I own a Linhof Technika V 4x5 and have often been swearing about the poor functioning of the leather viewing hood. Recently I read Stephen Gandy's articles about Linhof on his homepage cameraquest.com. Several times, he mentioned there the merits of grafting a Graphic 4x5 metal viewing hood onto the Linhof revolving Graflok back.

Stimulated by this idea, I recently acquired a used Graphic metal hood. However, I found it to be quite impossible to mount that hood on the Linhof back, the dimensions just aren't right. Has anyone else read Stephen's ideas and actually succeeded in doing what he proposes? I would be extremely interested in the type of conversion work needed.

-- Emil Ems (emil.ems@dg2.cec.be), February 16, 1999

Answers

Emil, I'm very interested in this modification too, so if you find anything more please e-mail me. I've even seen a modified tech like the one cameraquest describes for sale but that was a few years back. It may be a very specific brand of graphic hood that fits. So much for the term Universal Graflok back huh?

-- Tribby (linhof6@hotmail.com), February 17, 1999.

I also own a Tech V and read Stephen Gandy's article with interest. FWIW, I didn't think he meant that you could just use the Graphic viewing hood on the Linhof. I thought he meant that you perhaps could take the metal parts from the interior of the Graphic hood (i.e. those parts that fold out and form the hood itself - sorry I don't know the technical term)and somehow use them to replace the leather stuff in the Linhof hood. Also, I didn't think he said he had done this or knew for sure that it could be done - I thought he was just suggesting it as something to think about and maybe try. You might contact him directly and ask him. I had some other question about the article recently and found his e mail address by doing a search for his name in Deja News. He replied very quickly. I agree that the Linhof hood is useless except as an expensive ground glass cover. I'd like to know what more you find out about this topic. Brian

-- Brian Ellis (beellis@gte.net), February 18, 1999.