Large Format Wista question

I purchased a used large format Wista VX about 6 months back. I am mostly satisfied except for a heavy tobacco odor that I hope eventually goes away.

I have one small, but important, problem. The front standard has a small pinion gear that controls rise/fall. With a heavy lens, there is insufficient resistance; the gear turns and the lens falls to the lowest position. Is there an easy fix so that I can raise a heavy lens and have it stay in a fixed positon?

Thanks for any help.

Mike, the screw on the opposite end of the rise/fall gear is used to lock it in place. Once you set the lens where you want it, tighten the screw and it will stay where you want it. Don't forget to loosen it when you're ready to move the standard again.

Guy

Guy--

Do you think putting heavier grease on the rack would help? As for the tobacco odor, you might try wiping the camera down with vineager. Be sure to wipe it back off so it doesn't start any rust.



Kent in SD

Well, grease has a tendency to smear and get on other things. The locking nut works pretty well in my experience.

I personally would rather have my camera smell like tobacco rather than vinegar

Guy

A better solution for the tobacco odor would be a 5% bleach + water mixture. A slightly damp cloth should be used. Follow this with a clean cloth slightly moistened with water. If the odor is in the bellows, it may not be possible to get it out, since it will have been deeply absorbed by the material.

Vinegar is an acid, and so may cause corrosion if it is not completely neutralized. I would not use it, personally.

Hey, Kent: Were you able to get a new GG and Fresnel for your camera?

MIchael: Have fun with your new camera!

-PB

Thanks a lot for the advice guys. It's all very helpful.

I will need to investigate the screw more closely when I get home from work.

I am a little afraid of strong solvents. I may just wait patiently for the odor to diminish.

I inspected my camera closely. I wonder if it is really a VX model. It merely says "Wsita 45". It may be an older related model. Ebay is always a bit of an adventure.

Looking closely at both rise/fall knobs, it appears to me that they are both firmly attached to a common rise/fall drive shaft. I do not think that there is a locking nut feature. Thus, my problem persists.

Thanks for any additional suggestions.

Mike,

I cannot help you with your camera question, but try posting it under the gear category here.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/

This is a website for large format shooters. It is an incredibly knowledgeable group and very helpful. When it comes to LF, they have pretty much seen it all and will be quite willing to help.

I repeatedly tried to verify that the LHS rise/fall knob could be used to tighten movement. However, for a long time, I was unable to free this knob. I was finally able to twist it loose without breaking anything. It now operates as Guy suggested.

It still does not seem to lock rise fall very tight.

Thanks for all of the help.