Linhof Master Technika and focusing with Fujinon 75mm f.8

[CHELLM]

Hullo everybody.
I bought a Linhof Master Technika after being practising a lot with a Sinar F. The lens I used was a Fujinon 75mm f.8.
While the rail of Sinar F is one piece / continuous one and I could focus the Fujinon lens quite well my surprise was focusing same lens with Linhof MT. As everybody knows here very well Linhof MT has 2 pairs of rails: a) the longer positioned on the drop bed front, b) the shorter rail *inside* the body of camera.
My surprise was when I realized that the lens board of the 75mm would focus Infinity Distance (∞) only at 3 mm (metric) / 0,11811 ((imperial) away from the end of inner rail. Very uncomfortable - if the moving of the lens board is not precise the lens board falls from rail.
I read the original Manual from Linhof where is clearly said - at page 17 - that for 75mm and 90mm lenses *the upper rail (drop bed) must be positioned next to inner rail inside the camera)*. I did it but still there is a little gap between the two rails - making Infinity focusing with 75 mm very unpleasant and probably not accurate.
Any advice on this ? Did I operate not properly something ? I'm thinking to mount the 75mm lens on recessed board so - if my calculations are correct - I can move the Infinity Focus focal plane backward - more inside the rail and the Camera - making so Infinity focusing with 75mm a little easier.

Thank you for any suggestion.

Happy New Year to all from Rome.

[Bob Salomon]

You do have the lens mounted on the correct 001015 recessed lens board?

[CHELLM]

Ciao Bob, thank you for participating with your highly appreciated advice..

No, it is not.

The Fujinon 75mm f. 8 is mounted on a original flat Linhof MT board and a Seiko Shutter. Certain Japaneses sites say that Seiko Shutters same of Copal. I do have a Linhof recessed board of 21mm depth and - only by eye estimation - of 2 mm wider of the Seiko/Copal of my lens. Therefore it should be a recessed board for Compur. You have very precisely remembered to all of us that Linhof did 2 different recesseds: 001015 and 001016. So I must have the 001016 for Compur. The "new" Comfort recessed from Linhof is at BH shop for around 700 $ / Euro.. Sincerely too much for what it is.. I'm planning to deal with the very uncomfort of focusing by the edge of inner rail - if I dont find a recessed board for Seiko/Copal at a affordable price, i.e. no more of 150 $ / €..

Happy New Year

Mauro

[Bob Salomon]

Ciao Bob, thank you for participating with your highly appreciated advice..

No, it is not.

The Fujinon 75mm f. 8 is mounted on a original flat Linhof MT board and a Seiko Shutter. Certain Japaneses sites say that Seiko Shutters same of Copal. I do have a Linhof recessed board of 21mm depth and - only by eye estimation - of 2 mm wider of the Seiko/Copal of my lens. Therefore it should be a recessed board for Compur. You have very precisely remembered to all of us that Linhof did 2 different recesseds: 001015 and 001016. So I must have the 001016 for Compur. The "new" Comfort recessed from Linhof is at BH shop for around 700 $ / Euro.. Sincerely too much for what it is.. I'm planning to deal with the very uncomfort of focusing by the edge of inner rail - if I dont find a recessed board for Seiko/Copal at a affordable price, i.e. no more of 150 $ / €..

Happy New Year

Mauro

If you don’t set the lens up correctly for the camera you use then you shouldn’t complain when your way doesn’t work properly.
Get an older, pre Comfort Version board if you have to and let the camera work as it was designed to.

[B.S.Kumar]

The Fujinon 75mm f. 8 is mounted on a original flat Linhof MT board and a Seiko Shutter. Certain Japaneses sites say that Seiko Shutters same of Copal.

Mauro

Seiko shutters were made by the same company that makes Seiko watches, and is now part of the Seiko Epson group. The #0 shutters will take the same lens cells as Copal / Compur, etc. The Seiko #1 shutters are larger than the Copal #1 shutters and as far as I know, will accommodate some Fuji lenses like the 180mm f/5.6, 210mm f/5.6 and 250mm f/6.7, and some Topcon lenses. I have not seen any other size Seiko shutters. Seiko mechanical and electronic shutters were used in Mamiya and Bronica lenses.

Kumar

[neil poulsen]

If you don’t set the lens up correctly for the camera you use then you shouldn’t complain when your way doesn’t work properly.
Get an older, pre Comfort Version board if you have to and let the camera work as it was designed to.

