First LF Camera: Crown Graphic or a Linhof Super Technika III

[removed account4]

good decision!

nice camera!

 

[Don Wallace]

The Super Graphic is by far the best choice. You don't need the special lens and shutter (although it is kinda cool to have). The only thing the Super does not have is back movements but until you need them, the Super is both a pretty good field camera and a great hand-held street camera.

 

[chrism]

Mine has the 1/1000 electronic shutter not does not have a lens board that supports it. It should be here next week.

The lens is a 150mm Schneider f/5.6, supposedly fairly recent vintage.

 

[2F/2F]

If all you want is a camera that you point straight at your subject like you do with whatever camera you are using now, but you want to shoot on to a bigger piece of film when you do it, I'd not hesitate to go for a Crown Graphic. As far as bang for the buck in a camera that is a "bridge" between smaller formats and 4x5, they are the best, IMO. They are well-built cameras that should last you a lifetime.

If you want to take advantage of many camera movements, I'd get a Graphic View II with a Graflok back. IMO, they are the best quality out there in an inexpensive monorail camera. For a long time (most of the time I have shot), all I had was the GVII and the Speed, and I was able to do probably 3/4 of what I wanted to do. The Sinar really opened up part of that other 25%, and the Linhof hopefully will take care of the rest.

If I wanted a camera that is somewhat of a hybrid between both of the above, I'd go for the Technika.

In the same realm as the Technika, there are also Horsemans, Super Graphics, Super Speed Graphics, and more.

My first 4x5 was a Graphic View II. My next was a Pacemaker Speed Graphic. Next a Sinar, and sold the GVII. Then, a Technika III, just recently, as a matter of fact. For quite a while (most of the time I have shot pix), all I had was the GVII and the Speed. They covered about 75% of what I wanted to do with 4x5. The Sinar opened up a large chunk of the remaining 25%, and hopefully the Linhof will finish it off.

I regret selling the lenses with the GVII, and sometimes I miss the camera itself; mostly because it was an absolute beauty aesthetically, as well as very quick, light, simple, and solid. I used to put it in a backpack all the time. Then I did the same with my Sinar. Now, I hope for the Technika to take over that role.

Don't let the Technika III's lack of as many movements as the later models scare you away. They are perfectly capable cameras. It is just not as convenient to get a front tilt as with the later models. You have to tilt the back and then shift the front to do it. The only other huge drawback is in hand held use, because you need to have each lens cammed to each camera.

 

[Subversive Mk II]

Tech III a better camera than a Crown Graphic ?!?!?!?

I guess it depends on what you what to do with it. Many who've owned and used both will say that the Crown is better for hand held work, for example...simply because it is lighter. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. I don't think either is absolutely better than the other. They are each excellent in their own respective areas.

I happen to have both these cameras in the room with me right now.
With lenses and rangefinders fitted and ready to go, the Crown (1954) weighs in at 2.4kg and the Tech III (1953) at 2.5kg.
If you want a lumpy, bulky camera that's a knockout killer of potential muggers, heft an MPP at them.