How the Linhof Technika became Super…

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How the Linhof Technika became Super…

Every Super Hero has a good origin story. Ours begins in Munich Germany in 1934. The Original Linhof Technika was born when Chief Designer Nikolaus Karpf invented a lockable articulating back for the all metal Linhof folding baseboard camera.This invention of the articulating back technical camera set Linhof apart from their competition and established them at the top of the very competitive German camera industry of the 1930’s.

Before world war II Hugo Meyer in Europe and Kalart in North America made aftermarket rangefinders for large and medium format cameras. These were limited to use on a single lens and were often added by the camera dealer at the time of camera purchase. Some manufactures like Graflex installed the Kalart rangefinder at the factory.

The Linhof factory in Munich Germany had been partially destroyed in a bombing raid near the close of WWII. Following the war Linhof Prazisions-Kamera of Munich found itself within the West German territory, controlled by the US occupation forces, and included in a broad and aggressive program of industrial and economic recovery from the devastation of the war. American camera experts from Kodak, Graflex and other top Western companies were brought in to consult and map out a recovery for the German camera industry.

One of the top suggestions from the American advisors was for Linhof to add a rangefinder to its Large Format cameras to make it competitive with the hugely popular American Speed Graphic press camera. Nikolaus Karpf was the chief designer, inventor of the Technika, Grandson-in-Law to the founder Valentin Linhof, and the owner of Linhof Prazisions-Kamera Munchen. Karpf not only liked this idea but intended to take it a step further. The Kalart and Hugo-Meyer rangefinders were limited to use with a single lens, Linhof would design a revolutionary rangefinder in house that would work with the full range of lenses designed for the camera.

The war in Germany ended on May 8, 1945. By October 1946 Linhof released the all new Technika model III in 9x12cm (4x5”). The first batch of Technika III’s were made both with and without a rangefinder. 2,021 was the first Technika III with a rangefinder, and 5,006 was the first Technika III without one. This resulted in two separate serial number lines that has caused some confusion as they are not sequential when combined.

Linhof’s rangefinder or Entfernungsmesser as it is called in German was a technical marvel. Through the use of interchangeable little butter-knife shaped quick-change cams the rangefinder was instantly calibrated to the lens. Justifiably proud of their achievement the Technika Entfernungsmesser was badged as the Technika E and aggressively marketed worldwide.

The Technika III E was a huge hit. In 1950 Linhof restyled the 4x5” Technika III and released 2 new Technika models a larger 13x18cm (5x7”) Technika III camera and in 1952 a smaller 6x9cm (2x3”) Technika 23 camera sporting a beautiful large viewfinder combined with the rangefinder. In the North American market the new Technika III E models were named Super Technika III’s. Outside North America the name remained the Technika III E.

The Super Technika moniker was adopted World Wide by Linhof during the Photokina of 1956 in Cologne Germany. The Worlds largest camera exhibition Photokina was opened that year with a greeting telegram from the US president Dwight Eisenhower. Linhof was a highlight at Photokina announcing six new cameras intended for release in conjunction with Linhof’s 70th birthday in 1957. the ambitious release included the all new Super Technika IV 4x5” and an updated 5x7” Super Technika IV & Super Technika 23. While you could still buy a non-Super model without a rangefinder few of these models were sold and they are somewhat rare today.

The 4x5 Super Technika IV was truly a completely Super camera! Evolved from the original Technika of 1934 it was a reimagining of the Technika III. Amazingly the 1956 Super Technika IV design has lasted nearly 65 years and into the present day! The models that followed, the Super Technika V and Master Technika have only added incremental refinements building upon and perfecting the original design of the Super Technika IV.

The 6x9 and 5x7 models of 1956 were more of a model refresh rather than a complete redesign. The 5x7 would be redesigned into its final design in 1963 as the Super Technika V. The 6x9 Super Technika would go through several redesigns over the 40 years Linhof made it.

To ensure the Super status of their beloved hand crafted cameras Linhof contracted the top German optics companies to make special lenses to complete the Super camera. Some of the most iconic LF lenses ever made resulted. The Schneider 150mm 2.8 Xenotar, Voigtlander 150 & 210mm APO Lanthar, and the Zeiss 75mm Biogon, 135mm Planar, & 250mm Sonnar were all designed specifically for the Super Technika.

This was the Golden Age for Linhof and the Super Technika title would stand to define the top of the line in professional and high end amateur cameras for the next 60 years…

The Super Technika 4x5” became an updated Super Technika V in 1963 and the updated version in 1972 was renamed the Master Technika. The Master Technika 4x5” is still made by Linhof today. It is available with or without the Entfernungsmesser.

The Super Technika 5x7” became the Super Technika V in 1964 and was refreshed in 1979 into the Super Technika V-B. The Super Technika V-B was made until 1986.

The Super Technika 23 was replaced in 1963 with an all new design the Technika 70. Although it did not carry the Super label it was a special camera, the very large combined viewfinder with rangefinder atop the Technika 70 represents the highest level Linhof, or likely anyone else, ever achieved in mechanical rangefinder technology. The Technika 70 also won several prestigious design awards for its appearance. In 1970 the Technika 70 was re-designed. The large viewfinder was removed and the rangefinder was changed to the same style side mounted rangefinder as the 4x5” cameras, This new design was named the Super Technika V. This would be the last of the Linhof Supers and was made at the Linhof factory in Munich until 1990.

