Linhof

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Linhof is a German company, founded in Munich in 1887 by Valentin Linhof. The company is well known for making premium rollfilm and large format film cameras. The company began by making camera shutters, and Linhof developed the leaf shutter, which became part of Compur. Cameras began to be produced from the end of the XIXth century.Currently Linhof is the worlds oldest camera maker.

Nikolaus Karpf was the grand son-in-law of Valentin Linhof, he entered the company in 1934 and was made chief engineer. He would assume ownership of the company within a year of Valentin Linhofs death. Karpf designed the first Technika model, the world's first all-metal folding field camera with adjustable front and rear standards, in 1934 and put it into production the same year. The Technika would quickly become the flagship camera of Linhof and it is what they are most famous for today. Revised models of the Technika are still in production.

Camera industry in Munich
Agfa | Deckel | Eder | Enna | Friedrich | Kilfitt | Leitmeyr | Linhof | Niezoldi & Krämer | Perka | Rex | Rietzschel | Rodenstock | Staeble | Steinheil

The Technika System

The Technika camera line is based around a modular series of standard lens boards. Accompanying these were focusing cams, interchangeable for different lenses, enabling rangefinder focusing in the manner of a press camera. However the Technika cameras offered a greater range of movements (such as back tilt) than the typical press camera. The Technika name was meant to signify their suitability as technical cameras too, used on a tripod with ground glass focusing when greater control was needed.


Folding bed field cameras

6x9 cm/2¼x3¼"

See also Linhof 6x9.

9x12 cm/Quarter Plate 3¼x4¼"


9x12 cm/4x5"

  • Linhof Technika III, with or without RF (1946)
  • Linhof Technika IV (1956)
  • Linhof Super Technika IV (1956)
  • Linhof Technika V (1963)
  • Linhof Super Technika V (1963)
  • Linhof Master Technika (1972) = Master Technika Classic
  • Linhof Master Technika 2000 (March 1995)
  • Linhof Master Technika 3000 (2006)
  • Linhof Technika-Flex (TLR attachment for Super Technika V)[1]

10x15 cm/4x6"


13x18 cm/5x7"


18x24 cm

  • Linhof Präzisionskamera 18x24 (Technika) (1937-1943; only 10 pieces made)
  • Linhof Präzisionskamera 18x24 (Technika "Medizin" in grey; only 1 item made, for famous German photographers Adolf Lazi and Franz Lazi)

Monorail view cameras

Rigid body

Panoramic

Linhof produces the Technorama series of panoramic rollfilm cameras, in both 6x12cm and 6x17cm guise.

6x12

6x17

Aerial photography

Photogrammetry, 4x5"

  • Metrika 45
  • Metrika 45R

Other special cameras

  • Quadrophot (4x5-inch police mugshot camera, 1980s)


Notes

Bibliography

  • The Linhof camera story, edited by the company

Links