Linhof S168 tripod?

[Sean Mac]

Is a Linhof S168 tripod suitable for use with a 4x5 Linhof Color?

There is one for sale here in Dublin and the fittings look compatible but Google and the forum search don't seem to have any information.

The camera has left France but has yet to arrive here in Dublin. It has this fitting



which looks like it will replace the pan/tilt head on the tripod for sale. Or maybe not?

[Tin Can]

I beleive there were only 2 sizes of those great tilt bases.

One was for smaller LF and had the single slotted are, the other double slot arms for 5x7 and up.

I have both types. I think one is 77mm and the big is 90mm.

I will check my catalog.

[Tin Can]

Looked in 3 Linhof old catalogs. Seems Linhof preferred naming and letter codes and in my catalogs nothing has number code. Picture books. But I have seen that S168 number before and I think it was a very popular tripod.

The pan tilt in the picture should fit a 6x9 and 4x5 Linhof rail camera with a round tripod base.

If the tripod has a round socket you MAY have a Trifecta, meaning a big winning ticket.

The Linhof tilt pan bases are very difficult to find this side of the pond. I looked for a long time for both sizes.

[Sean Mac]

The tripod seems to be the same as the one sold in a full Linhof 4x5 kit.

It has single piece upper legs and a three leg "spider" at the base of these braced back to the centre post. It is not as serious looking as the Linhof tripods with dual upper legs but it extends to more than six foot tall. It has a big threaded top piece that looks good for the tilt head pictured in my first post. It doesn't look like it's big enough for an 8x10.

I will buy it anyway I think. If it is not ideal it will look fine with my Rolleiflex

[john borrelli]

Bob Salomon is also a good source of information on Linhof products. He contributes to this forum.

[Len Middleton]

I beleive there were only 2 sizes of those great tilt bases.

One was for smaller LF and had the single slotted are, the other double slot arms for 5x7 and up.

I have both types. I think one is 77mm and the big is 90mm.

I will check my catalog.

Randy,

I have the 90mm one with a separate "top hat" adapter with a 1/4"-20 thread to mount a camera onto, I use for my 8x10 and 8x20.

The 90mm opening will also take the same era Karden monorail mount base directly into the opening to clamp it there.

This is with a 5x7 Karden monorail:

Extremely robust and rigid.

Hope that helps,

Len

[Jim Andrada]

Looks familiar - it's the way my 5 x 7 Kardan-Bi set came when I bought it new in 1970



If it's the same tripod there will be a Nylon liner between the center of the spider and the column to help stabilize it. The nylon insert on mine broke up a while back but I never raise the column so it isn't a big deal - and even if I do it's pretty stable. I use the same setup for my 8 x 10 Kardan-Bi and it works fine - heavy camera!.

What the Heck - since I'm sharing pretty pictures...

[Bob Salomon]

Looks familiar - it's the way my 5 x 7 Kardan-Bi set came when I bought it new in 1970



If it's the same tripod there will be a Nylon liner between the center of the spider and the column to help stabilize it. The nylon insert on mine broke up a while back but I never raise the column so it isn't a big deal - and even if I do it's pretty stable. I use the same setup for my 8 x 10 Kardan-Bi and it works fine - heavy camera!.

What the Heck - since I'm sharing pretty pictures...

This is the Linhof 003317 tripod with the small leveling head. The tripod is still made, the head isn't.