I'm looking for a stocking Linhof dealer in the San Francisco Bay Area. Any suggestions?

-- Jerry Gardner (w6uv@hotmail.com), October 08, 2001

Answers

Keeble and Schucat in Palo Alto.

-- Andy Biggs (abiggs@tvmcapital.com), October 08, 2001.

Gasser, Bear Images, K&S, Looking Glass are only some of the HP dealers in the Bay area who have Linhof experience. Also Pro Camera, Reeds.

For open stock Bear and K&S

-- Bob Salomon (bob@hpmarketingcorp.com), October 08, 2001.

Any of these likely to stock the Master Technika 2000 or Technikardan 45S?

-- Jerry Gardner (w6uv@hotmail.com), October 08, 2001.

Bear, K&S and Gasser

-- Bob Salomon (bob@hpmarketingcorp.com), October 08, 2001.

Keeble & Shuchat (Palo Alto) http://www.kspphoto.com Bear Images (Palo Alto) http://www.bearimages.com Gasser's (San Francisco) http://www.gassers.com

-- Donald Brewster (dpbrewster@prodigy.net), October 09, 2001.

Keeble & Shuchat stocks the Technikardan 45S. That's where I bought mine. If you go there, ask for Tim or Ernie. Tell them I sent you.

-- Jim Brick (jim@brick.org), October 09, 2001.

Thanks for all the responses.

I took a drive over to Keeble and Shuchat during lunch today and took a look at the TK45S and the Master Technika. Here are my observations:

Master Technika:

This thing's built like a tank, and would probably survive being run over by one. It seems very rigid even when racked out to full extension. The movements are more generous than I expected, and the rear movements weren't as hard to perform as I was expecting. Everything fits with precision and works very smoothly. The only thing I didn't like was the leather hood surrounding the ground glass (can this be removed?)

Technikardan 45S:

To me, this is a more elegant, although more fagile, camera than the Technika. The finish is impecable, but I thought the movements of the Technika were a little smoother. The movements on the Technikaran seemed to stick a little in places--not much, but it was noticable.

I've heard lots of horror stories on the Internet regarding folding the Technikaran up. The salesman quickly demonstrated the procedure to me and, never having seen the camera before, I could do it without problems on the first try. Takes about 15 seconds, and I don't see how the bellows can get pinched during this operation.

The bottom line is that I like both of these cameras--a lot. It will be a difficult decision choosing between them. I only do landscape photography, so the Technika 2000 is probably a better choice since I don't need extreme movements and it folds up like a clam. I'm a little worried about carrying the Technikardan in a pack with it's semi-exposed bellows, locking levers, etc.

-- Jerry Gardner (w6uv@hotmail.com), October 09, 2001.

I bought my Master Technika at Keeble & Shuchat (KSP). After using it for many years, and really liking it, I got tired of the cramped fiddly quarters when using w/a lenses. I sold it and bought the Technikardan 45S from them and have never been happier (with regards to 4x5 equipment.) I do 99% landscape photography and my TK 45S resides happily in my backpack, in exactly the same slot that the MT occupied previously. And there are no sticky levers or movements. It sits vertically in the slot (Tenba backpack) so there is no way that anything can hit the bellows or GG. I have a GG protector (Calumet) as I use a Boss screen and want to keep it clean. KSP has Boss GG screens. I transferred mine from my MT to my TK. Fantastic GG. Fantastic camera.

-- Jim Brick (jim@brick.org), October 09, 2001.