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Rudy81
20-Sep-2006, 14:21
First, let me appologize if this is not the place to ask this question. However, since this forum is dedicated to large format photography, I decided to seek guidance here. I am not a photographer, but my father (88 years old) is.

He has a Linhof Technika V ( I am not positive on the model, but have done as much research as I could on the subject) with two Schneider lenses and most of the necessary accessories.

My dad wants me to sell the camera for him on eBay, but I suggested he first find out if any professionals or large format afficionados have any suggestions.

I would like to know where is the best place to sell such a camera? Can any of you suggest any web sites that might help me determine the value of his gear? Also, one of his lenses is a convertible lens that I beleive has a problem. I am trying to contact Marflex to see if I need to send it to them. The black bezel on the lens is rotating to the left, thus throwing off the apperture settings and messing with the operation of the shutter speed. Is this bezel supposed to move?

Thanks for your help, and again, I appologize if this is not a good place to post this message.

Ron Marshall
20-Sep-2006, 14:55
KEH Camera Brokers gives online or phone estimates on equipment, and their website has much LF gear for sale for comparison purposes:

http://www.keh.com/OnLineStore/SellYourGear.aspx

Rudy81
20-Sep-2006, 17:13
Thanks for the lead.

Frank Petronio
20-Sep-2006, 17:25
If you can post digital photos, this forum has a for sale section. I think people would give you a reasonable idea of the value if you ask first, then offer it for sale at "X" date to the best offer.

This avoids the eBay fees and helps build this small community. Everybody wins. Try to sell to a "known" person - i.e. someone who has participated here for a while, as that will avoid the outright scammers, although as the seller you have the upper hand (always get paid first, don't accept returns unless something is clearly wrong and don't make a refund until you inspect it.)

A clean Technika V with a pair of vintage lenses will probably be in the $1000-$1250 range unless they are truly mint or very trashed.

Rudy81
20-Sep-2006, 19:01
Frank:
Thank you sir. I will see if I can post some pictures tomorrow so you can see what my dad has. He has taken meticulous care of his equipment and I would guess that his gear is in great shape, except for the question I have on the convertible lens. Just looking at its operation, I am not sure what the problem is.

Rudy81
20-Sep-2006, 19:08
Oops, I stand corrected. He wants me to pictures tonight, so they should be up shortly. I may put them up on a web site to save you guys bandwidth on the forum. I greatly appreciate your comments.

BTW, I am all too familiar with the scammers etc. My hobby lies in vintage audio gear and there are plenty of folks in that area that love to take advantage....which is why I came here. I certainly would prefer a buyer who can really appreciate and USE what the equipment really is, not just someone who wants to buy low sell high.

Thanks again.

cyrus
20-Sep-2006, 19:32
You can always run a Ebay "completed auctions" search to see what similar items have gone for in the past...

Rudy81
20-Sep-2006, 20:00
Cyrus, yes, I did that but could not find that specific camera. Also, I could not find one with various lenses and attachments. I did find a Master Technika which went for $4300 if I remember correctly, but it was a Master and had more lenses etc.

The hastily taken pictures can be found here http://www.prontoweb.com/Linhof/Linhof.html and should give you an idea of what it is and it's basic condition.

The last time the camera was used was about 28 years ago. My dad has since had it in a case in his home.

Thanks for all the help.

Frank Petronio
20-Sep-2006, 21:08
It is definitely a Technika V. I think the outfit is worth around $1350 to $1500, depending upon whether the shutter is OK, the rangefinder is bright and working properly, and the bellows is supple and lighttight. eBay prices will vary ~33% plus or minus either way depending on luck, timing, and the quality of your ad. I don't think a dealer would offer more than $7-800 tops, and be more likely to want to trade for a digital camera. If you do a good ad and have good photos, plus luck and timing, I've seen similar outfits go for $1800 or so on eBay. But I've also watched them go for $1100.

The shutter is probably OK or an easy repair and overall it looks great from the photos. The roll film back needs to be identified better (which format and size) and the reflex viewer is always a strange, difficult item to sell, but they certainly add value to the outfit. Unless the film holders are metal Linhof ones, they are inexpensive items.

Why not post a for sale ad here for a few days and see what happens? You can also post on photo.net and maybe apug.org. After that, go to eBay or lower the price.

Good luck.

Mike Boden
20-Sep-2006, 21:13
My hobby lies in vintage audio gear

Really?!? I work professionally in post-production film audio as a re-recording mixer. So when you say this is your hobby, exactly in what way? What kind of gear do you have or are you into? I have a variety of gear at my home studio, but I have to say the coolest vintage gear I have is a Sontec 250C EQ. This baby is a beauty. Are you familiar with this EQ?

Anyway, I'm curious so I thought I'd ask and see what you're into.

Brian Ellis
20-Sep-2006, 21:26
A Technika V camera alone in excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition should sell on ebay in the $1300 - $1400 range. There is a Technika V in the completed sales section of ebay that had a $799 opening bid and attracted no bids. However, it looks pretty ratty and was located in Poland. You'd have to provide more information about the lenses to estimate their value. The universal finder on the top of the camera should sell for about $200 - $250 by itself if it's in excellent condition. I'm not sure about the roll film holder. You'll probably get more money by selling everything separately but of course that's more trouble too. You might try selling here and in the classified ad section of photo.net first to avoid ebay fees, then put anything that doesn't sell on ebay.

