Sinar Norma Copy Stand

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49886342593_a6e0d724c4_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2j1hxD4)Norma Copy Setup 4x5 1to1 180 Componon (https://flic.kr/p/2j1hxD4) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Sinar Norma Copy Stand/Overhead Still Life Table

Built with all original Sinar Norma parts. Had this for many years and never put it together until now. Presently set up for 4x5 1:1 with sweet Durst Componon 180mm f5.6 and Sinar Norma Shutter. Ken Ruth talked me into collecting the Schneider chrome Componons (I have them all) you can easily take them apart yourself and wash the milkiness off any of the elements in your kitchen sink. Which I have done, he's absolutely right.

An old Broncolor C171 Monolight 375ws with old Broncolor Pulso Beauty Dish. Beautiful light for an overhead close-up type of shot. Will set something up soon.

Marine grade plywood base best grade makes the most solid copy stand I have ever had the pleasure to use. Rock solid.

My new copy stand is sitting on my FOBA DIMIL sweep table, I need to find some suitable plexiglass for it.

[Bernice Loui]

Heh... been there done this.. Add one more aux standard with a un-drilled lens board or similar board and the set up becomes a GOOD macro foto set up. Set up like that enhances stability, reduces vibration due to the entire camera and macro subject platform moving together. One of the lesser appreciated features of the Sinar system.

The other Sinar widget is the C-clamp rail adapter. Quite the handy device...

There are few view camera systems that can match the capability and flexibility of the Sinar system.


Bernice

[Daniel Unkefer]

Thanks for that Bernice. I think I need some more Norma 18" rails. They have rectangular slots, the newer ones are more roundish. Have to look around more intensively.

Have TTL Norma Sinarsixes, and Broncolor TTL flash meters make it fun to play with. Kewl stuff.

Even my Reflex Hood has the old Sinar Norma era logo. :)

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50218932288_231d780e0f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jvF9Y9)Norma #4 Copy Stand Finally Together (https://flic.kr/p/2jvF9Y9) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

I finally have everything put together and this is what I want to leave set up in my studio. Norma #4 two Broncolor Impact 21 Monolights with 3M Polarizing Gels over each light. Sinar Shutter extra lenses I'm currently interested in using down below short term storage. Polarizing filter on the lens as well use the Norma Polarizer.

I think this will work out for me. It's about what I wanted.

[Bob Salomon]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50218932288_231d780e0f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jvF9Y9)Norma #4 Copy Stand Finally Together (https://flic.kr/p/2jvF9Y9) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

I finally have everything put together and this is what I want to leave set up in my studio. Norma #4 two Broncolor Impact 21 Monolights with 3M Polarizing Gels over each light. Sinar Shutter extra lenses I'm currently interested in using down below short term storage. Polarizing filter on the lens as well use the Norma Polarizer.

I think this will work out for me. It's about what I wanted.

When that 600 pack was introduced I was the rep for the east coast. Rose Studio in NYC wanted to test it before buying them. So I brought it to them with the multiple tube head. They had an assistant climb a ladder to install it high over the set. Once he had it positioned that it was set an assistant fired it while the guy on the ladder was looking at it from a couple of feet from the reflector. Fortunately someone grabbed him as he fell off!

[Daniel Unkefer]

Years ago my 10 year old son "popped" me as I was looking at it from close range. It was in the Hazylight. Orange spots abounded! That little Devil! Sparkly lighted red buttons are magnets to kids.....

Larry at Broncolor was extremely kind and helpful getting these going. Actually I have two 606 packs and four heads. I remember Larry said at Broncolor they call it "The Iron Horse". He asked me if I had any idea what I have there. "Nope" I said. In todays dollars he said those strobes would be over $100,000 each. What could I say?


Six thousand watt seconds in one "pop". It's a quite loud pop I can tell you

Those little Impact 21's are 200 watt seconds each. So when my 606 fires, it is like 30 Impact 21's going off at one. Or 60 Vivitar 283's firing at once.

