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View Full Version : generic Technika board not tight on Master Technika



Jordan
13-Nov-2010, 21:09
I have a Master Technika and bought a new generic (Shen Hao version) copal 0 board for it after the Toyo version of the Technika board was too tight and then too loose after being filed down. Now it seems the new one is too loose. There is slop and I want none. Can anyone recommend the exact board for the Master Technika. Thanks in advance people.

Jack Dahlgren
13-Nov-2010, 21:16
Try a technika board. Or put a bit of tape around the edges of the one you have.

Jordan
13-Nov-2010, 21:41
Thanks Jack. Those certainly are two options. Which Technika board in particular? Has anyone had any better luck with one generic than another? I feel like I've read that older Technika boards don't quite fit newer Technika models as well. There is a brand that Richard Phillips sold to me with my Explorer that fit nicely, but I can't tell which they are and I only have those in copal 1 and 3.

Bob Salomon
13-Nov-2010, 22:08
Jordan

Several years ago Linhof put in new CNC milling machines and greatly tightened up the tolerances for the lens boards on their cameras. The tolerances became so tight that you might have to scrape a layer or two of paint off the edges of older boards to make them fit properly on a modern Linhof.

As to which board you need it depends on what lens you have and what shutter it is in and if you do or do not want a cable release quick coupling on the board if it is flat and for a 0 or 1 shutter.

Jim Noel
15-Nov-2010, 13:10
Don't buy a generic, buy a Technika board. There are ridges on it which I have never seen on a generic or Toyo.

Jordan
14-Mar-2011, 19:40
Will an official Wista technika board be almost as good as a Linhof? Sorry to bring up an old thread, but instead of starting a new one, I decided to add. I need an extra copal 0 lensboard for a master technika still.

Bob Salomon
15-Mar-2011, 02:12
Will an official Wista technika board be almost as good as a Linhof? Sorry to bring up an old thread, but instead of starting a new one, I decided to add. I need an extra copal 0 lensboard for a master technika still.

No it won't.

Frank Petronio
15-Mar-2011, 05:02
Jeez man up and buy a used OEM board! If you're patient you can find decent flat ones in the $35 range. They really are better made.

Noah A
15-Mar-2011, 05:08
When I bought my Technikardan 45S, it came with three original Linhof boards. That was enough for all buy one of my lenses. I tried one of my Wista original boards (a recent one that I bought new). It fits, but barely. It's very tight and I stopped using it since I don't want to cause extra wear to the camera.

The Linhof boards are expensive, but in my opinion, it's foolish to save a few bucks on a lensboard that doesn't fit properly.

Brian Ellis
15-Mar-2011, 06:11
Are you talking about so much "slop" that the generic board is in danger of falling out or leaking light? If so get Technika boards. They're ridiculously overpriced but I mostly used them and never had any that didn't fit perfectly. OTOH, if it's just a very minor amount of "slop" and you don't like the cost of Technika boards I'd just try to get used to it. Although I normally bought Technika boards I also bought used lenses that came with a Horseman board and a Wista board and I bought generics sold by Adorama and Midwest Photo. All of them were perfectly usable though I preferred Linhof boards for the totally irrational reasons that I liked the looks of the Linhof badge and I thought a Linhof camera should have a Linhof board.

Bob Salomon
15-Mar-2011, 06:18
As I hjave posted many, many times on this board.

Several years ago Linhof installed new machining tools at the factory and with these tools they tightened the specifications for their front lens standard and their lensboards to eliminate play between the board and the camera. They tightened the standard to such an extent that some older Linhof boards will not fit the camera unless the paint on the side edges of the older Linhof board are scraped off the board.
That also means that virtually all 3rd party boards will have play on a modern Linhof.

Jordan,

Do you want a flat board or a recessed board? A flat board with or without the cable release QS? A 6mm, 12mm or 21mm recessed board?

Or, what lens do you want to mount? Then I can give you Linhof's specific recommendation for the board.

eddie
15-Mar-2011, 06:21
It fits, but barely. It's very tight and I stopped using it since I don't want to cause extra wear to the camera.
.

file it down.

Kirk Gittings
15-Mar-2011, 09:34
Or if it too loose, put a couple of three layers of super glue (but let it dry completely before using!) along the contact points. Down and dirty but works like a charm and is durable.

Jordan
15-Mar-2011, 11:18
Here's the deal, Linhof boards are super expensive and I'd rather put that towards a lens, film, etc. The Shen Hao board has slop and I've put a little tape in places but that doesn't allow it to sit entirely flat. I am looking for the "best" alternative to an actual Linhof board.

Bob Salomon
15-Mar-2011, 11:33
Here's the deal, Linhof boards are super expensive and I'd rather put that towards a lens, film, etc. The Shen Hao board has slop and I've put a little tape in places but that doesn't allow it to sit entirely flat. I am looking for the "best" alternative to an actual Linhof board.

Maybe a Wista but not guaranteed. The others are just not made to the same precision. And those stop gap ideas like tape and glue can affect the parallaism and the final result so you could suffer some optically.

Since you are talking about the Linhof Master Technika which will have a list price of $9813.99 on 4/1/11 and its flat board for a 0 shutter will have a list price of $192.99 also on 4/1/11 that really isn't that expensive if you are using one of the most expensive cameras made for 45.

