That's good because I would like to try my 110 on it.
That's good because I would like to try my 110 on it.
Is there such a thing as a 5x7 rear standard for a Sinar F? If so I might get lucky on ebay and run across one of those to upgrade my F1.
Years ago I had a 5X7 B&J. I remember it had lots of movements and was light for a 5X7 of this type (7 1/2 pounds according to a B&J catalog I have). It was also rather crudely made, fairly shaky, and the focusing wasn't especially smooth. I'll contrast that with my 5X7 gray painted Ansco - quite heavy (9 3/4 pounds by my kitchen scale; my 8X10 Eastman 2D is 11 pounds without the extra focusing track), not really shaky, and the focusing is very smooth since the metal parts are plated. When I fold down the bed, the lock screw for the bed tightens with one or two flicks of the thumb compared with several turns of the knob on my Eastman. This is all rather subtle, but makes the Ansco much nicer/quicker to set up and focus. Most Anscos have built in additional focusing tracks rather than the seperate track used by Eastman and most other makers. If you look at eBay 7582469711 (yes I know it is an 8X10, but the 5X7s are very similar), photo #6 shows this quite well. Not all Anscos had this feature. If you are looking at a camera on eBay, be sure there is a lock knob on the right rear side of the main bed. This locks the sliding track in position. Of course this feature adds weight and bulk, compared to cameras with a seperate track. Another feature missing from some Anscos is the front tilt (that is the knob to the side of the lensboard opening on the above mentioned 8X10). I know you mentioned minimal movements, but front tilt is a quick and easy depth of field control, so you'll likely be pleased if you get a camera that has it. You mentioned portraiture as a main use. If you anticipate using large aperature "portrait" lenses or a Packard shutter behind the lens, you want as large a lens board as you can find. My Ansco is 5 1/4 inches square. I think some make 5X7s used smaller boards, but I'm unclear on this. If you use longer focal length lenses, total bellows draw is something to consider. My Ansco looks like it should extend to 20-21 inches with a better bellows. This brings me to a potential drawback to some Anscos which used a plastic-like bellows material that stiffens with age, so it won't allow as much extension as when new. I suspect the pre-WWII natural wood finished Ansco used leather bellows and don't have this problem. I can't say if this stiffness is a problem with most later Anscos, but I've seen it on a couple of different ones. Email sellers and ask how stiff the bellows seems.
Hello,
I second the recommendation for the Ansco. I bought one last year off auction site for a little over $200, and it included a 4x5 back, 190mm ilex lens, and case. I bought it because of my satisfaction with the 8x10 Ansco outfit I have. Its not a Deardorff, or a new refined model, but the price is right, and you have most, if not all, the movements you will typically use. They have more features than the 2D, and I feel more stable than the B&J. Leonard makes good suggestions as to what to look for.
Leonard, thanks for the info. I had a look at the ebay posting. That seems to be what I am looking for.
I have a Kodak Century No.2 5x7 that I got off e*bay for well under $50. It came with a 165mm B&L in shutter that has been okay for landscapes but not portraits. I'm building the extension track and I have to cover the bellows if shooting outside and I wish the lensboard was bigger (4.25" x 4.25"). But now I have a small brass barrel lens (that I got for free from our own JJ) and a packard to fit it that should work with minor mods to the camera. I really love using this old thing and will likely keep it forever.
Sounds like you can get something similar from another LF member and for what you're interested in shooting you really can't go wrong with a 100 year old camera.
Good luck,
Hello Ron. I use a Sinar Norma as my 5"x7" camera, and can nothing but recommend it highly: very portable for a monorail when front & rear standard (bellows in place) as sandwich is placed in backpack, monorail alongside. Very stable for a (rather) lightweight 5x7 monorail. I bought my 5x7 as a conversion set from MXV in London for a small amount. This conversion set is sometimes found complete with mount-block ready to slide onto any standard sinar rail (to complete any Sinar F, F1, F2, Norma, P, X or P2 front standard...), but are somethimes sold without such hardware. In the latter instance, You take any Norma 4"x5" rear standard (a Norma front standard will also work), remove the 4"x5" U-frame & mount 5"x7" U-frame instead. You will much more likely find a Norma 5"x7" set than the quit rare Sinar F 5"x7" set, and the Norma is much better made... Except for the two-point dof calculator, You keep all movements and features of Your F -system even when adding a Norma 5"x7" back.
Here in Europe the 13x18cm format was used for studio work, say, until the seventies.
German-made 13x18 Plaubels are quite cheap. Many Linhof monorails had a 13x18 back. My understanding is that those cameras take either 5"x7" or 13x18 holders like for 9x12 and 4"x5" on the International back.
So you can safely add to the list Plaubels and Linhofs. Old 13x18 Arca Swiss monorails (Oschwald) do exist as well on the used market, as usual, the front is the 4"x5" standard and a 5"x7" back connected by the appropriate tapered bellows.
A friend of mine has a 13x18 Plaubel. He made an adaptor to mount 96x99mm Linhof Technika boards on the Plaubel board he got with the camera.
Hello Tor. Thank-you for the Norma information.
Will a 5x7 Sinar F1 bellows fit on a Norma?
I have discovered that a Sinar F bellows will fit the Norma standard.
What I am still wondering is if a 5x7 bellows will fit a 13x18 standard, and vice versa?
I think from a couple of auctions I and my F1 I can put together a 5x7.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks