Hand Holding a Technika 4x5

I have a Master Technika 4x5 which had the rangefinder removed by the original

owner. I am thinking of having it put back on and getting cams made for a few

lens (currently favoring 110/5.6 SSXL, 150/4.5 Apo Lanthar, and perhaps a

210/4.5 Heliar; I think they might provide a nice mix of a classic to a modern

look with reasonably fast lenses to help compensate for my own unsteady hands).

The cost is not insubstantial. Therefore, I am wondering if people with similar

setups (Technikas, Graphics,etc) do much hand held shooting and are they happy

with their results, or should I not go to the expense and stick to a tripod and

ground glass? Is it really possible to do candid type portraiture with such a

setup, or to be able to travel more lightly for outdoor scenics? Are there other

advantages to the availability of the rangefinder?

Any and all information/input/advice/scorn/whatever will be most appreciated

(and please forgive my posting essentially the same question in some of the

other photo forums in search of more opinions).

Thanks,

Larry

The best technique for hand holding a Master Technika Classic is to hold the accessory plastic grip in the left hand and rest the right front corner of the bed in the right hand. Your finger will be in the right place to trip the shutter. It may be held steady down to 1/4 second by a non shaky person of at least average strength. I successfully used mine for hand held work with rapidly moving models. The drawback of this method vs. ground glass focusing is that the viewfinder is not 100% accurate. It is accurate enough for many purposes, but will not give you the exact borders. Neither will most other cameras, but the ground glass will. If you have the cams made and infinity stops installed by Linhof USA for the individual lenses you will use, the focus will be accurate.

You might also want to consider using a monopod.

Depends on how you use your shots. To meet the clients demand you probably better off with finder but for the creative fun there is no need for finder actually, specially considering their price. The imaging power of setup your mention is so great that it almost does not matter how you hold or where you point the camera ...

<i>The imaging power of setup your mention is so great that it almost does not matter how you hold or where you point the camera ...

</i>

<p>

Uh. Oookay.

Just taking a practical view, I find it hard to fathom that one would be able to take anything candidly using a 4x5 these days, considering the attention they tend to grab wherever they are used. But of course, I've never tried this, so it just might be possible. (In fact I'd be very happy to be wrong on that one!)

 

In terms of camera stability, I'd go with the monopod, especially as you mention your shaky hands. I know how it is -- when I was younger I could get nice steady exposures reliably down to about 1/8; 1/4 sometimes if I was propped against a wall or something. But nowadays, with middle age combined with too much coffee in an afternoon ... you get the picture?

 

Does your camera have a wire framefinder? I mean the kind that folds up from the front standard. That might be helpful, especially if you could set your camera to hyperfocal distance with a usable aperture/shutter speed combination. Then, either hand-held, or on a monopod, you'd have a set-up for quick shooting when something comes up.

 

Just some random thoughts; hope some of it's helpful.

Check out the work of Mary Ellen Mark. She has been shooting with the MT for several

years. Many are candid photojournalism shots.

Just taking a practical view, I find it hard to fathom that one would be able to take anything candidly using a 4x5 these days, considering the attention they tend to grab wherever they are used.

 

Why not? I do it with my Horseman FA with zoom finder. No different then hand holding my Fotoman 617, and same settings.Just forget long lenses. I use it for 90 and 150 only.

Remember that the classic press photographers using Speed Graphics almost always used them with flash, with a big honking #22 flashbulb or the like. Lots of light, and thus a short exposure and small aperture. Even outdoors in daylight. (The sun was just a fill light.)

 

At least with ISO 100 film, I've found it tricky to hand-hold my Pony Premo No. 4, which is a circa 1905 folding 4x5 plate camera (bicycle style). Very light, but still prone to shaking. Of course, in 1905 you were only planning to contact print, so a little shake was OK.

I shoot handheld w/ a toyo metal A all the time. I don't have a rangefinder and rarely

use a mono or tripod with it. I bought a beat up Linhof grip and premeasured a focal

scale for a 80xl. I prefer the toyo for a lot of my street, doc and personal work. The only

drawback for me is traveling w/ box film. Proper hand checks are harder to pull off w/

TSA these days.

You can buy a terrific Crown Graphic for way less than having a Technika serviced and try it out. I've owned both, and the Crowns are far easier to use hand held... plus they have the wonderful wire line finder which is remarkably accurate. Back in the day, most photographers did pretty much all their shooting with one lens... a 127 or a 135.

 

If you don't find you use it, a Crown can always be sold for what you paid for it.

Larry,

 

I use a Linhof Technika III handheld with a 90 mm Angulon, as well as a Graphic with a 135 mm Sironar. I find that it is difficult to use those cameras for longer lenses. As to the Linhof, my advice is not to use the special Linhof grip. Instead, grab the camera with you left hand fingers inside the left hand frame and your right hand resting under the fold out. The shutter can be released by a cable release fixed to the front on the right, seen from behind. I would suggest you to get a Technika III for this kind of work. It has the advantage of being able to be used with the front rise (used together with the wire frame as finder). With the newer Technikas, rising the front causes the focus to get out of line! I hope this helps.

"With the newer Technikas, rising the front causes the focus to get out of line! I hope this helps."

 

Nonsense. Technikas are not made to be made to be rangefinder or viewfinder operated when tilts/swings/rise or fall

movements are made. The rangefinder on any version will not be accurate when these movements are made. Same with

the finder.

 

As for the grip the grip for later models is different then the grip for the III. Most handheld shooters will use the grip rather

then the strap. it allows you to have a much more comfortable wrist position.

I'm late to this thread but if anyone returns: I've used the MT handheld, shooting comfortably at 1/60. Sometimes I'll sit in a folding chair

on location, use my legs plus a Ries wooden monopod to create a "tripod". I'm tall so this helps getting the right height in relation to my

average height subject. Add a battery operated light on a stand next to you and you'll have it all.

<p>Dear Bob,<br>

With due respect for your eminence in all things Linhof, I have to disagree with your conclusion "the rangefinder on any version will not be accurate when these movements are made. Same with the finder". You have forgotten that, on the Technika III, you can raise the lensboard without changing its distance to the film plane. Thus, the rangefinder will stay perfectly accurate. Furthermore, the wirefinder will be raised together with the lensboard. As long as you keep the eye firmly fixed on the eye cup at the rear of the camera and glance at the (raised) wireframe from there, the picture will also be accurately framed. <br>

Bob, I have taken several handheld architectural pictures in this way and they have always wound up perfectly in focus and framed. Thus I know what I am talking about and have the pictures to prove it.<br>

Permit me to add that the same method can of course be used with the (far cheaper) Graphics, as long as the lense permits a raising without losing picture quality.<br>

I hope this clarifies things!</p>

<p>Emil,<br>

Thanks for your comments but the III has not been made since the early 50's and operates differently then models that replaced it. It should also be pointed out that Linhof made several types of wire frame finders but hasn't made one in a couple of decades so most users will not be using a III or a wire frame finder.</p>