TK45S v. TK45

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What advantages does the Linhoff Technikardan TK45s have that the predecessor model Linhoff Technikardan TK45 lacks?

-- David Caldwell (caldw@aol.com), July 04, 2000

Answers

0 detents on front and rear swings, new standard design.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), July 04, 2000.

As Bob said, there isn't much change. The TKS has detents on front and back swings and tilts and redesigned standards. The old standards appear to be bent from a single piece of metal and are of differing sizes: the front has a smaller cross-section than the rear. The new standards are of the same size front and back and are assembled from three pieces: two straights and a bend. The redesign of the standards probably reduced manufacturing cost. It may also be better: one Linhof user told me that he has seen a surprising number of TK cameras with bent front standards, so perhaps the old front standard was too light. Overall, there is very little difference.

-- Michael Briggs (MichaelBriggs@earthlink.net), July 04, 2000.

" one Linhof user told me that he has seen a surprising number of TK cameras with bent front standards, so perhaps the old front standard was too light. "

He may have but I strongly doubt it. I haven't had a single call, letter, visit, memo or note about this since the day the TK was introduced almost 20 years ago.

The 3 piece design was a manufacturing decision.

The old one piece design was difficult to make as the extrusion had to be bent into a right angle while sldo keeping the faces at a right angle. Too many had to be thrown out due to their not being right angles in both planes.

The current system guarantees right angles and is stronger as the bend is eliminated.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), July 04, 2000.


Bob:

The current system guarantees right angles and is stronger as the bend is eliminated.

That probably explains why we see no reports of bent standards on the s. 8^) What do you think?

Gregor

-- Gregor (Gregor10001@yahoo.com), July 04, 2000.


"That probably explains why we see no reports of bent standards on the s. 8^) What do you think? "

You missed the point.

THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF BENT STANDARDS ON THE ORIGINAL OR THE S>

Except for one camera that was dropped 20' from a cherry picjer during a job. And that one was an old one easily repaired.

-- Bob Salomon (bobsalomon@mindspring.com), July 04, 2000.



Bob:

I am not sure what a cherry picjer is. This was a joke. Please reread the use of words in all of the posts and develop a sense of language and humor. Thank you. It will help.

Greg

-- Gregor (Gregor10001@yahoo.com), July 04, 2000.


My Tk spent 6 months in Marflex back in 1988 because of a bent front standard. It did not fall out of a cherry picker but was knocked over on a tripod by an assistant into a foot-deep mud puddle. They said it took that long to get a replacement. Ever since I have had to recheck my camera with a hand-held level and adjust so I presume something was not quite right even still, but at the time I didn't go back because I did without it for such a long time. The camera is phenomenal but that experience was not all that appreciated. The one thing I don't like about use of the camera is lack of detents for speed of set-up and for accuracy, so the TKS must be a dream. I don't think there is a finer 4x5 out there. I will eventually switch to the S.

-- Rob Tucher (rtphotodoc@juno.com), July 05, 2000.

Rob,

Yes, the center detents on the swings and tilts are a godsend (and a highly underrated feature IMHO). They are very firm and positive and make the camera a snap to get squared away. I've been shooting with a TK45S for a last few months, and am very impressed with the camera in general. The only things I don't like are the weight and the placement of the tripod sockets. In spite of the Linhof claim that it weighs 6.6 lb. my sample weighs over 7.5 lb. "naked". By the time I add a RRS quick release plate and the bag bellows, it's over 8.5 lb. That makes it, by two full pounds, the heaviest 4x5 I have ever carried in the field. It even weighs over 2.5 lb. more than my 5x7 Canham (which doesn't require a bag bellows). With the tripod sockets all the way at the back, it presents a very unbalanced (and heavy) load when using long lenses or for close up work. I know about the Macro Support Bracket (aka, heavy, outrageously priced metal bar), but it adds even more weight and bulk to my pack (but would lighten my wallet considerably) and needs to be removed to fold the camera. The RRS plate helps a little, and can be left on the camera when folded. So, it's not perfect, but it is still an extremely well made camera that is a pleasure to use.

Kerry

-- Kerry Thalmann (largeformat@thalmann.com), July 06, 2000.


Hi Kerry,

Thanks for your input. I am going to switch to TK-S eventually. The detents are great. I tried one in a store and loved it. The weight has never bothered me because I compare the TK to other cameras like it, or at least in the same ballpark in a technical sense, and it is much lighter. I use a Sinar C and my Technikardan. They have similar abilities yet the Linhof is far lighter, packs smaller, has smaller boards, and is machined better. And I bought a used Makro Bracket for $90 and find it to be very helpful, especially for centering the tripod holes better. It is heavy and expensive, but when you compare it to Sinar's equivalent (a bar that clamps with very heavy supports under connected monorails) it is cheap and light, albight low-tech. I lump the Technikardan with monorails in ability and see it as a hibrid monorail with great field applications, whereas the wonderful Canham that you own is more a field camera with many but not all attributes of a monorail. Have fun with them!

-- Rob Tucher (rtphotodoc@juno.com), July 10, 2000.


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