Do the Linhof revolving backs go out of square?

[Jordan]

Do the Linhof revolving backs go out of square? I saw one the classifieds here that this happened to? Am about to buy a used Technika, but if that is a potential issue and surely a costly fix, I may not but it. Thanks.

[KenM]

Only if the camera has hit the ground....

I would move on and look for another, better sample. Why start off with a damaged camera? There could be more wrong with it than is indicated.

[Jordan]

The example I am gonna buy is issue free, but didn't know if that type of thing happened from time to time.

[Brian Ellis]

I've owned a Tech V and a Master Technika for a combined 7 or 8 years. If there was a problem with the back going out of square I never noticed it (and I dropped both several times).

[cmmatthews]

I had the camera with the non square back. I bought it that way. From best I could tell, the ball bearing in the back was slightly misaligned. Not sure how it happened, the camera was very nice otherwise. I suppose it is possible at some point the back was replaced by one that didn't really match the camera.

[Jordan]

It's just that I use my field cameras as precisely as I can and would be annoyed as hell if the back went out of square. I like things nice and precision as it allows for less fiddling while I'm actually trying to make a photograph. It was your example I was speaking of obviously that even got me thinking of such things. I don't want to be be compensating in other ways to make my camera level. So did you just have to tilt your entire camera in the opposite direction? If the gridded ground glass lines up with the horizon then the image will as well correct? Thanks for taking the time to answer my inquiries all of you.

[Peter K]

From best I could tell, the ball bearing in the back was slightly misaligned.

There is no ball bearing in the revolving back. It's a circular dove tail with four sliders to hold the revolving frame to the swing frame.

The caged ball, the Master Technika back has two caged balls, is for the four 90 degree notches only.

[Frank Petronio]

If any back was NOT going to go out of square, it would be a Linhof. What you saw in the one person's post is a one-time very strange and rare situation.

The camera is a rock, it's simply a cast Aluminum box, you'd have to really do something bizarre to send the back out of wack. If you want something out of square, start with wood....

[cmmatthews]

There is no ball bearing in the revolving back. It's a circular dove tail with four sliders to hold the revolving frame to the swing frame.

The caged ball, the Master Technika back has two caged balls, is for the four 90 degree notches only.

Yes, that is what I meant, the ball on the rotating piece was off center. causing it to not be straight with the rest of the camera in any of the 90 degree notches.

To the OP, it was off center a very, very small amount. Less than 1mm. If you are shooting and using the GG to focus, it's easy enough to see if it is straight. If you are shooting horizons hand held and can somehow hold it exactly straight you might see an issue.