Thanks for the video! I have this camera since a few years and am very happy with it. As you say, it is built like a tank. A few things I really like: The ability to close the camera with a small lens inside - a Rodenstock Sironar 135mm f/5.6 in a Copal 0 shutter in my case. Being able to store the lens inside the camera makes packing and setting up the camera so much easier! I also like the geared rise and micro-swing. A few things that work but are not ideal: Fall is a bit more complicated, you have to tilt the bed as shown in the video and when using fall there are no convenient stops to make the front lens parallel with the back. Rear swing (if it goes beyond the very nice micro-swing), can't be locked, so you have to be a bit careful when inserting the film holder not to change that setting. Since I don't use fall and larger rear swing very often that's not a big issue for me. The small round level on the top isn't that precise, so I mounted an acrylic block with two large spirit levels in the cold shoe.
I ENJOY YOUR REVIEWS.... WISTA 45D BACK STANDARD ALSO HAS A MANUAL, REAR BASE SWING!! TO ENGAGE , THERE IS A TAB ON THE BOTTOM BY THE WHERE THE FRONT HINGE'S. WHEN PRESSED DOWN IT ALLOWS THE MAIN BASE TO MANUALLY SWING FORWARD LEFT AND FORWARD RIGHT WHILE PRESSING THE TAB. IT ALSO HAS A DETENT TO LOCK IN CENTER POSITION. MAY NEED TO PUT A DROP OF OIL ON THE METAL TRACKS FOR SMOOTH MOVEMENT. AFTER YOU GET YOUR SWING WHERE YOU WANT, THEN YOU CAN USE THE FINE AJUSTMENT KNOBS TO REALLY GET CLOSE FOCUS. I FEEL THAT THIS FEACHURE MAKES THIS CAMERA MUCH MORE USEFULL.
Really useful summary of different versions of Wista 45 from this forum (www.photrio.com/forum/threads/wista-45-rf-or-wista-sp-dilemma.160996/) 45N - basic model, brown leatherette, fixed bellows, manual front rise/fall, tilt, shift, rear tilt, swing. 45D - usually brown leatherette, later ones with black leatherette. Front rise/fall, tilt, shift, rear tilt, swing, micro-swing. SP - same as 45D, with the addition of front swing. VX - same as SP, no rear micro-swing. RF - same as VX, added Range Finder
Great video, Nico! This camera is definitely better than my camera. At 5:53 that Shlame Floom thing is such a mouthful, wish you could elaborate a little bit more, for the likes of me that want to go past the flim flam of it, and get a grip on what really makes the Shlame floom. I think Shlame Floom is the only thing stopping me from making great images like the great Ansel Adams right now! :-(
I just bought one of these to complement my Intrepid 4x5. It is the first thing I have had shipped from Japan to Scotland. I thought "oh my God it is heavy" then I laid out my 4x5 kit on the table and got some scales out. It is actually only 700g heavier than the Intrepid (2,045 vs 1,348). When you consider that everything else (lenses, film holders, metre, tripod, lunch, flask of tea, etc) is exactly the same for both cameras then using the Wista over the Intrepid only adds about 5% to the weight of my day pack and it is a much sturdier camera. In fact I may be able to leave the dark cloth behind as I quite like the focus hood (I use close focus glasses rather than a loupe usually) and I can get away with a less padded, lighter bag as the Wista is so tough. So the weight isn't actually an issue. Also it has a lovely screen! A 2nd hand Wista 45 is old and a good one costs around double what an Intrepid costs. It also and has no guarantee or support etc. Still love Intrepid but am looking forward to making friends with my Wista 45. Maybe I'm a metal camera convert. n.b. Intrepid budget lens boards don't fit the Wista (and probably other cameras like this) but Wista's boards do fit the Intrepid. n.b. The microswing on the back should only be used on one side at a time according to the manual. It actually makes a lot of sense when you don't have a swing on front.
