Technikardan vs. Arca Swiss... which to dump?

[tim atherton]

too much redundant gear...

so, which gets the most votes to stay?

The two set-ups are too close for me to call (both have bag bellows, Arca has folding rail + 14" rail).

Technikardan 45

or

Arca Swiss Basic

hmm - one is just that little bit more rigid, one is just a bit more compact - both weight more than my 8x10! Both have very slight pros and cons - one is better in one area and vice versa

Have at it linhof and arca fans :-)

[David A. Goldfarb]

Well, you're one of the few who is fortunate enough to have both in hand. You tell us!

If I were so fortunate, I suspect I'd like the Linhof because I have other Linhof stuff that would be compatible, but I'd like the versatile modular design of the Arca. I guess if you want to go 8x10" with the Arca, that would be a reason to keep it over the TK.

[Scott Rosenberg]

i owned both and dumped the TK45S and have never once regretted the decision.

[FpJohn]

Hello:

In your fortunate situation, I'd keep both. The Arca is the Meccano set of LF. Keeping it retains your format (8x10 to 6x9) and setup options.

Best to you
Frank Johnston

[tim atherton]

"Well, you're one of the few who is fortunate enough to have both in hand. You tell us!
If I were so fortunate, I suspect I'd like the Linhof because I have other Linhof stuff that would be compatible, but I'd like the versatile modular design of the Arca. I guess if you want to go 8x10" with the Arca, that would be a reason to keep it over the TK."

well - I already have an 8x10 I'm more than happy with (Phillips). Fortunate? probably more like dogged. The Arca is what was called the F-Basic - which was sort of half a step up from the Discovery. It had been reasonably well used and a large camera store had it on their used shelf for donkeys years before I made them an offer. Took a bit of cleaning up and adjusting - but works like new now. Then I hunted down bargain (relatively speaking...) folding rail and WA bellows. But trying to find those super-size-me Arca kits cheap is a lifelong quest.

Same with the Technikardan - the best deal in Linhofs has to be to buy one with crapped out bellows for cheap and then get a new set of bellows made for a decent price. (Again, it's the TK not the TK S - obviously been used a bit, but not abused. Took a bit of cleaning up - and it came with bag bellows and compendium shade thrown in - have you seen how much the latter costs btw! - that I could definitely make out of Meccano...)

BTW - what is it with a company like Linhof that can't seem to make a decent set of bellows? I don't know how many Technikas etc I've seen with bellows just falling apart - some barely a few years old. Yet a 20 year old Toyo, close to 50 year old Super Graphic and many more still have their original bellows going strong?

[Frank Petronio]

I've owned both and they are each great. But I'd sell them and wait for a sweet Phillips 4x5 to turn up. Mmm... Phillips is the best field gear IMHO.

If I wanted to use really long lenses or studio work maybe I'd keep one, probably the Arca, because I prefer base tilts and disliked unfolding the TK.

[Michael Alpert]

Tim,

I suggest that you group together prints that you've made using each camera. This less technical and more results-oriented approach might help you to decide which camera is the one to keep.

[julian_4860]

dump either one in my direction...

[GPS]

As Scott said. Keep the Arca faithfully or cross it with the metric version, it's even more addictive.

[Mark_3632]

Send them to me. In a couple of years i will have a good enough feel to render an opinion.