Linhof Technika IV and its younger siblings ...

[Ig Nacio]

Hi,

Which Linhof Technika camera would you use, or get, if you were to get one?

Would it be a Technika IV, or any of its younger siblings like the Technika,
or the 'Master Technika'?

There is no place near me to see a Linhof Technika. i can only see a
Linhof Technika through pictures and descriptions of it on the internet.

I may never get a Linhof Technika, but I am interested to know if
it is very much different to what I have seen or used.

I use a field camera of a different brand than that of Linhof.

I got this field camera because of its relatively slimness in weight and
also due to its compactness.

It is a Horseman 45FA.

A guy I know, who lives in the same city I live, has a 'bulkier', but
lighter in weight camera than the Horseman 45FA.

His camera is a Toyo 45CF.

You may know, or be familiar with both of these cameras.

I have 'played' a bit with his camera. To me, with regard to feel,
I find not much of a difference with mine, except that the focusing
screen of the Toyo feels a tad brighter.

My most used lenses are a 75mm. lens and a 210mm. lens.

I have read a bit about Linhof Technika cameras: the IV, the V, the
'Master Technika', etc.

They all look the same to me from the pictures I have seen: in essence a
'solid box' with a rangefinder. It seems to me that there is not much more
of a difference with regard to the focal lengths I already use with my
camera, and the ones one could use with a Linhof Technika.

The only big difference I see, is that the newer ones are much more
expensive, but in essence is the same camera, seems to me. One only
needs to find any of these cameras in an 'ok' condition because all are
relatively old.

If you have, or have used a Technika IV, V, or Master Technika, could you
please tell me if you felt something may have been in essence missing
with regard to using any of the other Linhof Technikas, or even with regard
to field cameras from another make that you may be familiar, or may have
used?

Would you advice anyone against getting a Technika IV? It is the older,
but cheaper model among the aforementioned.

Any comment or suggestion is appreciated.

Thank you in advance, kind regards!

Ig : )!!!

[DwarvenChef375]

I inherited a Linhof Technika 4 with only a 135 3.5 lens. I’m rather spoiled in the fact that this was my only LF camera at the time. The few times I took it to school for a project I had to fight off my instructors with a stick. I really had no clue to why they all wanted to play with it.

To be honest I was very pleased with how it works that when read about the newer models, I was not overly impressed with the upgrades to miss having them. I just got a line on a Speed Graphic, if it’s affordable enough I’ll get it to see haw different thew work.

[Tin Can]

I highly suggest you try for the impossible, a barely used SG with original lens

I like the 3X4 better as it is lighter and more are 90%

Use the curtain carefully and don't test at 1/000

[Ig Nacio]

Hi,

Thank you for your responses : )!!!

I treasure what you say about the camera. It looks like a wonderful camera.
Also in the sense that it has not changed much. That what is important is
there, regardless of the features in the newer models.

I'll also try to find out more about the Speed Graphic.

Thank you again, kind regards,

Ig

[rfesk]

The Linhof Technika's from IV and newer are all very nice. They weigh more but other than having a rangefinder won't do any more that your Horseman.

[Corran]

Master Technika for sure. The prices are a lot less than they used to be. The flap on top is excellent for using 90mm lens and front rise, and the lever rise (introduced on the V) is much nicer than on older models.

Also easier to find cams for handheld shooting if you are into that.

Speed Graphic for faster shutter speeds / barrel lenses...

[Embdude]

Linhof still sells the 4x5 Technika new today if you wish for a brand new one... B&H sells them new in the USA for $12,928.99...

Luckily for most of us the used 4x5 Technika is a much more affordable option...

For the 4x5 models the Technika III (1946-1956) is currently the bargain model.
Earlier Technika models (1934-1945) were generally European 9x12cm glass plate format. They are not as common and today seem to generally cost more than the later III design.
The Technika IV is also a bargain model but still generally cost twice as much as a III. The 4x5 IV (1956-1963) is the same basic design as todays new Master model but there have been some improvements made over the last 65 years.

The major improvements over the Technika IV have been with RF cams, the improved handling of wide angle lenses, and slightly increased range of view camera movements.

- The IV used GG shims in conjunction with the rangefinder cams and as a result every Technika IV may be slightly different and the cams are not interchangeable between model IV cameras because of this (you need to have one made for every specific lens & camera). Later models used a standardized factory zeroed GG and thus were all the same so once a cam was made for a lens it could be transferred to another camera and still work perfectly.

