Wista 45VX/RF/SP bellows draw and idea

[Bob Salomon]

Ja, natürlich!

But - do we need much back movements with long focal lenses?

Using a 600mm lens gives rather flat images of small details far away from the camera, with little enlargement in the dark room and long distance from the viewer to the print on the wall.

And we don't photograph large houses, buildings or objects with great distances in depth, from near to far, or huge dimensions that need movements.

Regards

Except you might want to reposition the subject using shifts. And with an extension bed and bellows places the front controls possibly beyond arms reach from under the dark cloth.

[neil poulsen]

I had a Wista SP. I thought that it would be nice to have a clamshell, in addition to my relatively light-weight rail camera.

Two Wista possibilities . . .

With Wista's removable bellows capability, they made a longer bellows, longer rail combination that could both be installed on their metal cameras. I bought a set on EBay and gave it a try. In my opinion it was too wobbly, so I returned it.

Another Wista option is an extension that fits onto the Wista lensboard. It includes an adjustable length tube with a fixture at the opposite end to receive a Technika lensboard and lens. This enables one to extend a 300mm lens out in front of the front standard. I tried this with a 355mm G-Claron, and I thought that the lens was too heavy for the camera with this device. However, it might work fine with one of the Copal 1 300mm lenses. (Nikon M, or a G-Claron?)

As a third non-Wista option, Rodenstock made a doubler that could be added to a 150mm lens to obtain a 300mm focal length. (One loses two stops of aperture using this doubler.) I bought one of these, but I've not yet had the occasion to use it. Depending on how often one needs to longer focal length, it may be an option. There's is some loss of resolution, as one might expect.

I used the Wista SP system a few times. But, I determined that I preferred my light-weight, rail 4x5. So, the Wista SP was sold.

[Bob Salomon]

I had a Wista SP. I thought that it would be nice to have a clamshell, in addition to my relatively light-weight rail camera.

Two Wista possibilities . . .

With Wista's removable bellows capability, they made a longer bellows, longer rail combination that could both be installed on their metal cameras. I bought a set on EBay and gave it a try. In my opinion it was too wobbly, so I returned it.

Another Wista option is an extension that fits onto the Wista lensboard. It includes an adjustable length tube with a fixture at the opposite end to receive a Technika lensboard and lens. This enables one to extend a 300mm lens out in front of the front standard. I tried this with a 355mm G-Claron, and I thought that the lens was too heavy for the camera with this device. However, it might work fine with one of the Copal 1 300mm lenses. (Nikon M, or a G-Claron?)

As a third non-Wista option, Rodenstock made a doubler that could be added to a 150mm lens to obtain a 300mm focal length. (One loses two stops of aperture using this doubler.) I bought one of these, but I've not yet had the occasion to use it. Depending on how often one needs to longer focal length, it may be an option. There's is some loss of resolution, as one might expect.

I usedd for their the Wista SP system a few times. But, I determined that I preferred my light-weight, rail 4x5. So, the Wista SP was sold.

No, Rodenstock did not make a doubler, I believe the Horseman did for their 150mm

[Sal Santamaura]

No, Rodenstock did not make a doubler, I believe the Horseman did for their 150mm

The Horseman 2X converter was marketed as compatible with any modern 150mm 5.6 plasmat. I used it with several lenses of that type. Its performance wasn't great with any of them.

[neil poulsen]

No, Rodenstock did not make a doubler, I believe the Horseman did for their 150mm

Bob, Thanks for the clarification.

[tweggers]

Yes, I agree with this. When I shot with my 270mm G/Claron on my SP I was at the end of the rail. The good thing it worked great!

[Bob Salomon]

The Horseman 2X converter was marketed as compatible with any modern 150mm 5.6 plasmat. I used it with several lenses of that type. Its performance wasn't great with any of them.

Most, it would not fit the 150 Apo Sironar/Apo Sironar S.

BTW, Horseman, for many years, was the Rodenstock distributor in Japan.

[nicemate1]

Hi everyone !

A little bit off topic but can someone tell me what is the minimum size Ground glass a Wista SP or VX can accept in it's graflok frame (length and width wise)?
Thanks,