Zone VI 4x5 questions

[Murray]

(I added a photo link at the end of this long post)

Hi:

I borrowed a Zone VI 4x5 from a friend who calls it 'too heavy' since back surgery & hasn't used it much since.

He's probably going to sell it and I was going to show another local guy who laments having sold all his LF gear, but I had a couple questions on a few things about it. My friend could probably SHOW me, but talking to him on the phone when I have it in my hands and he doesn't, wasn't very productive. I have taken a bunch of pictures of it. I'm trying upload them elsewhere and not clutter the server here with too many images.

It's definitely more confusing to open & close than my simple Crown Graphic.

I'm also trying to ID the vintage from its physical characteristics. The owner recalls it was likely purchased from Calumet in Illinois which sounds like possibly the last phase of production.

I emailed Richard Ritter, but have been advised in response to the original pre-edited post it's better to call him. There was no manual but between the responses here and PM's received, I should be in good shape. I hadn't called him because I had not yet posted pictures and thought calling with a bunch of questions and descriptions would only be helpful if I could wave my hands around at the same time and have him not see that either!

I do have one quirky question about the alignment of the bed(s) and base but that is probably best addressed in conversation.
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What is the proper sequence for opening and closing it?

It was a pretty stressful experience the first time for me, and the brass dimpled closure latch appears to expect pretty precise reassembly to actually hold it closed (front and rear standards and movements need to be returned to some 'standard' location?).

Feel free to correct my misused terminology in descriptions of the following...

There are I believe (going from memory) 4 larger knurled brass knobs involved with two different moving mechanisms in the base. It seems that two are locking (friction) knobs and the other two are fixed on shafts coupled to I assume one or two racks & pinions or similar devices.

One knob moves the front standard and extends the bellows.

The other knob does something similar I can't really describe accurately...possibly moving the rear standard separately from the 'base' that has the tripod mount.

What purpose is served by two 'racks'? More range than a single one alone can provide?


It's features:
I have read about the various vintages and suppliers of 4x5 cameras for Zone VI, and some details of note I picked up were that it has the brass plate with script engraving indicating it's made in Vermont. It has the gold-plated lacquered hardware I mistook for brass before becoming enlightened. It also has the anodized aluminum 'tilt bail' back. All three of these features supposedly narrow it down significantly.

My experience recognizing woods is failing me. I understand the Vermont-made camera was available in mahogany but for a while there were Cherry & Walnut limited production versions before Calumet discontinued them.

What's confusing to me is that all the mahogany I ever worked with (1970's, probably Central American) was much darker and more orange than what I saw in decades later. I heard rumors about 'no more real mahogany', and only luan or Phillipine Mahogany but that stuff looked nothing like mahogany to me. I suppose there are many varieties.

The camera wood grain could pass for walnut, but the color is too light in my opinion...almost like butternut in some areas, or an unstained cherry. I can't remember if cherry is one of the rare woods that lightens rather than darkens with age.

I was never into staining woods so the finished traditional colors in the 'cabinetmaking' world are much diifferent than personal prefernce in a high school wood shop.

Thanks for humoring me.

http://murrayatuptown.webs.com/apps/...bumid=11146955

Murray
Holland MI

[Mark Sampson]

Your camera sounds like mine, which I bought new in 1992. The light-colored wood is mahogany as far as I know; cherry and walnut Z-VIs are quite unusual and they're quite obviously those woods. To open the camera, have it on a tripod. Undo the L-shaped latch. Loosen the two knobs that cover the long arms on the side and raise the rear standard, then lock it in position. Raise the front standard and pivot roughly into position. Tighten the four knobs to hold the standard in place. Slide the lensboard holder open and insert a lens- don't forget to close the slide lock. As you stand behind the camera, the two knobs on the right side extend the front and back focusing tracks. Having two is how you get 18" of bellows extension. The corresponding knobs on the left side are their locks. The two vertical knobs on the bottom of the front standard control both shifts and swings. Likewise the two knobs semi-hidden beneath the rear standard. Open the lens, point it at a subject, focus, adjust until happy.
Seems complex at first but you'll get used to it quickly enough; the complexity is the price of flexibility. And as they say in the car repair manuals, "installation is the reverse of removal". Mr. Ritter doesn't respond to emails quickly but anyone here will tell you that it's worth the wait.