[Bob Salomon]

Selling high power strobes was fun.
When I was with Rollei Armstrong Industries wanted to buy our E5000 strobe which was actually four 1500ws packs in one housing that required a 220 3 phase outlet.
We made an appointment to show the strobe, told them the power requirement and drove to Lancaster, PA with a unit.
Got to the studio and they had the studio manager and an electrician there. We asked the electrician if the outlet was correct and he assured us it was.
Plugged it in and the studio manager stood in front of the multi tube reflector that would output all four packs at once.
He said to pop it and it pegged his flash meter. He reset it and it again pegged the meter. He said to do it again and the entire pack jumped off the floor, flew against the wall and burned up. Awful small and smoke.
Asked the electrician again if that was 220v 3 phase. He said it was and took his meter to show us. Then he said “oops, 440V”!
Next day we had to explain to the President of Rollei how we totaled a $5,000.00 pack in 1973 dollars!

2 weeks later we introduced the Rollei E1500 power pack at PMA. Among its interesting features was it could be fired by a radio synch and it was very safe. You could plug in or unplug the head while it was fully charged without it shorting out as the ground pin was much longer then the other pins. It also had U-V coated tubes, titanium dioxide painted reflectors, constant flash duration at all power settings, quartz halogen modeling lights and flash tubes covered by a common frosted glass dome and the modeling light accurately tracked with the output setting of the flash.
The night before the show opened someone stole our radio transmitter for the strobe. It had a plug for the synch cord and a red open flash button.
As mentioned above, you could unplug the lamp head without its shortening out. Unless you fired it while unplugging it.
I had a pack on one side of our booth and our other salesman had one on the other side. We were both demoing the packs when he pulled the plug on his and there was a loud clap and his pack burned up. The guy I was showing it to had his mouth opened wide, caught his breath and asked what happened, with that my pack exploded while I was unplugging the head!
Apparently whoever stole the Rollei Radio was walking around someplace pushing that red button trying to figure out why he couldnt hear anything on the radio!
So we had to explain to our President how we blew up those packs also!

[Bernice Loui]

This was the era when studio strobe power was absolutely required. Once the products got large, so did the strobe power needed to light them. If diffusion was applied, even more strobe power was needed. If the image was made on 8x10, more strobe power still.

This resulted in essentially a strobe power battle by the major players. Bronocolor_Elinchrome were to that were always at this.

Elinchrome offered a twin flash tube 4,000 watt/second per tube single head initially as the X8, then X8000. To get 8,000 watt/seconds per flash two 404 power packs were connected to the two power cords from the X8000 head, sync was flash slaved between the two packs. Kind remember numbers like f90 at 15-20 ft. And multi-flash was possible to get more light on to the film.

Those were very different times for view camera stuff.



Bernice





Six thousand watt seconds in one "pop". It's a quite loud pop I can tell you

[Mark Sampson]

I remember being surprised when I went to take a workshop with Norman McGrath in 1989... he'd brought a 5000 w/s Balcar as his only power pack.
Never saw another one before or since, but it did the job. The consensus among the class, though, was that for shooting interiors, multiple smaller packs were a good idea.
He was also the first person I saw using a Sinar F with the reflex viewer (keeping this story on-topic).

[neil poulsen]

I remember being surprised when I went to take a workshop with Norman McGrath in 1989... he'd brought a 5000 w/s Balcar as his only power pack.
Never saw another one before or since, but it did the job. The consensus among the class, though, was that for shooting interiors, multiple smaller packs were a good idea.
He was also the first person I saw using a Sinar F with the reflex viewer (keeping this story on-topic).

I had my workshop with Norman McGrath in 2002. I asked him then, were he to do it over again, what would he purchase? He responded that he would buy Dynalites. At the time, he had five heads and a total of 6000 watt-seconds in power packs. So, I purchased the same in Dynalites. I still have them.

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49913138718_a1eb394583_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2j3DTcd)Norma Rodenstock Apo-Ronar collection (https://flic.kr/p/2j3DTcd) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Here is my complete collection of Norma Rodenstock Apo Ronars, I don't have a 1070mm F11 but I'm watching one that costs as much as a used car. Right now I'm shooting a bit with the 150mm F9 Apo-Ronar and I love how it renders on film. In fact I like it so much, that I bought a second one.

My 8x10 Norma Rear Standard even has adjustable metal pins, to make register-punched color separations. Like a rock solid ittsy process camera.

