Help me pick a couple of lenses for Sinar Norma please please

[Andrew Plume]

Good day Bobab

There's an awful amount of past posts on here in reply to posts for those who are/were building a kit for 4 x 5 work. in fact this is and has been an extensive resource

As Daniel has said you can overcome 'the shutter issue' by buying a Sinar shutter and you can also overcome 'the lens mounting issue' by buying one of these:-

http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/ac.../irislensboard

These 'iris lenses' are essential imo

Good luck and regards

Andrew

[Bobab]

With Norma you can buy a Norma Shutter and you don't need a shutter on each lens. You can buy barrel lenses which can found at good prices.
I use both 9x12cm and 4x5" in my Normas. I would find Graphic or Lisco holders and the film of required size. And a cable release and dark cloth.

What would happen if I want to buy a field camera at some point in the future? Is it relatively easy or even possible to get shutters for the barrel lenses?

Any reason for the Graphic and Lisco recommendations? Just wondering because there seems to be a few Fidelities and Toyos for sale in good condition.

[Bobab]

Good day Bobab

There's an awful amount of past posts on here in reply to posts for those who are/were building a kit for 4 x 5 work. in fact this is and has been an extensive resource

As Daniel has said you can overcome 'the shutter issue' by buying a Sinar shutter and you can also overcome 'the lens mounting issue' by buying one of these:-

http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/ac.../irislensboard

These 'iris lenses' are essential imo

Good luck and regards

Andrew

I know I know. I am sure my question seems lazy and has been asked a thousand times before. But it really feels to hard to figure out right now for my brain, and I just want to start shooting. Responses have been very helpful. At least pointing out a lot of things that I had not considered before.

[Bobab]

Just a follow up. If I see a lens with a "broken shutter" is that convertible to a barrel lens? Is that the prime candidate to purchase if at a good price?

Wow, these sinar shutters are selling for £300-700. Is that really worth it in terms of saving that I will then make on the lens?

[Andrew Plume]

Hello again 'Bobab'

My take on using 'barrel lenses' per se is, not to over focus (sorry no pun intended), say, on using any more modern Shutter, (there are some barrel lenses that have been put into shutters), old timer's such as me tend to use them, simply by removing the lens cap or perhaps by front mounting a Thornton-Pickard shutter............they used to be really cheap but I detect that prices are moving up

My advice FWIW is to take all of this very much on the slow side.............

Good luck and best regards

Andrew

[Two23]

Just a follow up. If I see a lens with a "broken shutter" is that convertible to a barrel lens? Is that the prime candidate to purchase if at a good price?

Wow, these sinar shutters are selling for £300-700. Is that really worth it in terms of saving that I will then make on the lens?

If you are shooting film a barrel lens adds to your complexity. The cheapest way to use one is to add about 10 stops of ND filter to bring exposure time down to about a second. Really though, I suggest avoiding barrel lenses and nonworking shutters and no, a Sinar shutter is not the best route for you. Look for an older lens 200 to 250mm like Tessar, Velostigmat, Kodak Ektar and the like for portraits. If not wanting something specifically for portraits a 150mm in Copal shutter is general purpose and relatively cheap.

Kent in SD

[Tin Can]

Buy almost any 150 mm f 5.6 LF lens IN A GOOD WORKING all BLACK Copal shutter in EU

Buy in person or eBay with PayPal only

Use it for a while for everything, then think carefully after 6 months

[alexmuir]

If you’re planning on making pictures of a type you haven’t made before, with a type of camera you haven’t used before, then it’s probably quite difficult for anyone, no matter how experienced, to give you accurate suggestions. A 150mm lens allows you to include a figure, and a bit of environment. A 210mm could do the same, with a closer figure. These are both cheap and plentiful on the UK market, and probably also in Europe. Get one in a working shutter, then work out if you need a lens board to match, in case the one with the camera doesn’t suit. The boards for a Norma are cheap. £15, or thereabouts in UK. Get one lens first, you may not need another. If you don’t like it, you can sell it on and buy another. Experience making pictures will help you decide which other lenses, if any, are needed.
Alex


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[Bobab]

Thanks for everyone. This has been all very helpful.

Alex, do you have any suggestions for good shops in the UK for fair priced large format gear? I have noticed that pricing can be quite variable.

[Andrew Plume]

I'm here in the UK and am very happy to assist

regards

andrew