Linhof Technika III

awty · Jan 4, 2017

Hi All
First off my new years resolution is not to buy any more cameras.........but it were a bargain.
Anyhow I have wanted for a bit to get a 5x4 camera, but kind of put it off to something I could do in the future, but when I saw a Linhol for sale a couple of suburbs away at a good price, figured it was worth a look. Grabbed the last remaining notes I had stashed under the mattress and headed off......

He even threw in some loading plates, film, a brand new bellow, a good tri pod and a Minolta spot meter, couldn't wait to put the cash in his hand and seal the deal.

Im just wondering if any one could direct me to a decent guide on the basic use of one? Cant seem to find much on that model, maybe later models are similar and I can just look at that?
Can I lubricate the tracks? If so with what? dry lube, or oil, or silicone spray, or leave it?
The lens has two focal sizes, but there is only a 180mm cam, how does that work?

Thanks any other basic info would be appreciated.

This is it, complete and in excellent condition.

BTW before anyone tells me how inferior this is to there particular favorite I dont really care and it doesnt matter, happy with what I have.

summicron1 · Jan 4, 2017

can't help you with the cams, but any light machine oil would be good to clean/lube the rails if you feel they need it. Tri-flow (available at any bike shop) works nicely.

As to use -- it's a 4 by 5 view camera and they all work pretty much the same for picture taking. The mechanical peculiarities of this one can probably be puzzled out with an evening of fiddling with stuff. Be gentle, never force anything.

Sirius Glass · Jan 4, 2017

Start looking on this page http://www.butkus.org/chinon/large_format.htm

If you find a download useful please send him $3US as a donation because he provides this service with his free labor and time.

AgX · Jan 4, 2017

As far as I know the old lenses were only given a cam for the nominal FL not for the other one accomplished by removing a cell.
Basically it should be possible to get it cammed for the other FL too.

AgX · Jan 4, 2017

summicron1 said:
can't help you with the cams, but any light machine oil would be good to clean/lube the rails if you feel they need it.

Linhof explicitely warns against using any oil on the Technikas. They advise one only might do a slight buffing of the rails with petroleum jelly.
The current manual is free at the Linhof site.

Of course, if your sample was uncared for and got resinated oil/grease then a thorough cleaning is needed.

shutterfinger · Jan 4, 2017

AgX said:
One only might do a slight buffing of the rails with petroleum jelly.

White lithium grease or similar light weight grease will work fine.
With the rails fully extended clean the gear track on the bottom of the rails then coat with a trace of grease on the gear teeth. The guide slots in the bed that the rails slide in can be cleaned and a trace of grease applied to them also.
The only place I would consider putting any oil would be the pinion shaft at its mounting blocks, a drop about half the size of a straight pin head should be sufficient.
I use Finish Line FETT Grease with teflon, very similar to white lithium. I use TriFlo oil with teflon as mentioned in post #2.

The Linhof Technica is a press camera with more movements than most, it can be used like a view camera.

awty · Jan 4, 2017

Thanks for the information guys.
The original manual on the Butkus site is a bit brief, but later models are better and will give me an idea.
Cant find anything on the Linhof site, may need to look harder.

The camera its self is all in great unmolested condition, things are a little stiff only in the sense I dont think it has been used much. Thanks for the lube tips. I will do it sparingly.
The view finder seems to work ok, be a bit of an effort on the streets, but maybe doable.

AgX · Jan 4, 2017

http://linhof.com/en/download/

Theo Sulphate · Jan 4, 2017

What a beautiful Linhof you have. I haven't seen a Technika III that was as nice as yours. So, I understand why you bought it.

Here's some basic information, perhaps you've already seen it:

https://www.cameraquest.com/techs.htm

awty · Jan 5, 2017

shutterfinger said:
White lithium grease or similar light weight grease will work fine.
With the rails fully extended clean the gear track on the bottom of the rails then coat with a trace of grease on the gear teeth. The guide slots in the bed that the rails slide in can be cleaned and a trace of grease applied to them also.
The only place I would consider putting any oil would be the pinion shaft at its mounting blocks, a drop about half the size of a straight pin head should be sufficient.
I use Finish Line FETT Grease with teflon, very similar to white lithium. I use TriFlo oil with teflon as mentioned in post #2.

The Linhof Technica is a press camera with more movements than most, it can be used like a view camera.

Thanks. All makes sense and everything is now moving smoothly.

awty · Jan 5, 2017

AgX said:
http://linhof.com/en/download/

Thanks, think I have worked out the basic functions now, including how to convert the lens to longer focal length.

awty · Jan 5, 2017

Theo Sulphate said:
What a beautiful Linhof you have. I haven't seen a Technika III that was as nice as yours. So, I understand why you bought it.

Here's some basic information, perhaps you've already seen it:

https://www.cameraquest.com/techs.htm

I was drooling the moment he unwrapped it from some packaging, he also had a minty Leica m3, with original lens and attached meter as well as a Mamiya c330, but I dont think he was quite ready to give them up, although he said he only used his D3 these days.....sad.

Going by the link mine looks to be the last version and has an international back.

AgX · Jan 5, 2017

Linhof is scarce on guides about their cameras now. Back in the late 50s early 60s they published great books on the use of their cameras.

LAG · Jan 5, 2017

Beautiful box, congrats! (Thread title wrong)

outwest · Jan 5, 2017

I love my III so much I bought a second one as a spare. I use Ice Wax bicycle chain lube on the rails. It dries hard. Any kind of grease or oil will eventually congeal and attract dust and gum up the works.

shutterfinger · Jan 5, 2017

A Trace amount of oil or grease cannot be seen with the eye except for a light sheen or just detectable with one's finger tip.
I wipe the gear tract with a cotton swab dipped in grease then wipe off the excess with a clean swab. A round tooth pick works well for getting into the groves.
I've seen dried up old grease on rail gears that resembles hard petroleum jelly. Some were untouched from the factory 50+ years onward.

mug · Sep 4, 2020

I cleaned the tracks and use my expensive silicon grease. Wow that doesn't work at all. The track is extreme stiff, Worse then before I cleaned. So I experiment with different greases.
Final shimano anti seize assembly paste is the best grease for my aluminium tracks (I've a model II 13x18 from the '50-tis)
Molykote P37 is also is nice working. But makes the camera tracks very dirty (and my hands also)

awty · Sep 4, 2020

mug said:
I cleaned the tracks and use my expensive silicon grease. Wow that doesn't work at all. The track is extreme stiff, Worse then before I cleaned. So I experiment with different greases.
Final shimano anti seize assembly paste is the best grease for my aluminium tracks (I've a model II 13x18 from the '50-tis)
Molykote P37 is also is nice working. But makes the camera tracks very dirty (and my hands also)

Ive been using drag grease on tracks, works well.
The biggest hassle is the stupidly small lock button you have to press to move the front forwards, no good for fatty fingers.

Linhof Technika III

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