Decorating an old Linhof Technika IV

[Frank Petronio]

OK I have a well-used, dirty, old-school 65-year old Linhof Technika IV before me. I'm doing surgery and replacing the focusing hood with a metal one from a Crown Graphic. And replacing the bellows. And, hating rangefinders on large-format (after years of experience with them) means that I'm going to yank the darn thing off and throw it away (Now I know Bob S. will tell me it will hurt my resale value but this baby is a beater to begin with....)

But... my big question is how to decorate this Tech once I rip and scrub and scrap this nasty old tan covering off? I could take the easy way out and order a new black covering from cameraleather.com but has anyone ever done anything cool, strange, weird with a Technika?

Part of me says just strip it all clean and polish the Aluminum. It's not like I need it to be all grippy and I don't shoot still live so it's not like the camera will reflect into the set-up that often. And shouldn't it stay cooler to the touch? Then when I resell it I can claim it was a NASA Linhof and it went up in a Gemini capsule or something.

I was also reading about using Aluminum primer and paint, after washing the surfaces with a Vinegar rinse. Anyone ever paint a Tech? All one color would be cool. I would want to mess with getting the focusing track off, I'd only want to paint the exterior of the box.

Another part of me says to cover it all with Gaffer tape and fuggedaboudit.... Gaffer's technically does everything I'd want it to do and it would be in keeping with the rough and ready, larger than life persona I... wish I had.

What were those Germans thinking when they made their cameras tan, creme, and brown? Was it less threatening and war-like to have a hideously ugly camera?

[William Whitaker]

Don't waste good gaffer's tape, Frank. Just use some duct tape.

[Robert Ley]

Frank,
Look into getting it powder coated. Extremely durable and you can get it painted whatever color you want. You could be the first one on your block or the planet for that matter to have a Pink Technika!

[Erik Larsen]

Rhino lining!

[Frank Petronio]

That focusing track and the hinge between the bed and the body look like a bear to take apart!

[Brian Ellis]

I remember seeing a Technika with red leatherette somewhere. It looked kind of - hideous.

[Richard Wasserman]

I remember seeing a Technika with red leatherette somewhere. It looked kind of - hideous.

Brian,

You don't know hideous! A friend of mine painted a Leica M3 with purple metalflake enamel and applied purple leather. It is the worst looking camera I have ever seen. He subsequently sold it—I wonder where it is today....

[jp]

Aluminum? Have it anodized some crazy color like the metal Canhams.

[Oren Grad]

Here's your pattern:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Linhof-Master-Technika-3000-Red-120th-Anniversary-Model-/310167385646

[Robert Hughes]

Nah, go medieval. Heavy leather fittings and black iron fasteners.
http://content6.flixster.com/photo/45/14/96/4514968_gal.jpg

[Joe Forks]

Rattlesnake skin - but have me send you a diamondback, don't use your local Timbers, they are protected.

[el french]

I'd vote for SteamPunk

[Jim Michael]

Sequins -> The Glam Cam

[Alan Gales]

How about a nice leopard print?

[Brian C. Miller]

Why not combine them all? Pink leapord print with pink sequins using a heavy metal/steam punk motif and a rattlesnake handle, with a live snake.

Nobody would dare touch it.

[Scratched Glass]

Go to the hardware store and get some fake wood contact paper. Then you'll have the sturdiest wood camera ever made.

Or urban camouflage

[cdholden]

But... my big question is how to decorate this Tech once I rip and scrub and scrap this nasty old tan covering off? I could take the easy way out and order a new black covering from cameraleather.com but has anyone ever done anything cool, strange, weird with a Technika?



Maybe not a Technika, but still...
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=61179

[Tracy Storer]

Maybe get some fancy wood veneer and use that instead of leather? You could laser cut them for a really nice fit.

[Scott Davis]

Make it an 80s cam - combination of hot pink leather and then paint the exposed metal bits in electric blue Hammertite paint - and don't forget the Ferrari logo on the door. Think Miami Vice, and cover the bellows in lime pastel linen. It will be so painfully hideous that you can leave it unattended in a parked convertible with the top down and the keys in the ignition and nobody will steal either of them.

[John Schneider]

I wouldn't recommend either polishing or anodizing. The shell is AFAIK cast, so porosity would suck up polishing compound, so likewise the results won't be what you would expect, probably gray and muddy.

The porosity means that black anodize would be a muddy gray, not sure what tinge colors would turn. But, anodize is a great paint base if you want to go that route. Or strip and use Alumiprep to clean off all the surface oxides and paint the bare metal.

Or have an auto upholstery shop make you a set of classic '50s tuck and roll panels out of metalflake Naugahyde.

[Frank Petronio]

I drive a blue Volvo, my wardrobe consists of white, black, grey, dark blue, and dark green.

The first one is the old V I peeled and covered in the $34.50 cameraleather.com VH covering. It turned out great and other than lacking the top flap, was pretty close to being a Master Technika.

The other three pictures are what I am aiming for, it's what I used ca. 2003 and regret not sticking with, it is the absolute cockroach of cameradom. It was a cheap beater IV, with a Crown Graphic bellows and focusing hood. I used it raw like this and it worked fine, although I think I should probably tape over the holes to keep dust out of the body this time around. I might even go back to the Arca head and plate... Alas the Readyloads are pointless.

If you remember my infamous photo.net days, I got banned for posting that it was a secret CIA NASA space mission Technika worth $20K and some damn fools believed me.

[Steve_Renwick]

Ferrari red with one of these Prancing Moose stickers on it:

http://www.davebarton.com/VolvoPrancingMoose.html

Pick up a couple extra for your Volvo while you're at it.