If the camera has been stored unopened for 28 years you'll obviously need to give it a thorough check, especially the bellows. Bellows that sit around like that tend to develop pin hole light leaks. Do the flashlight test in a dark room, paying particular attention to the corners of the bellows, before you try to sell it so that you can assure buyers that it has no light leaks or warn them if it does. .

Be careful with Marflex. They're very good but very expensive. The cost of repairing an old convertible lens could end up costing more than the lens is worth.

Frank Petronio
20-Sep-2006, 21:38
i missed the second lens, sorry. Of course people need to know the focal length. aperture, brand, serial number, and type of shutter. Your shutters are probably gummed up and slow from age but given the value of the lenses, it would be better to have the buyer to get them cleaned and adjusted ($75-100 each +-).

Brian, maybe some have paid that much for just the Tech V but I think that is pretty high when you see user Tech IVs going for $7-800 all the time, and either camera is very similiar.

al olson
21-Sep-2006, 06:03
I have purchased a lot of photo equipment and accessories on ebay, including a Linhof Color 4x5 rail camera and a Technika IV. The IV is a joy to use, but a pain to lug around. Maybe it is my age?

Mechanically, there is not much difference in design between the IV, the V, and the Master. I think the major difference is that on the V they changed from a knob to a lever to raise the front standard. On the Master, they changed the color of the covering and sell the body, new, for around $5500.

If you have the cams for the lenses and if the lenses are in excellent condition, I agree with Brian, the camera and lenses alone should bring around $1500 to $1600. Your camera is in excellent condition and I would pay that much for it if I did not have my IV.

The rest of the equipment I would sell piecemeal. That little viewfinder on the top of the camera should sell for 200-300. Mine fell apart a couple of months ago when I lost two little screws. I did a little research and found mint used going for $300 on ebay. I believe the price of a new one is around $1300 (that's not a typo!). Incredible for the simple design that it is. Fortunately, I was able to fine a couple of tiny metric screws that fit and reassemble it myself.

I paid $165 for an anatomic grip in new condition. Scruffy ones go for $75. The back should bring around $200. I paid around $200 (too much!) for a viewer-rectifier, but you should at least get $150. The later two piece viewers bring around $300 on ebay. Even the cable release would bring $40. If those film holders are Linhof they will easily bring $40-50 apiece, otherwise I would include them with the camera.

If the lenses are cammed, I would send it to one of the repair shops advertised in Shutterbug. Devil Mountain has done some excellent work for me. It may cost a couple of hundred, but the equipment is in such pristine condition that being able to advertise two cammed, working lenses would be a real plus for any buyer.

Nice system. If I weren't already well-equipped I would buy it myself.

Har kul! (have fun)
al

Rudy81
21-Sep-2006, 06:40
Frank: Thank you for all the information. I am certainly leaning to offering it first here and photo.net. I have to find out about the lens condition first. If I put it up I will need to be as detailed in the description as possible, including flaws etc. Of course, I would prefer a local pickup in the DFW, Texas area so the buyer could inspect the gear first.

As far as my audio gear, Mike, I have all vintage Klipsch speakers in my Home Theater. The actual electronics is modern solid state.

Rudy81
21-Sep-2006, 07:25
i missed the second lens, sorry. Of course people need to know the focal length. aperture, brand, serial number, and type of shutter. Your shutters are probably gummed up and slow from age but given the value of the lenses, it would be better to have the buyer to get them cleaned and adjusted ($75-100 each +-).

Brian, maybe some have paid that much for just the Tech V but I think that is pretty high when you see user Tech IVs going for $7-800 all the time, and either camera is very similiar.

Frank: The lenses are Schneider Symmar lenses. How can I tell what kind of shutter they have? Remember, I know almost nothing about photography, other than point and shoot my digital camera. As you indicated, I would rather have the buyer take care of sending off the lenses for cleaning and lube to their trusted shop. I will just be up front and explain that the system has not been used in a long time and will need some TLC. However, the camera and other gear has been babyed.

Bill_1856
21-Sep-2006, 08:05
No, it is a Technika IV, not a V -- note the knob, not a lever, to raise the lens. What lens does it have? This may make a lot of difference in the price.

Rudy81
21-Sep-2006, 09:00
No, it is a Technika IV, not a V -- note the knob, not a lever, to raise the lens. What lens does it have? This may make a lot of difference in the price.

Bill: The mechanism to raise the lens is a black lever that tapers toward the front. I will post more detailed pictures when I get a chance. The lenses are:

Schneider Angulon 1:6.8/90 seiral 9733843 Synchro-Compur and
Schneider Symmar 1:5.6/150 in white lettering and 1:12/265 in green lettering, serial number 6162613. I am assuming this is a convertible lens. The rear (toward camera) portion of this lens unscrews.

Based on my research, I beleive this camera is a V, but then again that is why I have asked your help. The serial on the camera is 2122988. I hope this helps.

Rudy81
21-Sep-2006, 09:10
Here is close up of the lever and the convertible lens.

Frank Petronio
21-Sep-2006, 09:36
It is definitely a V and that is a good Schneider Symmar in a Linhof Syncro Compur rim set shutter. The lens is worth $175 to $250 depending on luck. I guess some people think a V is worth more than I said, in which case you should take the money and run!