Replacing Technika V GG

[Bob Salomon]

They are four rectangular metal plates that sit on top of the adjustment screws and that the gg sits on in each corner on the gg.

[Peter K]

Does someone have a pict of what these shims look like or is there a pict of the rear area showing the shims online that can be pointed to? I just replaced my gg and I don't see four shims. I do see four screws and those screws hold in two sort of rails under which is some sort of silver rail or spacer...not quite sure if mine is right.

Darin, there where at least three different gg-frames 4x5" from the Technika IV up to now.

With the oldest version the seat for the gg was grinded and polished. In the end of the Sixties, during the production periode of the T V, the gg-frame was revised. Four grub screws M 2 where added so the position of the gg can be aligned. But if one turns this screws after the two brackets to hold the gg are fixed the gg will crack immediately. So the grub screws where pin-pointed and the rectangular metal plates where added. Now one needs a little bit more force to destroy the gg.

Peter

[Andrew]

I think the easiest answer to "checking" the GG placement is get your digital micrometer [assuming you have one, if not they're pretty cheap at Bunings] and check the distance from the front of your film holders to the film plane and then check the distance from the front face of the GG carrier frame to the GG surface. The two distances should be the same.

as stated above, I'd be reluctant to buy into adjusting the screw in case I broke the GG but you can do the checking of placement very easily

Craig, if you're having any problems with a Linhof definitely talk to Scott at Mainline. They're just in Crows Nest 02-9437-5800 and Scott will be very helpful

[Peter K]

I think the easiest answer to "checking" the GG placement is get your digital micrometer [assuming you have one, if not they're pretty cheap at Bunings] and check the distance from the front of your film holders to the film plane and then check the distance from the front face of the GG carrier frame to the GG surface. The two distances should be the same.

The gg can be tilted also.

So one needs a caliper with a better accuracy as this cheap ones. Together with a steel plate, ruler etc.

Have fun

Peter

[Andrew]

Does someone have a pict of what these shims look like or is there a pict of the rear area showing the shims online that can be pointed to? I just replaced my gg and I don't see four shims. I do see four screws and those screws hold in two sort of rails under which is some sort of silver rail or spacer...not quite sure if mine is right.

Hmmm.

--Darin

sorry for the quality of the picture but this shows the spacer. It's just the rectangular bar, the other reflective surfaces are part of the GG frame.


Peter,
my Master Technika was missing all 4 spacers and I found a piece of plain glass that was within 0.2mm of the extra spacing I needed to shim up the GG. The solution may not be perfect on paper but I shot several frames at wide apertures to check the camera focus and I couldn't see a problem with the the negs so it was "good enough" [for me anyway]

[Darin Boville]

sorry for the quality of the picture but this shows the spacer. It's just the rectangular bar, the other reflective surfaces are part of the GG frame.

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the pict. *Very* useful! My Linhof does not have any spacers, alas...Not sure I have time to test (aside from Polaroids--they look fine to me!) before I leave on a trip--I guess I'll have to change my lenses back to the Toyo field boards!

--Darin

[craig nye]

I think the easiest answer to "checking" the GG placement is get your digital micrometer [assuming you have one, if not they're pretty cheap at Bunings] and check the distance from the front of your film holders to the film plane and then check the distance from the front face of the GG carrier frame to the GG surface. The two distances should be the same.

as stated above, I'd be reluctant to buy into adjusting the screw in case I broke the GG but you can do the checking of placement very easily

yes, that's what i have measured and it is accurate at any point along the edges. so i would assume then that everything should be ok, i'll do some tests today. as for cracking the GG; the two black 'bars' that hold the GG in place can be loosened then the four height screws adjusted as required, then the black 'bars' tightened again. it is fairly simple, though a little laborious.

i've just repaired four small pin holes in the bellows as well, and aligned the rangefinder at infinity with my cammed 150mm lens (it was off). i also stripped the leatherette and glue (which was pealing everywhere) and have a new leatherette kit on the way from cameraleather.com

i'll get a new bellows sometime in the new year when $$$ are better

[Darin Boville]

If all else is ok why not just shoot a picture of a newspaper lying on a table in open shade, note which line of type you focused on, process and loupe your film. Move the GG in, shoot another, move it out shoot another, make markers so you can distinguish your negs, in a few cycles you can nail it.

Mine is testing perfect, without shims, doing the above. Peter K posted above that some of the earlier one didn't have shims--my V is from 1964/65 and the metal the gg sits on definitely looks ground down--looks like it just came off the grinder!

I guess the Linhof is heading back out on the road and not the Toyo...

--Darin