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Robert Patrick
7-Sep-1998, 10:28
Here is a teaser, for some of us. I bought a Zone VI Classic 4x5 made by Wisner. That is what the brass plate st ates. The camera looks more like a Wisner based on hardware but has a black syn thetic bellows. My questions: Any idea when the camera (series) was made? Where should I send it for repairs? Thanks, R.P.

Sergio Ortega
7-Sep-1998, 11:30
Robert, Calumet Photographic (1-800-calumet) bought Zone VI several years ago. Zone VI is still very much in business. Call Calument, they'll give you Zone VI 's address, direct tel.#, or tell you how to send your camera to them for repair s.

Take care, Sergio.

Michael Kadillak
7-Sep-1998, 11:52
Back some time in the late 1980's, Ron Wisner and Fred Picker of Zone VI got tog ether and decided to collaborate on a wooden field camera offered for sale by Zo ne VI. Unfortunately, it was a short lived affair where they both ended up in he ated competition selling their own named wooden field cameras. I suspect the law yers got into it because I read an article written on Ron Wisner recently where he stated that he got a "legal" issue behind him. I suspect this is what he was talking about.

Getting it repaired would depend upon the following. If you were the original ow ner, you would have a warranty on record from the seller independent of the manu facturer. Zone VI is required to repair the camera for you should this repair fa ll into the criteria of "warranty" work. At the time Zone VI offered these for s ale, the term warranty meant anything preventing the camera from functioning, in cluding, but not limited to being run over by a truck.

If you are not the original owner, the issue of warranty goes out the window. Un der these conditions, I would contact Ron Wisner and discuss the repair directly with him since you will be footing the bill. My concern would be establishing h ow long the repair will take. I would not like to have my camera out of commissi on for undetermined amounts of time.

The only exception to this condition would be if the bellows were part of the pr oblem. Since Wisner has differentiated their workmanship from Zone VI by using l eather bellows, I would talk to Zone VI on this issue.

It sounds from your write up that you are not the original owner. Did you buy it from the original owner ? If so have him make the inquiry. May save you some mo ney. Let us know how things work out.