Justify the acquiring of a new Linhof Technika?

[Sal Santamaura]

It's entertaining to watch what happened after Hiromi retired and those who couldn't afford new Ebony cameras were "forced" over to complaining about Linhof.

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

OK, then, both bases covered in one thread.

[Corran]

Well except I am capable of owning an Ebony, and have 6 Linhof cameras. Just because something is expensive, doesn't mean it's automatically better, is the point. But there's always someone who thinks its just "sour grapes..."

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

IMHO, this is a debate based on envy.

One should actually congratulate the OP: large format photography is so important to him that he is considering underpinning this point of view with a statement - with the investment in a new tool that literally opens up perspectives and points of view (the other day a woman in a nature reserve asked me: "Can you see anything?").

Instead, people are spoiling this esprit by devaluing it as bourgeois luxury thinking, by talking down the working tool and pointing out that you would get just as far with a plywood camera.

But in reality the whole 4x5 story is already "luxury". Of course that's not what the low-cost producers tell the beginners. IMO, a special flavour of "luxury" is spending hours running around with a tripod and a dark cloth, operating a shaky focus, researching cheap film cassettes on Ebay, then messing up a sheet of 4x5 in a cheap camera, and in case that doesn't work, buying expired film or shoddy new material, and in case that good pictures still come out, flanging an enlarger attachment. And at the end to say that 4x5 was only meant to be tried out in order to gain experience. And to shoot a Youtube video about it.

If you have to earn money with your pictures (what a nightmare!), you will work digitally in the 21st century. For example with a Nikon D6 and the adequate flash, zoom, computer printer etc.

Tschau zäme!

Wow... post a simple question and there are over 90 follow up posts to it!!!

[Tin Can]

You won your Internet today!

IMHO, this is a debate based on envy.

One should actually congratulate the OP: large format photography is so important to him that he is considering underpinning this point of view with a statement - with the investment in a new tool that literally opens up perspectives and points of view (the other day a woman in a nature reserve asked me: "Can you see anything?").

Instead, people are spoiling this esprit by devaluing it as bourgeois luxury thinking, by talking down the working tool and pointing out that you would get just as far with a plywood camera.

But in reality the whole 4x5 story is already "luxury". Of course that's not what the low-cost producers tell the beginners. IMO, a special flavour of "luxury" is spending hours running around with a tripod and a dark cloth, operating a shaky focus, researching cheap film cassettes on Ebay, then messing up a sheet of 4x5 in a cheap camera, and in case that doesn't work, buying expired film or shoddy new material, and in case that good pictures still come out, flanging an enlarger attachment. And at the end to say that 4x5 was only meant to be tried out in order to gain experience. And to shoot a Youtube video about it.

If you have to earn money with your pictures (what a nightmare!), you will work digitally in the 21st century. For example with a Nikon D6 and the adequate flash, zoom, computer printer etc.

Tschau zäme!

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

Thank you. Not my own thought. But something repeated in an appropriate sense. We are all very privileged. So the camera doesn't matter anymore.

[Corran]

Sure, we all engage in a luxury activity compared to starving kids in Africa. If that concerns you and you have $13k burning a hole in your pocket, you'd be just as well spending $1500 on a new Chamonix or something similar and donating the other $11,500 to a charity.

Envy: a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.

One of the aspects about owning an expensive item is also being realistic about its abilities. Despite owning two Master Technikas, on Saturday I hiked and made 5 4x5 photographs with two different 3D-printed cameras, an Intrepid and a Mercury. The Mercury is I think around $200 and is vastly easier to use than the Technika as an ultrawide camera (my Mercury is dedicated to just a 47mm XL on a helical). The Intrepid is a great camera and I've been very happy with it, using lenses from 90mm to 240mm. The two cameras together still weigh several pounds less than my Technika.

And of course the photographer makes the photograph, not the camera. Let's not forget.

[Sal Santamaura]

Well except I am capable of owning an Ebony, and have 6 Linhof cameras. Just because something is expensive, doesn't mean it's automatically better, is the point. But there's always someone who thinks its just "sour grapes..."

It's important to read all the words in a post. Specifically, the word "new." A half dozen used Linhof cameras are not a half dozen Linhof cameras purchased today at new prices. Or a half dozen Ebony cameras, when they were in production, purchased at new prices.

It's also important to recognize that many times those reacting to posts in forum threads assume everything's about them when it's not. Especially when there are multiple posters whining about the cost and "luxury status" of a particular company's newly manufactured product, not just them.

[Corran]

Okay Sal .

As an aside, I thought these two feeds were interesting comparatively:

https://www.instagram.com/intrepidcamera/

https://www.instagram.com/linhof_munich/

I follow both.

[Kiwi7475]

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.

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.

See what you did? :-)

I think now you owe it to all of us and to yourself to buy a new Linhof and report back whether you think the purchase can be justified! ;-)

[Havoc]

While I do agree that nobody has to justify his purchases except on the base of not hurting yourself and those next to you, I cannot find "quality and engineering" a reason to justify it. I have just seen the Linhof 220 from the inside and as an engineer, this is not quality and not good engineering. Certainly not to justify what it has cost all those years ago. This is a mediocre camera sold for more than it is worth, just on the nametag pasted on it. I do not think that companies change their habits more than a leppard can change its spots.

If you think that it will get you better photos or that you will feel better about your photos or whatever, go ahead. But not that you have bought something of exceptional quality or engineering.