Twin Lens 4x5 Sinar

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51001447497_8d71c987a1_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kGPKtF)Twin Lens 4x5 Sinar Norma 1 (https://flic.kr/p/2kGPKtF) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

This was fun to configure and will be useful for 4x5 portraiture. This time it's two 240mm Sinar Symmars, yes I know one is forward mounted so they are different. Looking around I have a pair of matching 240mm Schneider barrel chrome f4.5 Xenars. May have to cut some boards but that to me is a perfect choice for 4x5. The bottom 4x5 Norma still needs a bit of work but getting there. It came recently from KEH

Will have to learn how to use this. Sinar Norma promoted this as super speedy. Look through the bottom and pop it and see it for a second on the ground glass, great for evaluating expressions. Will be fun

[Greg]

Congratulations you have done the configuration correctly. Most people view with the top camera and expose the film with the bottom camera. Even when both cameras are in alignment for taking portraits, the bottom camera will shoot the portrait looking a bit up at the person. Can be unflattering sometimes... "been there done that"

Were your red extension rods custom made? I have been looking for a used set of them for years with no luck.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Those are original Sinar Norma Rods and they are graduated in millimeters. I searched for decades on and off (they are uber rare), then came into a bunch at MPEX here in Ohio and then several sets including the even more uber rare clamps came up on Ebay.

Glenn Evans has "Glennview" generic rods and if you need 'em you need 'em

http://www.glennview.com/sinarTLR.htm

[robphoto]

ok, there's something I've never seen before!

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

A great idea if you are bigamist and have too many Normas at home. Just double them! You could marry a third Norma and mount her too. Why? Well, because it now takes too long to take the light meter cassette out of the upper camera to insert the film cassette. - How easy life is with a Super Technika, a L398 and a Grafmatique!

But: purely aesthetically, this combination is wonderful. Compliment. They still exist, the beautiful things!

[Daniel Unkefer]

Congratulations you have done the configuration correctly. Most people view with the top camera and expose the film with the bottom camera. Even when both cameras are in alignment for taking portraits, the bottom camera will shoot the portrait looking a bit up at the person. Can be unflattering sometimes... "been there done that"

Thanks Greg. Good to know that it is together in a way that will be beneficial. I know the barrel Xenar 240s are matching and will be a good match for portraiture. I'll have to see what else I can come up with in pairs.

[Daniel Unkefer]

But: purely aesthetically, this combination is wonderful. Compliment. They still exist, the beautiful things!

Thank you Daniel. Linhof made a reflex top for the Technika, if you want to go Linhof crazy. Same basic idea. Increased speed! and simplicity of operation, as well as the confidence that with flash, you can see the image for a micro second burned onto the ground glass, are the advantages. I could use one of my Sinarsix with my Broncolor probes for TTL flash but that may not be necessary. In my experience with LF portraiture I often found that the first one was often the strongest. This is simple and direct and different for me. Certainly worth a good try.

[Bob Salomon]

A great idea if you are bigamist and have too many Normas at home. Just double them! You could marry a third Norma and mount her too. Why? Well, because it now takes too long to take the light meter cassette out of the upper camera to insert the film cassette. - How easy life is with a Super Technika, a L398 and a Grafmatique!

But: purely aesthetically, this combination is wonderful. Compliment. They still exist, the beautiful things!

How easy we forget, decades ago Linhof offered great LInhof Technoflex as an accessory to turn the Super Technika into a TLR.

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51003713253_db9e71bc6e_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kH2n1r)Sinar Norma 4x5 TLR Matching 210 Xenar Barrel Lenses (https://flic.kr/p/2kH2n1r) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

I decided to finish the 4x5 Sinar Norma TLR today. I found a couple of old boards with mickey mouse automation, I removed all of that with my mini drill press. Then I cut large holes with my mini electric scroll saw, and finished with a good deal of hand filing. I just need to fill some automation holes with JB Weld. So now here two perfectly matching 240mm Schneider chrome Xenar f4.5 barrel lenses, should be great for portraiture. I exchanged the Black Binocular modern reflex magnifier on the back, with the original Norma Rubber Bellows, and the uber rare Norma Reflex Magnifier, which is quite small and I prefer it to modern Boxy Reflex Sinar.

