Linhof III 6x9 : where to find pieces ?

[tweenkle]

Hi.

I recently won a beautiful Linhof III 6x9 (without any lens but with a rollex 6x9 back) and I am wondering where I could find these devices :

- a ground glass (mine is broken but still usable)
- a swing back catch lock (the right one is missing)
- a lens board or a lens on a lens board (I am conscious that I could not use the rangefinder with the triple cam made for 65mm, 105mm and 180mm)

Thanks for your help.

[tweenkle]

Nobody knows ?

[Frank Petronio]

Any moderate 65 to 180mm lens meant for a medium format view camera should work. Lensboards are on eBay... note that Linhof makes many types of boards, do your homework.

It is an uncommon camera in the USA. Short of sending it to Linhof, where I suspect it is no longer supported, you have to look at eBay and repair people. Try eBay.de, the German version.

[tweenkle]

Thanks.

Would it be possible for me to make a lensboard ? In wood for instance. What size is it ?

[Barry Kirsten]

As Frank said, there were several different types of boards produced over the years, leading to incompatibilities - a IV board will not fit on a III for instance. It's not that length and width changed, as far as I know, but the design of the light trap did change, with presence/absence of a circular lip on rear of board, and different diameter and width of felt light seal on front standard.

While it might be possible to make a wooden board, I doubt it would be practical as it would probably be too thin and liable to splitting. Your best bet would be a piece of aluminum 1/8" thick, but you would still have to machine a groove into the back to mate with the felt light seal.

Tech III boards are hard to find, but not impossible (e.g. eBay). Or you could have boards made e.g. by S.K.Grimes, as I have done in one case.

As for other parts, eBay is the way to go. It's not uncommon for old Techs to be advertised there for parts.

Good luck,

Barry.

[Frank Petronio]

Sometimes you buy another camera to build a working model, then sell the remains for parts. Sometimes "parting out" a camera earns you more money than what the entire camera cost.

[cps]

I have a Tech III lensboard that should fit your camera lying around in my cupboard. I got it before I realized that there are two flavors of Linhof Tech III. It is for the "baby" Linhof and does not fit my 4x5, so I believe it should work for you. PM me if you are interested.

By the way you would need to use something fairly thin to clip in to the Linhof front standard - I would be surprised if you could get wood to work.

Chris