@@CertainExposures Yes the Graflok works fine. It is sturdy and precise. I've used it with a Lomografloc instant back but only a couple of times. The bellows just unclips. I actually bought a wide bellows to go with mine but I can't really see the point as you don't get much more movement but I *think* it might allow use of a 65mm. The widest I have in 90mm. The only thing that bugs me about the camera really is not having front fall movement. This is something common to this style of camera not just the 45D. It means if you are standing on a hill and want to correct keystone you need to till the base forward and tilt the front and back back if you follow me. So it can be done but is awkward.
@@RogerHyam Okay, thank you! I appreciate the reply. I'm debating an upgrade. This helps. Edit: part of my followup question was missing. Could you link to the particular set of bellows you purchased? I noticed that there's a set of 45SP replacement bellows advertised on eBay for $90 but at BH they're selling bellows for almost $600.
I have owned one, it is practically same as 45SP. You can easily tell the difference by the color of the front standard: gray =45D black=45SP I now own the 45SP but those are all underrated amazing precision cameras built like a tank!
nico, I just discovered another video about this camera, the wides DON'T go into the front standard normally, there is a cage which goes ahead of the front element, this is what connects to the standard, Not at the bellows\lens connection ( the particular lens was a 75mm I believe); you put the lens & the bellows in together from the rear.
It’s nice to discover such geared movements on the camera. The used price for patient buyers doesn’t seem too far from Intrepid either. I really liked that you showed how removable bellows are quite easy to provide for such cameras. One wonder why Intrepid said it didn’t fit their economic model. It seems rather a matter of quick redesign that could have been considered along their already 3 revisions. It’s good to know about Top Hats; it might not be the best form factor to put in a bag though...
Thanks for the video Nico. I just received my very own Wista 45D from Japan last Friday. Dismantled and cleaned the entire camera and it works like a charm. A super deal for $380. USD. The easily removable bellows are a plus in my book. Now of course I'm looking for a lens to shoot landscapes. On choosing a landscape lens, would a 75mm be more advantageous for a first lens then a 90mm or the other way around? You once stated the Fuji lenses were a good quality lens to purchase and I am looking at a Fuji 75mm, 90mm or even a 105mm. Thanks for the video. A perfect choice of camera to demonstrate in my situation. There is so little information on the Wista 45D on the net. Thanks. Cheers from Canada.
Thanks Wayne! Beware of the 105mm as some don't cover 4x5. My favorite combo is 90mm and 135mm for most work, maybe a 210mm if you want some close ups or portraits.
@@NicosPhotographyShow One thing you forgot to mention is that the back standard on the Wista has swing capability. There is a tab under the large back knob. If you press the tab down the back can swing to the left or right. Although the front standard does not have swing the back does.
Hey Wayne, I am mostly shooting portrait works with the Wista, I absolutely love the 210mm but also use the standard 150mm. I am planning on grabbing a 300mm lens for the vista as well. If you want to buy a 300mm lens, make sure it is a telephoto lens made for 4x5, not a standard 300mm lens, since the bellows would be to short for close up focusing. I also had a nice 270mm tele arton lens in my hands, but it only allows you to use movements when you do close up focusing since it was originally built for a 9x12 camera.
Hey Nikos, I just got a Wista 45D and this video was very helpful. I wanted to ask, are there any reflex viewfinders that can fit to the back of the camera?
Thanks Ben! I dont know of any, but Wista does have a good line up of accesories, probably something in their catalog. Write an email and I can put you in contact with someone that will know for sure.
I havent. Not a big fan of rangefinders on 4x5, its way too guestimating. I rather Travelwide at that point. Either all precise shots or all p&s shots.
@@NicosPhotographyShow For sure, I was wondering how reliable the rangefinder on that would be. From what I've heard there is a fair bit of calibrating involved so I'm a little skeptical. Great work as always! Keep it up!
Nice video! This is really useful content ! I have a TOYO quick roll slider for roll film backs and was wondering if it is compatible with a Wista 45 VX, SP or D ?
Not sure what a NSE board is, but the lens will work fine on the Wista, you just need a Linhof compatible lens board and you are good. You can change boards too, its easy.
Thanks for the video! I am looking at a horsemanVH so to get the best of medium format and large format worlds, but I have seen you talking about the difficulty to get accurate focus on a VH-R, hope it is for the rangefinder I don'tneed. Would it be possible for you to to talk about such cameras? Otherwise I would see the Wista45sp as a heavy weight alternative... Thank you!!!