So now I am ready to learn more about how this works. Testing looking through the camera went well, ready to go

[Duolab123]

Very cool. That's two Ubers, the red standards, and the magnifier. Uberuber, Superuber, Uberzwilling?
Again Very Cool!

[neil poulsen]

It seems to me, if one's going to do 4x5 portrature, this is ideal.

[Daniel Unkefer]

It seems to me, if one's going to do 4x5 portrature, this is ideal.

Yes that is exactly my thought too, Neil :) I very seldom used movements for 4x5 portraits.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51006440431_8bee9b0068_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kHgkGK)Highest Speed 4x5 Norma 2 (https://flic.kr/p/2kHgkGK) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Here's the reverse view. I added another Norma Rubber Hood, Norma Long Bellows Rod, and Norma Filter Holder with 108mm Norma yellow glass disc. So pretty much like it came right out of the Norma brochure which is what I dig. That to me was fun to put together. Sometimes these old things need fixing and I really enjoy working with my hands.

Thanks for the idea Tin Can! :)

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51130433275_0f7ef4cb05_4k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kUdQsp)Tuned Up Twin Lens Norma 180 Comps (https://flic.kr/p/2kUdQsp) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

The rear standard on this Norma pair wobbled on the base rail. Following Philip's guide, I loosened the allen screws and reset the friction on the metal plugs that tighten against the rail. Easy to do and now square and solid. Bought another original Norma screen and marked 6x9 and 9x12 frame marks on all my screens using chartpac tape. Then reinstalled the glass in all screen carriers, adding Norma fresnels. So now identical markings completely on top and bottom focus screens and bright and very even viewing using the two Norma Monoculars with Norma Bag Bellows. It's vital that the base tilt create identical focus planes through both cameras, it is quick and easy to do. I reset the rear or front base tilt every time I move the camera. Everything looks sharp and good on the glass and I'm finishing some basic lens pairs. The Plaubel Peco Profia Camera Stand is the best way to get this beast into the proper position.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51129528463_6717fa12f5_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kU9cuc)Lens Pairs for Twin Lens Norma so far (https://flic.kr/p/2kU9cuc) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

Like a car in an auto body shop, Norma Lens Boards with dozens of holes in some of them, can be plugged with JBWELD and planed and cleaned, the back side dotted with flat black Krylon aerosol paint. The front of the board gets spotted with Benjamin Moore paint I had color matched with a Norma board in the store. Looks pretty good in my opinion. Schneider Norma Twin lens camera pairs shown here. From upper left: 150mm f5.6 Componons, 210mm f5.6 Componons, 240mm f5.6 Componons. From bottom left: 180mm f4.5 Xenars, 240mm f5.6 Sinar Symmars, 300mm f5.6 Componons. This gives me a full range of lenses from 150mm to 300mm with the twin lens camera.

I need more Norma Pan Tilt heads, so I bought one of the Luland units to try. If it works well I will dedicate it to this camera, I'm also dedicating a generic aluminum double tripod plate, that my clockmaker friend made for me decades ago. https://www.ebay.com/itm/183068773697?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

[Daniel Unkefer]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51168614019_fa17ae31d1_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2kXAwg6)DSC02697 (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2kXAwg6) by Nokton48 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/18134483@N04/), on Flickr

250mm Imagon matching pair (one barrel one in lower spot, and compound shutter top taking lens in top), mounted matched pair, barrel lens presently attached with blue painter's masking tape, needs flange attached with micro hobby modeling brass screws. Mini drill press makes lots of holes quick and precise. This will take about an hour to finish including painting. Next project is same exact deal set up, but with matching 200mm Imagon pair, for all lenses I prefer the H5.8 discs but with the petals fully closed.

I'd like to have additional supplemental aperture discs printed. I've seen this very thing done with old 4x5 plastic dark slides laser cut. A set of standards " Imagon Waterhouse Stops" cut from old plastic darkslides for each Imagon would be the final goal

The top lens is forward mounted in original Norma board so that the front and rear standards are automated Norma cables so super fast. When you insert a holder it closes the shutter, and just that fast you can pop it. And of course I see the "pop" through the taking lens for an instant. No chimping required and just like with a baby 6x6 TLR :)