Sinar F question

[Scott Davis]

The awesome thing about Sinar stuff is that it is 100% forward/backward compatible across their entire system- you can even mix and match Sinar Norma gear with Sinar P series parts.

[Daniel Unkefer]

An example.

SONY DSC by Nokton48, on Flickr

I built this new to me 8x10 Norma (my second one) which I configured from pieces I recently acquired. An F Front Standard, and a Norma 8x10 Rear Standard. A great location combination. I got this idea when my Wife and I went to the Wexner Center at O.S.U. and see Annie Leibovitz's photos on exhibition. This camera was shown in a photo Annie snapped was a wall-sized B&W, of Richard Avedon's equipment closet. I thought it rather strange at the time, an F attached to a Norma. I think it will make a very good field camera. Shown with the 360mm Schneider Symmar in Norma Iris mount, and the Norma Shutter. So a 60's era speedy location camera. I've tested the camera in the studio and it's a winner.

[Drew Wiley]

That's an intermediate bellows standard on the front, which was indeed used as the front standard on the entry level F+ 4x5. But an F2 front standard would be more secure, last longer, and have more rise, at nearly the same weight. But do you really want you're girlfriend Norma to have a cheap facelift?

[ndlaw2009]

Thank you, again, for all your advice! The zip tie solution has worked, and I will use that in the short term.

Here is another question -- for "field work that will require hiking" I have acquired a Tachihara 4x5 in excellent shape. I am pretty sure I know the answer to this, but I wanted to confirm: Will the lenses from the Sinar work with the Tachihara if I mount them on an appropriate size board? I have the necessary spanner wrench for removing them. The lenses are:

(1) Caltar II-N 6.8/90mm on a Copal 0 shutter.
(2) Schneider-Kreuznach Symmar-S Multicoated 5.6/210mm on a Copal 1 shutter

Over the past two days, I have read an early edition of a book by Leslie Stroebel called "View Camera Technique" and I am excited to get out and experiment with these cameras. I suspect of trial and error/mistakes which, given the cost of film, won't be cheap, but thats part of the fun!

[Daniel Unkefer]

That's an intermediate bellows standard on the front, which was indeed used as the front standard on the entry level F+ 4x5. But an F2 front standard would be more secure, last longer, and have more rise, at nearly the same weight. But do you really want you're girlfriend Norma to have a cheap facelift?

I put a thick soft pillow on my shoulder, and on goes the tripod mounted 8x10 Norma with lens. I have hiked extensively this way in Colorado, and on miles long trails in Ohio. When I get to where I am going, I'm glad it's with me. Also I am interested in WHY Avedon would leave such a camera set up in his equipment locker? Surely there was a good reason for him to do so, it seems he made this choice. I have plenty of Normas all sizes, and I leave this one set up. With a bag of holders (lots of weight) this might be OK for me. And I have the extra parts around. If I change my mind I'll use it to hold bellows together. Works fine for that too

[drew.saunders]

Thank you, again, for all your advice! The zip tie solution has worked, and I will use that in the short term.

Here is another question -- for "field work that will require hiking" I have acquired a Tachihara 4x5 in excellent shape. I am pretty sure I know the answer to this, but I wanted to confirm: Will the lenses from the Sinar work with the Tachihara if I mount them on an appropriate size board? I have the necessary spanner wrench for removing them. The lenses are:

(1) Caltar II-N 6.8/90mm on a Copal 0 shutter.
(2) Schneider-Kreuznach Symmar-S Multicoated 5.6/210mm on a Copal 1 shutter

Over the past two days, I have read an early edition of a book by Leslie Stroebel called "View Camera Technique" and I am excited to get out and experiment with these cameras. I suspect of trial and error/mistakes which, given the cost of film, won't be cheap, but thats part of the fun!

The Tachihara uses the extremely common Linhof Technika sized 96x99mm lensboard. It's probably the most commonly used lensboard in LF, with the Sinar size the 2nd most common. There are lots of Technika to Sinar adaptors out there from many manufacturers, easily found from eBay, KEH, etc.. You could, in theory, just mount all of your small to medium lenses on the Technika sized lensboards and leave the adaptor on the Sinar, only mounting the largest lenses to native Sinar lensboards.

That Schneider is a large-ish lens. It'll work on the Tachihara, but if you like that focal length and want a more portable lens, the 200mm f/8 Nikkor-M is a popular very tiny lens for field work.