Is this a Wista 4x5?

John Koehrer

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You've got some interesting creases at the front of the bellows. When you collapse the camera center the front standard with the back or they'll get worse.
 
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campy51

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John Koehrer said:
You've got some interesting creases at the front of the bellows. When you collapse the camera center the front standard with the back or they'll get worse.
Click to expand...
Do you know if a pdf manual can be downloaded? I googled but it didn't come up with any.
 

Ian Grant

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It's the same as my Wista 45DX. The Wista bellows tend to be like that, they do get worse with time and there's nothing you can do about them but they still function OK. I've had mine 30 years and it was second hand when I bought it.

Ian
 

Doremus Scudder

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The lack of rear shift makes this a Wista DXII. The regular DX has back shift and the same back, the DXIII has shift plus a Graflok back.

Wista DX bellows, as Ian points out, crease when used with short lenses and lots of movements (esp. rise). Be careful when closing the camera tho make sure they fold up alright and you should be fine. My DXs are workhorses and have seen tons of use; they are all still going strong.

Best,

Doremus
 

guangong

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I have a DX and the style of workmanship and materials seems similar so I would agree with those who say DXII, although I am unfamiliar with the latter.
 
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campy51

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I have another question. I had the option of the 90mm lens or a 210mm lens and since I have a 210mm I went with the 90mm, but when focusing the closest focusing is somewhere around 150 feet. Do I need a recessed lens board or a bag bellows? I don't think this camera has the option for a bag. What should the closest focus I should have? He also had a Toyo monorail and I am wondering if this lens was for that camera.
 

ChuckP

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Do you mean the far focus max is around 150 Ft with bellows compressed? Close focus shouldn't be a problem with the 90mm and around 300mm bellows.
 

msage

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The lens seems to be mounted off center on the lens board. Raise the front standard so that the lens is centered with the ground glass. Then you should have enough bellows compression to focus at infinity.
 

Ian Grant

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Just move the front standard back a little, it needs to be set at different positions for each focal length lens you use.

msage said:
The lens seems to be mounted off center on the lens board. Raise the front standard so that the lens is centered with the ground glass. Then you should have enough bellows compression to focus at infinity.
Click to expand...

It's quite common for lenses to be mounted off centre like that, my 90mm f6.8 Grandagon is, it came that way from the dealer (second hand) 30 years about.

Ian
 
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