newbie, extension rail Sinar P

[distichum]

Hello everybody,

First of all i apologize for my English..it´s no fluent enough. I´m a Newbie in LF but i have tried to learn so much as i could. Now i have the opportunity to purchase a Sinar P

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Also, i have the intention to buy a 300mm or 360mm lens and, of course, i know the issues to focus with such focal lengh. Minimun 300mm of bellows to focus at infinity. I supose that the camera has a standard rail (12" ?). That means i need at least a extension rail...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sinar-12-inch-Extension-Rail-P-F-Norma-/170930834526?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27cc458c5e

is it enough? Need i anything more? Should i choose another camera like F2

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Thanks

Víctor Piñeiro

[DKirk]

Sinar users here are probably better qualified to answer, but here goes. Stick with the Sinar P - I've always felt the F2 was quite flimsy and loose (though that may have just been the ones I used in college). I'd suggest a longer than 12 inch extension though. The good thing is that the Sinar is common, and there are masses of bits avaliable, most of them can be mixed between models.

[Frank Petronio]

Get two extension rails.

[adam satushek]

Yeah get a lot of extension rails. I have an F2 8x10 much like the one pictured (minus the flat bar and 2 clamps). I store the whole thing on a 6 inch rail extension so that it is nice and compact and fits in my backpack. When I shoot 300 mm I add the 12 inch base rail, if I'm shooting my 450mm I add the 12 inch base rail plus another 12 inch extension. But if you need to focus close you will of course need more, I generally don't but I do have other extensions around if needed. I have been eyeing 18 inch extensions for a while...and will eventually get one.

I have not used Sinar P's, I would like to but I currently only have F's. But I can say that my F2 8x10 and F1 4x5 are plenty ridgid for my purposes, though I do use a 20 pound tripod so that certianly helps. I would disagree that the F's are flimsy and loose....but that said I would love to have some P2's.

One thing to note, that F2 8x10 you have a link to has an F2 4x5 front standard. The correct F2 8x10 front standard is more heavy duty and has more availiable rise. That being said, mine has the F2 4x5 front standard, and while its not ideal it gets the job done for me.

Best of luck! Sinars are awesome.

[Jerry Flynn]

You are correct. The standard p2 8X10 comes with a 12" rail (which I never understood). Sinar made 12", 6" and 18" extensions in chrome or black. There is no diffrence in function, just appearance.

[Robert Jonathan]

No, don't choose another camera. Get the Sinar P and buy some used rails from ebay or a camera store. You can get black rails or silver rails. They will both work.

For an 8x10, I would use an 18" extension rail as the main rail, and add a 6 inch extension to the rear for a stable setup.

[distichum]

...thank you for responding my questions so quickly! You have been Very helpful...now i supose that i should stick with the Sinar P and buy a 18" extension rail. But, excuse my ignorace...is not needed another rail clamp or system to stabilize? Rail and extension fit so Hard? Thanks again....

[DKirk]

As long as it's only the one extension at college we normally had the clamp move until it rested where the join was. I'd suggest standardising on the 18" rail like Robert does in the above post. However you can add extra bits and bobs to the system over time, so you wont be limited with what you can do with it.

[distichum]

As long as it's only the one extension at college we normally had the clamp move until it rested where the join was. I'd suggest standardising on the 18" rail like Robert does in the above post. However you can add extra bits and bobs to the system over time, so you wont be limited with what you can do with it.

...thanks, I´ll do it this way.

[Scott Walker]

...thank you for responding my questions so quickly! You have been Very helpful...now i supose that i should stick with the Sinar P and buy a 18" extension rail. But, excuse my ignorace...is not needed another rail clamp or system to stabilize? Rail and extension fit so Hard? Thanks again....

The rails clamp together very solidly and unless you are using more than 36 inches of rail I don't see any reason to worry about extra support.
I have both F and P systems and lots of rails including the 36 inch and to be perfectly honest I can see no reason to have a 36.
Two 18s are every bit as stable, work just as well, and are much easier to store and carry.
The F is an exceptional camera but if you compare it to the P it really is a bit flimsy. ;)

[Frank Petronio]

A sturdier stand or tripod will help more than two clamps, but if you want to make it super solid, by all means, add more clamps! A second tripod would also help.

[distichum]

A sturdier stand or tripod will help more than two clamps, but if you want to make it super solid, by all means, add more clamps! A second tripod would also help.

Thanks Frank,...really nice your portraits, specially those in WB