I have the McGrath 1st Edition and it's a classic. Gave me a lot of great ideas at the time.

[LabRat]

Dynalites either worked well or had spectacular dramatic pyrotechnics... Even on brand new units...

For a shoot we rented a couple that were brand new out of the box, but after a few pops, each started making a strange hissing/wooshing sound, and looking over, we saw a low cloud of bluish smoke hovering around them, then suddenly a more violent sound with a true mushroom cloud pouring out the vents!!! So brought those right back to the rental counter, but tech just looked bored as he just returned them to regular inventory... I spoke up that these were defective and should not be rented to anyone who are trying to make time and money on a pro shoot... He just shrugged and said they often did that, but kept working so don't worry about it...

The "hot" ultralight strobe back then was the Rilex (which weighed nothing) but with Dyna heads modded to work with them...

Steve K

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50235540027_af79228196_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jx9gSt)Norma #4 Copy Stand Finally Together 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2jx9gSt) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Further work on the Sinar Norma Copy Stand/Overhead Shooting Table. To speed up some copy jobs I will use 6x9 and 6x6 Sinar Norma 120 Film Backs. I have just finished adapting three each of the Graflex wind knobs to fit the Norma Rapid Adapter Back which interchanges with the 4x5 Back on the rear standard.
A metal cable automates the sliding back (which has it's own shutter) with the Sinar Norma Shutter on the front standard.

Mechanism is as fast to operate as any reflex camera, once the cable tensions are adjusted. I've changed to the Schneider chrome 135mm Componon in chrome barrel, the image precisely fits the 6x9 format as set up here. Looks great through the camera, ready to shoot. The Sinar Norma Monocular Reflex Eyepiece is probably the Norma accessory that I found most hard to find over time. Last year, I finally got one.

A roll of Ilford FP4+ is loaded and ready to shoot. Looks like according to my Broncolor FM2 incident flash meter, about f16 will do the job with full polarization. I'll bracket part of the test roll at 1/2 stops and I'm thinking of PMK+ Pyro for the development.

My new to me Broncolor 404 and three heads are in the left corner. 1600 ws pack 120V

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50316146541_5ed844107a_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2jEgpnX)Maki Std Copy Test Shades 180mm F3.2 GX680 (https://flic.kr/p/2jEgpnX) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Here I have attached the Makiflex Standard camera. to my Sinar Norma Copy Stand/Clamp/Head Mechanism. Attached the 180mm F3.2 Fuji GX680. Shooting my "shades" as a 3D test, using a Plaubel Makina 6x6 120 back, loaded with FOMA 200 rated at 100. Polarized lighting both sides, 200WS each, and the 103mm Sinar Norma Polarizing Filter Holder fits tightly on the front lenshood on the 180 GX680 lens. Just like it was made for it! :) WOW this lens has some resolution, now.... Quite acute in a good way.

I have wanted to try this setup for a while. As I think I have mentioned before, the Makiflex family has a Plaubel patented shutter braking mechanism, absolutely granite boulder solid and vibration free. Plaubel made a big deal about this when the introduced the camera. Unlike some other big SLR's, no vibes at all, so perfect, although somewhat mute as I am using strobe.

This is tight 6x6 crop of the clip-on sunglasses. Will try to develop ASAP. Also I can use all kinds of sheet film in this.

Foma 200 bracked at f16, f11, f8 and f5.6 as a start. Development will prolly be in Pyro PMK+

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50541383136_2aadfb4c21_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2k1aNnw)Shades 45 degree High Contrast Pol Test 1 (https://flic.kr/p/2k1aNnw) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

This is a quick test of my new Sinar Norma Copy Stand. Plaubel Makiflex Automatic 9x9cm SLR with hacked Fuji GX680 180mm F3.2. 6x6cm Plaubel Makina film 120 back #4. High contrast polarized lighting. Two Broncolor Impact 21 200 watt second strobes, with polarizing gels adjusted fully. 103mm Sinar Norma glass polarizing disc under the lens, also fully adjusted. Strobes balanced with Broncolor FM2 Strobe Meter, balanced to F/32 1/2 both sides illuminating. The GX680 lens is one of my sharpest for sure. Foba 200 B&W 120 film exposed at EI 100. Developed in ADOX BORAX MQ straight replenished D76 type. This exposure was one pop at F8. Also made exposures at F11 and F5.6, but this is the ONE. 8x8 inch print on 8x10 Aristo #2 RC developed in Multigrade developer.

