300mm lens on Linhof Master Technika

[Atul Mohidekar]

Hi,

I'm looking for hands-on experience of using a non-Tele 300mm lens (Nikkor M, APO Ronar, Fuji C) on a Linhof Master Technika V, 2000 or 3000. I was informed by Bob S (thanks Bob!) that MT 2000 and 3000 have the same maximum bellows draw. I'm assuming MT V also has the same max bellows draw.

1. Is a non-Tele 300mm lens usable on MT V, 2000 or 3000?

2. If the answer is "yes" for infinity focus (focal length = 300mm), what is the shortest distance at which this camera will allow to focus with a 300mm lens? What would be the flange distance between the ground glass and the center of the lens at this shortest focus distance (should be greater than 300mm)?

Thanks.

// Atul

[Alan9940]

Not sure about the models you list, but the MT (called Classic now) has max bellows extension of 15 3/4 inches. Therefore, infinity focus is certainly no problem and with nearly 4 inches more, I'm thinking you could obtain focus on just about any subject (outdoors) that you'd normally point this focal length at.

[Atul Mohidekar]

Thanks, Alan, for the info.

I would still like to hear from the users of 300mm lens on MT.

[Richard Wasserman]

I put my 300mm Docter Optics Apo-Germinar on my Technika MT2000 and extended the bellows to about 14.5 inches to the shutter. The camera was focused at about 7 feet. I could have extended the bellows a bit more, but I didn't want to over-stress them. Also using back movements you could gain about another inch or so of extension. Focusing a 300mm lens at infinity is simple and easy. I hope this helps

[Willie]

Shot with one a friend has. Master Technika and 300M Nikkor lens. He had made an extension lens board that added about 3 inches to the board from where it would normally be. He was using it for portraits a lot. When I tried it I did not do close work. Seemed like a good solution to not quite enough bellows draw when he wanted to use it closer for facial images.

[Drew Wiley]

Any of the 300's mentioned so far would be excellent.

[Bob Salomon]

If you use a modern 300 with a large diameter rear group you will probably need a special order Linhof 3 board with a z after the catalog number. When using some of the 240mm and longer lenses the rear barrel will prevent the board from mounting correctly and locking properly on the front standard so the hole relocates the lens to ensure proper mounting and locking.
These boards are always a special order from the factory.

[Corran]

Sounds like you are already looking at the proper field-type 300mm lenses, not the huge f/5.6 Plasmats. And as already reported, they work just fine on the MT. I have used the Nikkor-M 300mm on mine and I don't find it necessary to have a tophat board personally, but I don't usually use that for any kind of "close-up" work.

[Atul Mohidekar]

Thank you so much, Richard, for testing your 300mm lens on MT 2000.

Willie, Drew, Bob, Bryan, thank you for the the information.

Bryan, yes you are right, my question was about using a smaller field-type 300mm lens (f/8 type, not f/5.6 type) on MT.

From all these replies, it seems like a non-Tele, smaller field-type 300mm lens can be used on MT: with movement at infinity and with some limited movements at shorter focusing distances.

// Atul

[Len Middleton]

Atul,

My 355mm f9 Repro-Claron (approx. 14") will focus to about 10 feet on my Technika V with about 16" of bellows.

More severe case than you are suggesting, so I would say yes,

Len