The 4x5 Linhof rangefinder evolution over 80 years.

4x5” RF Housing - The very first rangefinder housing of 1946 was square like the Hugo-Meyer with round windows like the Kal-Art. The square housing sat in the middle on the right side between the lock knobs for the rear standard. A little over a year later and the angled shape we know today emerged. In 1950 the Technika III styling was refreshed, the Lock Knobs for the rear standard were moved to the top of the camera and the rangefinder moved up to be flush with the top just like it is today. The 1956 IV included a port on top for a Kal-Art focus spot and in 1960 the IV was refreshed and the hawksbill shape that we have today was added for extra flash handle security.

4x5” RF Cams - The cams have evolved over time as well. The early Technika III E cams 1947-1949 are different than the Super Technika III 1950-1957. The early cams are wider and stubbier than the butterknife like cams of 1950 onward. The early cams are double sided with 150mm and 90mm and the base where they plug in is wider than the later style. As such they are too wide to fit into a 1950 or later model and the later style are too narrow to attach to the early model. The cam changed for the final time with the IV of 1957, once again they do not fit in or accept earlier types. All III and IV cams are lens and camera specific. When the lens is calibrated to the cameras rangefinder both the serial number of the camera and the lens is engraved into the cam, and precise focus is only assured if a matched cam for a particular body and lens are used. From the Technika V up through todays Master Technika the cams only need be calibrated to the lens and only the lens serial number is engraved onto the cam. This allows lens and matched cam to be used interchangeably on all Super Technika V and Master cameras. Just exactly what Linhof did between the IV and V to zero the ground glass and allow for greater cam interchangeability is unknown to me. If I find out I will share this information.

Although the large beautiful viewfinder with rangefinder of the Technika 70 is the height of Linhof’s mechanical accomplishment, the peak of Linhof’s Entfernungsmesser achievement happened In 1995. It was the first ever Large Format Electronic Viewfinder and Rangefinder, available as an accessory attachment for the 4x5” Master Technika 2000. “Precision Engineering met Advanced Electronics” and Linhof created the “Large Format System of the Future” - The EMS (I was hoping for some really long German words to make up this acronym, maybe Entfernungsmesser-Messsystem Sucherbut… as yet I haven't found it…. Unfortunately it might be the rather pedestrian English: Electronic Measuring System). It generated very high praise and excitement when it first arrived but perhaps it was ahead of its time. The EMS unit was expensive and not foolproof, especially with longer focal lengths. Sales were low and eventually rather than trying to maintain the project Linhof offered to buy them back. Most were returned to Linhof but a handful remain in the wild today.

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[sharktooth]

Very interesting. Thanks for the info.

Do you know what they changed in the 5x7 V when it became the 5x7 V-b?

I found an old catalogue last year that had a price for that electro-optical rangefinder. It was the same price as the camera. No wonder it wasn't a big seller at the time. Nowadays an electro-optical system would probably be fairly easy to integrate in the camera at relatively low cost, but only if the volumes were relatively high (which won't ever be happening).

The Technika 70 is truly a marvel, but it's odd that the viewfinder only works in portrait mode. It's also odd that they dumped it for the more conventional side mount rangefinder only. I wonder what the logic was there, or if there was some other functional flaw that plagued the 70.

[Greg]

Great... now you've made me take a second or third look at acquiring a Technika... :-)

[Embdude]

Very interesting. Thanks for the info.

Do you know what they changed in the 5x7 V when it became the 5x7 V-b?

I found an old catalogue last year that had a price for that electro-optical rangefinder. It was the same price as the camera. No wonder it wasn't a big seller at the time. Nowadays an electro-optical system would probably be fairly easy to integrate in the camera at relatively low cost, but only if the volumes were relatively high (which won't ever be happening).

The Technika 70 is truly a marvel, but it's odd that the viewfinder only works in portrait mode. It's also odd that they dumped it for the more conventional side mount rangefinder only. I wonder what the logic was there, or if there was some other functional flaw that plagued the 70.

The only differences to the 5x7 V I am aware of is the jack handle for the rise/fall was changed and ̶I̶̶ ̶̶t̶̶h̶̶i̶̶n̶̶k̶̶ ̶̶t̶̶h̶̶e̶̶y̶̶ ̶̶w̶̶e̶̶r̶̶e̶̶ ̶̶n̶̶o̶̶ ̶̶l̶̶o̶̶n̶̶g̶̶e̶̶r̶̶ ̶̶o̶̶f̶̶f̶̶e̶̶r̶̶e̶̶d̶̶ ̶̶l̶̶e̶̶a̶̶t̶̶h̶̶e̶̶r̶̶ ̶̶i̶̶n̶̶ ̶̶s̶̶i̶̶e̶̶r̶̶r̶̶a̶̶ ̶̶t̶̶a̶̶n̶. I have handwritten notes on the VB but can not find out where I noted it from, if I find it I will let you know.

The Technika 70 was nearly as heavy as a 4x5 Technika! I have heard it speculated that the 4x5 style rangefinder was much cheaper to make, plus the added bonus to the dealer of selling the accessory frame finder... but I have no offical information on why the change was made...

The 23B flyer from 1976 claims it was done for increased wide angle efficiency which makes sense except the change occurred with the 1970 V 23 so...

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[Embdude]

Great... now you've made me take a second or third look at acquiring a Technika... :-)
Technikas are like Pokemon... "You Gotta Catch Em' All!"

