wista 45DX

[clarryd]

Guys I have a wista 45dx that has a focus bed (if thats what you call it) that binds
and squeaks and the further out you extend it, it gets worse. Any help would be
appreciated.

Thanks, Larry

[corgan4321]

Are you talking about the focusing gear track perhaps? The bed is the bottom of the camera that screws onto the tripod. That part you open up and tighten down.

[clarryd]

Ok the focusing gear track.

[SMBooth]

Have you jumped a cog perhaps, seems its twisted a little bit

[clarryd]

I don't think its twisted. Everything seems to be in line. Acts like it needs some
lubrication?

[Bob Salomon]

I don't think its twisted. Everything seems to be in line. Acts like it needs some
lubrication?

252 652 4401 is the phone number for the only authorized Wista service center in the USA. Before the camera needs more service that has to be performed by them why not call and describe the problem to them. They will then tell you what to look for and what needs to be done to correct it. They will also tell you what, if any, lubrication should be used.

[Doremus Scudder]

Larry,

I own two DXs and have had to deal with this problem a time or two.

If all you need is a little lubricant, try waxing the surfaces that touch when the focusing bed (BTW, I would call it a focusing bed myself too, since it is a wooden frame that moves) with some quality furniture wax. I've even used shoe polish in a pinch :-)

If the problem is more serious, then try the following:

First inspect the focusing frame/bed/track carefully to make sure there is no damage. Especially look at the brass tracks to make sure they are not bent. If so, you can disassemble the camera and try to straighten (if you feel competent doing that) or you can send the camera in for repair/part replacement. I have a camera that suffered some damage and still is difficult to rack in and out due to the brass tracks being bent slightly, even after my attempts at straightening. I just muscle through it when needed since it is not too bad.

Check also to make sure the focusing bed is not skewed in the tracks it travels in due to one of the focusing racks (the straight toothed parts on the bottom of the moving bed) having jumped a cog. This seems a common problem. Even if the bed looks fairly straight, you might try disassembling and re-installing the focusing bed a time or two with the alignment slightly different see if you can make an improvement. It is not too difficult, you simply have to remove the stop and then rack the bed past the place where the racks engage, then carefully re-engage them.

Hope this helps a bit.

Doremus Scudder

[clarryd]

Thank you so much Doremus. I really appreciate it.

Thanks, Larry

[Graham Patterson]

On my camera the right-side knob is used to focus. But the left-hand locking knob, even when fully loosened, tends to tighten up when I rack the camera bed a long way. That can cause stiffness and 'creaking' sound.