Technikardan weight?

[tim atherton]

Further to my quest for the perfect camera to repalce two existing ones... :-) (see the Canham?arca thread)

How much does the Technikardan actually weigh?

My Linhof literature says 6.6lbs - B&H and other user reviews say 7.7lbs (or even more)

Also, what's a good price on these puppies - prices seem all over the place?

[Michael Kadillak]

My Technikardan tips the scale at a solid 8.5# and I do not hesitate packing it when I feel it is the right camera to get the job done. I normally use my Master Technika with 135, 150, 180, 200 and 250mm lenses, but when the call is for wide or super wide, the TK45S with the bag bellows rules. Unlimited flexibilities for architecture unincumbered by a drop bed on the Master.

I got my TK45S used in mint condition for a song with bellows that I feel were wrinkled the first couple of times the original owner attempted to close it. First thing I did after getting the camera was to have Camera Bellows make me a straight taper bellows out of their synthetic material they use on Canham bellows with the end standards and I do not even bother to try to fold the sucker with the bellows on. I flip two levers on each standard and take the bellows off in about 2 seconds and it takes me about that long to put it back on. I put a piece of foam between and a cloth between the empty standards when I carry it. These bellows are like kevlar compared to the thin double taper bellows that come with the camera. The thought of screwing up a bellows trying to fold up the camera in a hurry was not a pleasant thought so I just improvised. I also bought a 5x7 Temba case from Keith Canham that he uses for his 5x7 metal cameras and it fits perfectly and provided great protection for transporting the camera.

Linhof had these on sale for $2,350 for a while, but the best price now seems to be $3,200 at Badger.

Cheers!

[Ron Bose]

I paid US$2,200 for my used TK45S from Ken Mar in February this year. I then of course had to pay the GST and PST when it came across the border with FedEx.

I only had grief the first couple of times folding it up with the original bellows, now it's second nature, I use both hands to turn the standards together "a la" Paul Butzi . I pack mine in a Gnass View Camera case.

[Michael S. Briggs]

Two different scales give 7.5 to 7.6 pounds for my Technikardan 45S with regular bellows in place but nothing else. I have no problem folding the camera with the bellows in place.

Re the motivation for the question: before the Technikardan I had a Canham DLC. The Technikardan works better with both short and long lenses. It is a more capable camera, albeit at the cost of significantly more weight than the DLC. Which is better depends on the needs/wants of each photographer.....

[Andre Noble]

Now you're on the right track. I was going to mention the Technikardan in your previous post, Tim. I saw a working pro with one of these, 1st time I saw him, he was using a wide angle lens and bag bellows. Second time, he was using a long bellows and 360mm lens. From the way he was expertly handling it, the camera looked real capable, versatile.

The Technikardan is my dream camera because of it's portability and capability with ultra wide angle lenses. I am almost in the same spot as you Tim with the Toyo 45 AII, but I also have a Toyo 45C monorail instead of an Arca Swiss.

It's a really tough call. If you pretty it up, you may be able to get something on Ebay for your Arca Swiss. But you should keep the Toyo, because it is a hockey puck of a camera, will be worth more to you in use than you than you'll get for it used on Ebay, perhaps?

PS, I understand your frustration with the Toyo field camera with that remaining 20% architecture, it just can't do, like moaning bellows when trying to do front rise for a tall bldg. You can also forget about legitimate swings too. It's a nice little travel camera though, isn't it.

[Randy Redford]

I can't say anything about the weight now because I don't have mine handy, but as to price, Jim at Midwest Photo (www.mpex.com) has 2 for $2,300.00 in 9+ condition, which means, based on my past experiences with Jim, like new except for the box and maybe some scratched where the tripod attaches. As for the problems in folding, i mostly shoot with wide angle lenses, so I leave the bag bellows on most of the time and that causes no problems in folding. I can't recommend the TK45s high enough for either studio or field work and for ease of use and precision.

[Julian_3496]

Tim, I'd check the UK. Ffordes had one for 800gbp - its gone now, but they've a 6x9 with 3 lenses and monofinder at around the 2.5k mark

[Michael Kadillak]

Just to be clear, I weighed my TK45S in its Tenba case with a Bogen small base plate and a small cloth between the standards - no bellows. I wanted to provide you with a real condition ready to go into the field.

On the other hand, my Canham wooden 8x10 tips the scale at 9 1/4 pounds and fits perfectly into the camera compartment of my f64 backpack. I am like you about wooden cameras, but the way Keith uses oak and screws with nuts on the end rather than conventional wood screws. After I used the camera I had to make an exception. You still have to deal with a bit of rigidity that comes with a light field camera (ie my Toyo 810M locks down like a bank vault, but weights over 12# and is not as operationally flexible)but the photos Keiths cameras make are razor sharp and I only like to use the word sharp when describing image making in the LF world in one context.

Cheers!

[Al Seyle]

My TK45s is 8.0lbs w/o lens but w/RRS full-length Arca foot, factory bellows. While I purchased it thinking it would be perfect for both studio and field, I now am looking for a lighter camera for field work. Just my 2 pennies.

[D. Kevin Gibson]

Mine too comes in at just a fraction under 8lbs with std. bellows

I have no idea where Linhof gets their 6.6lbs from? I just checked my Linhof literature and it lists it as 6.6lbs in both brochures I have. Perhaps someone from Linhof can tell us?

(maybe they weighed it without the bellows?)