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Thread: Linhof cameras before 1945

  1. #111

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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    Quote Originally Posted by Embdude View Post
    Here are my current notes on the Linhof and Linhof type cameras from 1900 to 1949. As always feel free to voice corrections as it is a work in progress. (camera maker is in the parentheses)

    ....

    E. Krauss (Linhof)
    (Sold in France & Manufactured in Germany from 1909 to 1936.)
    Actis camera: The 1922 Krauss catalog presents four models : in height, square , stereo in width and stereo square , available for the formats: 6.5 x 9; 8 x 10.5; 9 x 12; 10 x 15; 12 x 16.5 and 13 x 18. This gives a collection of 18 variations .

    Korsitzky Brothers (Looks Linhof)
    Vienna, Austria
    6.5x9 folding camera with Tessar 4.5 / 12cm

    PRÄCITA (Original)
    Factory of photographic apparatus and lenses Ges.mbH,
    (1923)
    PRÄCITA 9x12cm Tall Hoch Balgenkamera mit W. KENNGOTT Triplet 135mm f/4,5. Original all metal triple extension camera, competitor to Linhof and Perka.

    These companies were active following WWII:

    MEOPTA Optical Factory (Linhof Technika Inspired Camera)
    (1946-1949)
    State enterprise in Czechoslovakia (division in Brno),
    Manufacturer of optical instruments, enlargers and cameras
    the company OPTIKOTECHNA Gesellschaft m.b. H in Prerau (Prerov, Czechoslovakia). The Optikotechna Optical Works was established in 1933 by eng. Alois Benes and Professor of physics Dr. Alois Mazurek in Prerov to manufacture darkroom equipment (enlargers and lenses), and (later) optical devices for military purposes. It was seized in 1939 by German occupying authorities and forced to work for the German army until the end of the WW II (1945). After liberation the company was nationalized and renamed to MEOPTA (1946).
    (Technika copy) Meopta MAGNOLA 13x18 with Boyer Sapphire Lens

    Meridian (Linhof Technika Inspired Camera)
    (1947-1949 New York, USA)
    American designed copy of the Linhof Technika
    Meridian 45A & 45B models

    M.P.P. Micro Precision Products Ltd (Linhof Technika Inspired Camera)
    (England 1941to1982)
    British optical company produced cameras and related equipment.
    Micro Technical Camera, in 1948.[6] This camera, for 4×5 in. sheet film, was far in advance of any other camera produced in Britain.[7] Mark II followed in 1949; Mark III in 1951; Mark VI, Mark VII and Mark VIII in 1952, 1956, and 1963. (Mark IV and Mark V were not sold.)


    I dont think these cameras have a direct relation to Linhof, but the others above mentioned do have.

    if you look closely and know technical differences you will recognize that I think.
    It was a genuine engineering milestone to develop something like the front standard movements, latereal shift, swing, backward tilt , 360 degree rotational back, and a drop bed was unheard of in the 20s.
    At that time lens developers didn't even produce lenses with image circle large enough for much movements.
    Then with Nicolaus Karpf the first real Technika I with additional back movements.

    Of course there are nicely made and progressive cameras like Voigtländer Bergheil, Ideal or the Juwel.

    greets
    stay healthy!

  2. #112
    Embdude's Avatar
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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    Quote Originally Posted by Bessa72 View Post
    I dont think these cameras have a direct relation to Linhof, but the others above mentioned do have.

    if you look closely and know technical differences you will recognize that I think.
    It was a genuine engineering milestone to develop something like the front standard movements, latereal shift, swing, backward tilt , 360 degree rotational back, and a drop bed was unheard of in the 20s.
    At that time lens developers didn't even produce lenses with image circle large enough for much movements.
    Then with Nicolaus Karpf the first real Technika I with additional back movements.

