linhof technika III

[simon_5297]

hi,
i have recently taken the plunge form 35mm into 4x5 with the purchase of a technika III. i have never shot a single image on a 4x5 before and don't even know how to operate the shutter! where is the best place to start for information? books? the web?
help!!

[Steve Bell]

The best starting point is on this web site, on the home page "How to get started in large format photography". Also search through the archived topics. I hate to think how I would have got on 25-30 years ago when I almost took the plunge into LF, but couldn't afford it then, without the resources available on the web today. I've only been using LF for around 5-6 months, and found the resources here invaluable.

[Brian Ellis]

In addition to the materials available on the web there are several good books that will help you get started. If you live in decent sized metropolitan area see what your library has available. The book I've found most useful is "View Camera Technique" by Leslie Stroebel but there are several others including those by Harvey Shaman, Steve Simmons, and Jim Stone that are useful as well.

[Ellen Stoune Duralia]

Like Brian said, "View Camera Technique" is a good book and I was able to get a copy from my local library. It's very dry and technical, however, and might overwhelm you. As a fellow newbie, I would advise a look at "Using the View Camera" by Steve Simmons which is more beginner friendly and will gently introduce the concepts you need to learn.

If you are into workshops, there's one being held by Danny Burk in April. Here's the link:

www.dannyburk.com/introduction_to_large_format_workshop.htm (http://www.dannyburk.com/introduction_to_large_format_workshop.htm)

Good luck and have fun!

[Paul Droluk]

Simon... don't allow the "LF" to intimidate you. After spending many thousands for tuition at Brooks Institue to learn LF technique, it dawned on me one day that I could have accomplished the same thing by shooting two or three hundred dollars worth of film! For utterly cheap... first take a look at http://www.toyoview.com/ ... then (without trying to create art) shoot 6 sheets ( 2 or 3 sheets each shoot) duplicating the view camera movements shown on Toyo's site. You will be amazed at how much you will learn from this exercise... and at how the entire concept of "LF" will gel in your minds eye.

[Bob Salomon]

Before you try to imitate too many of the movements in various books be aware that the Technika III does not have any forward lens tilt. Only backward lens tilt. So trying to copy movements using either center forward lens tilts or base forward lens tilts will be impossible on your camera. The only way would be to tilt the entire bed of the camera rater then the lens. Or turn the camera sideways and use the swing as a tilt on the lens.

With the Technika IV and later models Linhof added forward lens tilt to the camera.

[ronald lamarsh]

Welcome to the forum and the LF world. I have had a Tech IIIfor many years now and still love it. If you want some specific info on operating your camera go to SK Grimes web site and then go to his links section and you'll find a link to a linhof users site with lots of great info.

[Emil Ems]

Simon,

Welcome to the wonderful world of Linhof!!! The Technika III was the first LF camera I bought (with hard earned money in the early 'eighties). I never regretted this acquisition.

The camera came with a Linhof labelled Angulon 90 f 6.8 lens and I bought a second hand Sironar 150 and an old Tele Xenar 270 to go with the camera. This combination proved extremely beneficial for my pictures. I still admire the negatives I took with that camera and lenses. No problem with those. You can still buy the same lenses for even less money than I put on them 25 years ago.

Try also to get a Linhof zooming viewfinder (the oldest and cheapest type) for the camera. this will help you frame your pictures and choose the right lens prior to setting up the tripod.

An additional buy well worth the money would be a lens cam for a 100 mm lens (yes, 100, not 90). With such a cam (and assuming the rangefinder is adjusted) you can use the Angulon for handheld photography, with the bed in the lower position. I am still using this outfit for handheld picture taking, together with a Horseman 6x12 rollfilm back onf the Technika. I have recently taken some marvelous pictures with this outfit.

If you happen to own the oldest version of the Technika III, which does not have a Graflok back, do not dispair. Such backs, used on later versions of the III, can still be bought on e-bay for reasonable amounts. They will fit on your older model just fine.

The earlier comment about no forward tilt is not valid in my view. Lowering the bed and raising the lens standard will give you all the forward tilt you will ever need.

All in all, you will like your camera. Stick to it for a couple of years and learn to exploit its potential to the full. It will make you a real photographer yet!!!!!

I hope this helps

[Paul Butler]

Congratulations! You will find this to be an excellent camera.

As noted in the earlier post, lack of a forward tilt is not a problem. You can achieve the same effect (with fewer lens coverage issues) by tilting the rear of the camera back towards you (see Ansel Adams, "The Camera").

My Technika II doesn't have a graflok back and for me it is a non-issue.

Don't forget to check the bellows for pinhole leaks and to check that the film holders are light tight (see extensive posts about how to do this, elsewhere on this site).

Most of what you learn on this site, and from the books mentioned in other recent posts, applies to any LF camera whether a Technika III or not. There is also a wealth of Technika-specific information to be found here.

[Bob Salomon]

"As noted in the earlier post, lack of a forward tilt is not a problem. You can achieve the same effect (with fewer lens coverage issues) by tilting the rear of the camera back towards you"

Yes, as long as you are not trying to correct image shape. Back movements change the shape of the image. If you are photogaphing a rock this may not matter. If you are doing a building or a package for a product it can be critical.

"Lowering the bed and raising the lens standard will give you all the forward tilt you will ever need"

Except without the control a tilting lensboard provides. By tilting the bed you have a set amount of tilt not a variable amount. additionally the camera's tilt is now dictating the height of the camera rather then the photographer chosing the camera's position.Positioning the camera on its side, rotating the back 90° will give you variable tilt on the III. Much more versatile then using the drop bed when it is not required.

[Emil Ems]

Bob,

With due respect for your huge amount of knowledge about Linhof cameras I beg to disagree with your above comments on the front tilt of the Technika III. As I said before, lowering the front bed and raising the lens standard will provide you with all the tilt you will ever need. At maximum this is equivalent to a 30 per cent forward tilt, I believe. However the amount of forward tilt is not fixed at that number, as your comment appears to indicate. It can be changed continuously from 30 per cent down to zero per cent by tilting the lens standard BACK at the same time as lowering the front bed.

Although it is true that you could put the Technika on the tripod sideways and use the front swing as tilt, I find this practice, frankly speaking, to be very cumbersome , compared with the technique I just outlined above.