Sinar Norma tripod head question

[rajmohan-fotograf]

Hi folks,
My first post here!
I am about to acquire a Sinar Norma, but don't yet have a way to mount it on my Gitzo Series 4 tripod. From the comments, it sounds like the Sinar head is the way to go - would anyone be able to share an image or two of the head, without and with the camera mounted on it (and on a tripod), so that I can get an idea of how it looks and what I should look for while shopping?
Thank you very much!
Raj

[Keith Pitman]

Look on Ebay for "Sinar Pan Tilt Head." There is a Chinese seller that has new knock offs that look very good. Otherwise, you will be looking at used heads.

[rajmohan-fotograf]

Look on Ebay for "Sinar Pan Tilt Head." There is a Chinese seller that has new knock offs that look very good. Otherwise, you will be looking at used heads.

Thanks, Keith - I saw this, and it does look good. Do you have any experience with it? Perhaps I might be better off with a used Sinar head.

[Daniel Unkefer]

DSC05763 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's my 8x10 Norma, with wide-angle bellows, 165mm Super Angulon, Sinar Norma Shutter, Norma Pan/Tilt Head, and Foba C40 Tripod (Norma Tripod)

[rajmohan-fotograf]

DSC05763 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's my 8x10 Norma, with wide-angle bellows, 165mm Super Angulon, Sinar Norma Shutter, Norma Pan/Tilt Head, and Foba C40 Tripod (Norma Tripod)

Thank you, Daniel. This is great. Could you please let me know how the Norma head attaches to your tripod? Do you need a 3/8 screw or clamp to fix the head to the tripod? I have a Gitzo Series 4 tripod without a center column (just a top plate with a 3/8" threaded hole).

[Jeff Keller]

You Gitzo should have a threaded stud in the hole. Indeed with the flat top plate it is just a bolt of the appropriate length.
jeff

[Daniel Unkefer]

It simply screws together. The head has a stud which orients the camera and keeps it from spinning.
I consider the Norma Head to be part of the original camera. My first choice for a tripod head.

The 3/8" female hole on the bottom of the Norma Head will fit your Manfrotto.
I use the Manfrotto sometimes myself with these heads. It will work with no downsides.

-Dan

[Jerry Bodine]

At the bottom of this page you'll see some "Similar Threads" that contain some pics of the head. The top surface interfaces with the rail clamp of the camera. Both have the same diameter. The earlier models of the head had two simple pins sticking up and two screw heads (180* apart). The pins were spring-mounted so they could be pushed down to the head surface for whatever reason (was never obvious to me). These pins made it easy to quickly position the hole on the bottom of the rail clamp exactly over the attaching threads on the head's screw. The two screw heads sticking up matched the locations of notches on the rail clamp, so that when the rail clamp was tightened down the rail clamp could not rotate on the head. The large handle locks "pitch" position (aircraft term for nose-up / nose-down) of the camera by activating a disk-brake type of mechanism. This mechanism is a relatively large diameter joint that contains disks of a special non-metal material for friction control. The attachments for rail clamp-to-head and for head-to-tripod should be 3/8-16 threads to insure adequate strength.

[Greg]

At the bottom of this page you'll see some "Similar Threads" that contain some pics of the head. The top surface interfaces with the rail clamp of the camera. Both have the same diameter. The earlier models of the head had two simple pins sticking up and two screw heads (180* apart). The pins were spring-mounted so they could be pushed down to the head surface for whatever reason (was never obvious to me). These pins made it easy to quickly position the hole on the bottom of the rail clamp exactly over the attaching threads on the head's screw. The two screw heads sticking up matched the locations of notches on the rail clamp, so that when the rail clamp was tightened down the rail clamp could not rotate on the head. The large handle locks "pitch" position (aircraft term for nose-up / nose-down) of the camera by activating a disk-brake type of mechanism. This mechanism is a relatively large diameter joint that contains disks of a special non-metal material for friction control. The attachments for rail clamp-to-head and for head-to-tripod should be 3/8-16 threads to insure adequate strength.

Some variations out there... My gray Norma era rail clamp does not have 2 indentations for the pins to align with and with my black Norma tripod head, the 2 pins screw into head directly, not being spring-mounted.

[rajmohan-fotograf]

Some variations out there... My gray Norma era rail clamp does not have 2 indentations for the pins to align with and with my black Norma tripod head, the 2 pins screw into head directly, not being spring-mounted.

Thanks, Greg! I noticed this on the head that is currently advertised on ebay - there are 2 pins that are screwed into the head, and are flush with the surface of the head. I'll need to examine the rail clamp to see whether I need a head with the protruding pins for added security!