It took a while to figure out, but the 45D does have a graflok back. There are two tabs top and bottom that move levers to release the back. You can then pop on your film back and lock it into place by reversing the process. Went for a year before noticing it...
I enjoy and appreciate your videos and always look forward to them but I too was a bit disappointed with the lack of preparation and knowledge about the camera. The "asymmetric" movement you referred to is simply a type of swing Wista calls micro back swing. According to the user manual, only one side should be moved at a time. FWIW, the Wista SP has micro back swing in addition to regular back swing and front swing.
Thanks Jim, I did rush this video in a 3 video recording afternoon. Felt it wasnt perfect but couldnt reshoot as I hired an assistant and our time was done. I think a small price to pay for the free content is sometimes its not perfect. But considering the lack of Wista material on the web I decided it was better to have something than nothing.
I havent tested it, but I would say you at least need a recessed board. Specs are probably online, and the good thing is 75mm lenses dont do much movements due to the circle.
¡Hola! Muy útil tu vídeo. Sólo te falso mencionar la posibilidad de hacer swing trasero. Hay una pequeña palanca al lado izquierdo del rear standard que permite hacer eso. Saludos desde Costa Rica.
Nicos, you are verry ill prepared, you fumble around with the Wista and you are not familliar with its settings, you should better prepare yourselve before starting this video. BTW, I own a Wista SP and it can swing 15 deg. left & right. I also agree with the other comment from -ERNSTJAN91-that we in Europa (were you also live) talk about Euro's instead of dollars... As I always end mailing my photo friends, Hasta La Wista ! Bert ;-)
Thanks for you comment Bert, I try my best to prepare all my videos but this time I have been working 10 hours before the video and was pretty tired, also shot 3 videos in a row as I hire an assistant when I can. These kind of videos I do for love as sadly they cant justify the time and money spent on shooting them. I felt the same you did after finishing, but decided done is sometimes better than perfect. Will see if I can reshoot something with this loaned Wista 45D. About currency its less important to me as one knows currency is personal to where one is watching. So I go for the biggest common denominator which in views is dollars. I still think in Spanish pesetas every now and then...
@@NicosPhotographyShow Hi Nicos. I really apreciate your work, it is now obvious that you where tired. This was out of normal in your videos so thats why I responded. I love watching your videos and keep on following you on youtube. Thanks for your respond and keep on making videos. Regaerd, Bert.
I would love to spend plenty of time with the cameras, but they are loans and I try my best to showcase them. I find the lack of video content on certain models is worrying so I try and post what I can. Would love to see a video on it if you have good experience with it. It would help many including me.
@@NicosPhotographyShow Ok. I understand. I have been using a Wista 45 SP for over 20 years so I know it quite well. Unfortunately, I'm not good at making videos 😎
![The Wista Field 45 Large Format Camera [ A Walkthrough its Functions ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/C8N_FJ9tr7M/mqdefault.jpg)
Get your Wista 45D here:
ebay.to/3d3Jpoq
Thanks for the video! I have this camera since a few years and am very happy with it. As you say, it is built like a tank. A few things I really like: The ability to close the camera with a small lens inside - a Rodenstock Sironar 135mm f/5.6 in a Copal 0 shutter in my case. Being able to store the lens inside the camera makes packing and setting up the camera so much easier! I also like the geared rise and micro-swing. A few things that work but are not ideal: Fall is a bit more complicated, you have to tilt the bed as shown in the video and when using fall there are no convenient stops to make the front lens parallel with the back. Rear swing (if it goes beyond the very nice micro-swing), can't be locked, so you have to be a bit careful when inserting the film holder not to change that setting. Since I don't use fall and larger rear swing very often that's not a big issue for me. The small round level on the top isn't that precise, so I mounted an acrylic block with two large spirit levels in the cold shoe.
Thanks Nico, this was really useful.
I ENJOY YOUR REVIEWS....
WISTA 45D BACK STANDARD ALSO HAS A MANUAL, REAR BASE SWING!!
TO ENGAGE , THERE IS A TAB ON THE BOTTOM BY THE WHERE THE FRONT HINGE'S.
