Questions about Linhof Technikardan 45s

[Ting-Li Lin]

Hi,

I have questions about the extension length of the Linhof Technikardan 45s. Assume a flat lens board is used and assume the image circle is big enough so that it can be used at the maximum front rise/fall or shift positions of the camera.

1. With the regular bellows, what is the minimum focal length that can be used with full front vertical or horizontal displacement?

2. With the wide-angle bellows, what is the maximum focal length that can be used with full front vertical or horizontal displacement?

If you need lens info to answer my questions, Super-Angulon 72mm XL and Super-Symmar 110mm XL are the two lenses in my mind.

Thanks for your help!

[Daniel Stone]

Send a PM(message) to Bob Solomon, he's the Linhof rep here on the forum:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/member.php?u=313

he'll probably get you an answer right quick :)

-Dan

[Noah A]

1. With the regular bellows you can use a 150mm (or longer) with full movements.

2, With the wideangle bellows, you can use a 150mm (or wider) with full movements.

Without a doubt, you'll need the bag bellows for your 72XL and 110XL if you want any movements. Both lenses will focus with the standard bellows but the bellows will only allow very minimal movements. I use a 115 Grandagon and the standard bellows is pretty much useless with that lens, which like your 110XL has tons of image circle.

The Linhof bag bellows, while expensive, is very good. It allows lots of movements with wide lenses and it never seems to get into the way, which is nice.

[Bob Salomon]

Hi,

I have questions about the extension length of the Linhof Technikardan 45s. Assume a flat lens board is used and assume the image circle is big enough so that it can be used at the maximum front rise/fall or shift positions of the camera.

1. With the regular bellows, what is the minimum focal length that can be used with full front vertical or horizontal displacement?

2. With the wide-angle bellows, what is the maximum focal length that can be used with full front vertical or horizontal displacement?

If you need lens info to answer my questions, Super-Angulon 72mm XL and Super-Symmar 110mm XL are the two lenses in my mind.

Thanks for your help!

1 90mm
2 135mm

But the answer also depends on the magnification ratios you will be using as well as the focal length and the moements.
The normal bellows comes with the camera, there are a couple of very fast to operate clips used to change the bellows. A bellows takes up minimal space and weighs very little. Since you never know exactly what you will want to shoot until you are actually shooting it is poor planning to take just one bellows. Use whichever one will do the job best at the time you are going to shoot.

[Ari]

Noah and Bob are right on.
I just wanted to add that the standard bellows, while good for long extensions, is not as versatile when it comes to movements.
It is rather stiff, so if you're using a long-ish lens, don't expect a lot of movements.
There are a few threads here about the TK bellows and the inherent frustrations that they present.
Overall, though, they are excellent and the bag bellows are worth their weight in gold.

[Noah A]

As to point #1, With all due respect to Bob, I don't think it's remotely possible to get the full movement that the camera offers with a 90mm lens and the standard bellows, although of course I hadn't really taken into account focus distance. I (perhaps wrongly) assumed landscape/architectural distances. If you're shooting 1:1 then sure, you can max out the movements. But at distances near infinity, you can get only a small amount of displacement before the bellows really starts to deform and/or put a lot of pressure on the standards. I use a 90/4,5 Grandagon, and there's no way I can take full advantage of it's image circle with the standard bellows.


As to point #2, 135mm may be a more conservative and better answer. In practice, at distances near infinity, I can get the full displacement that my 150mm Apo-Sironar-S will allow with the wideangle bellows. But as a general rule 135mm is a safer estimate.

In any event, there is absolutely no question that you'll need the bag bellows for the lenses you mentioned if you plan on using large displacements. Carrying both bellows makes the most sense. They are small and they are very fast to switch. Because I never know which bellows I'll use on the next shot, I normally fold the camera without the bellows. I put both bellows in a Domke lenswrap for protection.

I generally use the 90mm, 115mm and 135mm with the bag bellows, the 210mm and 300mm with the normal bellows and the 150mm with whatever happens to be on the camera at the time.

Ari--did you end up ordering that universal bellows?

[Ting-Li Lin]

Thank you everyone for the information. I seldom do 1:1 macro, so focus near infinity is more important to me.

[Ari]

Ari--did you end up ordering that universal bellows?

Noah,
I did not.
I probably went through the same reasoning you once did; I use the WA bellows 90% of the time, and when it's time to switch bellows, it's for the 210, and I already have a bellows for that. :)
Either is a compromise, and I'd rather spend the money on film at the moment.
But it's on my list, and once I do get it, I'll post something.