[Murray]

Thanks, Mark.

I edited my initial post to add a link to photos stored in a free website with annoying banner adds. Sorry, but that's where they live for now.

I commented before without having seen the camera or photos recently. Looking at them just now, some of the wood really looks like walnut to me. Walnut sapwood...the really light parts near the bark...can pass for butternut, but I hear are really springy and not dimensionally stable (at least for red oak), so I doubt would be chosen for a camera.

Murray

[Gem Singer]

From your description of the type of wood finish and the gold plated hardware, it sounds like you have one of the last series that Zone VI made in Newfane ,VT before selling the business to Calumet.

It is probably not mahogany. Possibly cherry wood finished in a blond color.

After Calumet bought Zone VI, they began to make their own version with black anodized aluminum hardware. They referred to it as the 4x5 Zone VI light-weight field camera.

[Murray]

Thanks, Gem.

It's puzzling. I just looked at the photos and there are parts that sure look like clear-coated unstained walnut to me, and who knows what elsewhere. I suppose I should have the s/n when I call Mr Ritter. That may be helpful.

[lenser]

PM sent

[neil poulsen]

I remember seeing photos of the Walnut Zone VI camera, and from the strong grain, it looks like what I saw in the photos.

[Doremus Scudder]

There is a video on YouTube showing the opening and closing of exactly the camera you describe.

I own one too, but describing is cumbersome compared to a visual.

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIbpaistdog

Best,

Doremus Scudder

P.S: you could have found it yourself in a lot less time than it took to formulate your original post :-)

[RichardRitter]

If the owner said the camera came from calumet that could be correct. Calumet made the cameras with the gold hardware for about 3 and half years after they bought Zone VI.

Your camera is walnut and is from the last run of cherry and walnut cameras that were made. All cameras made had a clear finish no stains. The cherry and mahogany cameras get darker with age, walnut gets lighter.

Your camera rear rail is out of aliment a common problem on camera made by Calumet. Does the rear focusing work and make a chattering sound like the gears are not meshing right?

[Bruce Barlow]

From the pictures, it looks like mahogany. Walnuts were much darker, cherry had a looser grain structure and were more, well, cherryish.

Yours was made after I left Zone VI. We were working on finding someone to make those diamond-knurled knobs when I left. You wouldn't believe how hard that is to do and keep the tips sharp after tumbling and coating them.

The serial number is on the inside of the tripod mounting hardware. Richard can tell you roughly when it was made based on that. After late 1989, to be sure, unless the knobs have swapped out.

It looks like it hasn't had a huge amount of use. The wood darkens with exposure to sunlight, and "tan lines" can be seen if you move things around.

Front and rear focusing allows longer bellows extension (and the ability to use longer lenses) in a still-compact package. Yours has about 22", whereas my Wista has about 12". That was one of Fred's major design points. Others can comment more expertly on the use of front vs. rear focus for things like closeup work. I'm a portrait and landscape guy.

You can fix your real rail issue by racking the rear focusing rail all the way out (you'll struggle at the end because of the focus stops - they're screws and if you want you can screw them in a little to ease it coming off. Then, gently apply a little pressure to the middle of the back rail as you engage the rails using the rear focus knob. Rack it in and see if bot sides line up. If not, repeat. It may take you three tries to do it properly. Then you'll know it for life, and never have to do it over. It is worth doing to make sure the back is parallel to the front. From the amount I see in the pic, it probably isn't making the focus gearing gnash.

Do yourself a favor and sit with the camera in your lap for 20 minutes and just play with all the movements. Learn them all by feel. Then life will be much nicer in the field.