WHEN PRESSED DOWN IT ALLOWS THE MAIN BASE TO MANUALLY SWING
FORWARD LEFT AND FORWARD RIGHT WHILE PRESSING THE TAB.
IT ALSO HAS A DETENT TO LOCK IN CENTER POSITION.
MAY NEED TO PUT A DROP OF OIL ON THE METAL TRACKS FOR SMOOTH MOVEMENT.
AFTER YOU GET YOUR SWING WHERE YOU WANT, THEN YOU CAN USE THE FINE
AJUSTMENT KNOBS TO REALLY GET CLOSE FOCUS.
I FEEL THAT THIS FEACHURE MAKES THIS CAMERA MUCH MORE USEFULL.
Really useful summary of different versions of Wista 45 from this forum (www.photrio.com/forum/threads/wista-45-rf-or-wista-sp-dilemma.160996/)
45N - basic model, brown leatherette, fixed bellows, manual front rise/fall, tilt, shift, rear tilt, swing.
45D - usually brown leatherette, later ones with black leatherette. Front rise/fall, tilt, shift, rear tilt, swing, micro-swing.
SP - same as 45D, with the addition of front swing.
VX - same as SP, no rear micro-swing.
RF - same as VX, added Range Finder
Hi Nico, the accessory on the side at 0:49 (according to the user manual ) is a shoe meant to connect a flash-gun. Greetings from Munich.
Thanks for the info!
Great video, Nico! This camera is definitely better than my camera. At 5:53 that Shlame Floom thing is such a mouthful, wish you could elaborate a little bit more, for the likes of me that want to go past the flim flam of it, and get a grip on what really makes the Shlame floom. I think Shlame Floom is the only thing stopping me from making great images like the great Ansel Adams right now! :-(
I just bought one of these to complement my Intrepid 4x5. It is the first thing I have had shipped from Japan to Scotland.
I thought "oh my God it is heavy" then I laid out my 4x5 kit on the table and got some scales out. It is actually only 700g heavier than the Intrepid (2,045 vs 1,348). When you consider that everything else (lenses, film holders, metre, tripod, lunch, flask of tea, etc) is exactly the same for both cameras then using the Wista over the Intrepid only adds about 5% to the weight of my day pack and it is a much sturdier camera. In fact I may be able to leave the dark cloth behind as I quite like the focus hood (I use close focus glasses rather than a loupe usually) and I can get away with a less padded, lighter bag as the Wista is so tough. So the weight isn't actually an issue. Also it has a lovely screen!
A 2nd hand Wista 45 is old and a good one costs around double what an Intrepid costs. It also and has no guarantee or support etc. Still love Intrepid but am looking forward to making friends with my Wista 45. Maybe I'm a metal camera convert.
n.b. Intrepid budget lens boards don't fit the Wista (and probably other cameras like this) but Wista's boards do fit the Intrepid.
n.b. The microswing on the back should only be used on one side at a time according to the manual. It actually makes a lot of sense when you don't have a swing on front.
Thanks for this info, Roger. Have you used your Wista with Graflok backs? Did you ever change the bellows on your own?
@@CertainExposures Yes the Graflok works fine. It is sturdy and precise. I've used it with a Lomografloc instant back but only a couple of times. The bellows just unclips. I actually bought a wide bellows to go with mine but I can't really see the point as you don't get much more movement but I *think* it might allow use of a 65mm. The widest I have in 90mm. The only thing that bugs me about the camera really is not having front fall movement. This is something common to this style of camera not just the 45D. It means if you are standing on a hill and want to correct keystone you need to till the base forward and tilt the front and back back if you follow me. So it can be done but is awkward.
@@RogerHyam Okay, thank you! I appreciate the reply. I'm debating an upgrade. This helps. Edit: part of my followup question was missing. Could you link to the particular set of bellows you purchased? I noticed that there's a set of 45SP replacement bellows advertised on eBay for $90 but at BH they're selling bellows for almost $600.
I have owned one, it is practically same as 45SP. You can easily tell the difference by the color of the front standard: gray =45D black=45SP
I now own the 45SP but those are all underrated amazing precision cameras built like a tank!