- The IV and later models can couple lenses down to 75mm to the rangefinder. However the field camera is not well suited for easy use of wide angle lenses. A 75mm lens on the Technika will set back into the camera housing physically limiting full view camera movements and making it tough for my fat fingers to reach the controls and make any adjustments to rise or vertical swing. The V improved this a bit by adding a lever jack rather than a knob to operate the rise when a lens is set back into the body housing. The Master Technika went even further and added a flap so that you could get up through the housing with the rise. The Technika 2000 and 3000 have no rangefinder but have a focusable internal track that allows for lenses wider than 75mm to be easily focused.

I love my Technika's but the weak spot for a user is the difficulty or lack of ease using the wider lenses that set back in the housing.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52205948111_de83708846_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2nxg8xD)All those 45 Technikas... (https://flic.kr/p/2nxg8xD) by C Canon (https://www.flickr.com/photos/97603721@N00/), on Flickr

[David Lindquist]

Linhof still sells the 4x5 Technika new today if you wish for a brand new one... B&H sells them new in the USA for $12,928.99...

Luckily for most of us the used 4x5 Technika is a much more affordable option...



New Master Technika Classic available for rather less from Linhof & Studio in England, £6690 or $8225 by today's exchange rate. Still a chunk of change. From my experience with L&S, shipping would be about $40. Shipping for a purchase of this amount from B&H would be free. From L&S one might have to pay import duty; on the other hand if you live in a U.S. state with sales tax, B&H would collect that.

David

[Embdude]

New Master Technika Classic available for rather less from Linhof & Studio in England, £6690 or $8225 by today's exchange rate. Still a chunk of change. From my experience with L&S, shipping would be about $40. Shipping for a purchase of this amount from B&H would be free. From L&S one might have to pay import duty; on the other hand if you live in a U.S. state with sales tax, B&H would collect that.

David

Wow for such a difference in price it would be worth the trip to England to pick it up!

[Ig Nacio]

Hi,

Thank you again for your responses : )!!! I really appreciate it!

@rfesk - Yes, that seems to be the catch with the Linhof Technikas: they (apparently) have this very precise rangefinder!
The other camera makes don't have that.

@Corran - Yes, it is my understanding that they have the easiest and better option for a nice handheld shooting.

@Embdude - Yes, in my case I may only be able afford it used, if so. The Horseman 45FA I bought cost $700USD, less than a year and half ago.
The Horseman 45FA is a very nice camera that is compact and light in weight. At the moment I feel tempted to get for it a
brighter screen, or GG, I saw on ebay. The Linhof Technikas, even used, are more expensive than many LF cameras out there.
My widest lens is a 75mm. f/6.8 lens and it is relatively easy to focus on the Horseman 45FA. That same lens has been mounted on a Toyo
110x110mm. lens board to be used with a Toyo 45CF. The 75mm. f/6.8 closes in inside the Toyo 45CF, as if it were a clamshell. That lens is,
however, too big to be closed in inside the Horseman 45FA. As opposed to the Linhof Technikas, both the Horseman 45FA and Toyo 45CF have
limitations, if you will, when using longer lenses. I have not seen used with any of them a lens longer than 210mm. We may get a 240mm.
lens on loan to try on with the Toyo 45CF. I don't think the Horseman 45FA bellows' stretches as far as the Toyo 45CF. With the Linhof Technikas
one can even use some lenses between 300mm. and 40mm., I think.

@David Lindquist - Yes, it is a better price than that from other dealers. Many people may prefer it new. Some used Technikas are expensive and
additional work from a service like Laflex may lead to several people to buy it new.

@Embdude - Yes, if someone happens to buy it from Linhof & Studio, in England, it would be nice to go and pick it up there : )!!!

Thank you very much again, very kind regards!

[Tom Monego]

I have a Technika IV and I am just getting back to using it after several years off. I bought it with a 150 Apo Lanthar and a 90 f8 Super Angulon in the late 1980s. It is a little funky to use with the 90, because you have to drop the bed to keep it from catching the end of the bed, but it is an excellent lens, my copy anyway. I just put a 240 G Claron on a Technika lens board, I have taken one picture with it, infinity is a full extension to the end of the retracked bed, so you have the focus distance of how far the bed moves. You may be able to extend the bellows with pulling out the back, but you won't get super closeups. The G Claron is a nice size for the camera. Other lenses I have for it are a 120 Angulon and a 120 Nikkor Apo-Macro Ed. I find the camera very easy to use.

[Ben Calwell]

I’m thinking of buying a Tech III or IV, but am hesitant due to the pain (from what I’ve read) of using a 90mm lens with them. Just how difficult is it to use a 90? Is it a major or minor annoyance? I know the bed has to be dropped, and I would guess that lens rise would be restricted. I like the precision and ruggedness of Linhofs, but maybe I should opt for something like a Chamonix with a universal bellows.

[interneg]

Just how difficult is it to use a 90? Is it a major or minor annoyance?

