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I'v been looking at Linhof Technika Cameras on Ebay and have read references to "Cams" which match various focal length lenses. Pardon my ignorance but what the heck are these things and what do they do? Can't you use any lens within the limits of the belows? What am I missing here?
Thanks
Paul
The rangefinder needs to know which lens you have on the camera so there are "cams" that go with the lenses. 135mm lens has a 135mm cam and a 90mm has a 90mm cam.
They are flat pieces of metal about 2" long and 1" wide.
If you don't plan on using the range finder with a lens, you don't need it.
Read here:
http://cameraquest.com/techs.htm
Also, Tech III and Tech IV cams must be serial number matched both to the lens and the body. Tech V and Master Tech cams only need to be matched to the lens, and they are interchangeable.
So if you're shopping for a Technika and you find an III or IV, it's desirable to get a kit with three or four cammed lenses included. You can still get new lenses cammed by Marflex (for about $200 a piece) for the Tech IV, V, and MT.
You may not think you need a rangefinder, but if you have one that you can use, it's handy. I use it when I want to use my Tech V handheld like a press camera, for portraits to check focus without removing the filmholder from the back, or to check focus in low light.
It's desirable to have the matching camera, lens and cam; but it is in no way necessary. I use an old Technika III 5x7" camera. It has a cam, which was matched to a lens I sold (210mm Xenar) with my "spare" Technika. I now have another Xenar 210, which doesn't match the cam. So when using it hand-held I'll first focus, then insert the film holder (resting my arms at the same time), then shoot the picture. since I don't do sports photography with this camera it's fast enough for me...
By the way, Linhof no longer make cams for Technika III or IV. Just in case you wondered.
Thanks for the replies gentlemen, it's appreciated. Pretty nifty idea too, especially when it's hard to see what's going on on the glass. Neal, thanks especially for the link, very informative.
Paul
Note: The Linhof Technica has a triple extension bellows. This means that they will extend half again longer than say an old Graflex. They fold down to the same amount of space. This means that the material must be half again thinner.
The result of all this is many of the bellows in used cameras leak light. They develop pin holes everywhere.
You should probably budjet for a new replacement bellows, (about $200 for off brand) or get used to taking all you photographs with a dark cloth over the bellows.
Neal
Mr Shields,
"This means that the material must be half again thinner."
That's a generally accepted idea, but wrong. The length of the bellows is not the only criterion to take into account. Quality and flexibility of the leather is more important.
The length of the bellows is not in opposite proportion to the thickness of leather.
Linhof uses very high quality materials to product their cameras, as Sinar, Arca or other top-quality factories usually do.
I have been using a Linhof for several years, and with minimum care, I have never seen a pin hole in the bellows.
JLL