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[sharktooth]

I didn't realize there was a 23 with the flip top like the master. The side rangefinder on the 23 would obviously be cheaper than the combined rangefinder/viefinder of the 70, but that just makes the 23 more awkward to use. The 70 seems far better suited for hand held work with roll film backs, which is the whole point of a medium format system in my mind. I'd much rather have a 4x5 Super or Master than a 23. That's probably why the 23s are so rare compared to the 70s.

[abruzzi]

I didn't realize there was a 23 with the flip top like the master. The side rangefinder on the 23 would obviously be cheaper than the combined rangefinder/viefinder of the 70, but that just makes the 23 more awkward to use. The 70 seems far better suited for hand held work with roll film backs, which is the whole point of a medium format system in my mind. I'd much rather have a 4x5 Super or Master than a 23. That's probably why the 23s are so rare compared to the 70s.

the challenge I've found with the 23 can sort of be seen in the ad copy above for the 70--with the roll back in place, its hard to get your eye close enough to the viewfinder; the rollex gets in the way. I shoot mine handheld, but with small sheet film--I have holders for both 2 1/4x3 1/4 and 6.5x9--that way I can look through the viewfinder with ease.

[Embdude]

Do you know what they changed in the 5x7 V when it became the 5x7 V-b?


I can not figure out where I pulled the V-B from.... but I have been unable to locate any mention of this designation so I must have it wrong. There were some minor mostly cosmetic changes to the V but as far as I can tell no B designation. possibly I transposed it from the 6x9 V which had a Vb model...

[Bob Salomon]

Very interesting. Thanks for the info.

Do you know what they changed in the 5x7 V when it became the 5x7 V-b?

I found an old catalogue last year that had a price for that electro-optical rangefinder. It was the same price as the camera. No wonder it wasn't a big seller at the time. Nowadays an electro-optical system would probably be fairly easy to integrate in the camera at relatively low cost, but only if the volumes were relatively high (which won't ever be happening).

The Technika 70 is truly a marvel, but it's odd that the viewfinder only works in portrait mode. It's also odd that they dumped it for the more conventional side mount rangefinder only. I wonder what the logic was there, or if there was some other functional flaw that plagued the 70.

It didn’t become a b. The SuperTechnika 23B did become one. The 57 didn’t.

[Ben Calwell]

I hope Santa leaves a Linhof under my tree.

[Embdude]

we should all be so lucky!
I hope Santa leaves a Linhof under my tree.

[neil poulsen]

I'm wondering, how did you become so well informed about Linhof cameras? Are you an enthusiast, or did you have a more formal relationship with the Linhof Company? For example, were you ever employed by Lihnof?

I have a couple of questions . . .

Clearly, rangefinder focusing was central to Linhof designs along the way. To what extent did the designers view the Technica to be a tripod camera that offered movements, versus a handheld, rangefinder based camera.

Was it ever intended by the designers that camera movements would be employed, while hand holding the cameras?

To what extent did the designers view the Lihnof cameras as suitable for wide-angle photography? I owned a Technika IV 6x9 camera decades ago, and it's design, with the view finder that extended a little beyond the main body of the camera, did more to inhibit wide-angle photography (by limiting rise), versus facilitate it.

I didn't see mention of the flap on top of later Technika cameras. Was this introduced along with the Master cameras? While it's a comparatively simple design upgrade, it was also rather a consequential upgrade. I've wondered why this simple feature wasn't offered on earlier cameras.

From my perspective, I would never handhold a 4x5 camera, and I would likely never use the rangefinder on a Technika. I'd probably be more likely to strip it off as adding to the weight and bulk of the camera. I've always seen Linhof cameras as, durable, well made view cameras, that close to a compact, easily transportable package.

[Bob Salomon]

I'm wondering, how did you become so well informed about Linhof cameras? Are you an enthusiast, or did you have a more formal relationship with the Linhof Company? For example, were you ever employed by Lihnof?

I have a couple of questions . . .

Clearly, rangefinder focusing was central to Linhof designs along the way. To what extent did the designers view the Technica to be a tripod camera that offered movements, versus a handheld, rangefinder based camera.

Was it ever intended by the designers that camera movements would be employed, while hand holding the cameras?

To what extent did the designers view the Lihnof cameras as suitable for wide-angle photography? I owned a Technika IV 6x9 camera decades ago, and it's design, with the view finder that extended a little beyond the main body of the camera, did more to inhibit wide-angle photography (by limiting rise), versus facilitate it.

I didn't see mention of the flap on top of later Technika cameras. Was this introduced along with the Master cameras? While it's a comparatively simple design upgrade, it was also rather a consequential upgrade.

From my perspective, I would never handhold a 4x5 camera, and I would likely never use the rangefinder on a Technika. Rather, I'd be more likely to strip it off as adding to the weight and bulk of the camera. I've always seen Linhof cameras as, durable, well made cameras, that close to a compact, transportable package.

Movements are not designed to be handheld on a Technika.

The top flap started with the Master.

Wide angle is much more convenient on the Master as well as the V. It is most convenient on the 2000 and 3000. The 45 are much more convenient for wide angle then the 69 models.

[Embdude]

I'm wondering, how did you become so well informed about Linhof cameras? Are you an enthusiast, or did you have a more formal relationship with the Linhof Company? For example, were you ever employed by Lihnof?

