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Linhof

Cameras

Large format, Leica quality.

Mentionof my recently acquired Linhof Twin Shank Pro tripod prompts a further piece on the Linhof company.

The Linhof Company of Munich started business in 1887, which makes it the longest surviving camera producing business. They make medium and large format cameras to this day, and their web site is here. I’m not too sure who uses these large format film cameras any more as medium format digital easily manages to compete on output quality with far lower production costs and faster turnaround, at a comparable price. But they remain things of beauty.



The Master Technika Classic still made today.
$9,400, lens extra.

Back in the 1940-1970 time frame Leica made a bewildering range of accessories for their film cameras but they were mere pikers compared to the prodigious output of Linhof.

Click on this image to download their 1957 70th anniversary product catalog which is no less than 119 pages long:



The 1957 catalog. Click to download. 62mb so it may take a while.

In addition to a long section on the care and training of employees – right down to a picture of the resident nurse standing by to deal with machine shop injuries – there’s this wonderful image of a Leitz optical measuring machine:



The Leitz Contour Projector in the Linhof works.

Have fun perusing this wonderful journey into a past of exceptional mechanical engineering.

If 4×5 is something you want to experiment with be warned that used Linhof prices are high. A lower cost of entry – with similar functionality if lower engineering quality – can be found in the affordable Graflex range of US made cameras. I had a lot of fun with my Crown Graphic.

Spiraea

Leica, Macro

Using Helicon Focus’s Retouching feature.

For an index of all Leica-related articles click here.




Click the image for a larger version.

Because of the depth/tilt of the subject I used the tilt and shift functions of the Nikon PB-4 bellows to get the top and central bud/flower groups sharp:

With subjects like this with considerable depth and complexity Helicon can struggle and may render ghosted images in certain areas. The app has an excellent retouching tool which permits selection of the sharpest constituent image for that area and allows you to brush over the area with ghosting, replacing it with the correct/sharp area from the single constituent image. I had to use that tool on a couple of the leaves here which Helicon originally ghosted. It takes less time to do than to describe and is a unique feature of Helicon specifically aimed at stacked images, and not something that is available in regular processing apps like Lightroom. If you look at the leaves just above the central petal group in the enlarged version you can see a couple of ghosted areas I omitted to remove.

Here’s the setup – the camera is turned together with the bellows through 90 degrees on the tripod, whereupon the bellow’s swing front panel becomes a tilting one and the shift becomes rise/fall. Then tilt and rise are applied. The 135mm Leitz Elmar used here has a decently broad image circle, allowing this approach without robbing edge definition so long as the tilt is not too extreme. The shift function also helps by restoring the image toward the center of the image circle. Very cool and you can focus stack with far fewer images than would otherwise be called for. The 80mm El Nikkor with its larger image circle would have been a better choice for tilt and rise use, but the greater working distance of the 135mm Elmar makes lighting easier.



Tilt and shift.

Leica SL2-S, 135mm Elmar at f/16 on the Nikon PB-4 bellows, 3 strobes. 30 images focus stacked in Helicon Focus.

Linhof Twin Shank Pro tripod

Technique

Über Alles.

I have been a contented user of a Linhof S168 tripod for some four decades. A sturdy support it weighs 6lbs 5.3oz. and you can see the extension in that link.

However, as I really need that tripod for display purposes in the home theater, when the opportunity came along to acquire a mint 1950s Linhof Twin Shank Pro for all of $125, I snapped it up. Weighting a light 7lb 2.0oz thanks to all alloy construction the dual shank cantilevered legs provide for just one extension and, with the center post extended that means a maximum of 73 3/4 inches from the low point of 29 1/2 inches. That’s good enough for basketballers, and while I used to be 6 feet tall age seems to be taking me down a bit. Anyway, it’s more than tall enough.



Tall enough.

All that was needed was a very thin swipe of silicone based Silglyde on the sliding parts to remove stiction. WD40 and related paraffin-based lubricants are probably not a good idea as they may rot the seals over time. Luckily the retractable rubber feet are in excellent shape, no cracks showing and a coat of rubber preservative on these is just what the doctor ordered.

The head has a 3/8″ thread and I use a heavy duty Artcise ball head atop. Despite the width of the Linhof’s mounting plate the controls on the head are easily accessed. The Linhof Twin-Shank Pro, without a head, retailed for $89.95 in 1957, which figures to $1,350 today and, indeed, Linhof still makes tripods which you and Elon Musk can find at B&H.

These Linhofs regularly turn up on the used market – they made a vast range – and if you can find one that has not been brutalized in a pro’s studio at a good price I say “Go for it”.

Yellow Daylily

Leica, Macro

From the garden.

For an index of all Leica-related articles click here.




Click the image for a larger version.

In the larger version you can clearly see two tiny bugs. As they move between exposures I edited out all but one occurrence before focus stacking. The 135mm Leitz Elmar optical unit does an outstanding job here – not bad for a 66 year old lens. Absent the bug removal the image is straight out of Helicon Focus.

Leica SL2-S, 135mm Elmar head in 16580L M39 adapter at f/11, Nikon PB-4 bellows with M39-to-Nikon F adapter. 75 images focus stacked in Helicon Focus. Three strobe lights, ISO 100.

Here’s the lighting setup:



Macro lighting setup.

The umbrella top light casts illumination into the innards of the flower, the main umbrella light is at the left and the naked strobe at the right confers the ‘Dutch master’ sidelight effect. These are 40 year old Novatron strobes, still as good as new. They can be found for pennies on the used market. I allow four seconds between images which ensures constant color balance and exposure. Do it any faster and you run into issues, even though the strobes recharge in one second.

Pseuds’ Corner lives

Leica

Nothing changes..

I wrote about Pseuds’ Corner over 20 years ago and that exposé of pretense remains relevant.

Today this landed in my inbox:



As silly as it gets.

It’s an advertisement for Leica’s new portable projector wherein you can divine two twits in their in-ground hot tub watching a movie seemingly projected on the side of a house. The grass surrounding the hot tub encroaches mightily on the rim and you can only imagine how disgusting the interior must be. Naturally the gal is wearing earrings – who doesn’t in a hot tub? – and the guy has spent way too much time in the gym.

And they are asking $4,200 for this bit of nonsense.

Here’s an extract of the comical prose – I would print more but prefer to spare you the agony:

By combining compact form with impressive image and audio quality, the portable, smart mini projector Leica Cine Compact 1 brings greater freedom to home cinema. …. This turns every space into an immersive experience – rather than just a viewing area.

Minimalist, high quality, durable: the Cine Compact 1 is based on Leica’s functional, elegant design concept. The housing made of solid aluminium featuring a glass front has clean lines and is modern without being overbearing. At the same time, it is robust and designed for many years of action, up to 25,000 hours of projection. Even when it is off, this smart, compact home cinema projector blends harmoniously into the room. A design that stands the test of time and blends in with seamless style.

Go figure.

Now excuse me while I give my modern without being overbearing M10 a solid workout, while blending into my surroundings with seamless style.