If you want to use it cammed to the RF and don't need significant movements, it's not a big deal. A IV is less of a pain than a III. That being said, unless you need the outright durability of a Linhof or the handheld/ RF options, the Chamonix is much less trouble with a 90.

[inversed]

I’m thinking of buying a Tech III or IV, but am hesitant due to the pain (from what I’ve read) of using a 90mm lens with them. Just how difficult is it to use a 90? Is it a major or minor annoyance? I know the bed has to be dropped, and I would guess that lens rise would be restricted. I like the precision and ruggedness of Linhofs, but maybe I should opt for something like a Chamonix with a universal bellows.

It's not as painful as people like to say.

I recently bought a Super Angulon 90mm 5.6 to replace my very old SA 90mm 8. I'm using it on my Technika IV with a flat board while awaiting my new comfort board.

I did some tests yesterday, with the flat board i have no problem getting 25mm of rise. With the comfort board the flange distance will go from 103 to 115mm and should give me more than 30mm of rise (1/3 of the image in landscape mode). While i'm still limited (the SA 90 5.6 allow 50ish mm of rise), it's more rise than i usually need and the vignetting is not pronounced enough to need a center filter.

I rarely shoot in portrait mode with the 90mm, but the few times i did, a little bit of rise was enough to hide the bed at infinity without dropping the bed.

Finally, be aware that some of the older recessed board while looking very deep were just 6mm recessed. My old SA 90/8 with the original recessed board sit at almost the same place as the new 90mm 5.6 on a flat board.

[Ben Calwell]

It's not as painful as people like to say.

I recently bought a Super Angulon 90mm 5.6 to replace my very old SA 90mm 8. I'm using it on my Technika IV with a flat board while awaiting my new comfort board.

I did some tests yesterday, with the flat board i have no problem getting 25mm of rise. With the comfort board the flange distance will go from 103 to 115mm and should give me more than 30mm of rise (1/3 of the image in landscape mode). While i'm still limited (the SA 90 5.6 allow 50ish mm of rise), it's more rise than i usually need and the vignetting is not pronounced enough to need a center filter.

I rarely shoot in portrait mode with the 90mm, but the few times i did, a little bit of rise was enough to hide the bed at infinity without dropping the bed.

Finally, be aware that some of the older recessed board while looking very deep were just 6mm recessed. My old SA 90/8 with the original recessed board sit at almost the same place as the new 90mm 5.6 on a flat board.

That’s good to know. Thank you.

[warpath]

Linhof still sells the 4x5 Technika new today if you wish for a brand new one... B&H sells them new in the USA for $12,928.99...

Luckily for most of us the used 4x5 Technika is a much more affordable option...

For the 4x5 models the Technika III (1946-1956) is currently the bargain model.
Earlier Technika models (1934-1945) were generally European 9x12cm glass plate format. They are not as common and today seem to generally cost more than the later III design.
The Technika IV is also a bargain model but still generally cost twice as much as a III. The 4x5 IV (1956-1963) is the same basic design as todays new Master model but there have been some improvements made over the last 65 years.

The major improvements over the Technika IV have been with RF cams, the improved handling of wide angle lenses, and slightly increased range of view camera movements.

- The IV used GG shims in conjunction with the rangefinder cams and as a result every Technika IV may be slightly different and the cams are not interchangeable between model IV cameras because of this (you need to have one made for every specific lens & camera). Later models used a standardized factory zeroed GG and thus were all the same so once a cam was made for a lens it could be transferred to another camera and still work perfectly.

- The IV and later models can couple lenses down to 75mm to the rangefinder. However the field camera is not well suited for easy use of wide angle lenses. A 75mm lens on the Technika will set back into the camera housing physically limiting full view camera movements and making it tough for my fat fingers to reach the controls and make any adjustments to rise or vertical swing. The V improved this a bit by adding a lever jack rather than a knob to operate the rise when a lens is set back into the body housing. The Master Technika went even further and added a flap so that you could get up through the housing with the rise. The Technika 2000 and 3000 have no rangefinder but have a focusable internal track that allows for lenses wider than 75mm to be easily focused.

I love my Technika's but the weak spot for a user is the difficulty or lack of ease using the wider lenses that set back in the housing.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52205948111_de83708846_o.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2nxg8xD)All those 45 Technikas... (https://flic.kr/p/2nxg8xD) by C Canon (https://www.flickr.com/photos/97603721@N00/), on Flickr

I've never seen that 1956 model but I want it haha. Would go great with a tesla cybertruck. I just need a cybertruck now. As for the original question, I have a IV now. I find I don't need the rangefinder, it's just added weight. So if I was to get another one, I'd probably opt for one of the newer rangefinderless models. But I'd buy a IV again. I also have a wisner field camera, beautiful camera, but I prefer technika.