    Of course there are nicely made and progressive cameras like Voigtländer Bergheil, Ideal or the Juwel.

    greets
    Yes I agree,
    all independent except for E. Krauss Actis models which were re-branded Linhof cameras from Munich.

    The more I learn about Linhof the more impressed I am about what they achieved.

    The link between Linhof and Perka is not very strong. Other than the fact that Linhof seems to have ended up with the Perkas parts by the end of the 1930's it is not known how this came to be. Was Perka acquired by Linhof or did Linhof simply purchase the parts after Perka's demise...

    Cheers
    Last edited by Embdude; 9-Jul-2022 at 23:12.

  3. #113
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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    Quote Originally Posted by coisasdavida View Post
    Here is my Linhof 13x18cm that a purchased recently.
    I've told it is a Standard, but after reading this thread, it seems I have a Technika II, since it has the 4 knobs to give back movements. Is this right?

    Serial is 21308

    Stamped 44 on multiple parts, assuming it is 1944.

    I purchased to be used, after these photos were taken I modified to fit modern holders.

    Attachment 228199

    Attachment 228200

    Attachment 228201

    Attachment 228202
    Those 13x18's are great.

    Yes the articulating back is what makes it a Technika model. It first showed up on the late model 34' and the Technika label appeared a couple of years later in 1936 and has stuck around.

    The "Technika I" saw many incremental design and functional changes from 1936 until 1945. Mostly centered around design changes and improvements to the front standard.

    Your particular style is a wartime model appearing as early as 1941 and continuing throughout WWII updates from earlier style include chrome lensboard locking clips added to the front standard and the sports finder is changed to a wire crosshair type.

    The post war Technika II was a continuation of the wartime Technika cameras which could easily be identified by the 2 chrome lensboard clips at the top of the front standard. The post war Technika II cameras and wartime Technika cameras are the same except for one stylistic difference. The edge of the bed and the front edge of the body have a silver accent on the Technika II. It seems likely this style began just prior to the end of the war. Wartime Technika’s had black leather or paint along this edge.

    The 13x18 Technika II continued to be made until 1950.

    The post war 9x12 Technika II was very short lived, a year or less, and was quickly replaced by the new Technika III 9x12 in 1946.

    The parts stamped 44 indicate a "batch" and should be consistent for all major parts of the camera. Although your camera may very likely date to 1944 these batch numbers do not generally have a correlation to the date.

  4. #114
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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    Quote Originally Posted by russyoung View Post
    I'm late for the party again, sorry.
    Here's my little Linhof Standard, or at least that's what I think it is. Note that the focusing scale is in feet.
    Informed replies are appreciated.
    Attachment 225880Attachment 225881Attachment 225882
    Looks like a 6x9 size camera. I think this just predates the "Standard" designation.

    The precision camera werk badge at the top of the bed was introduced in 1930 (changed to Linhof Munchen engraved into the bed in late 1934)

    The focus wheel was larger and thinner prior to the 1933 cameras.

    In 1933 this was marketed as the "Linhof Precision Camera"

    In 1934 it became the "Prazisions-Kamera Modell 34"

    Later in 1934 the articulating back (the "Technika" back - except they came up with the Technika name in 1936) was added to the Modell 34 and the version without this became the "Standard" model.

    So that means your camera dates from 1933-1934 and is either a Precision Camera, a early Modell 34, or possibly a Standard if they were made with the Kamera Werk badge (most seem to have Linhof Munchen engraved in the bed)

  5. #115
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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    Quote Originally Posted by xya View Post
    so I will put my 2 cents to this thread. I recently bought what seems to be a late pre-II Linhof Standard with 3 lenses, most probably from 1936. serial number is 13171.

    Attachment 220253

    I made a little page for it https://www.oddcameras.com/linhof_standard.htm
    That is an excellently done page!

    As you say 1936 is a good estimate. The Linhof Munchen with Munchen in outline style engraving shows up in late 1934 and is replaced with the "Eagle Eye" Linhof Munchen style engraving sometime in 1936. However the Perka like pull out posts I have not seen on a camera before 1937... until now...

