An easy way to carry a Linhof opened - the "maxi-toploader".

[Bob Salomon]

Sorry, Patrik. I only gave my opinions and some suggestions. And of course everyone does it his own way.
Frankly, I really can't imagine to use a Linhof groundglass handheld. Linhof probably could not too. That's why they designed the rangefinder. No ?
I have some severe spinal diseases and two "mechanical" hips. But I have always a great pleasure to use this wonderful "anvil". Just a few accessories to counterbalance my physical weaknesses.
Kind regards.

There was a quite well known photographer in Hawaii back in the early to mid 80's when the TK came out that used the TK handheld quite successfully!

[Jean-Louis Llech]

Right,Bob. I remember that the Linhof shoe for the optical viewfinder can be mounted on the Technikardan standard.

[Jean-Louis Llech]

Who knows where I could find some nearly "brand new" Grafmatics and spare septums ?

[David A. Goldfarb]

Who knows where I could find some nearly "brand new" Grafmatics and spare septums ?

Maybe try www.lensandrepro.com, but in my experience, you just have to buy them wherever you can find them, try them out, clean them up as necessary, figure a few will end up in the "parts" box, some will be usable when you need them but might not be at the top of the pile, and some will be excellent. I've got eight 4x5" Grafmatics, six 2x3" Grafmatics (plus one for parts), and two 4x5" Kinematics.

I know that Bob Salomon has said that toward the end of manufacture, Linhof had to reject a significant percentage of Grafmatic holders, so I'm not sure that newer is necessarily better.

[archivue]

As to focusing on the ground-glass this is the only option for those who do not have the rangefinder in place...

You can also work with a distance scale, or with a focus mount !

[Jean-Louis Llech]

The distance scale needs to accurately appreciate the distance by sight, which I am totally unable to do. I would have to use a laser rangefinder.
Some small mechanical rangefinders can be mounted on an accessory shoe on the top of many cameras.
Second, what do you call a "focus mount" ? I don't understand how it could help. The focus mounts that I know replace the bellows extension for short focal length lenses.

[ljsegil]

This thread has convinced me to finally have the rangefinder re-installed (taken off by the previous owner) on my Technika and see what I can do with the camera handheld (probably not much, but I doubt that will be the fault of the camera). I look forward to some fun, hopefully learning, heavy lifting, and with a lot of luck maybe even some decent photos. Thanks to Jean-Louis and all the other contributors that have helped kick-start me out of my inertia to try something new, whatever case I may use to carry the tools.
Best,
Larry

[archivue]

You can mount the lens on a focusmount, and using infinity stops to calibrate it.
Then you can ad an Auxiliary Rangefinder...



http://www.fotomancamera.com/product...20919RF-Lg.jpg

http://www.fotomancamera.com/accessories_list.asp

[Jean-Louis Llech]

OK. This "focus mount" is what I thought.

- Similar focusing mounts are used on a Linhof for lenses which have to be placed inside the housing, like 47, 55, 58 and 65mm wide angle lenses. I already use a 58mm Super-Angulon with the older wide angle focusing attachment with bellows-focusing mount, as with these lenses, the bellows extension can't be used.
- Second, they must be used on a Master Technika with groundglass focusing, as the rangefinder can't be used with lenses shorter than 72-75mm.
- Third, I am not sure that with a third-party rangefinder, focusing with such devices will be accurate enough : the camera, the focusing mount and the accessory rangefinder are three different brands.
- Last but not least, when you see how calibration of cams and rangefinder is made in Linhof factory, I am rather sceptical about the accuracy of some "OEM" systems. I believe to remember that focusing mount calibration with Fotoman cameras is made by the user, and not by the factory.
Of course, I may be wrong about accuracy.

[Jean-Louis Llech]

Larry,
it's a pity (or a shame, or a crime, or what you want) to see the rangefinder removed on a Technika as did the previous owner of yours.
Many wooden or metal cameras (like the Wista 45 SP) - which are originally without rangefinder - are probably much less expensive but with excellent performances if one needs to focus only on groundglass.
It's like cutting and removing the roof and rear seats of a Rolls Royce Phantom to transform it into a pick-up !

Reinstalling a rangefinder (if by chance the previous owner has given it to you with the camera) may be a bit expensive.
Most of all, if the camera is an older Super Technika IV or III, it will be very difficult to find some cams and have lenses coupled with the rangefinder, and I don't know if somebody can still do it. The Linhof factory doesn't anymore.
If you are in the USA, ask it to the best specialist of Linhof cameras, Bob Salomon.