Why does Linhof mount their lenses asymetric?

[bluez]

Their mount often look like this :

Dead Link Removed

Is it because large format cameras usually tilt the front a little, and this gives better coverage?

 

[eggen]

I wonder the same thing! Fortunately my Tachihara has the L-point (Linhof) marked in the front standart. I have Schneider 5.6/90 Super Angulon fitted Linhof type lens board. The L-point is a little bit lower than the normal 0-position so the front standard must raise about 1 cm.

The reason why I don"t know. We must live with it. Senseless I think. Maybe there is a reason why. Could somebody tell us?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Bob Salomon (US Linhof rep, soon to be retiring from that post), has posted about this on the LF Forum. As I understand it, the lenses are centered on a Linhof camera when mounted in this way.

 

[miha]

:confused:

Mine looks perfectly symmetric - centred by Linhof.

 

[xya]

:confused:

Mine looks perfectly symmetric - centred by Linhof.

mine too. it's a 4x5 kardan and it's perfectly centered.

 

[Dan Fromm]

The asymmetric board allows for more rise/fall or shift than a board with the lens centered.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Kardan and Technika use different style lensboards. The Technikardan uses Technika-style.

 

[heespharm]

I thought it was for more tilt... The distance between real center and the lens center acts as a lever arm

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I thought it was for more tilt... The distance between real center and the lens center acts as a lever arm

But there is no such need. Most shots that use tilt use relatively little, and there's more than enough on a Technika, particularly when you factor in indirect tilt methods like tilting the back and righting the camera. I've run out of front rise on a Technika when photographing a tall building, necessitating the use of indirect rise (tilting back and front, pointing the camera up until both standards are plumb), but never front tilt.

A Technika has no fall on either standard (except by dropping the bed and using front rise and tilt to correct, which doesn't give you much), however, when the camera is mounted right side up. Mounting the lens in the lowest position gives you the maximum front rise, and if you need front fall, you mount the camera upside down or potentially on its side, if you've got a strong enough tripod head for that. There is a tripod screw under the accessory shoe for mounting the camera upside down, and Linhof also made an "Outrigger Arm" that could be attached to a tripod as another method of upside-down mounting. The back rotates 360 degrees, and there are focusing knobs on both sides.

 

[RobC]

it overcomes the risks and consequences of gravity on the bellows.

 

[bluez]

Some one is selling center hole Linhof boards on ebay if some one wants to change

 

[DREW WILEY]

Using an asymmetric hole board on non-Linhof cameras can cause problems in terms of usable rise and fall positioning on the front standard. Fortunately, both styles are readily available. Many of us use little Technika boards for smaller lenses to help overall compactness,
and then have an adapter board for bigger cameras. For example, my little Ebony 4x5 folder uses center-mounted Technika boards directly,
and then I have a Sinar adapter board for both my Sinar gear itself and my 8x10 folder.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Bob Salomon's explanation on the LF forum is here:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?50283-Center-or-Off-Center-Lensboard

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

I never understood why Linhof did that... perhaps a design miscalculation they resolved by off-center mounting?? At any rate, my Chamonix uses centered boards.

 

[tih]

If you look at a Linhof camera from the front, you'll see that the lens is perfectly centered. The front standard is itself vertically asymmetric, having a U shape. The detachable lens board reaches nearly to the top of the complete front standard, but stops quite a ways from the bottom, because of the bulk of the lower part of the standard and its locking mechanisms. Therefore, the lens has to be mounted below the center of the detachable board as such.

This asymmetry also leaves a nice space for the company name and logo at the top of the board, which is an inherent part of the complete design, of course. These things don't happen by accident.

 

[gary mulder]

To place or remove a lens from the camera you have to tilt it. In other to do so it needs space on the upper side of the rear element. With a asymetric board this can be done with bigger rear lens element.

 

[Dan Fromm]

To place or remove a lens from the camera you have to tilt it.

Not on my cameras (Graphic, Cambo). Which camera behaves as you say they all do? Name names. Be specific.

 

[gary mulder]

tilt;

 

[Dan Fromm]

Thanks.

And now that you mention it, my Cambos' boards have to be tilted a tiny bit when being attached/detached. Nowhere near enough for the lens' rear cell to hit the top of the front standard, just enough to make attaching/detaching recessed boards difficult.