Linhof Technika IV (and later) Optical Centre

[Vaughan]

Hello

I have a question for Linhof Technika IV 4x5 and later owners: when a standard "offset" lens board is mounted on the camera, where is the "zero" position of the front standard: at the bottom, or with a few millimetres of rise ie, the offset?

I have a couple of cameras that can take Linhof boards (Wista, Toyo, though some need adaptors) and when everything is zeroed the position of the optical centre is anywhere except the centre of the ground glass. I'm trying to work out what my expectations should be: to wit, whether the Linhof was designed so that the zero position requires a few mm of rise, or the front standard is always at the lowest point.

¡Thanks!

[interneg]

The Technika is zeroed out for rise when opened to normal (not dropped bed) position.

If you look at a Technika front standard, you'll pretty quickly see why the hole in the board needs to be below nominal centre (a lot of mechanical parts taking up space under the standard).

[Vaughan]

Excellent, thanks.

I just bought an Intrepid (which is great) that will take a Linhof board, but they make their own boards too. It appears that their board is a simple rectangular piece of metal and the lens is placed in the dead centre; all the front standard zero points are designed around this geometry. My measurements suggest that this makes the hole centre of a standard "offset" Linhof board about 14mm below the zero point, which is causing problems with bellows compression on short lenses when rise needs to be made to centre the lens.

[Jim Andrada]

Isn't the solution just to get center hole "Technika" boards if you aren't going to use them on a Technika? They aren't hard to find.

[B.S.Kumar]

For anyone wanting them, I can offer Toyo brand Linhof Technika type lens boards with custom size holes drilled at any desired position. Naturally, they will cost a bit more than regular lens boards.

Kumar

[nobrains]

Using the Linhof for couple of years now, have realised that the off-center boards makes a good start from lower down as there is no scope to go lower unless you move the entire bed down. The zero position here really depends on how you want to place your subject as the vertical movement doesn't really change anything.
Again, this is my understanding with the limited use, seniors might have a different view for it.

[Havoc]

I think a lot depend on if you have most need of rise or of fall. Those offset boards can give you fall without having to drop the bed. But on my Wista, they take away rise that I need. So far I have never had the need to have more roadbed in my photo. So when I buy a lens and it comes with such an offset board I change it to a centered board.