Black exterior painted Linhof Technika...

[Embdude]

At some point the 4x5 Technika was available with a black paint exterior finish rather that the traditional chrome.

Anyone have the details of which cameras and for how long they were available?

Were they made for a special occasion or region like some of the commemorative editions (Red, Gold, White).

I had once read they were in a batch of chrome cameras that had been recalled, painted over, and re-sold, but I can't seem to find that info anymore so maybe I am mistaken.

Austin has one for sale on his website with the following info:
http://www.laflexcamera.com/serviced...pre-owned-rare
"Factory built around 2004-2005, so far I am have concluded only around 200 black paint Master Technika classic were ever built, never before and never after this period."

He may be right but I have also seen this on MT 2000 cameras so the 2005 time seems unlikely as they were brand new late that year...
MT Classic
MT 2000

[r.e.]

See what Bob Salomon says about the black Master Technika in this recent post: https://www.largeformatphotography.i...=1#post1613447

[Embdude]

Thanks r.e. - Mr. Salomons comments would indicate likely more than 200 cameras and likely a larger time period.

[Oren Grad]

Dunno whether Bob is at liberty to say, but I wonder how many Technikas were being sold annually in the US by that point - hard to imagine that it was a huge number.

[Bob Salomon]

They were made because we asked the factory for them and agreed to buy them in 50 piece lots. As the black finish was the same as the finish on the Kardan and Technorama cameras we knew that the finish would hold up over time and handling. Furthermore it was less expensive then the chrome finish so we could sell them to dealers for less then the chrome finish models.
Lastly it saved the factory from discarding some bodies with a minor cosmetic mark.
When the factory was finishing the body castings they would sometimes find a small air bubble. They would fill this bubble with a filler of the same material as the casting but when it was plated there would be a small blemish at that spot. Rather then discarding those castings they finished them in the black paint.
Thus the black Master Technika was born.
We sold several hundred of them. Some dealers bought them in 5 piece lots along with a 150mm crammed, 001015 recessed board.

[Embdude]

Thank you Bob. So it seems likely it went on for more than 2 years and 200 total cameras?
I have seen both MT-Classic and MT-2000 in black, was it still done by the arrival of the MT-3000 in 2008?
I have seen so few MT-3000 cameras it is hard for me to know.

[Tin Can]

Did this 'blackening' timeline correspond with the same 'Professional Black' that occurred on many cameras in the 50's?

America loves model 'progress' in styling, such as car fins then no fins

[Bob Salomon]

Did this 'blackening' timeline correspond with the same 'Professional Black' that occurred on many cameras in the 50's?

America loves model 'progress' in styling, such as car fins then no fins

No, decades later

[Embdude]

Recently I have been looking at the 5x7 V models and the later 1970's-80's sometimes have a black painted front standard and also some are all black paint like the black paint Master Technika was.
The very last ones appear to have no longer had a LINHOF logo in script on the bed just the word TECHNIKA by itself.

Do you know if this 5x7 blackening was occurring at the same approx. timeframe as the MT cameras?

[Bob Salomon]

Recently I have been looking at the 5x7 V models and the later 1970's-80's sometimes have a black painted front standard and also some are all black paint like the black paint Master Technika was.
The very last ones appear to have no longer had a LINHOF logo in script on the bed just the word TECHNIKA by itself.

Do you know if this 5x7 blackening was occurring at the same approx. timeframe as the MT cameras?

No, different times and reason.