    Surprisingly the first Technika camera was not named a Technika. It was a Linhof Modell 34 with an articulating back.
    The Linhof Modell 34 was the top of the line camera made by Linhof Prazisions Kamera Werk in Munich, Germany. Several ads, reviews, press releases, and other marketing material heralded the arrival of the Modell 34, with sales commencing conveniently enough in early 1934.
    The first of the model 34 cameras did not have an articulating back. They were similar to the preceding model camera Linhof had called the Prazisionskamera. Near the end of 1934 the articulating back was added to the Modell 34 of 9x12 and larger.
    So why not change the name of this camera with the new feature?
    Perhaps the advertising budget for the year was already spent? or perhaps the Model 34 was always intended to have the back but it was somehow delayed?
    It is very likely nobody alive today knows the answer.
    By 1935 Linhof was no longer marketing the camera as the Modell 34, it is clear they were trying to rebrand it. It was marketed as Prazisions Modell Camera and the Spezial Modell Camera.
    One ad called it the: Linhof Original Universal-Prazisions-Camera Spezialmodell… in an attempt to cover all the bases at once.
    A version still made without the articulating back was named the Standard Modell.
    In 1936 the Technika name appeared and has stuck for over 85 years!

  6. #116
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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    Yes, very good documation

    I have posted before about my prewar factory '5X7' which uses modern 5X7 holders

    Very lightweight with extranare bellows
    Tin Can

  7. #117

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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    Quote Originally Posted by Embdude View Post
    Yes I agree,
    all independent except for E. Krauss Actis models which were re-branded Linhof cameras from Munich.

    The more I learn about Linhof the more impressed I am about what they achieved.

    The link between Linhof and Perka is not very strong. Other than the fact that Linhof seems to have ended up with the Perkas parts by the end of the 1930's it is not known how this came to be. Was Perka acquired by Linhof or did Linhof simply purchase the parts after Perka's demise...

    Cheers
    well I had some of those cameras and I'm sure that the Perka, Silar, Schaja are made from identical parts, up to the screws, but branded and sold differently. Also Trio Präzisionskamerawerk München. Feinak, Dr. Staeble also VERY similar.

    http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Perka
    http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Silar
    http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Unoplast
    https://www.dujingtou.com/article_16686.shtml

    Perka even had the original and expensive convertible Plasmat lenses and wire frame.
    When Nikolaus Karpf came the most important things changed.

    Maybe because between WWI and WWII building those very specialized machining parts were very expencive(?) and not common. The E. Krauss cameras are somewhat similar but use different parts, different drop bed struts, front pulling knobs, bubble finder, opening mechanism, handle mounts..I thought that Krauss was merely a lens maker.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails r12.jpg  
    Last edited by Bessa72; 14-Jul-2022 at 02:39.
    stay healthy!

  8. #118
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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    Yes my understanding of the early 20th century German industry is it was possible to pretty much just order parts from any number of factories and build your own camera from them.

  9. #119

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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    Is this thread still active or has it migrated? Some great info in here. I can't add anything to the serial number discussion, as mine doesn't have one. It's the same 9x12 as Shootar401, with only one minor difference. It's stamped with batch number 16 on the various pieceparts. The rear extension is 17mm max.

  10. #120

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    Re: Linhof cameras before 1945

    In response to coisadavida: I also have this model, # 17744, same logo etc., but with the pop-up magnifier on top. It came kitted (rail notches and distance scales) with a Xenar 21cm/4.5 and Meyer Aristostigmat 12cm/6.3, both dated 1939. offset Lensboards 106mm square, silver champfered on top and bottom. It also came with 2 dozen 13x18 plate holders, some with 9x12 plate inserts and some of the 9x12 inserts with additional sheet film inserts in them - weigh a ton!

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