C41
Kodak Portra 160
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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The Master Technika is a 4×5 large-format folding field/press camera. It supports full view-camera movements (front rise, fall, shift, tilt, swing; rear tilt, swing) plus an optional **rangefinder** that couples to specific cammed lenses for hand-held use. Bellows extension is moderate (~430 mm). Build is German aerospace-grade — aluminum and magnesium with leather. It's the only modern large-format camera that's been in continuous production since 1972 and the only one designed to be used hand-held when needed.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 4x5 format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
View profile →BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
View profile →C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
Develop 4x5 film
Labs in our directory that process 4x5 film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The German press camera that survived into the 21st century. A 4×5 field/press hybrid that does what no other LF camera does — couple a rangefinder to a cammed lens.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 4×5 |
| Mount | Linhof Technika lensboard |
| Years | 1972–present |
| Bellows | ~430 mm extension |
| Movements | Front: rise/fall, shift, tilt, swing. Rear: tilt, swing. |
| Rangefinder | Optional, cam-coupled to specific lenses |
| Weight | 2,700 g |
| Battery | None |
Linhof founded 1887 in Munich. The Technika line started 1934 — a folding metal field camera that became standard issue for press photographers in the 1950s/60s. The Technika III (1946), IV (1956), and V (1963) refined it; the Master Technika (1972) added geared movements and modernized rangefinder coupling. The Master Technika 2000 (1992) further improved precision; the Master Technika 3000 (1999, current production) offers extended bag bellows for wide lenses. A Classic trim is sold for traditionalists. Production has never stopped — Linhof remains a Munich family-run company in 2026.
For news photographers in the 1950s, the Technika was the press camera. You could focus by rangefinder, hand-hold the body, fire the leaf shutter at a sporting event or a court hearing, and get a 4×5 negative — quality on par with anything in studio LF. As 35mm SLRs took over press work, the Technika morphed into a field camera for landscape and architectural photographers, retaining the rangefinder and adding precise movements.
It's the camera you choose when you want LF discipline (every frame intentional, ground-glass composing) but also hand-hold capability (rangefinder coupling for street or reportage). Few photographers use both modes; many appreciate that they could.
All Linhof Technika lensboards (small format) fit. Lenses can be cammed for rangefinder coupling, but uncammed lenses still focus on ground glass. Common lenses:
Roll-film backs: Linhof Super Rollex (6×7, 6×9, 6×12), Sinar Zoom, Horseman backs. Polaroid 545i back. International graflok backs accept Lab 4×5 holders or Polaroid 4×5 backs.
BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →Linhof Master Technika
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