Decorating an old Linhof Technika IV

[Frank Petronio]

OK I have a well-used, dirty, old-school 65-year old Linhof Technika IV before me. I'm doing surgery and replacing the focusing hood with a metal one from a Crown Graphic. And replacing the bellows. And, hating rangefinders on large-format (after years of experience with them) means that I'm going to yank the darn thing off and throw it away (Now I know Bob S. will tell me it will hurt my resale value but this baby is a beater to begin with....)

But... my big question is how to decorate this Tech once I rip and scrub and scrap this nasty old tan covering off? I could take the easy way out and order a new black covering from cameraleather.com but has anyone ever done anything cool, strange, weird with a Technika?

Part of me says just strip it all clean and polish the Aluminum. It's not like I need it to be all grippy and I don't shoot still live so it's not like the camera will reflect into the set-up that often. And shouldn't it stay cooler to the touch? Then when I resell it I can claim it was a NASA Linhof and it went up in a Gemini capsule or something.

I was also reading about using Aluminum primer and paint, after washing the surfaces with a Vinegar rinse. Anyone ever paint a Tech? All one color would be cool. I would want to mess with getting the focusing track off, I'd only want to paint the exterior of the box.

Another part of me says to cover it all with Gaffer tape and fuggedaboudit.... Gaffer's technically does everything I'd want it to do and it would be in keeping with the rough and ready, larger than life persona I... wish I had.

What were those Germans thinking when they made their cameras tan, creme, and brown? Was it less threatening and war-like to have a hideously ugly camera?

[William Whitaker]

Don't waste good gaffer's tape, Frank. Just use some duct tape.

[Robert Ley]

Frank,
Look into getting it powder coated. Extremely durable and you can get it painted whatever color you want. You could be the first one on your block or the planet for that matter to have a Pink Technika!

[Erik Larsen]

Rhino lining!

[Frank Petronio]

That focusing track and the hinge between the bed and the body look like a bear to take apart!

[Brian Ellis]

I remember seeing a Technika with red leatherette somewhere. It looked kind of - hideous.

[Richard Wasserman]

I remember seeing a Technika with red leatherette somewhere. It looked kind of - hideous.

Brian,

You don't know hideous! A friend of mine painted a Leica M3 with purple metalflake enamel and applied purple leather. It is the worst looking camera I have ever seen. He subsequently sold it—I wonder where it is today....

[jp]

Aluminum? Have it anodized some crazy color like the metal Canhams.

[Oren Grad]

Here's your pattern:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Linhof-Master-Te...-/310167385646

[Robert Hughes]

Nah, go medieval. Heavy leather fittings and black iron fasteners.