This setup is good for photographing anything where you want this type of contrasty polarized lighting with 45 degree shadows.
Such as photographs or flat art.

Setup shown above ^^^

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51406993920_0900d11947_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mjEhio)Broncolor Balloon and FOBA Sweep Table (https://flic.kr/p/2mjEhio) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

I have just upgraded my vertical shooting table in my studio. Three layers of heavy expensive plywood makes a rock stable base. Norma camera upgraded to 5x7, the Norma Reflex Viewer works with this, but dosen't cover the entire field and needs to be moved around. But still it works.

Broncolor Balloon Head fits their proline Pulso heads, I have diassembled it and converted it to fit my smaller Broncolor Imapact units. With only 50W modeling heat buildup is not too extreme. This head can handle up to 6400 watt second heads but heats up quick!

To the left I have re-assembled my FOBA Sweep Table, I've clamped cherry table tops to it for now and it's great. I'm going to have thick heavy glass custom cut so I can light from below and behind. This is listed in the very old FOBA catalog.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=broncolor%20balloon&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=hist-ma

I got this one shipped from Germany for about 300 Euros. Happy Happy.

I enjoy restoring and building all of this. This is a big move forward

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7863/47136623231_43f6fd6c00_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ePivSx)FOBA 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2ePivSx) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7863/46411949664_71548e3823_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dHgnEG)FOBA C40 1 (https://flic.kr/p/2dHgnEG) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7827/47136628901_633c84e95b_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ePixyi)FOBA 3 (https://flic.kr/p/2ePixyi) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7908/47136632721_1b539bcc2d_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ePiyGa)FOBA 4 (https://flic.kr/p/2ePiyGa) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7855/40171654403_d60269657f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/24cQei6)FOBA 6 (https://flic.kr/p/24cQei6) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7833/47136651911_5436c247a9_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2ePiEp2)FOBA 7 (https://flic.kr/p/2ePiEp2) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

[Tin Can]

Yes, a wonderful kit

Very hard to find

That's why I use an Arkay Senior (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/187581-REG/Arkay_60242403_10MS_III_Mono_Stand_Sr.html) as base

[Drew Wiley]

It is far simpler to make a superb copy stand out of a Durst column chassis than that. No studio stand is as solid, especially if the chassis column is bolted to a wall. But if you're trying to copy a eight foot wide Persian rug in rectlinear fashion, neither will do. You need what a friend of mine has in his studio - a ceiling cutout replete with heavy steel catwalk. He has his Sinar gear supported on a crane-like "cherry picker" device, with Broncolor light boxes right below. Probably cost more to build overall than my whole house. But he has a full gourmet kitchen underneath, with the dining table at the middle, and of course other Sinar cameras at ground floor elevation. Production food photography at its best, and with the perk of eating it after the shoot.

My own new deluxe copy system doesn't need to accommodate anything larger than a 30X40 inch original print on the baseboard. I can almost instantly remove the lens turret on my L138 and replace it with a rigid disc bearing a camera mount instead. The LED light panels remain permanently attached with long curved arms to the baseboard itself, but fully out of the way when doing actual printmaking (enlargements).

Anything hypothetically bigger, I'd revert back to my ole hot lights, stands, panels, and a horizontal shoot, with the subject itself vertical on a wall.

I don't have any Apo Ronars like Daniel, but an equivalent set of Apo Nikkor process lenses, superb close-up, as well as macro lenses for smaller format cameras when that's appropriate.

[Daniel Unkefer]

My requirements are a bit different, largest flat art will only be about 16x20. So not only do I want to move in the Broncolor polarized lights for classic copying, but also reconfigure things so that I can photograph a small tabletop set, anything from directly above, really. And room to bring whatever lighting in various ways, to do what I should need to achieve my objective. I have a lot of Broncolor and FOBA accessories that help with all of that. It's quite a system for still life.


Don't have room for a biggest 8x10 Durst as I have lots of experience with those, don't think one could fit into my plans. But I do have a 5x7 Omega "E" autofocus in my darkroom. And two 4x5 "DII" which I do use. 8x10 I contact print

This stuff can be hard to find, but I think I know how and where to look. Repurposing what I already have is a priority.

