How to? Compact packing for Sinar Norma 8x10.

[jsch]

Hello,

I bought a wonderful Sinar Norma 8x10 to be more mobile than with my P2. How can I pack this equipment very compact into a bag or case:

- Sinar Norma 8x10
- Sinar Copal shutter
- 2x lenses in DB mount (Sinaron 240/300)
- ~3-5 film hoders 8x10
- exposure meter, loupe

Is there somebody who would allow a view into his/her bag or case?

Thank you,
Johannes

[Captain_joe6]

There was recently a thread on very nearly the same thing titled something along the lines of "How do you carry your monorail?" On page 2 a fellow posted a link to pictures of a box he built to carry his Norma (I believe it was a 4x5, but the idea can be worked out for the 8x10). Its one of the nicest and most functional pieces of storage equipment I've ever seen. He did a really good job on it.

Anyway, give the cameras thread a quick glance and see if you can't find the thread and post I'm talking about. I certainly know that I'm going to be building something like that for my P2 8x10 this summer, though minus the backpack straps. An 8x10 P2 in a birch plywood case demands a car, not a spinal column.

[philipmorg]

I'm the builder of that case (although I copied my design straight from John Wimberley's camera case).

Here's the original thread: http://www.largeformatphotography.in...5&postcount=21

Happy to help if you have any questions.

In the pictures my case looks like a monster (because it's made from wood and aluminum), but it only weighs about 10 lbs. Just for reference, Lowepro's Photo Trekker AW II weighs 10.36 lbs. I'm not being defensive; just noting that a wooden backpack-case can be lighter than you might think, relative to a soft-side case.

--Philip.

[Frank Petronio]

Your homebuilt case doesn't look much different from the fiber/plywood/metal cases that Sinar sold for the Norma, albeit not many 50 year old cases are in good shape these days.

Sinar even sold saddlebags and backpack straps for it. I guess in the old days people didn't need padded harnesses.

[philipmorg]

I've never seen one of those old Sinar cases up close, so I don't know how similar mine is, but conceptually it's quite similar.

Didn't the Sinar cases hang the camera upside down from the rail?

[Frank Petronio]

Yes but your case and the OEM Sinar both were for 4x5. The OEM Sinar 8x10 case had the 8x10 disassembled, it was more a suitcase style. Currently Sinar sells a giant fiberglass-nylon case for the full P system, it is on casters and weighs a ton. It's what you get when you go to NY or LA rental houses to shoot 8x10s of Uma Thurman, etc.

When I had my 8x10 Norma I used a plastic milk crate in the car, later I had a Liteware padded case that was fine for air travel but not as a carry-about without using a cart. In the field I didn't go that far so I would swing the camera and tripod over my shoulder and carry the holders and junk in a daypack.

Here are some shots of the OEM Sinar case I had, the metal tabs near the carry handle are for the backpack lash straps.