I am trying to decide which to purchase: the Linhof Technikardan 45s or the Canham DLC. Both are very appealing, except the Linhof price. Since I plan to shoot studio and location, from landscapes to close-ups to products (sometimes involving people), I have ruled out the Toyo metal field and the Wista SP (two systems I considered earlier). I could certainly use feedback from experienced users.

-- Bruce Erik Steffine (kaizen1@earthlink.net), September 17, 1999

Answers

Both of these are very fine, excellent cameras, but very different cameras. I love my DLC, and I use it for portraits and some product work but it is a field camera design (simpified controls including base tilt (but not yaw free) mechanism) rather than a hybrid studio/field design like the Linhof.

I looked seriously at the Linhof a few years ago and decided to buy an Arca Swiss F-Line camera instead. For your purposes I think this may be a more valid comparison (Arca vs TK45s). And in that debate it will basically boil down to whether you prefer base tilts & yaw free design (Arca) vs. Axis tilts & greater ease of finding accessories (Linhof) as the mechanical build of these two cameras is equal.

Good luck!

-- Ellis Vener (evphoto@insync.net), September 17, 1999.

I agree with Ellis. I have sucessfully used a DLC in the studio, but even Keith Canham would tell he didn't design the camera to compete with full movement monorails.

The comparison of the Linhof and the Arca-Swiss around what kind of tilt you prefer is even more complex. The Linhof only has axial tilts and is not yaw-free (unless you turn the camera on it's side and use the "swing" control as your "tilt"). The vanilla Arca-Swiss only has base tilts and is yaw-free. If you get the Orbix option with the Arca-Swiss you get up to 15 degrees of yaw-free axial tilt on the front standard in addition to the base tilt. You can also start out with the vanilla Arca-Swiss, and add Orbix latter.

-- Larry Huppert (Larry.Huppert@mail.com), September 18, 1999.

Dear Bruce,

I am curently using a Linhof technikardan, for field and landscape work. After using it for the last three years I still find it a clumsy thing when it comes to tilts and rises as it would be better suited with geared movements. I also find the camera quite unstable and therefore am unable to shoot in any breazes. I have also been recently looking for longer lens and have discovered that the very small lens board can not manage many longer lens... Unless they the rear element is removed and screwed in through the bellows.

Mind you I love the movements it allows. and it has become my prefered camera...

Enjoy,

Leonard

-- Leonard Metcalf (Leonard_Lizard@Rocketmail.com), December 24, 1999.

" I have also been recently looking for longer lens and have discovered that the very small lens board can not manage many longer lens"

The lensboard easily accomodates #3 shutters.

Are you referring to the opening in the front standard of all cameras using Technika boards? That opening accepts any lens with a rear diameter less than 86mm. For instace the T Nikkors fit through the hole as do the tele Artons or telke Xenars.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), December 24, 1999.

"I am curently using a Linhof technikardan, for field and landscape work. After using it for the last three years"

By the way. Are you using the TK 45s or the TK45?

If you are not sure the TKs has detents on the tilts and swings and the TK did not.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), December 24, 1999.

I was in exactly your position a year ago trying to decide between the Technikardan, DLC, Arca Swiss, and Wisner Pocket Expedition. I ended up getting the Wisner and have been very happy with it since. Of course, it is an extremely difficult decision to make, and I suspect that I would have been happiest with the Arca Swiss with Orbix - but that would have been way over my budget.

-- Carlos Co (co@che.udel.edu), December 26, 1999.