I do have a Plaubel Camera Stand that is similar to the ones from FOBA. I paid $100 for it many years ago and I'm happy happy. It's in use on a concrete floor and needs no additional bracing.

https://live.staticflickr.com/4233/35138517615_9387e29412_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Vx565B)DSC05778 (https://flic.kr/p/Vx565B) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=broncolor%20balloon&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&SID=144773X1609519Xe4f6959e7d92f9800ac3b66a6889ae07&DFF=d60

Sure wish I had one or two of these Balloons when I was shooting 4x5 interiors for architect friends. They didn't exist back then.

This is one of it's primary uses, as an overall fill light. In fact I am going to use it 45 left of subject when shooting full length portraits. Lights a big set.

And, I can use it for tabletop :smile: Here I have attached it by FOBA Combitube to the DIMIL Sweep Table next to the Overhead Shooting Table.

Happy Happy.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51406993920_0900d11947_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mjEhio)Broncolor Balloon and FOBA Sweep Table (https://flic.kr/p/2mjEhio) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

The Hasselblad Ringlight works great on the 5x7 Norma. The Norman 200B Power Pack was modified by New York City Flash Clinic. They were famous in the photo district, all the fashion Guys were using this. If they didn't adjust the pack, the tube would "sparkle" wildly after firing. I sent in two packs for modding. Sadly they are gone :(

Works Killer on the 5x7 Norma :)

200 Watt Seconds of Ringlight!

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51824658184_1acf26cc42_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mXyVko)Sinar Norma 8x10 Overhead Reflex Rig (https://flic.kr/p/2mXyVko) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

I've been using this area as a work table and catch-all. Today it is cleaned off and ready to start using for photography. My 8x10 Reflex Sinar Norma 165mm F8 Norma Super Angulon Norma Shutter Norma Copy Stand. FOBA Combitubes to the right. I put two pieces of wood together makes a super steady base. Camera is solid and I have Norma 5x7 and Norma 4x5 Reducing backs for this camera. An ideal basis for a retro overhead shooting table. I can even attach the camera upside down to a ceiling rafter for really wide shooting. This is going to be fun. FOBA DIMIL sweep table to the far left, I need to get some thick flexible white plex then I can underlight with it

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51824918486_c195dcc821_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2mXAfHm)8x10 18x24 Sinar Norma Overhead Shooting Table 165 Norma SA (https://flic.kr/p/2mXAfHm) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

The idea is to leave this set up on a semi-permanent basis. Good for any kind of shooting from basically directly above, but oblique is possible too. Plenty to experiment with at this point

[Greg]

My 8x10 Reflex Sinar Norma

Is the 8x10 reflex a Toyo, Sinar, or ??? The 8x10 Toyo seems to be unavailable as of a few years ago. The Sinar I have heard of but have never seen one listed FS. Gowland I seem to recall once offered one, but I may be wrong. I've been looking for plans on making one for my whole plate and 8x10 cameras but with no avail. I definitely do remember seeing one page in VIEWCAMERA that showed a custom constructed 11x14 reflex finder but can't find it in my collection VIEWCAMERA mags. If someone knows of the issue that it was described, I'd love to have that info....

[Daniel Unkefer]

This is an original Sinar Norma 8x10 Reflex Finder, was delivered in the original box. There is one in Morrocco for sale on Ebay, but this one came along and I grabbed it. Sure glad I did it's quite rare. Has the old Sinar logo on it from the Norma era.

If you had an old bellows frame you could construct one of these

https://www.ebay.com/itm/255040879829?hash=item3b619efcd5:g:4hUAAOSwWKhg4cCS

This guy has one for sale in a beautiful Norma outfit

https://www.ebay.com/itm/275074167382?hash=item400bb2b256:g:4t8AAOSwIblhwhy-

[Tin Can]

I want the Linhof version

It has the 50mm pipe that fits a lot of setups I have

Yours is very nice too!

[Daniel Unkefer]

I want the Linhof version

It has the 50mm pipe that fits a lot of setups I have

Yours is very nice too!

Thanks Tin Can