Question Linhof Technika III

[tbroadley]

I have acquired a Linhof Technika III. The lens currently is a 150 and has a cam. I also got a 210mm but alas no cam. My question is whether or not ground glass focusing is feasible without the cam? I realize the range finder will not work but I was thinking about using it as a typical field camera?
Thanks
Tim

 

[Paul Howell]

See no reason why not. Over the years the rangefinder on my Speed has given up the ghost and I use it with the ground glass, 127, 150, 210 lens without issues. If you have access to Ebay you may find a 210 cam.

 

[Arklatexian]

I have acquired a Linhof Technika III. The lens currently is a 150 and has a cam. I also got a 210mm but alas no cam. My question is whether or not ground glass focusing is feasible without the cam? I realize the range finder will not work but I was thinking about using it as a typical field camera?
Thanks
Tim

I would think that ground glass focusing would not only be feasible but preferable, with or without the cam, when using your camera as a field camera...........Regards!

 

[AgX]

Technicas with RF are designed as multi purpose cameras, to be used as classic field camera, as fast action camera, as technical camera

 

[E. von Hoegh]

I have acquired a Linhof Technika III. The lens currently is a 150 and has a cam. I also got a 210mm but alas no cam. My question is whether or not ground glass focusing is feasible without the cam? I realize the range finder will not work but I was thinking about using it as a typical field camera?
Thanks
Tim

Absolutely. That's why it's there. Sometimes cams turn up on feepay, but be advised that the cam must match the individual lens and the individual body. Original cams are marked with the serial numbers of the lens and body for which they were cut.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Of course you can use the groundglass to focus, provided it hasn't gone out of calibration.

If you want to use the rangefinder, Richard Ritter will grind cams for a Tech III.

http://www.lg4mat.net/page4.html#11

 

[WilmarcoImaging]

There is a very knowledgeable guy on the LF site who knows Linhofs backwards and forwards and could answer this pretty quickly.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

There's no reason to contact anyone else: the question has been answered in full. The groundlgass can be used also without the cam. If the rangefinder has to be used instead, the cam is needed. End of the story.

 

[Ian Grant]

Working on a tripod you don't really need to use the range-finder and it isn't much use when you start using movements.

While not a Linhof I use a camera that can be cammed for different lenses, and others where the range-finder is set for a specific FL, I often shoot hand led and actually prefer to focus on the GG screen and never use my range-finders. You'd need to decide whether a cam is really needed fot the 210, I shoot 90mm, 150m and 210mm and want to switch quickly changing cams would slow me down. A cam for my main lens might be useful and that's what came with my camera.

Ian

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The rangefinder is handy for portraits (often the territory of a 210mm lens) when using the camera on a tripod. If the subject moves, you can recheck focus quickly without taking the filmholder out of the back.

You can also use a string for that, which is what I do when shooting 8x10" portraits and don't have a rangefinder.

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

The rangefinder is handy for portraits (often the territory of a 210mm lens) when using the camera on a tripod. If the subject moves, you can recheck focus quickly without taking the filmholder out of the back.

I agree, this makes focusing much easier, as you said. I did a couple of "ground glass" studio portraits, the subject moved a little, and her eyes went "soft." I should have just used the rangefinder.