Legend of The Ghost Technika
The Linhof Technika was available in a “Special Medical” version from its beginnings in 1936 until about 1957. The “Technika Medizin” was a regular model technika camera which had specially cured and sealed washable white leather and a cream lacquer finish rather than the standard black paint. It was designed for use in hospitals and medical labs.
The original model Technika Medizin was well documented in the 1937 Linhof catalog, but as lore has it, at some point in the 1940’s during WWII a new model Medizin materialized with much more modern styling than its predecessors. Due to its intended mission and need for repeated sterilization it featured chromed parts and exterior panels rather than a leather wrapped body. This unique special purpose camera would ultimately become the design genesis behind the legendary Linhof Technika III.
Unfortunately none of these wartime “Technika Medizin” cameras are known to survive. The Linhof company was devastated in two separate Allied bombing raids near the end of the war. Combined with the fact that Technika Medizin cameras were workhorse professional cameras subject to frequent sterilization, it is understandable why none seemingly exist today. In fact no clear records of this wartime camera even exist, any records or documents that were stored at Linhof in Munich were lost in the war.
There is quite a bit of anecdotal evidence of this particular camera models existence, and occasionally it is mentioned in magazines and books. A quick search on the internet will show it is referred to somewhat regularly. Many recollections are credited to Linhof luminaries who were around at the time of the war and likely had first hand experience with the camera. Linhof itself has made reference to this Mother of Technika III’s in a couple of publications including in “The Linhof Camera Story”.
Despite lacking an actual example of this legendary camera it is not hard to see how the Technika III would have been influenced by a Technika intended for the medical environment. Before and during the war the normal Technika had a some chrome on the control wheels but it used a lot of black paint on the front standard, exterior metal parts, and the interior. The exterior was completely wrapped in black leather. The Technika III is very different from its pre war predecessor. Except for the interior paint it has all parts in chrome or bare aluminum and the exterior also is chrome with panels of black leather. This increase in the use of chrome instead of paint, a cream lacquer interior coating and specially treated white leather panels and bellows would have made much more sense than the previous styles for a camera subjected to regular sanitization.
Following the war the “Technika Medizin” continued to be sold and was available as a special order Technika III model. Post war “Technika Medizin” cameras have been sighted in 6x9, 4x5, and 5x7 models. The special Medizin finish was available in catalogs until 1957 through the very first year of the Technika IV. After 1957 the special “All Ivory” finish was no longer mentioned in sales literature.
It is likely the last Technika Medizin was made over 75 years ago. Considering the the environment they operated in we are lucky that Technika Medizins of any vintage have survived at all. Today it is rather rare to find one but occasional sightings of the All White Technika are still reported.
Update: Shortly after sharing this story on facebook Manfred Kunzmann shared a photo he had been sent “a long time ago” of an 18x24 Technika Medicine that had belonged to Adolf Lazi and later, Franz Lazi. The build date of the camera is unknown but if it pre-dates the III then it is indeed our phantom Ghost Technika! Very few 18x24 Technika's were ever made (less than 20) and only 1 was ever made as a Medizin version. A very special camera indeed!
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