Little help with new Zone VI needed

[Martin Courtenay-Blake]

Having temporarily shelved my Kodak Specialist 2 rebuild/upgrade due to need to machine complete set of rack and pinion gears I have been looking around for a reasonable way into large format shooting. Good old Ebay UK turned up a completely new Zone VI at a good price. My wife felt her search for my Christmas gift was now resolved and duly purchased same.
It arrived in due course complete with all original packaging and outer carton. It is definately new (not that I was at all sceptical about the sellers description) but I thought I'd take a little peek before it was spirited away until the 25th. It is indeed a thing of considerable beauty...lovely warm wood with lots (and lots and lots) of sparkly brassware but.......no lensboard.
I had gained the impression from somewhere (probably the depths of this very forum) that a Wista or Linhof board would fit the bill and promptly called Robert White who can supply new boards from these two manufacturers."No, 'fraid not" I was instructed " Zone VI made their own, they went belly up some time ago and we don't have any". "Oh B*******!" I thought...repeatedly. "What do I do now? I know I'm sure one of the veritable sages of LF on the LFP forum will be able to help me. So veritable sages can anyone advise me as to what lensboards will fit my new 5X4 Zone VI and maybe point me to someone who can supply them.

Thanking you in considerable anticipation.
Martin

p.s. I live in Scotland so international shipping would probably be required.

[Kirk Gittings]

You said you Zone VI is new, but is it the latest version? Calumet Photographic bought Zone VI. It did not go belly up. Calumet has all the old inventory and continues to make many replacement parts as well as making an updated version of the Camera.

Also I am sure Richard Ritter could help you. He has some listed on his web site here:

http://www.lg4mat.net/pageparts.html

[Brian Ellis]

You also ask Richard Ritter to make a Zone VI-to-Linhof/Wista/Tachihara/Shen Hao/etc. adapter board. That way you wouldn't need to worry about finding a Zone VI board every time you acquire a new lens, you'd just buy one adapter board, leave it in the camera, and be able to use the much more common Linhof-size boards whenever you acquire a new lens.

[Brian Ellis]

Let's try "You COULD also ask Richard Ritter" etc. etc.

[Mark Sampson]

The Zone VI boards are 4" square, not enough room to make a Technika board adapter. The early Zone VI cameras, more than 15 years back, were re-badged Wistas that did take a Technika board. So you weren't exactly wrong... I think the 'Wista-style' Z-VI cameras were only sold for a short time before the current-style cameras were introduced.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Either Calumet or Richard Ritter will have some. I don't know which wood your camera is made from but I know Richard has boards for the Black Walnut version which Calumet no longer has and these seem to be the most difficult to find.

You can check Richards website for pricing or call Calumet.

Also, these are very easy boards to make so you might give that a try as well.

[Bruce Barlow]

The Zone VI boards are 4" square, not enough room to make a Technika board adapter. The early Zone VI cameras, more than 15 years back, were re-badged Wistas that did take a Technika board. So you weren't exactly wrong... I think the 'Wista-style' Z-VI cameras were only sold for a short time before the current-style cameras were introduced.

Well, on the other hand I know Richard Ritter makes Zone VI-Tecknika adapter boards...

I don't know if he may even have one "in stock for immediate gratification." Sometimes it's easier for Richard to make several when only one has been sold, since that's a pretty popular item and he knows folks will take them off his hands.

[Martin Courtenay-Blake]

Thanks for the rapid responses. Kirk, thanks for the Calumet info. From the UK most of us would probably not think of looking there. I'll check both Calumet and RR to see what they can supply. The wood looks like cherry or something similar. It is quite light in colour. It is the later version with the "Manufactured by Zone VI Studios, Vermont etc. " plate on the front

I will be putting together a traditional 3 lens outfit using new lenses, probably 90, 150 and 210. I noticed on the Calumet site that the Caltar lenses were considerably better priced than native Rodenstocks here in Blighty (especially with current exchange rates). Are they the same lenses?

I also have a good collection of misc. older lenses such as a set of Ultragons from 105 - 210mm and various Wray, TTH and Ross lenses. I might just make up some homebuild lensboards to try these out. I'm fascinated by the older designs an no doubt the odd Artar, Dagor and Raptar will eventually wing it's way over here.

Once again thanks all

Martin

[Kirk Gittings]

Martin,

I've used a similar camera for years. Far from new, it has been thru the wringer but still works fine. I actually remade the lens stage slightly on mine to take Calumet metal boards so that all my lenses were equally usable on the Wide field and the ZVI. Hence the extension board on the 210mm you see, so that I can get extended range on the widefield and make a 210 useable.

[Ted Harris]

Further on the Zone VI to Wista/Technika adapter .... unlike the "board within a board" sort of adapter this is actually a solid piece that fits in side the front standard. I know it exists because I ahve one on my Zone VI. Mine was made by SK Grimes and installed by Richard Ritter but, as Bruce noted, Richard also makes them.