Technika owners -- do you use the rear movements?

[Bill_1856]

I've owned my Tech IV for early 40 years but in the field have never used the rear movements, probably because the release buttons are so stiff that it would take two husky boys, a mule, and an act of congress to open the thing. I've often contemplated buying a Master Tech just to get the sliding releases, but that's a lot of bucks for something that I don't seem to miss.
I've often wondered if I should be using it, and that others actually find it useful, or is it just a theoretical advantage (selling-point) to have it available on a press-type camera, without actually being useful?

[Jac@stafford.net]

The only rear Technika movements I use sometimes is to tilt the top about three degrees.

[David A. Goldfarb]

Tech V's 4x5" and 2x3"--I don't use the rear movements a lot, but occasionally. The 23 doesn't have all the front movements of the 4x5", so they're more useful on the smaller camera.

I think the most common rear movement I use on the Technika is rear tilt, or sometimes I might tilt/swing the front and rear standards in parallel for indirect rise/fall/shift, when the front movements aren't enough, but if I'm doing something like still life where I know I'll need a lot of rear movements, I set up the Sinar P.

[Andreas]

Technikas are great cameras. But their rear movements are a pain. If you ever used an assymetric back (such as a Sinar P or an Ebony "U" series) going back to front movements will be hard. These devices make application of the Scheimplug rule very easy.

[nm39131]

I never use rear movements on my Master Technika, but use them on my Technikardan. I especially miss rear shift on the MT although it's not built for that.

[Graham Patterson]

My MPP VII has a similar back arrangement. I use it for movements with the 90mm SA, because the front movements are very limited with this lens mounted. With longer lenses, putting in some rear back tilt is a way of getting front forward tilt on this camera - I add less back tilt on the front for a net forward tilt, and making fine adjustments at the front is easier. I find this less trouble than mounting the camera on it's side and using swings, even with the tripod head adjustment.

[Oren Grad]

No. Nor on my Horseman VH/VH-R cameras that have a similar arrangement. But then, I rarely use rear movements with field cameras of any kind - just don't feel much need for it.

[BTMarcais]

I DO use them, but I use them more on my 5x7 Tech IV, which does NOT have the side locks, just the 4 knobs to unscrew. It's much more convenient- those locks are a pain!

-Brian

[Roger Cole]

I have a Tech III. It has no direct front tilt. You can drop the bed, then tilt the front BACK somewhat but not all the way, which is actually very tricky, or you can turn the camera on its side on the tripod and use the front swing as a tilt, which is much easier but I never really do that either. I always use the back tilt.

So yes, I use back movements, at least the tilt, very, very regularly. I rarely use back swing though - if I need swing I use the front.

[Cor]

I have a Tech III. It has no direct front tilt. You can drop the bed, then tilt the front BACK somewhat but not all the way, which is actually very tricky,

that's strange..on my Tech III: if I drop the bed and tilt the front back (both all the way), the front and back are parallel again (you'll need a raise though to get the lens in line). It's true that in this configuration tilting forward again is a bit tricky, you cannot fasten the fw tilt, and can easily be moved when you cock the shutter etc..

Best,

Cor

[polyglot]

Toyo 45A not Tech, but I do use the rear movements occasionally. Say twice per 50-box of film? Wouldn't want to lose that.

[Bob Salomon]

that's strange..on my Tech III: if I drop the bed and tilt the front back (both all the way), the front and back are parallel again (you'll need a raise though to get the lens in line). It's true that in this configuration tilting forward again is a bit tricky, you cannot fasten the fw tilt, and can easily be moved when you cock the shutter etc..

Best,

Cor

Technika III cameras did not have forward lens tilt. Only rear tilt. On the IV and later Technika 45 cameras Linhof added front tilt to the front lens standard so they have forward and rearward tilt on the front standard. So on a III you have to tilt the baseboard to get the equivalent of forward lens tilt. Very limiting especially since this is a base tilt so the image will also shift position and focus. On the later Technikas the lens tilts are center, rather then base tilts.

[Roger Cole]

that's strange..on my Tech III: if I drop the bed and tilt the front back (both all the way), the front and back are parallel again (you'll need a raise though to get the lens in line). It's true that in this configuration tilting forward again is a bit tricky, you cannot fasten the fw tilt, and can easily be moved when you cock the shutter etc..

Best,

Cor

Not strange at all as that's exactly what I mean. You just included tilting the lens all the way back to vertical again before tilting to forward. We are saying the same thing - it's awkward and touchy to use the drop bed to get front forward tilt - at least of less degree than the full drop bed gives without change which is almost always way too much. Either tilt the back if the spatial distortion is acceptable or (as often) a slight benefit, or else turn the camera sideways on the tripod and use the front swing as tilt.

[Kimberly Anderson]

I'm with Rodger on this one. Because of the lack of front tilt I use the rear tilt regularly on my Tech III as well.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

My former Meridian 45B and my current 45CE have similar back moves which I use frequently. I am not a fan of stopping down beyond f/22 so I do work at getting planar subjects all aligned best as can be done. Back moves seem all the more essential with short lenses inside the box. I got so used to having back moves since having these cameras that the Super Graphic I owned for a time was to be uninspiring.