Sort of like driving a luxury car. it uses premium gas and very expensive tires and rims. And it gets you there just like a compact car would on regular gas and inexpensive tires and rims. But the experience of driving and riding in the two are very different. If you want the Master to perform as it was designed to then use the tools made for it.

Noah A
15-Mar-2011, 12:05
I'm with bob on this one, though I do cringe whenever I see Linhof prices...

I'm a working (sometimes struggling) documentary photographer and I'm certainly on a budget. While I bought most of my gear used, in my case we're talking a $2k lens on a $5k camera. When I do a shooting trip I may easily go through 200 sheets of color film in a few weeks, so that's another $1k in film and processing. Not to mention the cost of airfare, hotels, a translator/fixer/guide, etc.

A few bucks extra for a lensboard that will maintain the precision of the camera is worth it in my opinion.

I guess the 'best alternative' would be either the super-glue trick or a Wista board. They're of high quality. As I said, they don't fit well in my technikardan but I guess I'd rather remove a few layers of paint and fit a larger board to a smaller opening than the other way around. Anything you add to a thinner board is eventually going to wear out.

Kirk Gittings
15-Mar-2011, 12:17
No offense to Bob and his camera line which is superb.

My suggestion was not based on using Linhofs with lens stops and a rangefinder (those may require more precesion than my field cameras). I am refering to the LB slack in other fine field VCs that use Linhof style boards. I too am a working photographer and I can assure you that my fix works just fine on any camera that you focus with the ground glass. Didn't mean to confuse the issue.

Jordan
15-Mar-2011, 12:47
No way would I have ever been able to afford a brand new Master Technika which is why I found a beautiful used example months ago. With that being said I understand your analogy Bob. I know you have no control over the pricing, but unless I find an actual Linhof Technika board at what I consider an affordable price there is little chance I can justify it. I appreciate all the suggestions and responses regardless.

Frank Petronio
15-Mar-2011, 13:31
Post a WTB ad here and watch eBay, especially German eBay.de. I won't pay over $40 for genuine one and I've never had a problem with it taking more than a week to come up with one.

The odd holes and recessed ones are a different story but for flat Copal 0-1-3 no prob.

Bob Salomon
15-Mar-2011, 13:52
Post a WTB ad here and watch eBay, especially German eBay.de. I won't pay over $40 for genuine one and I've never had a problem with it taking more than a week to come up with one.

The odd holes and recessed ones are a different story but for flat Copal 0-1-3 no prob.

But do be aware, older Linhof Technika boards will possibly require that layer of paint scraped off for the board to fit properly. A butter or table knife works best to scrape it off.

GPS
15-Mar-2011, 14:19
Or if it too loose, put a couple of three layers of super glue (but let it dry completely before using!) along the contact points. Down and dirty but works like a charm and is durable.

No, it is not durable. Unfortunately, it is not common knowledge for the wide lay public that super glue looses its strength in freezing temperatures and becomes fragile and brittle. On the positive side it is easy to detach parts glued with super glue if you can put them to a freezer for some time...

Kirk Gittings
15-Mar-2011, 14:44
I've done this on a few boards and they are still working fine a few years later.

GPS
15-Mar-2011, 14:49
I've learnt that the hard way during winter in mountains photography before I found the explication in literature.

Kirk Gittings
15-Mar-2011, 16:46
I'm not gluing anything per se. I am just using the glue itself as a kind of shim. I store my lf cameras in an unheated room and it does get well below freezing here for much of the winter and I shoot in that weather too. It works fine.

Brian Ellis
15-Mar-2011, 18:00
No way would I have ever been able to afford a brand new Master Technika which is why I found a beautiful used example months ago. With that being said I understand your analogy Bob. I know you have no control over the pricing, but unless I find an actual Linhof Technika board at what I consider an affordable price there is little chance I can justify it. I appreciate all the suggestions and responses regardless.

As I said before, I did mostly bite the bullet and buy Technika boards with my Tech V and Master Technikas. But the Wista, Horseman (for their Woodfield model), Adorama, and Midwest generics all worked fine. Why don't you just buy one and see if it suits you, if not return it.

GPS
16-Mar-2011, 02:17
I'm not gluing anything per se. I am just using the glue itself as a kind of shim. I store my lf cameras in an unheated room and it does get well below freezing here for much of the winter and I shoot in that weather too. It works fine.

I understand that. But as soon as the glue layer made brittle by the freezing temps gets stronger pressure on itself it will behave like thin glass layer under pressure. It just didn't get that pressure yet.
Model builders use the freezing temps to de-glue parts glued with crazy glue. A drop of the hardened glue put to a freezer will come out brittle as an ice drop.

Keith Pitman
16-Mar-2011, 06:16
But do be aware, older Linhof Technika boards will possibly require that layer of paint scraped off for the board to fit properly. A butter or table knife works best to scrape it off.

How much is a Linhof butter knife? :)

Bob Salomon
16-Mar-2011, 06:35
How much is a Linhof butter knife? :)

You can use a plain vanilla Danish one, or a Chinese one if that is all that is available. Linhof ones are quite rare and valuable since they closed the cafeteria at the factory. They were probably made by WMF anyway.

Neal Chaves
18-Mar-2011, 14:49
I no longer use the Master Technika, but when I did, the most serious problem I saw with after market lens boards was the positioning of the lens center. Linhof Technika IV, V and Master lens boards have the lens center low in the light trap circle, whereas clone boards were drilled dead center. This results in unintended rise when used on a Linhof camera.