Justify the acquiring of a new Linhof Technika?

[Corran]

I've used an Ebony, not impressed in the slightest.

[Havoc]

Today I took apart my Linhof 220. I'm not impressed with the build quality and certainly not with the engineering behind it. More McGyvers meets A-Team than swiss watchmaking.

[giganova]

The cost of the Linhof is absurd and I really think they should be ashamed of themselves for charging so much.

I couldn't disagree more. I find it amazing that a company that was founded in 1887 is still producing high-precision, hand-machined cameras in the same building as 133 years ago. What an accomplishment! Of course it is very expensive to keep highly trained workers employed to produce a handful of cameras because the market essentially disappeared. Do you think they are charging so much just for fun? I guess they have been at the verge of bankruptcy for decades but somehow managed to stay afloat, which is quite amazing.

[wyofilm]

When need people* to buy new Linhof cameras so that the photographers of tomorrow have something to shoot with. With that being said, I bought a Technika IV a little over a year ago, and for about that same price I am having it overhauled. In the end, a fairly expensive camera. However, I expect this camera to well outlive me.

*People does not include me in this case, because dang that is a lot of money for a camera.

[Greg]

Wow... post a simple question and there are over 90 follow up posts to it!!! Over the years I have known and/or worked with probably a dozen Linhof Technika owners. One was a camera collector and the others serious users. But even the camera collector that I had worked with took out his Technika outfit on a regular basis and used it. He even let me borrow it one time. Every one of those owners knew how to operate and take advantage of their camera's features. The Technika reminds me of Porsche cars. Superbly precision design, engineering, and construction with amazing capabilities. Definitely a high end product akin to a Technika. But a big difference with the Porsche owners... I see many people around here this time of the year driving around in their $100,000.00 plus Porsches. By observing how they drive, I can deduce that at least half of them have no idea how to drive their Porsches. About 10 years ago I had a neighbor who drove a $150,000.00 plus model who I swear never revved her engine above 3K. Heck back then I revved my classic 1970s Beetle engine up to 3.2K all the time.

[Tin Can]

Oops into my territory. I have had more VW's than cameras and I have a lot of cameras

Back in the day we flogged any VW, my new 1970 Bug was constantly shifted way past 3.2K, for 100K miles in under 2 years then the damn hit another car...

Wow... post a simple question and there are over 90 follow up posts to it!!! Over the years I have known and/or worked with probably a dozen Linhof Technika owners. One was a camera collector and the others serious users. But even the camera collector that I had worked with took out his Technika outfit on a regular basis and used it. He even let me borrow it one time. Every one of those owners knew how to operate and take advantage of their camera's features. The Technika reminds me of Porsche cars. Superbly precision design, engineering, and construction with amazing capabilities. Definitely a high end product akin to a Technika. But a big difference with the Porsche owners... I see many people around here this time of the year driving around in their $100,000.00 plus Porsches. By observing how they drive, I can deduce that at least half of them have no idea how to drive their Porsches. About 10 years ago I had a neighbor who drove a $150,000.00 plus model who I swear never revved her engine above 3K. Heck back then I revved my classic 1970s Beetle engine up to 3.2K all the time.

[Bob Salomon]

I couldn't disagree more. I find it amazing that a company that was founded in 1887 is still producing high-precision, hand-machined cameras in the same building as 133 years ago. What an accomplishment! Of course it is very expensive to keep highly trained workers employed to produce a handful of cameras because the market essentially disappeared. Do you think they are charging so much just for fun? I guess they have been at the verge of bankruptcy for decades but somehow managed to stay afloat, which is quite amazing.

Not the “same building”. Valentin LInhof started by making shutters. Then cameras. The building you see now was heavily damaged in WW ll. It was rebuilt after the war. When this building was originally built the area was mostly farm land and it was built to resemble a farm building. That helped it escape bombing until late in the war.
There are a series of photos on a wall of their factory showing the factory after the bombing and then showing the rebuilding.

[Bob Salomon]

Oops into my territory. I have had more VW's than cameras and I have a lot of cameras

Back in the day we flogged any VW, my new 1970 Bug was constantly shifted way past 3.2K, for 100K miles in under 2 years then the damn hit another car...

I’m on my 12th VW. Everything from the 2 window bug to the Kardan Ghia to that strange little station wagon in the early 70s to several Passats, the CC and now the Jetta.
VW even traded me my Passat for the original W12 Phaeton for a week. Unfortunately they would not let me keep it. I offered them that I lease the Phaeton for the same payment for my Passat lease. Instead they gave me a book, 2 bottles of German wine and a very nice rosewood wine opener set.

[Tin Can]

Had the fuel injected fastback

It got 28 MPG at 90 MPH

Astounding

I’m on my 12th VW. Everything from the 2 window bug to the Kardan Ghia to that strange little station wagon in the early 70s to several Passats, the CC and now the Jetta.
VW even traded me my Passat for the original W12 Phaeton for a week. Unfortunately they would not let me keep it. I offered them that I lease the Phaeton for the same payment for my Passat lease. Instead they gave me a book, 2 bottles of German wine and a very nice rosewood wine opener set.

[Dugan]

Kardan Ghia .

Bob, your Linhof is showing.