Is Sinar F/F2 sturdy?

[Marcus Carlsson]

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying a Sinar F or F2, but when I look at pictures I think that the standard doesn't look so sturdy. What do you think?

I don't have the money for a P-version though and I will buy from the bay and therefore I can't test it now, so I just want to hear your idea of that camera.

/ Marcus

[David A. Goldfarb]

Is your concern the stability of the camera in the studio (yes, it's sturdy and can handle big lenses and heavy backs in general), in windy conditions (depends on how much bellows you have out, but it's pretty good--maybe not as good as a Linhof Technika, but in general a folding metal camera will be sturdier than a monorail in these conditions), or ruggedness for field use (depends how you carry it and how important quick setup is to you)?

[Capocheny]

Hi,

I'm thinking of buying a Sinar F or F2, but when I look at pictures I think that the standard doesn't look so sturdy. What do you think?

I don't have the money for a P-version though and I will buy from the bay and therefore I can't test it now, so I just want to hear your idea of that camera.

/ Marcus

Hi Marcus,

The F2 is a great camera and you'll be thankful for buying it if you're going to take it out into the field. The P is a heavy camera and is meant to be used in the studio.

One of the local colleges uses the F2 and if they can stand up to the use and abuse by students, you'll be fine with it. I believe the heaviest lens they use on it is a 480 and it's very stable.

As for using it out in the field under windy conditions, ANY camera with a longer bellows is naturally not going to be as steady as it could be without a wind. Even folding field cameras with an extended bellows will be at the mercy of the wind.

That said, if you're shooting predominantly with it out in the field... I'd suggest you go with a field camera instead. But, if you're going to be doing predominantly indoor shooting, the F2 would be a great camera to use. If you're going to be doing equal amounts of shooting indoors and outdoors... again, I'd go with the F2. I've used a field camera for shooting table-top subjects and the like and, personally speaking, I didn't enjoy it as much as when I used a monorail camera.

Lastly, the F2 has a couple of additional benefits... the built-in scales for determining depth of field and placement of the plane of focus. Very useful!

[BTW, there's one for sale by forum member, Frank Petronio:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ad.php?t=22696

I have no personal vested interest in this sale.]

Good luck in making the decision!

Cheers

[Marcus Carlsson]

Thanks for your comments.

I will do mostly studio during the winter and outdoors in the summer. I shoot only portraits, so it usually isnt' that windy.

I just feel that when looking at the standards, they look so week (I haven't seen any one in real life, but it looks like they are 1 cm). But I assume that it is a sturdy camea then.

I had an idea that I should buying an P (if I saved a couple more months), but maybe that isn't necessary if I just are afraid of the sturdyness?

Thanks for linking to Frank, but I live in Sweden and due to high taxes and shipping I rather buy from Europe, but thanks anyway.

/ Marcus

[Jerry Flynn]

If you are thinking that the camera looks less stabile because it is sitting on posts, I would suggest that, mechanically, that does not make the camera any less stabile than if the standard is suspended between two uprights. If you think that certain conditions may make such a setup unstable (wind vibration for example), you can drop the standards down to the bottom so they rest more or less directly on the focus blocks.

Having said all this, I have used Fs and F2s for about 30 years indoors and out and have never had a problem with rigidity or stability. In fact some other manufacturers have copied the design concept.

The reasoning behind the design is that this approach eliminates any surrounding superstructure around the standards. You will never have an obstrution in the way when you are trying to insert a film holder. It makes the camera yaw-free because the tilt is below the swing. It also makes the camera a bit more compact either side of the standards there being no projections.

If this design did not work, I do not think Sinar would have continued to build them for over 30 years.

I would recommend the F2 for its sturdier front standard focus block with geared front focus when compared to the F1.

[dominikus bw]

Marcus,
I agree with other, I have Sinar F and yes it's very sturdy.
Sinar P is a bomber but Sinar F is a single fighter...

[Marcus Carlsson]

Thanks for your replies.
I think that I will go for the F2 then.

/ Marcus