Technika lensboard to Chinese copy comparison

[Tin Can]

So what exactly is all this data going to run on?

Not wires, not fiber, but radio.

No, we don't need that at all, but anyway this will shape future.

Two years ago I attended an IOT (Internet Of Things) seminar, a case was Amazon Dash Button design.

5G is the infrastructure for the internet of things, in the near future most of IP nodes won't be computers or smartphones for people, but things, from cars to coffee pots, and bulbs.

In a car perhaps each independent subsystem will have its own connection. Today each turbofan in an airplane may have a dedicated connection to the jet engine manufacturer, so engines can be monitored by who knows about them... this way will be popular in all the industries.

Then it happens that chinese corporations, for the first time, are to lead a critical technological revolution. This has global security concerns

[Sal Santamaura]

...What's depressing is to see certain members nit-pick at such solid forum contributions, especially when their remarks wander so far from the OP's main point as to be nearly irrelevant and a waste of other members' time...

I've read all 32 of this thread's posts and wrote two of them. In none has anyone "nit-picked" Greg's contribution. Rather, as often happens, the OP's topic leads to related discussion. Chinese copy products almost always suffer when their quality is compared to that from which they were copied. Reality sucks, but it's real. Anyone who finds that a waste of time will likely continue to purchase low-quality Chinese products and participate in the progressive degradation of things solely because of low price.

It's interesting to note that I don't have a single Linhof-branded Technika-type lensboard among the dozens in my equipment cases. All of them, most purchased new several decades ago, are either Wista or ones made by Mike Walker. None of them use aluminum of lower quality than Linhof-branded boards.

[Pere Casals]

So what exactly is all this data going to run on?
Not wires, not fiber, but radio.

Today if you buy an Amazon Dash Button you have to connect it to your internet router, it uses a wifi connection... this works but you have to configure the connection.

Imagine you buy a freezer with a 5G cheap ($3) mobile hidden inside... it will be always connected to the manufacturer. If motor reheats or if there is a gas leak then manufacturer will know it so he may solve it.

Again, sorry for the off.

[faberryman]

Imagine you buy a freezer with a 5G cheap ($3) mobile hidden inside... it will be always connected to the manufacturer. If motor reheats or if there is a gas leak then manufacturer will know it so he may solve it.

Just think about the liability the manufacturer would incur if if failed to notify you of a gas leak and your house blew up.

[Mike in NY]

Chinese copy products almost always suffer when their quality is compared to that from which they were copied. Reality sucks, but it's real. Anyone who finds that a waste of time will likely continue to purchase low-quality Chinese products and participate in the progressive degradation of things solely because of low price.

In this case, no, and no.

1. The video demonstrated that one of the Chinese versions was a very serviceable lens board worth being used. Did you not view the video, or if you did, did you miss that part?
2. Ergo, if someone were to purchase that Chinese made lens board at ~7% of the original manufacturer's asking price, it wouldn't be for a lens board of such lower quality as to make a material difference to their photography.
3. Moreover, no one has performed a test of the metal alloys used in any of the boards shown versus user requirements, so there is no empirical evidence to back up your claim that it's inferior, at least to the point of not being fit for purpose.

And how many large format cameras of relatively high quality are our members buying from China right now? Many.

So reality doesn't always suck. What sucks is whenever there is a lack of transparency in free markets that prevent people from making purchasing decisions based on more information and their own purchasing criteria, whether it be price alone, or a desire to support traditional LF manufacturers, or to buy domestic whenever possible, or any other criteria they may have.

For the record, my 8x10, 5x7, and both of my 4x5's are all American made, and it wouldn't be appropriate to assume I'm going to run out and buy a Chinese lens board just because of price or someone's video. I work in an industry that places an extraordinarily high value on research and transparency in free markets in a global economy. And Greg's video contributed to that transparency. Did it make everything possibly knowable transparent? No. But after watching it, I had more information about available options than I had before. And that's why I come to this forum.

[Bob Salomon]

In this case, no, and no.

1. The video demonstrated that one of the Chinese versions was a very serviceable lens board worth being used. Did you not view the video, or if you did, did you miss that part?
2. Ergo, if someone were to purchase a Chinese made lens board at 7% of the original manufacturer's asking price, it wouldn't be for a lens board of such lower quality as to make a material difference to their photography.
3. Moreover, no one has performed a test of the metal alloys used in any of the boards shown versus user requirements, so there is no empirical evidence to back up your claim that it's inferior, at least to the point of not being fit for purpose.

And by the way, how many large format cameras of relatively high quality are our members buying from China right now? Many.

So reality doesn't always suck. What sucks is whenever there is a lack of transparency in free markets that prevent people from making purchasing decisions based on more information and their own purchasing criteria, whether it be price alone, or a desire to support traditional LF manufacturers, or to buy domestic whenever possible, or any other criteria they may have.

For the record, my 8x10, 5x7, and both of my 4x5's are all American made, and it wouldn't be appropriate to assume I'm going to run out and buy a Chinese lens board just because of price or someone's video. I work in an industry that places an extraordinarily high value on research and transparency in free markets in a global economy. And Greg's video contributed to that transparency. Did it make everything possibly knowable transparent? No. But after watching it, I had more information about available options than I had before. And that's why I come to this forum.

So, you learned how 2 Asian copy boards that are currently made compare to a least 30 year old Linhof board whose specs have changed.
What you did not learn is how they compare to a current Linhof board.
This might not be important to the camera that you use but it might be very important to someone who wants to use them on a more recent Linhof!

[Mike in NY]

Yes, you've already made the point before, Bob. And after reading it a second time, it still leaves me asking, so what? We've still learned something that we didn't know before as a result of the video, and even more because of the addition of your insights. So what is wrong with that?

Since many forum members use cameras that are over 30 years old, and since the video showed that one of the new Chinese lens boards is an adequate match for the lens boards from over 30 years ago that go with those older cameras, then that's something we know now that we didn't know before.

I could have sworn when I joined this forum that it was for the purpose of sharing and expanding knowledge. Where that video is concerned, so far so good. Maybe the next video will go further.

[Bob Salomon]

Yes, you've already made the point before, Bob. And after reading it a second time, it still leaves me asking, so what? We've still learned something that we didn't know before as a result of the video, and even more because of the addition of your insights. So what is wrong with that?

Since many forum members use cameras that are over 30 years old, and since the video showed that one of the new Chinese lens boards is an adequate match for the lens boards from over 30 years ago that go with those older cameras, then that's something we know now that we didn't know before.

I could have sworn when I joined this forum that it was for the purpose of sharing and expanding knowledge. Where that video is concerned, so far so good. Maybe the next video will go further.

I agree, but comparing specs of a 30+ year old board to current copy boards can easily lead you to conclusions that are not accurate.

[Kiwi7475]

The conclusion is that the cheapos are good enough. The Linhof’s could be perfect or shitty, and it wouldn’t change the first conclusion.
Therefore assume the new ones are perfect, just perfect in all senses. Then decide that justifies paying ~12 times more for it.
For some it will for some it won’t. No one is wrong.




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[jnantz]

Hi Greg:

Great video as usual! My guess is even if the metal is substandard airplane aluminum with stones and coal dust and hen's teeth mixed in, at 14 or 20$ each they are easy to replace cheaply. Thanks again for such an informative series of videos --

John