I have Just made the big leap into LF (my god this thing weighs a ton...) and am a bit unsure as to what kind of dinosaur I have here in front of me. I suspect it has been made up of a few different cameras as it has just come out of the repair shop.

The basepalate says Linhof Technika, and on the top it has the serial number 73199, the front rise is facilitated by the three knobs as it is I beleive on the IV according to the description by Q. Tuan Luong in the article on these pages. It also has a lift up flap to alow more front rise as on the body housing as per the "Master".

The leather is a sort of light grey-green colour.

Does anyone have any idea what this thing could be, especialy as regards to camming and interchanging lenses, I will eventually hope to cam an 80 and a 135.

Thanks to everyone for the help, I am a bit worried about what to do with this big chunk of metal!

adrian

-- adrian tyler (tyler@nova.es), September 29, 2001

Answers

Did that big chunk of metal come with a lens mounted on a board, and some film holders? If so, search elsewhere on this site for info on how to load the holders. Put the lens in the front. Set all the camera adjustments to neutral and point the camera at something that interests you. Focus the camera, then put the loaded filmholder in the back. Meter the scene and set the stop and speed accordingly; close the shutter, remove the darkslide and depress the cable release. Replace the darkslide. Develop the film. Make an effort to enjoy the day no matter how your negatives turn out.

For refinements, read everything you can on this site and in the library. Find someone in your area who uses a view camera and ask to go along on a field trip. Pick his or her brain. Go out on your own and play with the stuff you've learned. Go to Borders and sit on the floor and read some more. Try not to worry too much.

-- Henry Friedman (friedlew@worldnet.att.net), September 29, 2001.

That serial number is from an early 70's Technika IV.

Since it is on the accessory shoe it does not necessarily belong to that camera.

If it has a lift up flap on the top and a crank for lens rise it is a Master.

If it has a knob behind the front standard for lens rise it is a IV that someone modified.

-- Bob Salomon (bob@hpmarketingcorp.com), September 29, 2001.

Assuming the serial number on the accessory shoe matches the serial number on the camera (the accessories shoes can be lost so it's not unheard of for the number on the shoe to be different from the number on the camera) then it sounds as though you have a Tech IV on which someone has cut (or maybe had a machinist cut) the flap. It's always seemed to me that it would be a relatively simple matter to add the flap to any Technika if you wanted the flap but didn't want to buy a Master.

-- Brian Ellis (bellis60@earthlink.net), September 30, 2001.

Thanks everyone, it seems that it ia a IV and a master cobbled together, I will ask here about caming and the litte problems etc. I am much less intimidaded by the thing now that I have put some out of date Polarid film through it, and infact I am thrilled to bits...

Thanks again

Adrian

-- adrian tyler (tyler@nova.es), September 30, 2001.

While we're on this topic, where else besides on the accessory shoe do you find the serial # for a Tech? I have what looks to be a brand new Master Tech, previously purchased but in the box still,with a Serial # on the accessory shoe that should make it 30 years old. Just curious.

Thanks,

Nathan

-- nathan congdon (ncongdon@jhmi.edu), October 01, 2001.

There is no other readily accessible place for the consumer to find a number. As the MAster was introduced in 1976 a 30 year old camera can not be a Master

-- Bob Salomon (bob@hpmarketingcorp.com), October 01, 2001.