I want to buy a camera which shoots 4x5 film on a roll back but can not buy a new linhof due to budget restrictions. Ideally the film will beheld flat on a glass plate and the body will be rigid so I can leave focused at infinity and have the film plane square with the lense. I currently shoot medium format with a Hasselblad ELM and 70mm Back. I am attempting to build a camera from a world war II K-24 and a zeiss biogon lense am not optomistic. For a working system I could spend around $5,000 if the photos of good quality. Thanks.

-- bill Mcintosh (wdmc@hwy16.com), June 12, 2001

Answers

Bill,

If you haven't already, I would recommend that you try the Pentax 6x7. When I first started using this system for aerial work 20 years ago I was astounded by the results. The lenses are razor sharp at large apertures allowing you to use 1,000/sec. ....A major factor, especially if you are using helicopters. The stuff is better than anything I ever shot with the K-20.

-- Bruce Wehman (bruce.wehman@hs.utc.com), June 12, 2001.

Bruce thanks for the reply. my hasselblad shoots 6cmx6cm I think. I want to shoot 5 inch roll film as I need more resolution then I get from the Zeiss lenses on the medium format film

-- bill mcintosh (wdmc@hwy16.com), June 12, 2001.

Try ebay. I believe there is currently an auction for a 4x5 Linhof AEROTECHNIKA designed for aerial photography.

-- E Rothman (earothman@agere.com), June 12, 2001.

How about moving up in format a little: the surplus shed have a t11 9x9 mapping camera for $275. Theyre at http://www.surplusshed.com/list.cfm?Category=Cameras hope this helps

-- Laurence Cuffe (Laurence.Cuffe@ucd.ie), June 12, 2001.

Thanks for ideas. the 9"x9" format camera would require me to enlarge camera hatch at a cost of tens of thousands and I think the Ebay linhof aero model on offer will not accept a roll back. I may buy it any way to experiment with. I think a new Linhof aerial 5" roll back alone costs about $15K

-- bill McIntosh (wdmc@hwy16.com), June 12, 2001.

Hi Bill

I worked from 1991-1994 as Aerophotographer in Switzerland with a Linhof Aerotronika High speed special prototyp and with a normal Linhof Aerotronica 6x9cm with the old 70mm cine films 30m for 320 pictures, if I can help you just ask me some questions. I saw the ebay auction:http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/ eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1245714074 but with 1/400 on thies old one I`m not shure if you will be happy with it! I work in the beginnig with 1/500sec later only with a 1/800sec on the 6x9! Are you shure you need 4x5?

-- Armin Seeholzer (armin.seeholzer@smile.ch), June 15, 2001.