I have a couple of questions . . .

Clearly, rangefinder focusing was central to Linhof designs along the way. To what extent did the designers view the Technica to be a tripod camera that offered movements, versus a handheld, rangefinder based camera.

Was it ever intended by the designers that camera movements would be employed, while hand holding the cameras?

To what extent did the designers view the Lihnof cameras as suitable for wide-angle photography? I owned a Technika IV 6x9 camera decades ago, and it's design, with the view finder that extended a little beyond the main body of the camera, did more to inhibit wide-angle photography (by limiting rise), versus facilitate it.

I didn't see mention of the flap on top of later Technika cameras. Was this introduced along with the Master cameras? While it's a comparatively simple design upgrade, it was also rather a consequential upgrade. I've wondered why this simple feature wasn't offered on earlier cameras.

From my perspective, I would never handhold a 4x5 camera, and I would likely never use the rangefinder on a Technika. I'd probably be more likely to strip it off as adding to the weight and bulk of the camera. I've always seen Linhof cameras as, durable, well made view cameras, that close to a compact, easily transportable package.

Myself I am just a Linhof Fanboy. Our Mr. Bob Salomon is likely our best resource, he worked closely with them and is friendly and always helpful. My own knowledge comes from listening to Bob and others, as well a lots of reading of every thing Linhof I could get my hands on.

The rangefinder was a big part of the post-war Linhof strategy. The ability to use the Technika models as a hand camera was a major driving factor in its design, and many photographers using it as such were featured in the Grossbild magazine. The rangefinder could only be used without movements in play. With movements in use the GG was needed for composition and focus, the Technika camera if fully capable of being used hand-held using the GG however I would suspect most photographers arms are not capable.

Wide angle lenses have really evolved a lot since WWII. 40's-early 50's the 90 angulon was the best wide option and by the Late 50's the 65mm Angulon and 53mm Biogon arrived but had no coverage for movement so rise was not an issue. by the mid 60's we start to see wide lenses show up that have enough coverage to allow movements. The camera was gradually improved to use these new wide lenses, first we see the rise knob made into a jack lever, and then in 1972 the master with cut flap shows up. by the 70's - 90's we get some really wide 4x5 lenses like the 47mm super angulon. Linhof makes the MT2000 & 3000 to allow these. The technika has had to adapt to the increasing wide lens options but it was not a primary design consideration when the Technika IV of 1956 was designed and that is the camera who's design the MT of today is directly derived from.

Im not sure but the EMS system was also likely designed with wide lenses in mind, possibly heavy though which would not help hand holdability...

[Bob Salomon]

The EMS was really quite light.

[Embdude]

The EMS was really quite light.
That is good to know. Looking over the brochure it looks like hand holding was intended...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B50p4jef-eUca3FEWnQ0SVdBM2s/view?resourcekey=0-g23BDjdXrvejodhi83ULzA

Bob it must have been a mind blowing system when it showed up in 1995. Almost like something from science fiction, it is a shame that they could not get it to be a success.

[Bob Salomon]

That is good to know. Looking over the brochure it looks like hand holding was intended...
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B50p4jef-eUca3FEWnQ0SVdBM2s/view?resourcekey=0-g23BDjdXrvejodhi83ULzA

Bob it must have been a mind blowing system when it showed up in 1995. Almost like something from science fiction, it is a shame that they could not get it to be a success.

It was, but it was pretty big since it was the height and the depth of the body plus it’s height. In addition there was an IR receiver that fit in a cutout on the top and was positioned inside the camera body plus a sender that plugged into the top of the front standard.

[Bessa72]

Not to forget the rarest 18x24 Technika from 1938/39, only a few manufactured. Huge compared to he standard Technika 9x12.
weight is 10,1 kilograms without lens.
Pics taken from my Linhof book.

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[David Lindquist]

Not to forget the rarest 18x24 Technika from 1938/39, only a few manufactured. Huge compared to he standard Technika 9x12.
weight is 10,1 kilograms without lens.
Pics taken from my Linhof book.

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Putting this weight in perspective, the Calumet C-1, when made of aluminum (vs. magnesium) was 18 pounds or 8.2 kg. Yet this Linhof was equipt with a "frame finder and rear sight." Anyone up for hand holding that weight?

David

[Bob Salomon]

Not to forget the rarest 18x24 Technika from 1938/39, only a few manufactured. Huge compared to he standard Technika 9x12.
weight is 10,1 kilograms without lens.
Pics taken from my Linhof book.

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Since only about 10 were made you may have pointed out one reason why.

[Bessa72]

The Calumet C1 8x10 looks Yummy..
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/fs-calumet-c1-8x10-large-format-flat-bed-view-camera-lens-holder.163675/print

[Embdude]

Not to forget the rarest 18x24 Technika from 1938/39, only a few manufactured. Huge compared to he standard Technika 9x12.
weight is 10,1 kilograms without lens.
Pics taken from my Linhof book.

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Franz Lazi with his pre-war 18x24 in Grossbild Technik #4 1956
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I have written a little bit more about the 18x25 in another little article here:
https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?163806-Legend-of-The-Ghost-Technika-The-Linhof-Technika-Medizin/page2

[Jim Andrada]

Thanks for putting together a lot of great information. I seem to have become a Linhof fan-boy of sorts - I have seven of them at the moment. 2 x 3 to 8 x 10 Kardan Bi. I keep thinking of adding a 70, but my wife thinks I should be thinning the herd rather than adding to it. She's probably right - at 81 they're getting hard to carry.