Good to know, I really liked this 45D, not that I need more gear, but one never knows...
There is a small black lug on the left-hand side near the base which, when pressed down, allows the back to swing left or right about 15 degrees
nico, I just discovered another video about this camera, the wides DON'T go into the front standard normally, there is a cage which goes ahead of the front element, this is what connects to the standard, Not at the bellows\lens connection ( the particular lens was a 75mm I believe); you put the lens & the bellows in together from the rear.
It’s nice to discover such geared movements on the camera. The used price for patient buyers doesn’t seem too far from Intrepid either. I really liked that you showed how removable bellows are quite easy to provide for such cameras. One wonder why Intrepid said it didn’t fit their economic model. It seems rather a matter of quick redesign that could have been considered along their already 3 revisions.
It’s good to know about Top Hats; it might not be the best form factor to put in a bag though...
Thanks for the video Nico. I just received my very own Wista 45D from Japan last Friday. Dismantled and cleaned the entire camera and it works like a charm. A super deal for $380. USD. The easily removable bellows are a plus in my book. Now of course I'm looking for a lens to shoot landscapes. On choosing a landscape lens, would a 75mm be more advantageous for a first lens then a 90mm or the other way around? You once stated the Fuji lenses were a good quality lens to purchase and I am looking at a Fuji 75mm, 90mm or even a 105mm. Thanks for the video. A perfect choice of camera to demonstrate in my situation. There is so little information on the Wista 45D on the net. Thanks. Cheers from Canada.
Thanks Wayne! Beware of the 105mm as some don't cover 4x5. My favorite combo is 90mm and 135mm for most work, maybe a 210mm if you want some close ups or portraits.
@@NicosPhotographyShow One thing you forgot to mention is that the back standard on the Wista has swing capability. There is a tab under the large back knob. If you press the tab down the back can swing to the left or right. Although the front standard does not have swing the back does.
Hey Wayne, I am mostly shooting portrait works with the Wista, I absolutely love the 210mm but also use the standard 150mm. I am planning on grabbing a 300mm lens for the vista as well. If you want to buy a 300mm lens, make sure it is a telephoto lens made for 4x5, not a standard 300mm lens, since the bellows would be to short for close up focusing.
I also had a nice 270mm tele arton lens in my hands, but it only allows you to use movements when you do close up focusing since it was originally built for a 9x12 camera.
Hey Nikos, I just got a Wista 45D and this video was very helpful.
I wanted to ask, are there any reflex viewfinders that can fit to the back of the camera?
Thanks Ben! I dont know of any, but Wista does have a good line up of accesories, probably something in their catalog. Write an email and I can put you in contact with someone that will know for sure.
Have you ever used the Wista 45RF?
I havent. Not a big fan of rangefinders on 4x5, its way too guestimating. I rather Travelwide at that point. Either all precise shots or all p&s shots.
@@NicosPhotographyShow For sure, I was wondering how reliable the rangefinder on that would be. From what I've heard there is a fair bit of calibrating involved so I'm a little skeptical. Great work as always! Keep it up!
Nice video! This is really useful content ! I have a TOYO quick roll slider for roll film backs and was wondering if it is compatible with a Wista 45 VX, SP or D ?
Does the Wista have a graflok back? I'd love to be able to attach LomoGraflok to it. Also the Intrepid 4x5 enlarger.
Nice camera and nice video. By the way, why do you always talk about dollars as an European?
Thanks! I do so because 40% of the audience is from the USA and 98% of camera gear is mostly on Ebay posted in dollars.
Nicos, do you know if a Schneider Kreuznach Apo 150 5,6 with a NSE board fit this Wista camera? I can buy one from Ebay, but I am not sure.
Not sure what a NSE board is, but the lens will work fine on the Wista, you just need a Linhof compatible lens board and you are good. You can change boards too, its easy.
nice video bro
Thanks
Thanks for the video!
I am looking at a horsemanVH so to get the best of medium format and large format worlds, but I have seen you talking about the difficulty to get accurate focus on a VH-R, hope it is for the rangefinder I don'tneed.
Would it be possible for you to to talk about such cameras?
Otherwise I would see the Wista45sp as a heavy weight alternative...
