Lenses for Linhof Technika 2x3 6x9 Technika IV

<p>This is continuation of a thread posted in February, 2016. <a href="/mobile/forums/mobile-fetch-msg?msg_id=00dlWz">http://www.photo.net/mobile/forums/mobile-fetch-msg?msg_id=00dlWz</a> Relevant excerpts: <strong>Where to find lenses for Linhof Technika 2x3 6x9 Technika IV </strong>I bought this camera on eBay. It’s current lens and shutter are: Carl Zeiss Jena s/n 1205552 Tessar f/4.5 10.5cc; Compur Nagel. I want a shutter having electronic flash synchronization.<br>

Now that I have sufficient funds, I'm looking on eBay. It looks like I have to pair a lens with a lens board. The following lens looks good and is in a Synchro-Compur shutter. Would a Compur 0 lensboard work with it?<br>

http://www.ebay.com/itm/201591161897?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT<br>

What about this lens board: http://www.ebay.com/itm/391474487277?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT<br>

Will a Compur 0, Copal 0 or Synchro-Compur shutter work with it?<br>

Any other ideas?</p>

That lens is in a shutter with X synch so it is already set up for electronic flash.

<p>But would it fit in a Compur 0 lens board?</p>

Yes

<p>Uh, where on this lens is the shutter speed set? The only thing I can see is a little notch in pictures 2 and 4, set to 1 in the pictures.</p>

<p>Any comments or warnings about this lens? I know a Xenar is 4 elements, which is a step up from my current lens. It has a maximum aperture of 3.5, which is great, and its marked "Linhof" for the shutter. I also know it was made in 1954 - 1957.</p>

<p>Anything else to consider about this lens? </p>

Take your camera to FotoCare and let them tell you what would be best. You obviously misquoted them before because

no one has made a 160mm lens for decades and they would not have told you that.

<p>(i) You set the shutter speed by rotating the knurled ring. Right now it is set to 1 sec., so you see the numeral '1'.</p>

<p>(ii) A Xenar is four elements in three groups, and it is the same design as your current pre-war Zeiss Tessar. 'Xenar' is just Schneider's brand name for that lens design. That said, the newer lens is probably a lot better, for a bunch of reasons.</p>

<p>(iii) Lenses of Xenar/Tessar type are sharp and contrasty, and they were workhorses of commercial photography. Adams used a Kodak Ektar on 8 x 10, and most of those were tessar-type. (Ektars are incidentally excellent lenses, and often good value second-hand.) FWIW, I took <a href="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/6930768-lg.jpg">this photo</a> using a 1950-vintage single-coated 135mm Xenar that probably cost me less than a hundred bucks, and I'm happy with it. (Tripod of course, well-shaded, and probably f/16.)</p>

<p>With any tessar-type lens, you will need to stop down to maybe f/11, maybe f/16, to get optimum sharpness out to the corners. Do your own tests. Also, Xenar/Tessar lenses do not have huge coverage-- maybe a centimeter or so each way on 6 x 9 film. If you want to use a lot of view camera movement (i.e. rise/fall/shift), look for a plasmat-type lens, i.e. one of the Symmar or Sironar variants or their Japanese clones.</p>

<p>(iv) The Linhof Xenar lens you are looking at is from 1956, so it is single-coated, which is fine. You could coax a bit more contrast out of a newer lens with multicoating, which would probably be a plasmat type. There was a 105mm Nikkor-W plasmat lens, but I think the later multicoated Symmars and Sironars were/are 100mm. In your case, I suppose you want to stick with 105mm because it will be a closer match to the Linhof focusing cam.</p>

<p>If you decide on a newer lens, you might be looking at $100 or 200 more for a 1980s multicoated lens, less if you're diligent and patient. It might be worth the investment, so do your own research before you buy. Incidentally, FWIW, I seem to remember that Schneider Xenars were always single-coated, right up until the time they stopped making them a few years ago. I might be wrong on that one.</p>

<p>(v) Bob's comment about the 160 is correct; you meant to say 150mm in the previous thread.</p>

<p>Gone. Now I'm gunning for this one, a Carl Zeiss Tessar, 100mm. , f3.5. <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINHOF-F-ZEISS-TESSAR-100MM-F3-5-2X3-LENS-CLEAN-/282057461453?hash=item41abef4ecd:g:iLYAAOSw9eVXUejf">http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINHOF-F-ZEISS-TESSAR-100MM-F3-5-2X3-LENS-CLEAN-/282057461453?hash=item41abef4ecd:g:iLYAAOSw9eVXUejf</a></p>

<p>I put in a bid.</p>

<p>As added plusses, the seller is in Canada, not Asia, and its on a Linhof Technika 2x3 lens board.</p>

