Linhof Technika 70

Hello, seeking some tips on using a new camera and lens.

 

I have just bought a new bit of kit listed thus:

 

Linhof Technika 70 with coupled 80 f2.8 schneider yenotar (rare!) + 56x72

super rollex. Clean condition, some wear to finish around viewfinder - good

focus screen +rear hood - meter works!

 

Cost on ebay buy it now was $943

 

Anyone ever used or have experience with the above? Was it a fair price?

I assume yenotar means xenotar? To be honest I can't wait for the kit to

arrive, I will use it for whatever it best suits. Any ideas are much

appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance.<div></div>

Of course it is a medium format camera, so you might want to go over there to ask.

 

You could have had a 4x5 for that money.

 

See you on the MF group.

That's a high price to pay for a camera so limited. You do know that it's viewfinder only operates in the vertical format, don't you? Never could understand why they did that. So, if you want to take a landscape [horizontal], you've got to put it on a tripod a view/focus through the back of the camera on the groundglass. Might as well use a view camera in the first place, unless all your pics are vertical.

What an unfriendly reception for a guy who's excited about his new Linhof, and needs encouragement, not bitchyness. I checked on the MF forum (where he reposted), and they were pretty nice to him over there.

<i>What an unfriendly reception for a guy who's excited about his new Linhof, and needs encouragement, not bitchyness.</i><p>

We are merely helping the chap understand English. LF <> MF. <p>

<i>I checked on the MF forum (where he reposted), and they were pretty nice to him over there.</i><p>

There, see how nicely that worked out?

Alec, thanks for the response. Yep, I see how the camera works.

 

Hi Bill, when the Linhof arrives I'll really start smiling, saving that moment like a kid in a toystore. I like the vertical format and I think the versatility of the Linhof 70 will be very useful for environmental portraits with or without a tripod. If I really need to use 4x5 I have an excellent B&J press camera with 14 inches of bellows. I plan to use that set-up for macro photography.

 

Cheers.

"The best known classic technical medium format camera is the Linhof Super Technika 6x9 . . . . A slightly more lavish but less versatile cousin is the LInnof Technika 70, which has fewer movements at the front of the camera, but sports built-in brightline viewfinders and an excellent exposure meter within the top plate of the camera. The Technika 70 is an easier camera to use in the hand but is less effective as a technical camera than the Super Technika. Either of these Linhof cameras can be used with cut film in double dark slides or with 120 or 220 roll film in the appropriate Linhof Super-Rollex backs, which are available to provide either ten exposures 6cm x 7cm or eight exposures 6cm x 9 cm." Matanle, "Collecting and Using Classic Cameras."

 

Matanle also says you should be sure to check numbers to determine whether your lens is matched to your camera. He says the numbers of the lenses that have been matched to a given camera are engraved on the rangefinder cam. The cam is underneath the camera bed and can be seen between the rails on which the lens standard moves. If they don't match then I'd try to return the camera, otherwise you're likely to have focusing problems plus resale problems if you ever try to sell the camera(though if you otherwise love the camera I suppose you could test first, you might get lucky). The Linhof factory (or maybe Marflex, the U.S. authorized Linhof repair center) used to be able to match an unmatched lens but I'm not sure they still do this kind of thing and in any event it was expensive.

 

I hope this helps a little. It sounds like you have a great camera, use it and enjoy it.

Brian, that's a real help, thanks. Glad to know Linhof make a 69 super rolex, that's my next stop on ebay. Would be very handy to have two backs with different film types and formats. Also, I think the Schneider lens is coupled, ie it came with the camera, so that's cool.

 

Use it and enjoy it is the best advice, thanks. That's what I intend to do!

Brian, I remembered that name Mantale, first name Ivor and quite a pricey book on classic cameras? Excellent info he provides. I bought a Linhof instruction manual in English text for $12.

 

Cheers.

Hi Ben - Yes, that's the guy and the book. I've always liked the book. Even though I haven't been into using old classic cameras (except a Leica SL2 for a short time) I enjoy reading about them and his book is very well done.

I read about your Linhof camera and the responses in 2006.

Some of the reactions were stupid, probably non professionals.

I have used this Linhof camera for years an enjoyed every second of using it. I still have two cassettes, super angulon wide-angle and telelens and the camera.Have you found the second film-cassette?

 

Now in 2007; you must have become a happy man with such a versatile camera.

 

Good luck from Stephan in Holland!