Sinar 8x10 Bellows Extension

[bieber]

Yesterday I tried shooting macro with the Sinar P2 8x10 for the first time, and I found that I couldn't really use the multi-purpose standard to extend the bellows, because the 8x10 standards jut way out to the left but the multi-purpose standard doesn't have shift so it inevitably causes vignetting. Is there any easy solution to this problem? I'm using the normal standard bearers, so I'm guessing that maybe the special bearers would be able to align the bellows closer to the rail? Although at that point it would be way cheaper to just get another P front standard and shift it over for the extension...

[Bernice Loui]

Sinar multi-purpose standard should have shift as it is the same front standard used on the Sinar 4x5 F and similar. The Sinar Norma multi-purpose standard also has shift. What might be a limitation is not enough rise due to rods for the late multi-purpose standard version and slot height on the Norma multi-purpose standard.

Picture of this set up can help figure this out. How much bellows is needed? Standard Sinar 8x10 bellows is usually long enough. There is a not common Sinar 5x7 interconnecting standard with 8x10 to 5x7 bellows specifically designed to extend the bellows for 8x10.


Bernice

[bieber]

Hmm, maybe the "multi-purpose standard" I picked up actually isn't then, because unless I'm missing a control somewhere it only seems to be capable of rise, fall, swing and tilt.




You're right that the 8x10 bellows are usually enough on their own, but I was starting to feel uncomfortable with the amount they were stretching (I had about 3' of rail on the camera and I was using most of it to get somewhere between 1:1 and 2:1 with an 11" lens), and I would have liked to get an extra section of bellows on the end to take some of the strain off.

[bieber]

Oh yeah, looking up multipurpose standards on eBay now and they all have shift scales at the bottom of the frame, mine doesn't. Maybe I got an older model?

[bieber]

Okay, nevermind, the problem was with me. The same lever that unlocks swing also unlocks shift

[Bernice Loui]

This was the next item that would have been questioned, try the combined swing-shift lock lever?

The mechanism works by what looks like the head of a nail that sits inside a slot. When the shift-swing is locked, that part clamps down on the T slot, once loosened, the entire lower part of the frame can be moved.

See annotated picture of the Sinar Front standard. Same front standard is used on Sinar F.


At 1:1 or life size, a 210mm lens should easily cover 8x10. This would require about 420mm of bellows draw. Image circle aprox doubles in size at 1:1 or life size allowing the use of shorter focal lengths which otherwise would not deliver an image circle of good performance.


Bernice

Okay, nevermind, the problem was with me. The same lever that unlocks swing also unlocks shift