[Frank Petronio]

I like those!

[picker77]

You could do the quasi-military thing with a version of semi-matte olive drab, like I did on this M2 beater. Done with DuraCoat and an air brush, available in a zillion colors from military flat to pimp-level glossy. Once cured this stuff is as nearly bulletproof as an applied liquid finish can get--it was formulated for severe service durability on firearms.

[Bob Salomon]

"If you remember my infamous photo.net days, I got banned for posting that it was a secret CIA NASA space mission Technika worth $20K and some damn fools believed me."
When I was with Beseler I was the Product Manager for Topcon and in those days both the Navy (periscope camera) and the FBI were using the Topcon Super D. We once ran an ad with a drawing of a guy in a trenccoat wearing a slough hat peering around a street corner with a Super D Topcon in his hands. The ad said that "we can't say who we are but we use the Topcon Super D"

We received a letter from a 3 letter agency asking us to stop running the ad as some of their people were attacked while carrying the Super D while apparently working undercover.

This of course was in the early 70s so no one should assume that if someone is carrying that camera now that they are employeed by the government.

[J D Clark]

www.cameraleather.com -- in red...

John Clark
www.johndclark.com

[jp]

You could do the quasi-military thing with a version of semi-matte olive drab, like I did on this M2 beater. Done with DuraCoat and an air brush, available in a zillion colors from military flat to pimp-level glossy. Once cured this stuff is as nearly bulletproof as an applied liquid finish can get--it was formulated for severe service durability on firearms.

That looks super nice. I just checked out DuraCoat and they have almost 200 colors! Lots of nice choices.

[Frank Petronio]

I think I'm wimping out and going for the red nylon Chinese bellows and black cheap cameraleather.com replacement covering. Then I can claim it's an "upgraded to a Linhof Technika 2000" like these bozos: http://cgi.ebay.com/LINHOF-TECHNIKA-V-Upgraded-2000-EXCELLENT-/180629898256?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item2a0e618410

When you get fired from all your legit copywriting jobs in the free world you can always go to China and lie. But then they would just copy you so you'd never be paid.

[cdholden]

Frank,
Why stress over the camera? In six months you will have sold it and moved on to another one anyway. Just use it!

Chris

[Frank Petronio]

Because I can make $1900 by upgrading it!

[cdholden]

Put it next to a yellow film can, call it an "unusual portrait camera that works with petzval lenses". A few of these and your retirement funding is taken care of.

[jb7]

Ha ha-

Why not print out details of some of your most memorable photos-
you know, pistol tattoos, smudged makeup, motel wallpaper-
laminate them, cut them, and apply them-

The Petronio Linhof ...

[Dominique Cesari]

There is nothing like cane toad (http://www.australiagift.com/toad_shop/golf_ball_case.htm) (special order)

[Revolucion Artistico]

There is nothing like cane toad (http://www.australiagift.com/toad_shop/golf_ball_case.htm) (special order)

They also have a scrotum shop http://www.australiagift.com/scrotum_shop/index.htm



I'm sure you can find a way to implement one of these as an accessory for the cane toad camera. I like how it says "Large scrotum pouch is a rare item" :D

[linhofbiker]

I had the same desire with a Technika III in 4X5. I stripped it down and had the main parts powder coated white for $60. It took some time to get the front back on with the springs. I sold it at the Miami camera show in Jan 2010. I replaced it with a Technika IV that has missing covers and surface rust. However it is still structurely sound. I have a reducing back so that I can use my 6X9 super rollex's from my 1963 Technika V 6X9. The III did look good in white, but I don't think I will do this with the IV.

[Bob Salomon]

" surface rust"

What rusted? Or do you mean something else?

[E. von Hoegh]

" surface rust"

What rusted? Or do you mean something else?

Quite a few people believe non-ferrous alloys can rust. Thank the discovery channel.

[DrTang]

get some army..well WWII army green paint and make it into a Military Linhof.... I used to do that with cameras with tore up coverings.


or..I think they make that metal 'plate' in a sticky back..you could 'ruggedize' your linhof

[linhofbiker]

"surface rust" - the chrome on the 3 position drop-bed parts are corroded with underneath "rust" - I assume it is steel. Several screws and other "steel" parts have some rust. I know that most parts are cast aluminium but surely not the screws? The chrome on the front standard is badly pitted but is only superficial. All the moving parts are very solid. The camera is numbered 73896 so I figure it is 50+ years old. It has an after market bellows that is light tight but too thick. Will the proper bellows allow for infinity focusing of a Mamiya 50mm pseudo-biogon on a sunk board, or on a flat board with helical focussing mount. It would be used for 6X9.

[Bob Salomon]

"The chrome on the front standard is badly pitted "
Do you mean the chrome strips that the infinity stops mount to?

It is quite common that when someone tries to use an unmatched cam they find that the focusing is off at some point and they then try to correct that by changing the position of the infinity stops.

Since the screws that hold the infinity stops have a sharp point to bite into the rail they leave small pits along the rail after they are moved.

Is this what you see on your camera?

"camera is numbered 73896"

That would make it a 1959 or 60 manufacturing date. It was part of the last production series of the Super Technika IV made between Oct. 1956 and May 1963. It is in about the middle of the series.

[linhofbiker]

Bob, the pitting is on the surface of the front standard where you mount the board. The rails that hold the infinity stops are not pitted, they cleaned up well and are not lubricated as recommended? By the way, I removed the rangefinder housing, since I do not use it that way. Does it make sense to powder coat it white because of the Florida heat/sun?

[Bob Salomon]

Makes more sense to put it back on since the net weight savings are not much, the size difference is minimal and the value of the camera is greatly reduced.