Help Needed: Technikardan 45s - Fresnel behind Maxwell Glass

[Ben Chase]

You made the best decision possible Ben as your situation is rather unique and there is really no way of being able to put your arms confidently around a reference point of ground glass registration buying in the used market. I have spoken to Martin Arndt many times on the phone with a myriad of Linhof questions over the last few years and he is as good as they get relative to knowledgable customer service. The staff at Marflex cammed several lenses for me for my Master Technika a few years ago and I was simply amazed at the precision of their work.

Have a great trip. I am heading to Montana at the end of the month to visit family and do some shooting as well.

Cheers!

Yep - that's what it boiled down to. I needed to be sure.
One thing I did do prior to sending it to Martin was to reverse the GG and the Fresnel after focusing closely on a ruler from about 5 feet. There was definitely focus shift - I was actually surprised at the difference.

Hopefully FedEx gets the GG frame in one piece to Marflex and back

[KenM]

What I meant to say was that the maxwell was installed underneath the groundglass, toward the lens side. Just about everything I've read here indicates that a fresnel needs to be installed facing the user's eye, otherwise there will be a focus shift.

I've already sent it priority overnight to Marflex to ensure that the groundglass is seated properly and the shims are in the correct position.

You've done the right thing by sending it in - I did the same thing with mine (not Marflex, but the Canadian Linhof service center, Blazes Photographic).

I'm a bit confused by what you've said above. As Brian (I think) mentioned above, a Maxwell screen *is* a combination GG/Fresnel, and is always installed underneath a clear (or possibly lined) glass cover. So, from the user end of the camera, the installation order would be: clear class cover, Maxwell screen with the fine grooves facing the user, and the frosted side of the screen facing the lens.

It's all moot anyways, since you've sent it in.

[Ben Chase]

You've done the right thing by sending it in - I did the same thing with mine (not Marflex, but the Canadian Linhof service center, Blazes Photographic).

I'm a bit confused by what you've said above. As Brian (I think) mentioned above, a Maxwell screen *is* a combination GG/Fresnel, and is always installed underneath a clear (or possibly lined) glass cover. So, from the user end of the camera, the installation order would be: clear class cover, Maxwell screen with the fine grooves facing the user, and the frosted side of the screen facing the lens.

It's all moot anyways, since you've sent it in.

Hmm...I'm betting that's how it was installed then. The glass was clear now that I think about it. Perhaps there was nothing wrong after all? I hope that Marflex doesn't install the Maxwell combo incorrectly if that's the case.

In theory if the shims are in the proper spot, I should be able to put whatever GG type on the shim that I want. I'm more concerned about the shims being in the right spot.

[Al Seyle]

Hi Ben-
I've only just now come in on this, but since I'm the one who sold you the camera and I'm the one who installed the Maxwell, all I can say is it was installed according to Bill's instructions with him on the phone while I did it. He furnished the shims, and fasteners, too. As it was several years ago, I don't remember much more than this, but I can tell you that I never had focus issues and I was very happy with the huge brightness improvement of the Maxwell screen compared to the original Linhof. If you had not sent it to Marflex I would advise calling Bill, because it's his product--not Linhof's. But that ship has sailed.
Good luck.

[Brian Ellis]

"I hope that Marflex doesn't install the Maxwell combo incorrectly if that's the case."

Ben - I think this is a legitimate concern and if I were you I'd give Martin a call and see what he plans to do before he does it. As I mentioned before, Bill Maxwell provides some items of hardware when his screens are installed in a Linhof camera and these items are supposed to be substituted for the corresponding Linhof parts. Your camera presumably has the Maxwell parts but if not you'd want to get them from Bill Maxwell and have Martin use them. The last thing you'd want is for Martin to replace Maxwell parts with Linhof parts or to continue to use Linhof parts if that's what's now on your camera.

He may very well know all about this, he's extremely knowledgeable and capable and you're probably not the first person to send him a camera with a Maxwell screen. But I think it would be worth a phone call just to be on the safe side. I'm sorry that I can't remember exactly which Maxwell parts are substituted for the corresponding Linhof parts, I think it was the clips and the screws but I'm not sure. As I mentioned before, when I installed my Maxwell screen I didn't understand the importance of using all the parts that Maxwell sends with the screen. So I mistakenly thought I could continue to use some of the Linhof parts and totally messed up about 50 sheets of film the first time I used the camera after installing the Maxwell screen because the film holders weren't properly seated in the camera.