[Embdude]

Thanks for putting together a lot of great information. I seem to have become a Linhof fan-boy of sorts - I have seven of them at the moment. 2 x 3 to 8 x 10 Kardan Bi. I keep thinking of adding a 70, but my wife thinks I should be thinning the herd rather than adding to it. She's probably right - at 81 they're getting hard to carry.

Hi Jim, you can never have too many Linhof's. They have been my passion for about 10 years now since getting a beat up 4x5 III. I too have several cameras and if there is any culling to be done it will be of the non-Linhof cameras. The 70 is a favorite of mine I have both the Press70 and Technika70 and yes both are very heavy for medium format cameras, not something for an all day out kind of event.

[LabRat]

The best thing about my old beater Tek III is for me, that as a shooter, it automatically narrows my "camera for the day" decision as it's a folder, packs well in backpack, ugly enough to not baby around worrying, and we developed a "relationship/understanding" what we can do together...

The consideration that does come up is camera seems not unreasonably heavy by itself, but in the backpack with holders and usual accessories, suddenly feels like there's a cinderblock in there...

I might prefer a Graflex for long walks, but hooked on triple extension bellows and more movements available on it...

Steve K

[ersanzop]

rangefinder focusing was central to Linhof designs along the way. To what extent did the designers view the Technica to be a tripod camera that offered movements, versus a handheld, rangefinder based camera. techzpod (https://techzpod.com/) mobdro download (https://get-mobdrovip.com)

[Tin Can]

I prefer my Pre War 5X7 LINHOF all metal folding camera

It is very lightweight, the leather bellows exquisite and perfect

No RF

[linhofbiker]

rangefinder focusing was central to Linhof designs along the way. To what extent did the designers view the Technica to be a tripod camera that offered movements, versus a handheld, rangefinder based camera.

I had a Technka V in 1984 with 150 and 90 lenses and a 220 6x7 back. Always used it on a tripod until one day I forced myself to hand-hold and rangefinder focus. Didn't like it much so went back to the tripod which was more useful for the work in did, such as shooting interiors, some portraits but mostly landscapes.

[Embdude]

rangefinder focusing was central to Linhof designs along the way. To what extent did the designers view the Technica to be a tripod camera that offered movements, versus a handheld, rangefinder based camera. techzpod (https://techzpod.com/) mobdro download (https://get-mobdrovip.com)

I think adding the rangefinder was an attempt to make it a more versatile camera. When the RF was added just before the 1950's we were getting into the era of faster lenses and faster films where before this handholding was not very practical. The Zeiss lenses of the 1950's 75mm/100mm/250mm were the pinnacle of this... fast lenses that were optimized for wide open shooting but not very capable as far as room for view camera movements... These types of fast lenses were prevalent until the mid 1970's... by then the Japanese lenses were competing with the Germans symmetrical plasmat types and super wide angle lenses took over. These lenses were slower but the film stocks had improved so much you could just use a faster film.

[interneg]

When the RF was added just before the 1950's we were getting into the era of faster lenses and faster films where before this handholding was not very practical.

Three words: Graflex Speed Graphic. Huge swathes of industrial/ commercial/ military/ governmental/ institutional photography in the middle of the 20th century (and deep into the 1960s) was done with Speed Graphics, often with a monorail/ field camera as a backup. That the Speed Graphic was a popular press camera was only one aspect of its use - they were the ubiquitous professional camera in North America and a highly desired professional tool in the 1940s/50s within the US post-WWII sphere of cultural/ political influence/ persuasion. It's pretty obvious that the Linhof Super Technika was intended to be a one-camera solution that could do everything well in an extremely durable package - and with lenses that made E-1 Ektachrome more readily usable within markets that needed results in colour not just for pictorial, but analytical purposes. If you have too much time on your hands, there's quite a bit of old Industrial Photography materials (industry publications/ magazines) to be found that will give some important insights into the markets Linhof was after - and from the archives of those industries/ institutions, Sultan and Mandel's epochal work 'Evidence' sprung - which owes a great deal of its aesthetic impact to the fact that the original images were largely made on 4x5 negs.

[AeroTechnika]

Excellent post - thank you.
Responding years later, but curiously that's one of the strengths of this type of forum. We always think the Internet is all about immediacy, and destroys anything that is more than a few milliseconds old, but this is not always the case, and forums may continue discussion over many years, unlike legacy print media.
Your post indicates the large-aperture lenses directly spurred by the Linhof Technika IV project, including the Zeiss three-lens set, as well as the Schneider Xenotar 150mm f/2.8.
The argument for the Zeiss set seems established, but I wonder about the Xenotar 150.
I have seen the Kling ad published below, and I am fascinated by it, however I have never seen anything in ANY German-based Linhof literature concerning the Schneider Xenotar 150.
I have never seen any Linhof prospectus advertising this lens, nor is it mentioned in any way in any of the Verlag Grossbild Technik publications from the time.
I am wondering - the Klingfilm advertisement aside (and I am not discrediting this interesting document) - do you have any documentary evidence that would inform us as to the link between the development of the Schneider 150mm f/2.8 and the Linhof Technika project?

