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Thread: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    14

    Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    Hi all,
    Bit of a newbie question here, I'm new to large format and recently bought a Wista VX 4x5. I also bought a Nikon 300mm 5.6 lens, the seller off ebay was really helpful and sensing my ignorance offered to obtain a lensboard for me and mount the lens to it, its this one:
    (http://www.adorama.com/VWLB3.html?se...ara+lens+board)
    I just got both the camera and lens/lensboard today and am having a lot of trouble mounting the lens to the camera. I see the bottom part of the lensboard must go in first, and in order to do this I need to tilt the lens at an angle which is preventing the lensboard from being able to tilt into place on the top so I can secure it. I'm just wondering if it can be possible that the lens is too bulky to fit on the camera I have? Or if I have the wrong lensboard? Any help would be much appreciated!
    Thanks in advance
    Brent

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Dec 1997
    Location
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Posts
    7,697

    Re: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    Are you trying to install the board with it oriented the way it's pictured on the Adorama web site? If so maybe that's the problem because the board looks to me like it's upside down in the picture. I could be wrong, I no longer have any of these types of boards and camera on hand to check but I used these boards for many years on various different cameras - Linhof, Tachihara, and Ebony but not Wista - and from memory the picture sure looks upside down.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    14

    Re: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    Hi Brian,
    You are correct and I have been trying to install it upside down to how it appears in the adorama photo, no luck so far

  4. #4
    perptual newbee
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    France
    Posts
    90

    Re: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    I don't have this camera, but it appears from the doc at http://www.galerie-photo.com/catalogue_wista.pdf , that it has plenty of back tilt and rise in the fron standard. try rise/back tilt. It should give you the needed freedom. hope that helps.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Loganville , GA
    Posts
    14,409

    Re: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    Is the problem that the board, when properly orientated, goes into the bottom holder and almost, but not quite, will not latch to the top because something is preventing the lens itself from fully fitting in the hole in the camera body?

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    14

    Re: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    Hi and thanks for the speedy replies, this forum is great!
    I am able to stick the lens into the camera if I dont tilt the lensboard, and I am able to use the lock/lever to secure the lensboard, but the bottom is the issue,because the lens is so big in diameter there is not enough room to tilt it while it is inserted in the camera to secure the bottom, so I have to start with the bottom first and must come at it at a fairly steep angle to insert the bottom part of the lensboard behind the metal part, having done this the lens doesnt seem to want to fall back into the camera so I can lock the top part, common sense tells me the lens is too big, it feels like it might fall in if I use a lot of force but Im afraid it will break something,
    I have attached a small picture to try and illustrate the issue
    thanks again for all your replies

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Oslo
    Posts
    647

    Re: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    The rear of the lens looks like it is in the way.
    Maybe you just need to detach the belows from the standard, mount your lens, and re-attach the belows. Detaching the bellows is easy, you have 2 latch (?) that rotate.

  8. #8
    Octogenarian
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Frisco, Texas
    Posts
    3,532

    Re: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    The Nikkor 300W has an 80mm diameter rear element.

    It's a wonderful lens, but it was designed for use on 8x10 cameras that have larger front openings.

    Your 4x5 Wista field camera has the smaller size Linhof front opening.

    You need a lens that has a smaller rear element, like the Nikkor f9 300M.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    66

    Re: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    You may have a case of a lens with a rear element which is just too big to fit. Since it looks like it almost clears, a solution may be to get a blank board and have it drilled so that the lens is mounted a little lower on the board. A way to test this is to make some fake boards out of 2 ply mount board and determine where the lens can be mounted such that it will not jam against the camera. If there is no position that works you may not be able to use that lens on your camera.

    Henry

  10. #10
    Octogenarian
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Frisco, Texas
    Posts
    3,532

    Re: Problem Attaching Lensboard to Wista VX

    Henry,

    That lens is mounted in a Copal 3 shutter.

    Not much room on a Linhof sized board for drilling that sized opening off center.

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