How to tell the difference between a Wisner Technical Field and an Expedition (4x5)?

I have owned both the Tech Field and the Exp, but I now have neither. I have to disagree with Louis re "brass."

The wood in the case for sure is cherry. American cherry, I would bet. (The wood of the Tech Field that I owned was much darker and its grain was not as prominent.

The hardware looks mostly anodized aluminum. Some of it is definitely anodized--the pieces on the top side beside the leather handle. These features are consistent with Exp, as is the bellows draw. As for 4.75 vs 3.75 inches I can't comment. Yours is "mostly Expedition."

My call at home plate is Expedition. My big bet in Vegas, which I think I would win, is Expedition.

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Originally Posted by DennisMairet

I found one other spec difference. Regular Tech Field is 4 3/4 inches thick when folded. Expedition is 3 3/4. Mine is 4 3/4 so I'm pretty sure it is the regular model. I just don't see how I could achieve the spec'd 23 inch bellows draw. I'm at 20.5 inches when I run out of geared track on the rear focus. Maybe if I physically pulled both standards out to where they are almost exitting the camera I could get 23 inches, but I could not lock the rails in place or focus with the gears.

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Have you tried extending the front standards out like this, you can get a couple more inches extension this way:

https://stevemidgleyphotography.com/_MG_7185x.jpg

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Originally Posted by DennisMairet

I found one other spec difference. Regular Tech Field is 4 3/4 inches thick when folded. Expedition is 3 3/4. Mine is 4 3/4 so I'm pretty sure it is the regular model.

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Dennis has measured the cameras thickness when closed up and it has the Technical Field (TF 4 3/4")numbers & not the (EF 3 3/4") Expedition Field. Dennis's must have brass hardware making it a slam dunk on the ID. Dennis has a beautiful Wisner Technical Field View 4x5.

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Originally Posted by DennisMairet

I just don't see how I could achieve the spec'd 23 inch bellows draw. I'm at 20.5 inches when I run out of geared track on the rear focus. Maybe if I physically pulled both standards out to where they are almost exitting the camera I could get 23 inches, but I could not lock the rails in place or focus with the gears.

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Originally Posted by Louis Pacilla

The Manufactures usually stretch the standards Ft forward & the Bk backward for the last couple of inches when giving the Max bellows extension & the bellows will be very taunt at full extension so you really can't go by bellows length the way you are.

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Just like bellow.

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Originally Posted by scm

Have you tried extending the front standards out like this, you can get a couple more inches extension this way:

https://stevemidgleyphotography.com/_MG_7185x.jpg

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Hey Steve is that a Wisner Traditional L 5x7 - 8x10 or a 4x5 Traditional S It kind of looks like the gold anodized aluminum hardware but it's so hard to tell.

[QUOTE=

Hey Steve is that a Wisner Traditional L 5x7 - 8x10 or a 4x5 Traditional S It kind of looks like the gold anodized aluminum hardware but it's so hard to tell.[/QUOTE]

This photo was taken around 10 years ago but I believe it was the standard Traditional 4x5. I don't remember ever having anything other than the standard Traditional and the Technical in 4x5, other than a Pocket Expedition once.

I have a number of lens boards for my Technical Field and I have to shim about half of them. It's not a big deal. I used black electrical tape cut very narrow so it's not noticeable. Just make sure you shim from the outside of the board. The board has to seat flat to the inside of the front standard. Yours does sound as if it's a Technical Field. If you pick it up and it feels heavy it's a Technical Field. if it feels light it's an Expedition...(!)

Thanks to everyone. I did not realize the front standard could pivot forward like scm shows. That gets me close to the 23 inch spec. So it is 4 3/4 thick and has 23 inches of bellows. And yes, it feels heavy. It is the regular Tech Field. It is very beautiful. I'm going to move some of my lenses to the Wisner boards and do some shimming with tape.

Hi Dennis,

I hope you don't mind me jumping in here? ;) But I too have a Wisner Tech 4x5. I want to get a WA lens, prob. start with a 90mm, and perhaps eventually, going to 75mm. I don't have bag bellows though. Researching, it seems some are able to use a 90mm w/out the bag bellows, while I also read that some said absolutely you need the bag bellows for anything smaller than a 90mm.

What do you all think about this? And what's a good price for used bag bellows. The prices seem all over the place.

Thanks so much!
Chris

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Originally Posted by Fore

Hi Dennis,

I hope you don't mind me jumping in here? ;) But I too have a Wisner Tech 4x5. I want to get a WA lens, prob. start with a 90mm, and perhaps eventually, going to 75mm. I don't have bag bellows though. Researching, it seems some are able to use a 90mm w/out the bag bellows, while I also read that some said absolutely you need the bag bellows for anything smaller than a 90mm.

What do you all think about this? And what's a good price for used bag bellows. The prices seem all over the place.

Thanks so much!
Chris

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I used my Wisner Technical Field with a 90mm Schneider Super-Angulon and the regular bellows. It's been over a decade, but I can't recall movements being overly limited with this arrangement.

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Originally Posted by rdeloe

I used my Wisner Technical Field with a 90mm Schneider Super-Angulon and the regular bellows. It's been over a decade, but I can't recall movements being overly limited with this arrangement.

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That's great to hear, Thank you rdeloe for answering my question ;)