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Thread: Linhof Lens Panel - Made in China?

  1. #1

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    Linhof Lens Panel - Made in China?

    I'd like to buy a couple of Linhof lens panels and of course checked out eBay only to see some brand new, Linhof lens panels being sold cheaply from China. I'm assuming that they're not genuine... Has anyone purchased one of these? https://www.ebay.com/itm/282994471443

  2. #2

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    Re: Linhof Lens Panel - Made in China?

    Ones stamped West Germany look like genuine but old versions.
    Others appear counterfeit.

  3. #3

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    Re: Linhof Lens Panel - Made in China?

    Thanks Bob, however they're all stamped "West Germany" just wondering if they're photographing a genuine lens panel then shipping a fake one.

  4. #4

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    Re: Linhof Lens Panel - Made in China?

    Quote Originally Posted by yelmarb View Post
    Thanks Bob, however they're all stamped "West Germany" just wondering if they're photographing a genuine lens panel then shipping a fake one.
    Sorry, I looked at some of the small images also shown. Yes, the West German on doe appear genuine. But as it is older it will not be quite the same as the current ones.

  5. #5

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    Re: Linhof Lens Panel - Made in China?

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Salomon View Post
    Sorry, I looked at some of the small images also shown. Yes, the West German on doe appear genuine. But as it is older it will not be quite the same as the current ones.
    Remember the days when if you bought a Nikon camera from a foreign supplier the customs man would make you scratch out the name? Those days are over. In the face of the onslaught of imported goods, US corporations cannot protect their markets, trademaks, patents, etc. as did the old EPOI at one time. Those lens boards have Made In West Germany cast in place because the maker scanned and cloned the original sample with one of the many duplication technologies available today. I recently bought some VW hubcaps directly from China. They were clones of genuine VW parts, right down to the VW logo on the back, of course Made in Germany, stock number, etc. They were castings, and in some places the new mold they made cropped off some of the original lettering, giving it away as a clone. These sham parts have even made it into the VW parts system and clones of critical parts like helicopter turbine blades and gun parts have even been discovered in Federal and Military supply systems.

  6. #6

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    Re: Linhof Lens Panel - Made in China?

    A number of years ago before Linhof and I had a parting of the ways, I had a Deardorff 8X10 and had to fabricate my own Technika adapter board for it because nothing was available commercially. My motives were questioned by several experts in the photo equipment business, but were quite simple. I wanted to use certain lenses I had mounted for the Master Technika and which also covered 8X10 on the Deardorff. You see, most reducing boards in use at that time scaled down to the common 4X4 in. size or the 4X5 Pacemaker Graphic lens board. Once I settled on the TRF Crown Graphic, I realized how much more practical that lens board is than the Technika. The Pacemaker board is a simple stamping and accepts a Copal 3 shutter, optically centered with no problem. Pacemaker clones like those sold by HeavyStar, etc. may be stamped of thinner material than originals and can require shaving the jam nut a bit to draw a shutter up tight. I recently acquired a Pacemaker clone on which the lip was too deep. It fit in a Toyo adapter board but not in a Crown Graphic itself. There are still plenty of original Pacemaker boards out there but the price is beginning to reflect the original quality. Still, minor deviations from factory specs are much easier to correct than with a Technika board.

  7. #7
    Corran's Avatar
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    Re: Linhof Lens Panel - Made in China?

    There are plenty of good-quality Chinese boards available. You don't need a "genuine" German-made Tech board to make photographs. I bought a ton of those boards from one of the common eBay sellers years ago and they all work and fit perfectly - even better than some of my "name-brand" boards.

    And, since it's sold on eBay, you are completely protected both through eBay and PayPal, so you can always complain if something isn't right. There's pretty much no risk.
    Bryan | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | Portfolio
    All comments and thoughtful critique welcome

  8. #8

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    Re: Linhof Lens Panel - Made in China?

    I bought a new OEM battery for my Canon 5D.
    It did not last long, turns out it was counterfeit.
    Canon told me some counterfeits even got into their internet store!
    Buyer beware

    Quote Originally Posted by Neal Chaves View Post
    Remember the days when if you bought a Nikon camera from a foreign supplier the customs man would make you scratch out the name? Those days are over. In the face of the onslaught of imported goods, US corporations cannot protect their markets, trademaks, patents, etc. as did the old EPOI at one time. Those lens boards have Made In West Germany cast in place because the maker scanned and cloned the original sample with one of the many duplication technologies available today. I recently bought some VW hubcaps directly from China. They were clones of genuine VW parts, right down to the VW logo on the back, of course Made in Germany, stock number, etc. They were castings, and in some places the new mold they made cropped off some of the original lettering, giving it away as a clone. These sham parts have even made it into the VW parts system and clones of critical parts like helicopter turbine blades and gun parts have even been discovered in Federal and Military supply systems.

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