I think that this is more about the "design" of a Linhof Technika, versus whether or not the OP picked the "right" lensboard. The fact is, focusing a lens this short on a Linhof Technika is a pain in the neck.

[Bob Salomon]

I think that this is more about the "design" of a Linhof Technika, versus whether or not the OP picked the "right" lensboard. The fact is, focusing a lens this short on a Linhof Technika is a pain in the neck.

Shouldn’t be with the correct board. Definitely is with the wrong board.

[CHELLM]

B.S.Kumar,
Thank you for this update - especially for Seiko #1 larger of Copal # 1.

Happy New Year from Roma

Mauro

[CHELLM]

Neil Poulsen,
you are very right. My Fujinon 75mm f.8 unfortunately doesnt fit into 001015 Linhof because of shutter release lever very protunding - same is for the lever to open iris for focusing. The very good chinese equivalent has maybe 2 mm more of space but not enough to trig shutter and open iris.. Definetely my lens and Linhof MT dont go together..

Happy New Year from Roma

Mauro

[CHELLM]

Ciao Bob..
As I explained to B.S.Kumar and Neil Poulsen my Fujinon 75mm f. 8 and Linhof MT are in a wrong combination since beginning.. The lens can be mount on the the 001015 and 001016 but.. no space to operate the shutter release lever and to pull the lever to open iris.. Now I understand why Linhof call the 700 $ / € Board "Comfort".. ahahah..

I will not renounce to 75mm framing on 10x12 format but I will buy a more modern - already mounted on Linhof recessed board - 75 mm budgeting some 350 / 400 $ €..

Thank you for participating to my post..

Happy New Year from Roma

Mauro

[Cor]

When I used my SA 65mm on my Tech III I bought it together with a Schnecken gang (sp?) or a helical focus mount (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Helical-Focus-Mount-short-version-Fotoman-camera-/190716814946). So I kept lens plus focus mount on the inner rail, and focused with the focus mount. I did have to have the back moved back 1 cm though. It remained a bit akward but it worked. You should do the math, and find a cheaper helical than the one in the link I guess..

Good luck,

Cor

[gary mulder]

AFAIK the only # 1 shutter that will fit in a recessed board is a copal press #1. And will give ±6 mm. Linhof Technika recessed boards are made for #0 shutters.

[Bob Salomon]

When I used my SA 65mm on my Tech III I bought it together with a Schnecken gang (sp?) or a helical focus mount (https://www.ebay.com/itm/Helical-Focus-Mount-short-version-Fotoman-camera-/190716814946). So I kept lens plus focus mount on the inner rail, and focused with the focus mount. I did have to have the back moved back 1 cm though. It remained a bit akward but it worked. You should do the math, and find a cheaper helical than the one in the link I guess..

Good luck,

Cor

As you know, depth of field is greatest the wider the lens. However, what you might not realize is that depth of focus, the area the film must lie within to be in sharp focus behind the lens, is very narrow with short lenses, the shorter the lens the narrower the depth of focus and the more critical the placement of the image plane.
Your technique is very likely to eliminate critically sharp negatives as slight misalignments of the back will impair your results.
There is a time tested and proven method to use 45 to 65mm lenses on a Technika. It involves acquiring either the LInhof Wide Angle Focus Device and Technika 23 lens boards for each lens or mounting each lens in the proper helicoid and board.
Both will vastly simplify using the short lenses without compromising performance or technique.

[Cor]

As you know, depth of field is greatest the wider the lens. However, what you might not realize is that depth of focus, the area the film must lie within to be in sharp focus behind the lens, is very narrow with short lenses, the shorter the lens the narrower the depth of focus and the more critical the placement of the image plane.
Your technique is very likely to eliminate critically sharp negatives as slight misalignments of the back will impair your results.
There is a time tested and proven method to use 45 to 65mm lenses on a Technika. It involves acquiring either the LInhof Wide Angle Focus Device and Technika 23 lens boards for each lens or mounting each lens in the proper helicoid and board.
Both will vastly simplify using the short lenses without compromising performance or technique.

Hi Bob,

I am aware of that phenomena, hence I used a a square straight piece of perspex to align the extended back to the camera house. Offcourse a linhof Wide Angle Focus Device would have been nice, but I used the 65 mm so little that I was not willing to shell out major money for said device. My approach worked for the few instances.

Best,

Cor

[stephenmcateer]

I found this thread after buying a Schneider 75mm F5.6 in Copal #0 for my Technika V.

I'm hoping I can get it to work in harmony with my camera.

I have also ordered a pattern 21mm recessed lens board.

I'll report back here with my findings.