Chamonix 57N + Technika Lens Board

[RoboRepublic]

Hi folks, I'm trying to setup my newly acquired 57N with a technika lens board, which sadly is 1.3 mm (Chamonix lens board opening measures 99.2, while the technika metal board I have is 100.5mm).
I'm looking for advice on what to do, its a veeery tight fit, and I'd rather not force the board in. Should I buy a new board, sand the board I have currently, or sand the Chamonix?
Thanks!

[Greg Y]

Robo, I'd sand the board. I have many technica clone boards and they all fit my Chamonix perfectly. It's likely that your board is not to spec? I certainly would not sand your camera, as you most likely end up with other lenses on other boards. The 57N is a very cool camera, I had one at one time as a backup to my Deardorff and liked it a lot.
I've used a variety of generic lensboards on my Chamonixs and all worked. Companies with w long history like Linhof have made subtle changes over the years...the spec for 'technika' lensboards is roughly 97x99x2mm

[Keith Pitman]

Your "technika" board is oversize. I presume it is not a Linhof board. I'd either return it, or reduce its size.

[RoboRepublic]

Thanks Greg, Keith its a Technika board, from a seller in Germany, with the emblem and everything! Looks pretty official to me but if the specification is supposed to be 99mm then clearly it is out of spec.

[Greg]

I had 2 Technika lens boards for my Chamonix. One was a perfect fit and the other actually a little on the loose side requiring pieces of tape to make it snug fit. Both had the Linhof emblem on them. Viewing them at an arm's length, and they both looked to be exactly alike. View the emblems through a low power magnifying lens and one was obviously a copy, the fine detail was not as sharp at all. In the end I sold the lens with the OEM Technika board, and replaced the "fake" board with another board. Presently I have one Chamonix board and the rest are all Wista boards. The Wista boards all fit excellently. For the heck of it I just looked at the emblems on the Wista boards and they look totally alike under a low power magnifier. Nikon Technika style boards fit great on my Chamonix. I have another Technika style board that is labeled "NSE" on the backside and it also is a great fit on my Chamonix.

[RoboRepublic]

Thanks Greg! 25 minutes of sanding and I was able to get it into place. Definitely seems like an odd board, as its very narrow in width and slides around freely (Seems light tight though)

Would you know what would be the shortest focal length I can put on the 57N?

[Oren Grad]

Would you know what would be the shortest focal length I can put on the 57N?

Chamonix says the minimum bellows draw is 70mm.

https://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/cameras/57n

[reddesert]

Thanks Greg! 25 minutes of sanding and I was able to get it into place. Definitely seems like an odd board, as its very narrow in width and slides around freely (Seems light tight though)

Would you know what would be the shortest focal length I can put on the 57N?

It's narrow side to side? How wide is it? Does it have clipped bottom corners? Is the circular light trap on the back raised or not?

The Technika IV board is about 96x99 mm WxH with clipped bottom corners, various features along the bottom, and a raised light trap.

The Technika III board is about 94x100mm WxH with plain corners and a slightly recessed light trap. Sometimes you run into a board that has had the corners cut off so it can be fit (sort of) into a camera that takes Technika IV boards.

[RoboRepublic]

It's narrow side to side? How wide is it? Does it have clipped bottom corners? Is the circular light trap on the back raised or not?

The Technika IV board is about 96x99 mm WxH with clipped bottom corners, various features along the bottom, and a raised light trap.

The Technika III board is about 94x100mm WxH with plain corners and a slightly recessed light trap. Sometimes you run into a board that has had the corners cut off so it can be fit (sort of) into a camera that takes Technika IV boards.


Hi! Its 92.97 in width, and was 100.5 in height, the corners are unclipped. I've attached pictures, in case I didn't get your meaning. The back trap is debossed, and not raised.
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[Bob Salomon]

That does not look like a current Technika lens board for a 45 Technika. It looks like an old board for a Technika lll which will not fit Technika IV and later models or LInhof clones.

[reddesert]

Hi! Its 92.97 in width, and was 100.5 in height, the corners are unclipped. I've attached pictures, in case I didn't get your meaning. The back trap is debossed, and not raised.
208109
208110

Yes, exactly, as Bob says (of course he's the expert) - that's a genuine Linhof board, but it's for a 4x5 Technika III. It differs from the Technika 4/5 board that many cameras have adopted as "standard." Depending on how the camera maker implemented the parts that hold the board, different features of the board need to be modified to allow it to fit. If you get a Tech IV or aftermarket clone board to compare, you'll see that the width, height, light trap on the rear, and cutouts on the bottom edge are all somewhat different.