Rather than a Norma, I have a Toyo Robos which is probably similar to the Norma. I haven't hiked with it yet – I take the Toyo AX or CF when hiking – but you can disassemble the Robos by removing the bellows and 6-inch rail w/clamp from the standards and the camera will store in a backpack along with the 2d factory issued rail which will take you our for a 300mm lens.along with the other accessories.
Thomas
Note: The Toyo rails extend simply by screwing one into the other so you don't have to carry a big rail with you.
Mike - There's more than one kind of mastodon. Some are assembled using parts of others. I've got a tusk missing from one of my old F's, a leg missing from another. Half of the bones of a P2, dug up from the permafrost in perfect condition, are on museum display as the focus device and lens support for one of my big enlargers. Norma is chugging along pretty good by herself after all these years. Her former owner kept her in a clean petting zoo (studio), so she had no battle scars. I take good care of her too, but let her enjoy the outdoors.
When I transported my Horseman monorail I disassembled it and wrapped each component in a lens wrap, then everything went in a Kelty backpack. That was pretty compact and everything was well protected.
No need to dissemble it at all. That's the idea. I've carried Sinars over 10,000 mi in rough terrain in Kelty's, ready to go w an 18" rail. Got my Norma ready to use in a Kelty top cmpt now. But I might have a different definition of Kelty: the real deal made here, not the book bag import outfit that simply bought the name afterwards.
I also gotta challenge Bernice's lack of global perspective. If there was no mud, there would be no dirt or water. So if there is neither soil nor moisture, there would be no beer.
I would conjecture that they needed to introduce that long clamp, when Sinar developed the P series cameras. The vertical "rods" on a P standard bearer extend down quite a distance, making the longer clamp necessary. And to accommodate larger formats, like the 5x7 F and 8x10 F, Sinar needed to lengthen those rods, so that the front could have greater rise.
Not only do the longer F/P clamps make it more difficult to stow the camera, they increase the moment arm from the tripod head to the camera. Thereby, this increases the camera's propensity to exhibit "tuning fork" vibrations.
The original Sinar F had a clamp with the same basic dimensions as the Norma clamp, because the vertical rods on the Sinar F were shorter. My favorite Sinar field camera is this original F. I hear they're a little more frail; but then, one need only exert care not to over-tighten their knobs. I also prefer using that original F clamp on Norma cameras. Both the Norma and the longer Sinar clamps permit side to side rotation of the camera on the rail, and I really dislike that unnecessary degree of freedom.
Last edited by neil poulsen; 30-Nov-2019 at 00:29.
Bookmarks