[David Lindquist]

Excellent post - thank you.
Responding years later, but curiously that's one of the strengths of this type of forum. We always think the Internet is all about immediacy, and destroys anything that is more than a few milliseconds old, but this is not always the case, and forums may continue discussion over many years, unlike legacy print media.
Your post indicates the large-aperture lenses directly spurred by the Linhof Technika IV project, including the Zeiss three-lens set, as well as the Schneider Xenotar 150mm f/2.8.
The argument for the Zeiss set seems established, but I wonder about the Xenotar 150.
I have seen the Kling ad published below, and I am fascinated by it, however I have never seen anything in ANY German-based Linhof literature concerning the Schneider Xenotar 150.
I have never seen any Linhof prospectus advertising this lens, nor is it mentioned in any way in any of the Verlag Grossbild Technik publications from the time.
I am wondering - the Klingfilm advertisement aside (and I am not discrediting this interesting document) - do you have any documentary evidence that would inform us as to the link between the development of the Schneider 150mm f/2.8 and the Linhof Technika project?

Linhof Catalog No. 46 (in German) from 1969 here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B50p4jef-eUcZ0pvNjF0cU9ocjA/view?resourcekey=0-vQzB3clR8nsOdafgNWTezA shows the 150 mm f/2,8 Xenotar on pages 48-49. That's pages 48 and 49 of the catalog, page 21 of the pdf.

This is from Laflex's website.

David

[AeroTechnika]

Thank you for that - That's really interesting to see.
I have a prospectus from about the same time (maybe a couple years later) which shows almost all the same items, and all the same pictures and illustrations, but the only Xenotar it mentions is the 100mm f/4 (which is a very odd bird for a Xenotar).
So it is good to see it listed - thanks for that. I also have a couple of hardcover publications from Linhof, and several pricelists from over the years, but just no mention of the 150mm Xenotar. It appears it was never offered with the AeroTechnikas, though it would have been an excellent candidate - probably as good as the 135mm Planar they did offer. They did offer other Schneider lenses with the original Aero-Technika. Though the "basic" lens set was the Zeiss Biogon/Planar/Sonnar, they also offered Schneider Symmar 180mm, and Rodenstock Rotelar 270mm - possibly others. I have also never seen the Xenotar 150 mentioned as part of a lens "set" for any Technika camera.
Obviously the Aero-Technika electric version required a much greater level of integration with its motorized lens cones, so the lens offerings were fewer - basically Biogon 75/Planar 135/ Symmar 180/Tele-Arton 270 initially, but the Zeiss versions would be eliminated entirely in later models, in favor of all-Schneider Symmars, Symmar-S, Super Angulon 90.
Do you have any text indicating the 150mm Xenotar f/2.8 was indeed designed at the behest of Linhof for the Super-Technika IV?
Thank You.

[David Lindquist]

Thank you for that - That's really interesting to see.
I have a prospectus from about the same time (maybe a couple years later) which shows almost all the same items, and all the same pictures and illustrations, but the only Xenotar it mentions is the 100mm f/4 (which is a very odd bird for a Xenotar).
So it is good to see it listed - thanks for that. I also have a couple of hardcover publications from Linhof, and several pricelists from over the years, but just no mention of the 150mm Xenotar. It appears it was never offered with the AeroTechnikas, though it would have been an excellent candidate - probably as good as the 135mm Planar they did offer. They did offer other Schneider lenses with the original Aero-Technika. Though the "basic" lens set was the Zeiss Biogon/Planar/Sonnar, they also offered Schneider Symmar 180mm, and Rodenstock Rotelar 270mm - possibly others. I have also never seen the Xenotar 150 mentioned as part of a lens "set" for any Technika camera.
Obviously the Aero-Technika electric version required a much greater level of integration with its motorized lens cones, so the lens offerings were fewer - basically Biogon 75/Planar 135/ Symmar 180/Tele-Arton 270 initially, but the Zeiss versions would be eliminated entirely in later models, in favor of all-Schneider Symmars, Symmar-S, Super Angulon 90.
Do you have any text indicating the 150mm Xenotar f/2.8 was indeed designed at the behest of Linhof for the Super-Technika IV?
Thank You.

I have a Linhof publication titled "Linhof Report" and "The complete system of Linhof Photography", has a picture of the Technika 70 on the front. Can't immediately find a date code or copyright date. It includes the 100 mm f/4 Xenotar but not the 105 mm or 150 mm f/2.8 Xenotars. Is that the prospectus you have? Yes, an f/4 Xenotar seems odd.

Your last question is interesting. Did Linhof approach Schneider about designing a lens a bit longer (and faster) than the 135 mm f/3.5 Planar or did Schneider come up with the idea and inquire of Linhof if they were interested? Haven't seen anything about that.

David

[Embdude]

Excellent post - thank you.
Responding years later, but curiously that's one of the strengths of this type of forum. We always think the Internet is all about immediacy, and destroys anything that is more than a few milliseconds old, but this is not always the case, and forums may continue discussion over many years, unlike legacy print media.
Your post indicates the large-aperture lenses directly spurred by the Linhof Technika IV project, including the Zeiss three-lens set, as well as the Schneider Xenotar 150mm f/2.8.
The argument for the Zeiss set seems established, but I wonder about the Xenotar 150.
I have seen the Kling ad published below, and I am fascinated by it, however I have never seen anything in ANY German-based Linhof literature concerning the Schneider Xenotar 150.
I have never seen any Linhof prospectus advertising this lens, nor is it mentioned in any way in any of the Verlag Grossbild Technik publications from the time.
I am wondering - the Klingfilm advertisement aside (and I am not discrediting this interesting document) - do you have any documentary evidence that would inform us as to the link between the development of the Schneider 150mm f/2.8 and the Linhof Technika project?

