Building the "Sinar Norma Handy" camera!

[Bob Salomon]

I use Linhof grips: left side, right side, and bottom mount. (My typical use of the bottom mount here.)

Right hand Linhof grips are of two types of mount. One mounts on the rangefinder top (or the same mount modified to fit w/o rangefinder). The other right grip uses a robust single-point mount such as that on the Aero model, also the late Technikar. The Aero model uses the same single point type of mount for their left grip.

Left hand grips with the correct mount has the two fasteners separated well to assure a sturdy mount. Most Linhof left grips on the Bay are missing the mount!

There were also two different mount designs for the left grip. One with a short plate and the current type with a long plate. If you don’t have the correct plate for your grip then the grip will not mount properly and securely. The plates and their mounting screws are included with a new grip. They are only sold as replacement parts via the service center if you need replacements. The older short plates are no longer available.

[EdSawyer]

hi Bob -
you are right, I have no doubt the Grip would do the job. It's more about if I have the wrist-strength to be able to hold it cantilevered out like that.

thanks
-Ed

Weight should not be an issue. Linhof made them to hold up to the 5x7 Technika as well as the 45 Aero Technika EL. So a Super D would not challenge it.

[EdSawyer]

Also, the left-hand grips (with or more commonly without mounting plate) are a lot easier to find on Ebay and elsewhere than the right-hand ones. I have at least 4 of the left-handers, but no right hand ones despite searching for those for a while.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Hi Ed/All,

Thanks for your advise on the Linhof grips. I have been looking -hard- at them, then I discovered that the Sinar Norma designers utilized the Graflex XL grip. The Sinar Norma grips are uber rare (and -expensive-). I am confident that with my limited metal working skills (garage workshop) I can accomplish something that is historically correct (or 90% so) and utilitarian. I've been a Norma collector for 35+ years and I must admit I'm a bit of a Norma purist. But sometimes you have to build what is not available. I'm sure you come across this too.

If my "Sinar Norma" pistol grip proves to be cumbersome to use, then I will try a Linhof. Actually the base I tapped out and threaded would be great for a quick tripod release. But that is changing the design from the original. Anyway Thanks everybody!

Further comments are Welcome!

[Daniel Unkefer]

The Graflex Grip arrived today. I searched for a while for a complete unit, a lot of them are missing things. Anyway the brass plate on the bottom of the Norma frame is not going to come apart, so I think I will make a block, attaching the top part with the brass plate, and I'd like to use the removable 3/8" threaded bolt in the top of the grip for the bottom part. I'm sure I can come up with something. At this point the grip is attached to the Norma with duct tape. But now, it really looks like a real Sinar Handy!

Sinar Norma Handy Graflex Grip by Nokton48, on Flickr

[Jerry Bodine]

Dan - something I had not thought about earlier: Normally it takes two hands to insert a film holder, so how can you do that when one hand needs to hold onto the camera?

Would a pic of the rear of the camera help any? From the pic shown above, it appears the film holder would be inserted on the right-hand side of the camera.

Edit: Never mind the pic of the rear; there were enough shown earlier.

[Jac@stafford.net]

I don't think replicating a Handy is as important as making something better.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Normally it takes two hands to insert a film holder, so how can you do that when one hand needs to hold onto the camera?

Hi Jerry,

??? I got concerned by your statement, so I just tried a Graphmatic holder, and some Linhofs. But no probs, the holders go in with one hand. The Grafmatics of course can be locked onto the camera with the Graphmatic clips.

[Daniel Unkefer]

I don't think replicating a Handy is as important as making something better.

If my "Sinar Norma" pistol grip proves to be cumbersome to use, then I will try a Linhof. Actually the base I tapped out and threaded would be great for a quick tripod release. But that is changing the design from the original. Anyway Thanks everybody!

At this point everything Linhof I see on Ebay (that has a cable) is expensive IMO. I will give this a try and see how it works. And the price is more reasonable.

[EdSawyer]

The linhof grips can be expensive. For one with a cable and the correct matching mounting plate, anywhere in the $150-225 range seems common. I think a couple of the ones I have were around that price.

If you don't mind doing permanent mounting, you can live without the removable base-plate. That sometimes results in a cheaper linhof grip, if it's missing the latching baseplate. For the one I have like that, I just drilled a couple holes through the metal piece of the grip, and directly screwed it to a piece of threaded aluminum. It means the grip doesn't easily detach like it's designed to, but for a permanent solution, it's fine. Lighter than using the factory bracket, even.

A linhof grip w/o the baseplate can be had for $100 or less on ebay, usually. I have at least 5 of them, mounted to: Speed, Speed, Crown, Cambo TWR, and one that came with a Chicago Aerial Inc (CAI) military camera I bought on a whim that shoots polaroid pack film (which I should probably unload since I haven't ever used it). I might have a spare Linhof Grip, I forget, will check. They are the sort of thing I found worth stocking when I found them at a good price, since eventually I would find a use for them.