[Ben Chase]

"I hope that Marflex doesn't install the Maxwell combo incorrectly if that's the case."

Ben - I think this is a legitimate concern and if I were you I'd give Martin a call and see what he plans to do before he does it. As I mentioned before, Bill Maxwell provides some items of hardware when his screens are installed in a Linhof camera and these items are supposed to be substituted for the corresponding Linhof parts. Your camera presumably has the Maxwell parts but if not you'd want to get them from Bill Maxwell and have Martin use them. The last thing you'd want is for Martin to replace Maxwell parts with Linhof parts or to continue to use Linhof parts if that's what's now on your camera.

He may very well know all about this, he's extremely knowledgeable and capable and you're probably not the first person to send him a camera with a Maxwell screen. But I think it would be worth a phone call just to be on the safe side. I'm sorry that I can't remember exactly which Maxwell parts are substituted for the corresponding Linhof parts, I think it was the clips and the screws but I'm not sure. As I mentioned before, when I installed my Maxwell screen I didn't understand the importance of using all the parts that Maxwell sends with the screen. So I mistakenly thought I could continue to use some of the Linhof parts and totally messed up about 50 sheets of film the first time I used the camera after installing the Maxwell screen because the film holders weren't properly seated in the camera.

I spoke to Martin today and he seemed very familiar and recognized that it was a Maxwell screen. He explained that these are outstanding screens, (which I know from using it), and that the clear glass is installed over the top of the actual screen, since the screen is both a fresnel and a GG.

When I get the camera back, I will take some wide-open test shots and have them developed, as well as call Bill Maxwell to see if there is anything left that I need to do.

I asked him specifically if he was 100% sure that the screen was installed properly and the shims were where they were supposed to be. He said "absolutely".

[Ben Chase]

I spoke to Martin today and he seemed very familiar and recognized that it was a Maxwell screen. He explained that these are outstanding screens, (which I know from using it), and that the clear glass is installed over the top of the actual screen, since the screen is both a fresnel and a GG.

When I get the camera back, I will take some wide-open test shots and have them developed, as well as call Bill Maxwell to see if there is anything left that I need to do.

I asked him specifically if he was 100% sure that the screen was installed properly and the shims were where they were supposed to be. He said "absolutely".

Got the GG back from Marflex today. He reinstalled the Maxwell correctly, and replaced the two missing center screws on the back. He also noted that he did have to make a slight adjustment to the shims to take them back to the Linhof factory spec, which is 4.85mm, according to the work order he gave back to me today.

I'll make some test shots tomorrow and get them developed to make sure all is well. Perhaps giving Bill Maxwell a call would also be a good idea.

[Michael Kadillak]

Perhaps giving Bill Maxwell a call would also be a good idea.

Nothing against Bill Maxwell as he is a saint of a man that has contributed greatly to photography (I have his screens on several cameras and thay are great) but now that you have your ground glass assembly back from Marflex your problem is solved and you need to resist any urge to mess with it EVER. Mark this in the category of experience and go out and make photographs.

Cheers!

[Ben Chase]

Nothing against Bill Maxwell as he is a saint of a man that has contributed greatly to photography (I have his screens on several cameras and thay are great) but now that you have your ground glass assembly back from Marflex your problem is solved and you need to resist any urge to mess with it EVER. Mark this in the category of experience and go out and make photographs.

Cheers!

Actually my problem is not solved.

I took a few test shots, and they were all off focus. Reading these previous threads, it appears now that the shims were replaced by Al as part of the installation of the Maxwell screen.

Looks like Marflex didn't recognize that the shims were not Linhof factory shims, and he adjusted them to 4.85 mm (which apparently is factory spec). Well - naturally this wouldn't work, as the shims supplied by Maxwell clearly aren't the Linhof shims.

So in the morning I'll be calling Marflex to have them completely replace the shims with Linhof ones and install a new Linhof-brand groundglass. I'm tired of screwing around with this.

After speaking with Martin on the phone after he adjusted the shims, I certainly got the impression that he was extremely familiar with the Maxwell screen, but it seems pretty clear to me that he didn't know about the shims.

Looks like my Glacier trip will be pushed back a week, unless I can get quick turnaround on this.

[tim atherton]

Unfortunately I could see this coming.

You would have probably been better off talking just to Maxwell as Brian suggested and forgetting Marflex