The 150mm Xenotar 2.8 actually proceeds the 1956 45 Technika IV (1956-1963) and was available on the 45 Technika III (1946-1956).
The first Xenotar lenses are in 80mm length and are found on the Rolleiflex 2.8C in Late 1952. The 105mm for 6x9 and 150mm for 4x5 came a year or two later, I don't have an exact date but the serial numbers begin in the 3 millions indicating around 1954, and they end in the 10 millions about 1969.

The 150mm Xenotar is prominent in Linhof marketing/ advertising from about 1955 appearing on the Technika III ads in the first volume of the Grossbild Technik magazine.
When the IV is introduced in Koln at Photokina in October 1956 it is shown with the 150mm Xenotar lens, and it is prevalent in the marketing of this camera throughout the rest of the 1950's.

In addition to the 1969 catalog David Lindquist notes Laflex also has a 1956 pricelist which lists the Xenotar 150mm.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B50p4jef-eUcSTRqTXhITThfYW8/view?resourcekey=0-t066FSnP9fqioMrWueoqbw

The Zeiss lens set came out first for the Linhof 23 III about 1954 as well, but the 45 lenses only showed up in the last days of the III and the beginning of the IV in 1956.

1954 +/- 6 months seems to be the sweet spot for the Arrival of the Xenotar 150mm so any any announcement of the arrival should be looked for here. Linhof made a series of small informational booklets called Linhof Information that preceded the Grossbild Technik magazine of 1955. They were only in German and Laflex has the first 4, starting in 1951, on its site, however issues 5,6 & 7 are likely the ones that contain the info we need. I have tried but so far not been able to locate these issues...

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[AeroTechnika]

Yes, the prospectus I have is the "Linhof Report", exactly as you describe.
I also have a hardcover book called Photography in Industry, from Verlag Grössbild Technik ©1967. It lists the Xenotar 150mm as a "long-focus lens for 6.5 x 9cm film, with the note (Normal focus lenses which are really intended for the next larger format, but can be used for smaller formats). I get the feeling they were hesitant to advertise it as a 4x5 lens because it offers no adjustability on that size. The same book does however show a full-page photo of a Super Technika IV with a 150mm Xenotar on it.

[AeroTechnika]

Very interesting, thanks again.
I have two Rolleiflex 2.8D cameras, both with 80mm Xenotar f2.8 lenses. I have read that Franke& Heideke chose the Planar 3.5 and 2.8 lenses for these cameras, but Carl Zeiss was unable to keep up with the production demand of the popular TLRs, so Rollei turned to Schneider for a near-identical (albeit reversed) equivalent. Just a wild guess, for which I have zero substantiation, but could it be possible that Schneider reversed the Planar to avoid patent infringements on the Zeiss Planar? The Planars were always more expensive, and I believe even fetch higher prices on the used market today, but many users were equally or even more satidfied with the Xenotars.
I also have two 150mm 2,8 Xenotars - one is in the 4-million series and the other in the mid 7-million, so the production run must have been rather long. The two are slightly different, though I don't know whether it's just the machining or the actual optical formula that has changed. There is some documentary evidence of Xenotars in either five or six elements, however I have not seen claims of performance differences, unlike the Planar, which was substantially ameliorated in the 1968/69 version, according to Cröll's paper.

[AeroTechnika]

Very interesting, thanks again.
I have two Rolleiflex 2.8D cameras, both with 80mm Xenotar f2.8 lenses. I have read that Franke& Heideke chose the Planar 3.5 and 2.8 lenses for these cameras, but Carl Zeiss was unable to keep up with the production demand of the popular TLRs, so Rollei turned to Schneider for a near-identical (albeit reversed) equivalent. Just a wild guess, for which I have zero substantiation, but could it be possible that Schneider reversed the Planar to avoid patent infringements on the Zeiss Planar? The Planars were always more expensive, and I believe even fetch higher prices on the used market today, but many users were equally or even more satidfied with the Xenotars.
I also have two 150mm 2,8 Xenotars - one is in the 4-million series and the other in the mid 7-million, so the production run must have been rather long. The two are slightly different, though I don't know whether it's just the machining or the actual optical formula that has changed. There is some documentary evidence of Xenotars in either five or six elements, however I have not seen claims of performance differences, unlike the Planar, which was substantially ameliorated in the 1968/69 version, according to Cröll's paper.

[David Lindquist]

Very interesting, thanks again.
I have two Rolleiflex 2.8D cameras, both with 80mm Xenotar f2.8 lenses. I have read that Franke& Heideke chose the Planar 3.5 and 2.8 lenses for these cameras, but Carl Zeiss was unable to keep up with the production demand of the popular TLRs, so Rollei turned to Schneider for a near-identical (albeit reversed) equivalent. Just a wild guess, for which I have zero substantiation, but could it be possible that Schneider reversed the Planar to avoid patent infringements on the Zeiss Planar? The Planars were always more expensive, and I believe even fetch higher prices on the used market today, but many users were equally or even more satidfied with the Xenotars.
I also have two 150mm 2,8 Xenotars - one is in the 4-million series and the other in the mid 7-million, so the production run must have been rather long. The two are slightly different, though I don't know whether it's just the machining or the actual optical formula that has changed. There is some documentary evidence of Xenotars in either five or six elements, however I have not seen claims of performance differences, unlike the Planar, which was substantially ameliorated in the 1968/69 version, according to Cröll's paper.

