Sinar Norma 1966 Price List

[Daniel Unkefer]

Afternoon All,

As we are all cooped up for ages, here is something some here may find interesting as reading material.

A Sinar Norma Price List from 1966:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49895945652_5f3741ced7_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2j28Li3)Sinar Norma Price List July 1966 1 (https://flic.kr/p/2j28Li3) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49895120703_a5af853a54_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2j24x4M)Sinar Norma Price List July 1966 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2j24x4M) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Truly "The World's Most Versatile View Camera System"

Enjoy! :smile:

[David Lindquist]

Yep, 1966 was the year I bought my 4 X 5 SInar, Brooks Cameras, San Francisco, $468. Not an inconsiderable sum then. Had just gotten a job after graduating from UC Berkeley. That was a bad year to run out your student deferment...

David

[Daniel Unkefer]

David,

Thanks for that Norma story.

BTW if you want to zoom in on catalog numbers, descriptions, prices etc just click on my flikr picture, than click again, and the type gets VERY BIG.

Hopefully this list is helpful to some here, in terms of building up a Norma system. Also some here may not aware how much Norma stuff was actually available.

I've always called the Norma "The Erector Set of LF Photography". Nobody else is even close. :)

[Bernice Loui]

Sinar aka "Erector set of LF photography" is not always appreciated or needed by some LF photographers. Those that have come to understand and fully utilize the ability of what this Erector set of LF photography is capable of and how it can free them from numerous camera centric limitations encountered in LF photography can come to value it's capabilities very highly. Others, not so much at all.

IMO takes time and dealing with the real world challenges of LF photo needs and not all need what the Sinar system is fully capable of. Today, most who enter into the endeavor of LF photography want a lightweight, compact, low cost camera. Limitations of cameras like these are not fully appreciated or understood until the real world challenges of LF photography begins to take hold. Many never get that deep in to LF photography, others push the hardware needs of a LF camera to all it is capable, how any LF camera is used and what is expected has a LOT to do with perception and choice of camera and all.

Boils back down to print image goals again as the camera and all are mere tools to achieve these print image goals.

According to the USD inflation calculator $468 USD in 1966 equals about $3,700 USD in 2020.


Bernice






I've always called the Norma "The Erector Set of LF Photography". Nobody else is even close. :)

[David Lindquist]

David,

Thanks for that Norma story.

BTW if you want to zoom in on catalog numbers, descriptions, prices etc just click on my flikr picture, than click again, and the type gets VERY BIG.

Hopefully this list is helpful to some here, in terms of building up a Norma system. Also some here may not aware how much Norma stuff was actually available.

I've always called the Norma "The Erector Set of LF Photography". Nobody else is even close. :)

Thank you for making this information available. I should still have the 1966 price list in my archives; this is a bit easier to access.

Bernice beat me to posting what $468 is in 2020 dollars.

David

[Drew Wiley]

I tend to go around with a pure vintage Norma, but sometimes hybridize it with components from later Sinar models. That's what so nice about the system; they kept it largely interchangeable.

[abruzzi]

So, I’ve read that the P series is the spiritual successor to the Norma? I recently saw a P1 system for sale pretty cheap online, but I opted for their super cheap Technikardan instead because of portability, but it did tempt me.

[Daniel Unkefer]

I remember seeing an Annie Leibovitz exhibition at Wexner Center with wife, I remember a mural photo of Richard Avedon's shooting closet on the Museum wall. Avedon used a Norma 8x10 Rear Standard with an F/F+ Front Standard. Always thought that was an odd combination, but I've never tried that combo.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Sinar aka "Erector set of LF photography" is not always appreciated or needed by some LF photographers. Those that have come to understand and fully utilize the ability of what this Erector set of LF photography is capable of and how it can free them from numerous camera centric limitations encountered in LF photography can come to value it's capabilities very highly. Others, not so much at all.

IMO takes time and dealing with the real world challenges of LF photo needs and not all need what the Sinar system is fully capable of. Today, most who enter into the endeavor of LF photography want a lightweight, compact, low cost camera. Limitations of cameras like these are not fully appreciated or understood until the real world challenges of LF photography begins to take hold. Many never get that deep in to LF photography, others push the hardware needs of a LF camera to all it is capable, how any LF camera is used and what is expected has a LOT to do with perception and choice of camera and all.

Boils back down to print image goals again as the camera and all are mere tools to achieve these print image goals.

According to the USD inflation calculator $468 USD in 1966 equals about $3,700 USD in 2020.


Bernice

Hi Bernice

Well said and I agree ^^. Thank you for your contribution.

[John Layton]

Bernice...a sincere, knowing, and heartfelt thank you for your post. I only wish it could have appeared about...oh...maybe late 2004 or so!

And that price...adjusted for 2020? Still would be an unbelievable bargain!

[Bernice Loui]

Or why I've been such an advocate of the Sinar system for SO long.

This must be tempered with the reality of the needs of many LF image makers of today, it has gone from majority studio 4x5 color transparency work to outdoor images in both color and B & W. This is likely what has driven the demand and market value of various LF cameras today.

Having been blessed with the opportunity to used many LF cameras, optics and more since the mid-1980's with the gift of being "coached" by more than a few working photographers and more. That plus the opportunity to have been doing film photography when it was at it's peak completely alters one's expectations of camera hardware, film, film processing and print making.

All of this is simply a means to an end which is the finished print... which does not care what kind of camera, lens, film, processing en-all that was used to make this print.

That said, using the proper tools to achieve that print goal can make all go just that much nicer and easier in many ways. Or in some cases, the capability of a camera system like Sinar allows images to be created that could not be done otherwise.. this is much about using ALL the tools to the best of their ability.


Bernice

[Daniel Unkefer]

Thanks Bernice.

I have always said that (depending on the project) to a certain extent you take off in the direction that the tools take you. With time and useful experience you come to realize what extra bits you need to make it go smoother, faster, and better. Sinar Norma has done the pre-thinking to make the bits that help make things go more smoothly and allow you to concentrate more fully on the right brain stuff.

You can only fully realize this by going through it personally, not by reading it in an internet post.