Thank you!!!
Yes, I own a VH-R, I can cover that camera soon.
Great review!
Is there a 6x17 roll film adapter for this camera?
It doesnt seem to have a graflock back so I didnt see a way to use a 6x17 back. But maybe I missed it.
It took a while to figure out, but the 45D does have a graflok back. There are two tabs top and bottom that move levers to release the back. You can then pop on your film back and lock it into place by reversing the process. Went for a year before noticing it...
@@davefaulkner6302 you just taught me something about my 45VX, now I can use my old 23 Grafles roll back-thanks
I enjoy and appreciate your videos and always look forward to them but I too was a bit disappointed with the lack of preparation and knowledge about the camera. The "asymmetric" movement you referred to is simply a type of swing Wista calls micro back swing. According to the user manual, only one side should be moved at a time. FWIW, the Wista SP has micro back swing in addition to regular back swing and front swing.
Thanks Jim, I did rush this video in a 3 video recording afternoon. Felt it wasnt perfect but couldnt reshoot as I hired an assistant and our time was done. I think a small price to pay for the free content is sometimes its not perfect. But considering the lack of Wista material on the web I decided it was better to have something than nothing.
No worries. As mentioned, I appreciate and enjoy your videos. Thanks so much for giving your time and effort to keeping film photography alive.
Thx!
I can work with 65mm?
it is necessary to buy a bag bellow?
Yeah I got a Shen Hao instead of a Wista, which I can't recommend since it's not as fun and also has a very dark ground glass.
Thats good to know, never used a Shen Hao myself.
Will this camera work without bag bellows/recessed board for a 75mm lens?
I havent tested it, but I would say you at least need a recessed board. Specs are probably online, and the good thing is 75mm lenses dont do much movements due to the circle.
¡Hola! Muy útil tu vídeo. Sólo te falso mencionar la posibilidad de hacer swing trasero. Hay una pequeña palanca al lado izquierdo del rear standard que permite hacer eso. Saludos desde Costa Rica.
Gracias! Pues se me ha pasado, lo mirare a ver si lo encuentro.
Can put a 617 roll film back on it?
Not 100% as I could get to see the Gralock system, if it does have one then you can attach the 6x17 backs.
What is maximum bellows extension?
I dont have it currently but its not too long. My friend uses tophat extension for extra reach.
Nicos, you are verry ill prepared, you fumble around with the Wista and you are not familliar with its settings, you should better prepare yourselve before starting this video.
BTW, I own a Wista SP and it can swing 15 deg. left & right.
I also agree with the other comment from -ERNSTJAN91-that we in Europa (were you also live) talk about Euro's instead of dollars...
As I always end mailing my photo friends,
Hasta La Wista !
Bert ;-)
Thanks for you comment Bert, I try my best to prepare all my videos but this time I have been working 10 hours before the video and was pretty tired, also shot 3 videos in a row as I hire an assistant when I can. These kind of videos I do for love as sadly they cant justify the time and money spent on shooting them. I felt the same you did after finishing, but decided done is sometimes better than perfect. Will see if I can reshoot something with this loaned Wista 45D.
About currency its less important to me as one knows currency is personal to where one is watching. So I go for the biggest common denominator which in views is dollars. I still think in Spanish pesetas every now and then...
@@NicosPhotographyShow
Hi Nicos.
I really apreciate your work, it is now obvious that you where tired.
This was out of normal in your videos so thats why I responded.
I love watching your videos and keep on following you on youtube.
Thanks for your respond and keep on making videos.
Regaerd,
Bert.
I take it as a reminder to try and stay on top of things! Thanks Bert!
Scheimpflug... ;)
You should have learned how to use the camera beforehand!
I would love to spend plenty of time with the cameras, but they are loans and I try my best to showcase them. I find the lack of video content on certain models is worrying so I try and post what I can. Would love to see a video on it if you have good experience with it. It would help many including me.
@@NicosPhotographyShow
Ok. I understand. I have been using a Wista 45 SP for over 20 years so I know it quite well. Unfortunately, I'm not good at making videos 😎
@@martinglader4681 I understand, if you have any tips I could try and more in depth version.