Sinar F

[Frank Petronio]

They aren't that heavy and you can fold them up, albeit not into a compact box. But especially for beginners a monorail is nice because they can actually see the movements more directly -- movements on field cameras can be "hidden". And they are going to be more rigid than most field cameras, less expensive, more versatile -- so as long as the guy isn't an ultra-light hiking nut, an inexpensive Sinar is an awfully nice way to start. Search past threads on hiking w Sinars, I even posted a diagram on how to fold them most efficiently.

Heck when I started they cost as much as a car and people would laugh in your face if you told them you wanted a Sinar to start out with -- they were the aspirational cameras.

To dfoo's question, not seeing the auction, but the standard Sinar will have a tripod mounting block that holds the rail and has the usual mounting screw hole on the bottom. Some people use these sort of like quick releases. They pair very nicely with the Sinar Pan-Tilt head (which costs more than your F, lol). Any tripod will work, so long as it is large enough for the size of the camera (ie not a cheap 35mm tripod).

I just looked at the auction. It looks like a normal stock Sinar F. When it ends just ask Henry's to substitute a Copal 0 board. Personally I would pass on a smoker's camera, as under a dark cloth it could be gross. There will be plenty of others coming up, often on this forum.

[Professional]

They aren't that heavy and you can fold them up, albeit not into a compact box. But especially for beginners a monorail is nice because they can actually see the movements more directly -- movements on field cameras can be "hidden". And they are going to be more rigid than most field cameras, less expensive, more versatile -- so as long as the guy isn't an ultra-light hiking nut, an inexpensive Sinar is an awfully nice way to start.

Heck when I started they cost as much as a car and people would laugh in your face if you told them you wanted a Sinar to start out with -- they were the aspirational cameras.

In the fact the first high end top camera i heard in the past rather than popular Canon/Nikon/Olympus,Sony... was Sinar, i even didn't hear about Mamiya and Hasselblad and so, it was in 2005, since that i read about photography i saw the other names in MF and LF, but was Sinar my dream and i thought i will never get it at all in my life if i get into photography, now i don't look at sinar, but really i went to a studio 5 months ago in my country and he has Sinar P3 i think http://www.jx-camera.com/jinxiang/bo...1695196909.jpg that made my mind blown away for its design and look and really confused if it is worthy for studio.

[welly]

I'm interested in a Sinar camera, and have been looking at a Sinar F2 on ebay also. The seller has a number of Sinar P cameras for sale as well. What are the differences between the two types and is one type preferable to another?

[Armin Seeholzer]

The P and P2 is a heavy and fantastic studio camera and not really for the field use.
Some use it for architectural things almost out of the car!

Cheers Armin

[rdenney]

Here is where I show a picture of my Sinar F mounted on a tripod. It has bag bellows in this picture. I also attached a picture showing the "mobile office" roll-around that I carry it around in. As you can see, it's quite a compact package for a monorail. That case is about half the size of the hard case that holds my Calumet 45nx (Cambo SC).

The center tripod adapter should come with the camera. You mound that on top of a standard tripod head. I have it on a Manfrotto 410 geared head in the picture, but now I have it on a Sinar tilt head, which is expensive but more compact and highly functional.

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...&postcount=551

This camera is extremely useful and handy in the field. It is not my first monorail (actually, it's my fourth) but it is by far the easiest to use and though you can flex it if you apply force it will always return to exactly the spot where you locked it down.

I do prefer the F2 front standard, but the F front standard is completely functional.

I have not had the experience of cheapie lens boards not fitting at all, though I did have to apply flocking paper to the back of a couple of them--they were too shiny.

Sinar cameras were used by pros and most have seen a lot of action. Expect to have wear issues, such as centering detent balls that have worn grooves in the standard frame or some roughness in the detent groove that you may feel when applying lateral shifts. I've seen grooves worn in the vertical rise columns, too. The cameras still worked pretty well even with these issues, and they affect smoothness of operation, not basic functionality. The F2's improved design largely eliminates these wear points.

What I like about the Sinar is its utter flexibility. The same camera can work ideally for a 47mm lens and for a 360mm lens--few cameras work at all at both extremes, let alone work well. The easily added rail extensions allow the basic rail to be short for packing convenience, but easy to extend in the field as needed to whatever length. The standard bellows will stretch to 22", and can be used as a compendium shade when you are using the bag bellows. The mix-and-match nature of Sinar parts is super useful in the field.

Rick "who has become a real Sinar fanboy" Denney

[uhner]

Just out of curiosity, do you guys use Sinar F/F2 for landscape work in the field? Not by-the-car but hiking? I find myself often hiking 8 hours with my 4x5 field. I always thought view cameras were cumbersome for field work. Please correct my naivate.

Yes, a friend of mine uses an F2 4x5 or a Norma 5x7 on long hikes in difficult terrain, and I use a Norma 4x5 or 5x7. Naturally, they are more bulky and a bit heavier than purpose built field cameras - but they are not hard to lug around, and we have room for food and some basic wilderness equipment.

On occasion I even use a Norma 8x10 way out in the backcountry. I do not find the weight of this camera to be a problem, but it is quite bulky and I have to carry the bellows and the film holders in a separate shoulder bag.

[Bjorn Nilsson]

As this is supposed to be your first Large Format Camera, there are few, if any, cameras which will be better suited for you. The F/F1/F2 cameras are very easy to understand and as Frank P. pointed out, you can see every different movement that you can make with it. There are a couple of gadgets (well, scales really...) which will help you in deciding how much to move or which aperture to use. More on that in the manual or on the 'net.
If you are in a hurry to go out hiking with it, go ahead. You can put it into pieces (the back, front, rail, a lens or two ...) which will pack up quite nicely. Even though it is bulkier and a pound (or so) heavier than a wood "field camera", you will definitely get better shots with it as it's easier to learn and use. I.e. the ease of use will support you to focus on the picture, not the camera.

//Björn

[dfoo]

Sweet. I won the auction. ~$250. Now for a lens, lens board some holders, and a loupe. I guess a dark cloth at some point won't hurt

[Bjorn Nilsson]

Congratulations and welcome to the club...

Instead of a dark cloth (18'th century) you can get a modern "binocular viewer" which either is just a plate which connects via an extra set of bellows to the back of the camera. ...Or... a "box with a sliding mirror" version, which give you an upright picture (instead of upside down). I have both and use the mirror version at home/by the car. The viewer plate comes with me in the backpack if/when I decide to go hiking.
These items are standard Sinar items. Just look them up on the 'net. Ridiculously expensive when bought new, but they are quite common on the used market.

//Björn

[gevalia]

You know, this sounds a little interesting to me. I see an F2 comes with a rail but that you can buy extension rails. Sounds like my 90mm Grandagon would be fine but what would be the long end of the focal length? On the standard rail? And on the extension rail? Is there a Sinar to linhof board so I can use the same boards I use on my Chamonix?