<p>Minus is the small number (3) of pictures.</p>

<p>It's similar to the lens now on the camera, but it's 35-39 years newer (1966-1969, 1930)), is in a Linhof Synchro-Compur shutter, and the shutter has X flash synchronization.</p>

<p>Much of the information about Schneider Xenar applies here as well, thank you.</p>

 

<p>Nice lens. That one started its life on a Graflex XL camera. If you don't get that one, check these out: <br>

<a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rodenstock-Sironar-N-100mm-F5-6-MC-COPAL-for-WISTA-NO-0-shutter-EXC-a51-/152116341125?hash=item236ad72985:g:zsMAAOSwkZhWTph~">Sironar-N</a><br>

<a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/NIKON-NIKKOR-W-105mm-F5-6S-COPAL-Linhof-Lesn-Board-from-Japan-Excellent-T976-/182156661157?hash=item2a696211a5:g:UZ0AAOSwintXRrNb">Nikkor-W</a><br>

<a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schneider-Symmar-100mm-F-5-6-MC-Lens-6673B4-/162077818343?hash=item25bc973de7:g:HD8AAOSwhQ5XP7fU">Multicoated Symmar-S</a><br>

not to mention, so help me, three 100mm Apo-Sironars and Apo-Symmars in the mid-300s. (Do a search if you're interested.) You can get an outrageous lens for a very reasonable price these days.</p>

<p>Keep us posted on how you get on with this, and hang up some of your work here when you get a lens. Good luck.</p>

<p>Don't overlook the great lenses made by Horseman (Topcon) for the VH/VHR line of cameras. They're often available at bargain prices.<br>

JD</p>

<p>Joseph, thanks for your suggestion. Almost all of such lenses have Seiko shutters. I have not been able to find Linhof Technika 23 lens boards for Seiko shutters.</p>

<p>As far as I know Seiko shutter sizes are equivalent to Copal/Compur. I never had a problem mounting any Seiko shuttered lens on a Linhof or Sinar board, and I have had several over the years.<br /> JD</p>

I got it! Carl Zeiss Tessar, 100mm. , f3.5. http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINHOF-F-ZEISS-TESSAR-100MM-F3-5-2X3-LENS-CLEAN-/282057461453?hash=item41abef4ecd:g:iLYAAOSw9eVXUejf

 

It looks, feels and sounds nice. However, in order to use it, I need to do the following, and would appreciate help.

 

1. Get a suitable lens board. This one measures 73mm x 80mm x 2mm and doesn't fit. I think the problem is the thickness. The lensboard currently on the camera is 1mm thick. Could you identify a suitable lensboard on eBay?

 

2. Get a spanner wrench so I can detach the lens from this lensboard and fit it on a suitable one. I have "Rodenstock Metal Lens Wrench for Lens Retaining Rings" http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rodenstock-Metal-Lens-Wrench-for-Lens-Retaining-Rings-/181846453241?hash=item2a56e4abf9:g:CtwAAOSwyQtV3NUb and it doesn't extend far enough.

 

3. Repair or CLA the shutter. Shutter speeds 1s and 1/2s are way off. I can't tell about the faster speeds. Also, the lever which opens and closes the shutter seems stiff. The shutter does not have a T setting, and this is a minor inconvenience. Can you recommend a place for repair or CLA?

 

4. As long as I'm having the lens serviced, I might want to have the whole camera serviced. Bellow holes and problems like that.

Where are you located?

NYC

Linhof factory trained service in the USA is Precision in Niles IL and Nippon in NYC. Contact them. Bob at Precision and

Rim at Nippon. There are no repair parts from the factory still available from the factory.

When I stated no parts, that is for your camera, of course.

Of course.

 

How about a recommendation for just working on the lens?

Same places, it is just a simple shutter repair, hopefully, not a lens repair.

<p>Would this be the type of work S. K. Grimes does? I've successfully worked with them on a Voigtlander Avus.<br>

Any other recommendations?</p>

An camera repairman can repair shutters.

<p>Many email and eBay messages and phone calls later, </p>

<p>The following lens boards look encouraging: <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/391474487277?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT">http://www.ebay.com/itm/391474487277?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT</a>, <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LINHOF-Technika-Lens-Board-80x73mm-Cut-Out-34mm-/401140619897">http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LINHOF-Technika-Lens-Board-80x73mm-Cut-Out-34mm-/401140619897</a>? Both have rims on the back side.</p>

<p>Rim at Nippon Photo Clinic said he could modify my new lens board to fit, for $50.</p>

<p>So, go with either eBay lens board or with a modified lens board?</p>

<p>Also, Rim said repairing the shutter would cost $180.00. Is that reasonable? Would I be better off returning the lens and starting over with another lens?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>