining spring clip that holds the top of the bellows. That will release the top; lift the bottom of the bellows out from the channel it sits in and the entire bellows will spring forward, held only by the front standard. Next, at the top of the front standard you'll see two small retaining arms set against stop screws. Rotate the arms away from the stop screws; that will release the top of the bellows. Then lift it out of the lower channel and it'll be completely free. To install the bag bellows -- or reinstall the standard bellows -- reverse these steps.

Sorry, location of the instruction booklet is unknown. However, you've probably already asked the questions for which answers aren't intuitively obvious.

[Nick Wood]

Thanks Joe & Sal,

Have just returned from my first outing with it - managed just the one shot, but can't wait to soup the negs.

It's great (and quick and solid) to work with. Just wish I'd read your guidance before going out; that door over the screen can be a real pain when you're luping under the dark cloth. Next time it's coming off as soon as the camera's on the tripod!

Unfortunately the back revolves without touching that catch - which is why I couldn't figure out what it was for.

Thanks to both of you for the advice.

Nick

[Noah A]

I know it's an old thread--but if anyone is still listening...

I recently bought a s/h 45vx on ebay. I'm very happy with the camera but my back also rotates without engaging the lever. When I take the back off of the camera and operate that lever, I can't see anything happening at all and I can't figure out how the mechanism is supposed to work.

Is this fixable, or should I just leave it alone? The detents seem to keep the back in either the vertical or horizontal orientation just fine.

[Frank Petronio]

My old SP had that lever too, it was worthless.

[Bob Salomon]

I know it's an old thread--but if anyone is still listening...

I recently bought a s/h 45vx on ebay. I'm very happy with the camera but my back also rotates without engaging the lever. When I take the back off of the camera and operate that lever, I can't see anything happening at all and I can't figure out how the mechanism is supposed to work.

Is this fixable, or should I just leave it alone? The detents seem to keep the back in either the vertical or horizontal orientation just fine.

Wista service in the USA is reached at 252 652 4401. Give them a call and they can tell you what can be done by them to make it work again.

[Noah A]

Thanks guys. I'll give them a call but I probably will just live with it unless I can fix it myself.

It's a wonderful camera by the way. Very solid and fast to set up. And it folds with my 150mm lens inside, which is a great feature in my opinion.

[Hung Nguyen]

I think Frank is right, and the lever does not do anything with the VX. I can't figure out what it does either...except snag things. The manual for the VX show the lever in the diagram but does not identify it, nor mention it in the text. My guess is it may have served some purpose for another Wista model. Anyways, I don't think it's broken.

HN

[Bob Salomon]

I think Frank is right, and the lever does not do anything with the VX. I can't figure out what it does either...except snag things. The manual for the VX show the lever in the diagram but does not identify it, nor mention it in the text. My guess is it may have served some purpose for another Wista model. Anyways, I don't think it's broken.

HN

Maybe it is the instruction book you have. In my SP/VX book on page 5 there are specific instructions on how to remove the back to convert to the 69 cm back.

Here are the instructions:
The Wista VX with revolving back can be rotated to 45° and the back will then come off by moving the lever (you are asking about) towards the left side of the camera body (looking at it from the rear). Put the 69 back on in place of the 45 back and push the lever to the right.

The 69 back is 214531 and is a rapid shift type that takes special Wista roll film backs made specifically for it. A different version of the rapid shift is available for the SP and the VX version also fits the RF although a different method is used to remove the Rf 45 back. the rapid shift and the special roll backs are both still available in very limited quantities new on our factory store.

[Noah A]

I don't have the instructions, but I don't see how that little lever has anything to do with removing the back.

To remove the back, you do rotate it to 45 degrees, but then you slide out the metal pieces in each corner and the back comes off.

After removing the back, I can't see that little lever doing anything at all. From this thread I thought it was supposed to be a release to allow the back to rotate. I'm starting to think it's just for decoration. If I get a good answer from marflex I'll post it here.

Regardless of the mystery lever, I'm loving the camera so far.

[Hung Nguyen]

Noah,

The instruction I have is courtesy of Mr. Butkus: http://www.cameramanuals.org/prof_pdf/wista_45_sp_vx.pdf

I neglected to mention I am an LF amature. However, I do enjoy my Wista VX very much and am happy to discover someone else using the same camera. I hope we can share tips/techniques in the future.

All the best.

HN

[Bob Salomon]

Noah,

The instruction I have is courtesy of Mr. Butkus: http://www.cameramanuals.org/prof_pdf/wista_45_sp_vx.pdf

I neglected to mention I am an LF amature. However, I do enjoy my Wista VX very much and am happy to discover someone else using the same camera. I hope we can share tips/techniques in the future.

All the best.

HN

The instruction books we have are direct from the Wista factory since we are the importer/distributor for Wista for the USA. We have no idea who Mr. Butkus is. Is he the Wista factory representative in the UK like we are in the USA?

[IanG]

The instruction books we have are direct from the Wista factory since we are the importer/distributor for Wista for the USA. We have no idea who Mr. Butkus is. Is he the Wista factory representative in the UK like we are in the USA?

Teamwork have been the Wista distributor in the UK for many years, they do the servicing/repairs.

The Butkus website is just a resource (US based) for older camera manuals, useful because the manufacturers make little or nothing available for owners of used cameras.

Ian

[Bob Salomon]

Teamwork have been the Wista distributor in the UK for many years, they do the servicing/repairs.

The Butkus website is just a resource (US based) for older camera manuals, useful because the manufacturers make little or nothing available for owners of used cameras.

Ian

That is why we stock the Wista accessories and the instruction books in the USA and have done so ever since Norbert Kleber decided to retire as the Wista distributor prior to us in the USA. There are lots of items available for Wista in the USA. many of the more esoteric accessories are even sold on our factory store on our web site.