Stiff film loading on Technika

[Charles Forde]

Hi, I'm having problems with my master technika. When loading a Fidelity Elite Film Holder it sometimes catches the far edge of sprung back which stops the holder from seating properly (the 'lip' just below where Fidelity Elite is written doesn't fall into the recess on the camera.) The only way around this at the moment is to pull out the sprung back I presume this isn't normal.

Charles Forde

[JimL]

Is it the flap end of the film holder that's catching? I had this problem on my Technikardan, and discovered that the combination of a sharp edge on the corner of the Fidelity film holders and the design of the gg frame caused the holder to snag. My solution was to file a small bevel on the flap edge of all my film holders.

[Kevin Crisp]

Charles: If I understand the problem then I think you are describing what is a fairly common issue with several different makes of cameras. (It happens with my Canham and has happened with my Zone VI when I didn't use the bale back and a couple Tachiharas over the years.) Inserted from the right, the far edge of the film holder sometimes stops at the edge of the far side of the cut out. I always give a tug back and forth to make sure the holder is in all the way and and the notch on the right seated in the groove. I think with a little wear on the plastic or wooden holders they go in smoother. In the meantime, you can just lift the left side out a bit and slide it in by putting your fingers on the left edge of the holder where it protrudes from the back, or lift the gg back out slightly on the left.

[Huw Evans]

I get it with my Technikardan, but it never happened with my Technika IV. Now that I'm aware of it I've just learned to double check the seating of the film holder - a quick tug of the problem end of the spring back is enough to sort it out.

[Bob Salomon]

Although Lisco, Fidelity and Riteway holders are all made by the same company there has been an on going problem over the past 20 years with new Fidelity holders and Linhof cameras.

If you run your finger along a bottom edge of a new Fidelity it is sharp and somewhat rough. Until it has been inserted and removed several times into the Linhof back it will tend to hang up about a half inch from being fully seated.

The easiest way to eliminate the problem is t either use Lisco holders or run a file over the sharp edge of the Fidelity to round it off. Just one or two passes will take care of the problem.

Yes we have visited and shown the factory in Hollywood the problem and they insist that both Lisco and Fidelity use the same molds. However Lisco holders don't have the problem.

[Charles Forde]

Thank you all very much, the film holders which give me the most trouble are the new ones, so I'll take off their sharp edges.

[J. P. Mose]

Bob,

My 13x18/5x7 Super Technika V is about to arrive. It has 6 13x18 Linhof holders, which unfortunataly will not accept 5x7 film (I assume). I will need to start looking for new holders. Will 5x7 Fidelity holders have the same rough edge as 4x5 holders? Thanks.

JP Mose

[Bob Salomon]

JP,

Only have received complaints on 45 cameras. None on 57 and 810 cameras. Then again, there are many, many times more new 45 Linhofs that have been sold over the past 25 years then 57 and this has not been a problem with old cameras - only new cameras with the 45 Fidelity holder.