Question on Sinar P2 4x5 to 8x10 conversion

[jesskramer]

To any Sinar P2 4x5 users who have converted to 8x10...

can you get by with the regular front carrier base when you switch to 8x10 frames and bellow or do you need the "special" front carrier base with the longer rise...

Thanks, Jesse

[Mark Woods]

The front support is not an issue in any of the formats.

MW

[Bjorn Nilsson]

If you are going to use the 8x10" format a lot, it's worthwhile to go for the special front standart, as it "zeroes in" when used with a 8x10 back. I.e. you have more rise on the front standart.
But if you can live with almost no rise, the normal front standart is good too. (There's always "indirect" rise, i.e. when you tilt the camera upwards and lean both the back and the front frame forwards.) So start with the normal standart, as the special standart usually cost a lot of $$$.

//Björn

[jesskramer]

Bjorn, thank you

can you explain the markings to me on the vertical rise? am I correct ?

white dot - 4x5 zero detent

red solid dot - 5x7 ?

Red circle - 8x10 ?

I also see one green solid dot on the rear scale - I have no idea ?

Also what is the maximum extension on the standard 8x10 bellow ?

Thanks, Jesse

[Clive Gray]

Guess those might be different on a P2 from a P. On the P I have red is 10x8 green 5x7 and black is for 4x5 thats on both my regular P standards I have and the heavy duty special rear bearer (£140 off ebay recently) I managed to find a "special" multi purpose standard with the extra rise which does make a big difference.

The Standard P2 tapered belows are 25" while the special ones are 35" you need an intermediate 5x7 standard and tapered belows with those, they are 20" so you end up with 55" then you can always add more of the universal 4x5 belows if you have enough standards.

If you have a P2 but never use the TTL film plane metering you could pick up a P rather than P2 format changing set they tend to be cheaper however the dimensions for the coupling frame are different so you can't interchange the earlier 10x8 belows with the later P2, however the Norma bellows work fine with the P and in fact to me at least seem a better fit than the later P ones.

[Bjorn Nilsson]

I'm also using a P back standart, which have the same markings as Clives. I used to own a P2 but cannot remember if the color markings were different, but it makes sense to make the black dot white on a black camera body. ;) Then the green dot is 17mm below that and the red dot is at 30mm. (These measurements should be about the same on the P2.) Maybe the red circle is for the alternative P style 8x10 set or vice versa. When you've got the camera set up, these settings will sort out themselves.
Anyhow, I know that all of these issues are mentioned in the camera manual (which I cannot find at the moment...:o ).

//Björn

[Nat.Images]

Hello ,


Please, I have a Sinar P2 (4x5) and I purchased (of a Sinar P. 8x10) a standard 8x1 upper part only (ground glass + bellows),
when I assembled everything, I had to centralize the two standards
and it happened that in the front standard I had to position the translation in the number one on the right to be able to center the two standards, it doesn't seem normal to me, someone has already had experience with this (in a Sinar P2 4x5 - mount a standard only the upper part of a Sinar P 8x10.
Thank you very much

[fotopfw]

I have the 4x5" and 8x10". I mounted the 8x10 upper part on the back standard of the 4x5." That combination cannot be aligned, the front standard can not be set high enough. So you have a down shift that can not be corrected. Moreover movements are very restricted.