[LargeFormat] Re: Linhof query

[Gavin Hubbard]

>Dear Neices and Nephews,
>
>    I have been staring with longing at a secondhand Linhof Technika at a
>local shop. It seems to fall somewhere between the Technika V and the Master
>Technika - that little cat-flap at the front to let wideangle lenses rise is
>present, but the bellows material is not the modern type. From what I gather
>there is a lot of that transitional type of manufacturing at Linhof.
>Progressive engineering, or making it up as you go along.
>
>    What really puzzles me is the corrosion on the chrome surfaces. The
>camera is well looked after - the leather panels are all in good nick and
>the metal working parts are fine. But there is that persistant fine pitting
>and verdigris about the chrome. It does not seem to be related to where the
>camera was held or clamped - just all over.
>
>    Is this common for Technikas seen in other parts of the world? Is it
>common for one particular run? If it is a normal fault of chrome plating,
>why do I not see it on old Leicas, Canons, Nikons, etc. Whay did Linhof not
>use just a black plating or paint? Is there a cure?
>
>    Answers please on the back of an electron to
>
>     Uncle Dick


Dear Uncle Dick

It is of great personal comfort to me to know that their are others who feel the same longing for shop-bound equipment. On Saturday I had the misfortune of seeing a fine used Sinar P 8x10 outfit for sale at a local establishment. Fortunately(!?) it was priced a bit too expensively for me to make an impulse decision but my heart is still beating furiously at the thought.

WRT to the corrosion, I am _not_ a Linhof expert but I was under the impression that Technika bodies are/were made from cast aluminium. Does this mean that the chrome finish is applied via a paint process? If this is not correct, I would appreciate it if another more knowledgable person could correct this mistake for the archival record.

FWIW a small number of people secrete a very corrosive sweat and the damage to the Technika's metal parts may have been caused by a previous owner who had this problem. I knew one fellow in Melbourne who had real problems with metal framed glasses - his sweat could literally 'eat' through the temples (where they came in contact with his ears) in less than two months. 

However, judging by some of the spotty quality Technikas I've seen, the problem is more likely to have been caused by the "progressive engineering" you noted.

With very best regards from your nephew in New Zealand,

Gavin