A slightly different Linhof Technika III cam question

[cps]

Hi all,

I have a Tech III-5 that I have been using successfully for a little while now, and have been thinking about trying to get the coupled rangefinder into action. My camera did not come with cammed lenses, but the body does have a cam for a 150mm lens already in it.

I have read all the threads about the need for to have body/lens-specific cam cut for the Tech III rangefinder.

The question I have is whether picking up an older linhof-badged Schneider 150mm lens would increase my chances of getting reasonably accurate rangefinding with the cam I have, or should I not waste my money?

Thanks,
Chris

[grahamcase]

Ideally, you want to find the 150mm lens that has the same serial number as your cam - then they will work perfectly together. You may as well ask around, and see what you can come up with. If you find the matching lens it will increase the selling price of your Technika if you ever choose to do such a thing.

As for your actual question, I have no idea. It may get you in the ballpark, but what good is that? I wouldn't waste your money unless you can match it perfectly. You could, instead, spend your money to have a cam made that will work with your existing lens!

[Len Middleton]

Actually for the Technika III, the cam needs to be matched to both body and lens, and thus will have two serial numbers on it, one for the body, and the other the lens.

Probably easier to get a later version of Technika, as the Technika III cams are no longer available. Do not forget how old that camera is...

[grahamcase]

Actually for the Technika III, the cam needs to be matched to both body and lens, and thus will have two serial numbers on it, one for the body, and the other the lens.

Could we assume it's a given that the cam he has is for his camera (and I guess this is easy enough to check)?

If it is, it's still worth seeing if he can find the matching lens for his cam. It's better to ask and find nothing, then to not ask and someone on here having one they can sell him.

[Len Middleton]

Could we assume it's a given that the cam he has is for his camera (and I guess this is easy enough to check)?

If it is, it's still worth seeing if he can find the matching lens for his cam. It's better to ask and find nothing, then to not ask and someone on here having one they can sell him.

Sorry, did not read the original post close enough.

They are supposed to match, but I do not know how critical it might be. Indeed on my Technika v I use cams that are not matched to the lens I use them with, but then the focus has been less critical at the distance the subject is when I use them with the cam.

[cps]

Thanks for the quick responses.

I believe that the cam I have matches the body, but I also assumed that trying to find the lens that matched the cam would probably be a lost cause some 50+ years after the camera was released into the wild.

But, I was thinking that maybe, possibly, if most of the variation that resulted in the need for custom cams was driven by the body rather than variation within the lens series used at the time (like the old symmar 150's), then maybe picking up a lens that was a close match for the type that likely was used originally could work.

I didn't have particularly high hopes, but thought it worth asking. I am also inquiring about having a cam made, but am guessing it will not come cheaply....

Chris

[RichardRitter]

I would get a 150 mm lens and try it. If it is close the cam can be reworked to match the lens and the camera.
The way to check is focus on sometime with the range finder then look on the ground glass. Depending on the amount of play in the range finders connections you may find that the focusing matching when focusing in one direction and not the other,

[Bob Salomon - HP Marketing]

No. The cam is specific on your camera to the individual lens and the position of the ground glass. Rather then asking for a shotgun abswer from people who don't know why not call Marflex and ask? 252 652-4401. Then you could know exactly in 5 minutes.

[Bob Salomon - HP Marketing]

Ideally, you want to find the 150mm lens that has the same serial number as your cam - then they will work perfectly together. You may as well ask around, and see what you can come up with. If you find the matching lens it will increase the selling price of your Technika if you ever choose to do such a thing.

As for your actual question, I have no idea. It may get you in the ballpark, but what good is that? I wouldn't waste your money unless you can match it perfectly. You could, instead, spend your money to have a cam made that will work with your existing lens!

Wrong! For his camera or a IV the cam also MUST have the camera's serial number stamped on the bottom of the cam and the lens serial number on the top. Your answer is correct for the V and master versions only.

[Bob Salomon - HP Marketing]

Thanks for the quick responses.

I believe that the cam I have matches the body, but I also assumed that trying to find the lens that matched the cam would probably be a lost cause some 50+ years after the camera was released into the wild.

But, I was thinking that maybe, possibly, if most of the variation that resulted in the need for custom cams was driven by the body rather than variation within the lens series used at the time (like the old symmar 150's), then maybe picking up a lens that was a close match for the type that likely was used originally could work.

I didn't have particularly high hopes, but thought it worth asking. I am also inquiring about having a cam made, but am guessing it will not come cheaply....

Chris

It is driven by both the camera and the specific lens for a III and a IV.