Objectives Linhof Aerotechnika vs Technika V

**J.W. Haverkort** · 20-Jun-2010, 01:11

In stock I have 3 objectives for a Linhof Aerotechnika 45EL. Can these objectives be used on a Linhof Technika V, with the right lensboards?
Thanks for any reply
Jeanette

**Bob Salomon** · 20-Jun-2010, 01:42

AeroTechnika 45 EL lenses are in large baonet lens mounts with a cowling and an electrig controlled shutter. Yes you can destroy many thosands of Dollars of lens mount to remount the lenses in a standard shutter and onto a standard board but you would still have a performance issue. TYhose lenses were specially selected and adjusted for their performance at near infinity not for the typical shots done with a view camera. The minimum distance that one of these lenses is designed for is 500' which is the FAA mandadted minimum altitude for aerialphotography.

You woul be destroying a very rare and historic lens. The Aero Technika EL was used by EG&G to record Dept. of Energy Nucleur Bomb explosions, it was the first, and only, 4x5 camera system to regularly go in space on NASA Space Shuttle Missions, it would be a pity to see someone strip them out to try to make them perform like a standard lens when tht is something they are not!

**Nathan Potter** · 20-Jun-2010, 08:33

Bob, I've held a couple of these lenses in my shaking hands when consulting with a high tech Co. in MA. They are masterfully made. Do you know who did the optics design and fabrication? I agree, totally unsuitable for everyday LF use, although if you're not too fussy about image quality I suppose you could prostitute them. They more likely belong in an optics museum as an example of the engineering perfection achieved by our western culture.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

**Bob Salomon** · 20-Jun-2010, 08:55

Originally Posted by Nathan Potter

Bob, I've held a couple of these lenses in my shaking hands when consulting with a high tech Co. in MA. They are masterfully made. Do you know who did the optics design and fabrication? I agree, totally unsuitable for everyday LF use, although if you're not too fussy about image quality I suppose you could prostitute them. They more likely belong in an optics museum as an example of the engineering perfection achieved by our western culture.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

Were you at EG&G? Early ones used Zeiss optics and later ones Schneider optics. Testing, mount fabrication and manufacturing of all but the glass was done by Linhof. And if you thought those were interesting you should have seen the lenses Linhof made for their Aerotronica with the Linhof made high speed, guilatine shutter system!

**Frank Petronio** · 20-Jun-2010, 11:31

Someone should really do a "museum" type of website to document this sort of exotic stuff, it really is the height of craftsmanship, design, and engineering.

Baring that, the vintage Linhof books are very satisfying to just look through, even the Linhof studio stands and secondary hardware are beautiful objects.

**Nathan Potter** · 20-Jun-2010, 19:23

Not employed at EG&G but sweated through a few related projects on several occasions. Petronio is right on, and particularly lacking are examples of sophisticated military optics where declassification is permissible. Never dealt with ITEK Corp. which I believe was involved in some pretty fancy optics designs. I was involved with lithography tools at least some of the time and their phenomenal UV optics.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.