There's a 150 mm 2.8 Xenotar currently on ebay described as "Late version", s/n 10 801 870 (so made between January 1967 and November 1968). It's Linhof select, engraved "Technika" in red on the bezel, mounted in a an electronic No. 3 Compur. Anyone know when production of the 150 mm 2.8 Xenotar ceased?

On re-reading Embdude's post I see "about 1969".

David

[Tin Can]

Thank you for the catalog download

I specialize in the studio cameras

Learned a lot!



The 150mm Xenotar 2.8 actually proceeds the 1956 45 Technika IV (1956-1963) and was available on the 45 Technika III (1946-1956).
The first Xenotar lenses are in 80mm length and are found on the Rolleiflex 2.8C in Late 1952. The 105mm for 6x9 and 150mm for 4x5 came a year or two later, I don't have an exact date but the serial numbers begin in the 3 millions indicating around 1954, and they end in the 10 millions about 1969.

The 150mm Xenotar is prominent in Linhof marketing/ advertising from about 1955 appearing on the Technika III ads in the first volume of the Grossbild Technik magazine.
When the IV is introduced in Koln at Photokina in October 1956 it is shown with the 150mm Xenotar lens, and it is prevalent in the marketing of this camera throughout the rest of the 1950's.

In addition to the 1969 catalog David Lindquist notes Laflex also has a 1956 pricelist which lists the Xenotar 150mm.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B50p4jef-eUcSTRqTXhITThfYW8/view?resourcekey=0-t066FSnP9fqioMrWueoqbw

The Zeiss lens set came out first for the Linhof 23 III about 1954 as well, but the 45 lenses only showed up in the last days of the III and the beginning of the IV in 1956.

1954 +/- 6 months seems to be the sweet spot for the Arrival of the Xenotar 150mm so any any announcement of the arrival should be looked for here. Linhof made a series of small informational booklets called Linhof Information that preceded the Grossbild Technik magazine of 1955. They were only in German and Laflex has the first 4, starting in 1951, on its site, however issues 5,6 & 7 are likely the ones that contain the info we need. I have tried but so far not been able to locate these issues...

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[Embdude]

There are also some very odd Xenotars...

100mm f4
https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?167167-Linhof-Xenotar-f4-Anyone-know-the-story-behind-this-short-lived-lens

105mm f3
https://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?56048-Xenotar-105mm-F3-lens&highlight=xenotar+105mm

210mm f2.8 - I have never even seen a photo of one of these unicorns...
https://www.photo.net/forums/topic/231027-updated-information-on-210mm-f28-schneider-xenotar/

Also Aero Xenotar and AV Xenotar lenses but I dont think the optical prescription for these is the same...

As far as I know only the 100 f4 above was sold as a "Linhof" select lens

[Embdude]

Three words: Graflex Speed Graphic. Huge swathes of industrial/ commercial/ military/ governmental/ institutional photography in the middle of the 20th century (and deep into the 1960s) was done with Speed Graphics, often with a monorail/ field camera as a backup. That the Speed Graphic was a popular press camera was only one aspect of its use - they were the ubiquitous professional camera in North America and a highly desired professional tool in the 1940s/50s within the US post-WWII sphere of cultural/ political influence/ persuasion. It's pretty obvious that the Linhof Super Technika was intended to be a one-camera solution that could do everything well in an extremely durable package - and with lenses that made E-1 Ektachrome more readily usable within markets that needed results in colour not just for pictorial, but analytical purposes. If you have too much time on your hands, there's quite a bit of old Industrial Photography materials (industry publications/ magazines) to be found that will give some important insights into the markets Linhof was after - and from the archives of those industries/ institutions, Sultan and Mandel's epochal work 'Evidence' sprung - which owes a great deal of its aesthetic impact to the fact that the original images were largely made on 4x5 negs.

Thanks for pointing out the work of Sultan and Mandel, I was unfamiliar, what a great project and quite an interesting story.

The Speed Graphic is certainly the workhorse camera of America. The amount of 4x5 cameras sold and volume of photography they produced is likely unrivaled! It for sure pioneered the 4x5 as a handhold camera and I am certain Linhof was inspired by this in the post war reconstruction.

By 1960 the Technika had become a sort of Swiss-Army system camera with a vast array of accessories available...

[Embdude]

There's a 150 mm 2.8 Xenotar currently on ebay described as "Late version", s/n 10 801 870 (so made between January 1967 and November 1968). It's Linhof select, engraved "Technika" in red on the bezel, mounted in a an electronic No. 3 Compur. Anyone know when production of the 150 mm 2.8 Xenotar ceased?

On re-reading Embdude's post I see "about 1969".

David

The TECHNIKA Xenotar in electronic compur shutters are the latest ones I have encountered with Linhof labels.

A non-Linhof Xenotar in barrel (front cell only) is on ebay now sn 12 275 766 - placing it in the early 1970's

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I have not gotten my hands on the Linhof Report booklet yet but it sees it was published twice in English, first in 1972 and again in 1975, not sure if there were changes between pubs...
Maybe one of you could make a scan of this book?