wisner problems

[mark]

Steven-

You never got the lens board? I hear them canhams are pretty nice with bang up service. One has been on my wish list for many years and will be on it for many more.

 

[Jim Moore]

and then putting the Wisner on EBay.

How much do you want for it??

Jim

 

[Steve Hamley]

Steven,

Ebony SV45Ti and never look back. SV45U or UE if you want (and want to pay for) asymmetric back movements.

Steve

 

[Dave Parker]

Down Jim, Down! lol

Dave

 

[Jim Moore]

Down Jim, Down! lol

Dave

SSSShhhhhh.....

Don't tell my Wife

Jim

 

[chuck94022]

To Aggie: I believe Keeble and Shuchat in Palo Alto carry Wisner. In any case, they have one or two in the display case in the main store (not the digital/lighting side) for sale. Look in the corner behind the counter.

To the rest: I keyed in on the "he charged my card but didn't ship the item." This violates Visa's (and other charge card) rules (heck, maybe it's a law...) regarding when a merchant is allowed to charge a card. If you have a charge on your bill but he has not shipped the product, he is in violation and can lose his privilege to use Visa services. You have every right to complain to Visa and let them deal with him. There are only certain exceptions to this rule and the vendor will always spell these out. Ron's case is not one of them, and frankly, if he does this often, Visa should dump him like a hot rock.

-chuck

 

[Dave Parker]

I am not defending or condeming at all here, but accourding to my merchant agreement, if I am making a product to order, such as I do with my glass, I am allowed to charge at the time of order, so it would depend on what or how Wisner has classified his business with the merchant..

Dave

 

[WarEaglemtn]

For those with Wisners & thinking of dumping them. If yours is a good one with no problems & you have been happy with til now, why get rid of it? Richard Ritter & others make good lensboards & get them made & shipped when they say they will. In spite of the business dealings & too many substandard cameras that have parts falling off them within a few weeks, some get an excellent camera that does actually work as it is supposed to. If you have one of these & like it, don't let these other problems push you out, unless you are doing so for personal reasons. I know I would never by another Wisner for resale... just not worth the effort & (for my dime) they are dogs on the market. But I have friends who have & love Wisners & wouldn't own anything else. Most buy from a dealer like Quality Camera who has them checked out before selling them. My feelings are simple. One should get what they pay for, first time & every time. A slipup can happen to anyone but having to buy from a dealer to try & get what you pay for because you are afraid the factory purchase is poor quality isn't a good deal at all. No other maker has this problem... but then the others don't undercut their dealers by competing directly with them. They make the cameras & the dealers sell them. Both do their jobs & do them well and it is less hassle for all involved.

If I were buying new I would get either a new camera made by Deardorff or a new camera made by Keith Canham. Both are excellent & the makers take pride in their work. I like Canhams long bellows philosophy and the option on the 4x5/5x7 of also getting a different bellows/back combination to make it into a 4x10 or a 5x12. A lot of bang for the buck.

The saddest part of all this is that the maker forces this type of discussion at all. It is only one company doing this. No one else has this problem. So, if buying new, do some research & buy with confidence on 90% plus of the camera makers out there.

 

[Jim Moore]

Anyone wishing to "Dump" your wisner gear PM me with your asking price...

I for one love the stuff....

Jim

 

[chuck94022]

I am not defending or condeming at all here, but accourding to my merchant agreement, if I am making a product to order, such as I do with my glass, I am allowed to charge at the time of order, so it would depend on what or how Wisner has classified his business with the merchant..

Dave

I think you are correct, Dave. I probably overstated the case. I'm certain it is more complicated than my last post indicated. But in the case of a merchant who is selling from inventory, it was my understanding (and the way we built the systems) that billing can't happen until the item lands on the loading dock, per the Visa agreement.

In any case, it is just bad form for the guy to charge, then sit on it for an inordinate amount of time.

But whatever, I agree with some others, if someone wants to part with their Wisner, I'd probably be happy to take it off their hands!

-chuck

 

[Terry Hayden]

Wisner order follow up

Hello all,

Well, blo and lehold I got my fresnel lens in today.

Of course the missing screws weren't in there, but we all learn
to the thankfull for what we get.

I appreciate all of the support that you APUGERs have given me on this.

It really does underline the benefit of belonging to this community.


Thanks,
Terry

 

[WarEaglemtn]

"Of course the missing screws weren't in there, but we all learn
to the thankfull for what we get."

Isn't it interesting that one pays a few thousand dollars and is reduced to 'being thankful' for getting parts & pieces just to try & make it work right?

Maybe the real problem here is that Ron has that dog that used to eat homework when we were kids?

Seems since Fred Picker sacked him things haven't changed.

 

[Joe Symchyshyn]

I agree with you Jim

I love my technical field too... Never had a problem with it. A beautifully made camera. (And I put it through heavy use - not just a show piece)

joe

 

[SLNestler]

Hello all,

Well, blo and lehold I got my fresnel lens in today.

Of course the missing screws weren't in there, but we all learn
to the thankfull for what we get.

I appreciate all of the support that you APUGERs have given me on this.

It really does underline the benefit of belonging to this community.


Thanks,
Terry

And I received my lensboard today.
Of course, it would have been nice to be able to use my new lens on December's cross-country trip, but things are looking better on the road to Damascus.

 

[Dave Wooten]

Has anyone had any experience with a Canham 14 x 17 or 16 x 20?

 

[Nick Zentena]

I think you are correct, Dave. I probably overstated the case. I'm certain it is more complicated than my last post indicated. But in the case of a merchant who is selling from inventory, it was my understanding (and the way we built the systems) that billing can't happen until the item lands on the loading dock, per the Visa agreement.

I thought US credit card law required an item to be shipped within 30 days of billing unless the customer agreed to it. If the customer agrees to it then anything goes.

 

[Nick Zentena]

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/billed.htm

Section "The Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule"

 

[Robert Hall]

Has anyone had any experience with a Canham 14 x 17 or 16 x 20?

I (we) have a Canham 4x5, 5x7, 8x10, and 12x20. I love them all.

 

[Dave Wooten]

I do understand how incredibly frustrating Ron's procrastination is, I also agree that his communication and delivery of his product is the absloute worst on the planet. I encourage him strongly to do what ever in his power to assure the large format community that whatever the cause of these dissatisfactions can be will be rectified.

I do have several Wisner products, I did not obtain them directly from Ron but from dealers and private owners. They are strong, beautiful and well made, yes, there are nuances and frustrations about the product that I deal with, there are some things I have changed, but I have also found this to be the case on other large format manufactured products. I am very happy with the cameras.

Ron provides seminars and articles for the publications we read.

I have attended seminars that Ron has put on and I do recommend them.

I have e mailed Ron with technical questions and he has always been most helpful, and accurate.

I wish the best for the WCM Co. and hope the problems the company has had in the past and seems to be having in the present will be resolved. I also use Keith Canham products and Toyo products and am very happy with them.

We, in the analog and LF community really do need each other.

I will also communicate the concerns I have to Ron and hope he will relate the state of the company positively and assure that those so frustrating and irritating practices of the past are resolveable.