Linhof 4x5 wide angle focusing adapter

Marco Gilardetti · Mar 1, 2007

Good morning fellows.

I was wondering if the Linhof WA focusing adapter for the 4x5 Technika allows some movements.

The reason why I'm asking is that - as far as I understood - it works only with bellows fully retracted inside the body, thus one may think that the standarts shall be completely locked in zeroed position.

In case, does it have movements on its own, or the normal movements of the camera's body have to be used?

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 1, 2007

The adapter has no movements.

You can get a little front movement even with the adapter retracted into the body, but it may entail pulling it out, applying the movement, and retracting it again. Another alternative is to use rear movements, if you've got enough focal distance. Practically, though, you don't really need much if anything in the way of swings or tilts with a 55-65mm lens, and most such lenses don't have enough image circle for rise, fall, and shift on 4x5". Bear in mind that if you use a center filter with such lenses, you'll usually be at f:22 anyway, so you'll already have a good amount of DOF.

Marco Gilardetti · Mar 1, 2007

Thanks for your reply. I was actually thinking more about front rise, which I seem to use almost every time with buildings.

Let's go with a specific question, then. Let's say we're using a 65mm Super Angulon and the 6x7 rollex adapter. Those "limited" movements you can still engage by pulling the assembly out and then back in, how do you think they compare to the movements you'd have on a 2x3'' Linhof Super Technika? Can you rise a bit? On a 2x3 rise is however minimal, because the front standart hits the bottom of the casing of the finder, so it shouldn't be too difficult to "get there".

You probably guessed that I'm trying to see if I can replace a 2x3 with a 4x5 recycling the wide angle and without loosing that (little) rise I have, at least when using 120 film with the adapter.

Thank you very much for your insight.

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 1, 2007

Well, I own a 65/8 Super Angulon and a Tech V 4x5 and a Tech V 23b, so if I get a chance, I'll try it out and let you know.

In general, you can rise a tiny bit on the 4x5" before you hit the top of the case with the WA adapter. With the ratcheting lever on the Tech V or MT, you may even be able to do it without pulling the front standard forward and pushing it back in. I think I've done this with the 65mm, but I got some vignetting on 4x5", though it happened to work for that shot.

Another option you might try is to use indirect rise, by tilting the camera up and tilting the back and front standards so that they are plumb, but I don't know offhand if there is enough room for that with the 65mm.

naturephoto1 · Mar 1, 2007

You should be able to get much more rise capability with the Master Technika than either the the Super Technika IV or V. The Master Technika has the release on the top of the body to flip up to allow for rise when the lens is recessed into the camera body.

Rich

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 1, 2007

Well, not necessarily. The WA device is kind of bulky and usually needs to be in pretty far, so once you're inside the box you don't get much advantage from the Master's top flap. The flap is really useful for lenses that have large coverage between 72-90mm, where you're close to the camera body but still on the regular rail.

naturephoto1 · Mar 1, 2007

OK David,

My misunderstanding of the Master. I just knew about the flip top and only had experience with the Super Technika IV without the WA adapter (now I use the Technikardan 45S).

Rich

HenrikB · Mar 1, 2007

I have a dear old Tech III that I am using with a Schneider 65 every now and then, and there is very little room for movements with 4x5.

However, I do not use any focus mechanism but just leave the front standard inside the body and adjust the focus etc using the REAR standard only

With rollfilm you should get more freedom of course, and could tilt the camera upwards and control the perspective / convergence by tilting the rear standard into vertical position. With the DOF you get you should be OK.

As far as I know, the WA device only gives you a micrometer focusing adjustment, no movements.

Marco Gilardetti · Mar 2, 2007

HenrikB said:
With rollfilm you should get more freedom of course, and could tilt the camera upwards and control the perspective / convergence by tilting the rear standard into vertical position. With the DOF you get you should be OK.

That is correct. By doing so you usually risk to picture the front bed in the frame, though, and focusing to infinity gets impossible in most cases (as far as my experience with the Technika 2x3'' goes, at least).

Thanks for your insight to everyone.

David, if you happen to have time to give it a try, a note on the possibility to rise the 65mm would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot.

David A. Goldfarb · Mar 2, 2007

Okay, I tried it out.

On my Tech V 4x5" with the WA device and a 65/8 Super-Angulon, I could get 5mm of front rise before hitting the top of the body. The flap on the Master Tech wouldn't have helped, because the lens has to be too far inside.

On my Tech V 23b (the current model), I could get 9mm of front rise with the same lens using the flap, which is in just the right position, before the top of the standard hits one of the posts for the back extension. On an earlier Tech V 23 or Tech 70 without the flap you wouldn't be able to get as much rise.

Marco Gilardetti · Mar 5, 2007

Thank you very much, David, I really appreciate it.

Linhof 4x5 wide angle focusing adapter

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Linhof 4x5 wide angle focusing adapter

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