Sinar F2 Too Heavy For Field Work

[David E. Rose]

Darin,
Similar to my thinking (see my previous post), but for architecture a bag bellows would be a good idea. I don't believe that the Toyo field cameras take a bag, the Wista and some wood field cameras do. This will become important if the OP gets into wider lenses.

Then it's easy. Keep the Sinar for when you need extreme movements. Keep in in the trunk when you go out, if driving, or at home at the ready if walking.

Buy a Toyo 45a and an adapter board for your Sinar to let you use Toyo boards on the Sinar. Convert all your boards over to the smaller Toyo.

The Toyo is not super light but will seem a lot more portable. If you are not shooting Architecture with a capital "A" then you might end up using the Toyo 90% of the time. A lighter version is the Graphic cameras (e.g. Crown Graphic, which are lighter and cheaper, just not quite as nice). Moving upscale is the Linhof Technika which is lovely but heavy, $$$$, and probably not what you want. Toyo = $600, Crown Graphic = $200, Linhof = $1000. Ballpark for all amounts. The Toyo is not a glam camera like some of the others but is a wonderful design from a usability perspective and well made.

Don't forget, if you buy it right you can always sell it with little to no loss as your needs become clearer.

--Darin

[Darin Boville]

Darin,
Similar to my thinking (see my previous post), but for architecture a bag bellows would be a good idea. I don't believe that the Toyo field cameras take a bag, the Wista and some wood field cameras do. This will become important if the OP gets into wider lenses.

I'm with you but keep in mind two points: 1) The OP doesn't even have a 90mm yet, 2) He said "architecture" in a sort of passing way, though lots of people have fixed on that word and are pushing for extreme movement capability.

I think he just wants to shoot shots in the city, not architecture, per se. Heck, a Hasselblad or whatever might even be better.

In any event, the best advice that we all know already is to buy it at a fair price used and sell it if it isn't quite right. Date before you get married.

--Darin

--Darin

[Ivan J. Eberle]

If you can find a nice one, a Meridian 45B has more movements than most other Technical/Press cameras, do credibly well with wide angles, and are far less expensive than a Technika or a Toyo 45AII. They also are light at about 5 lbs sans RF or lens. They fold up to protect rather largish lenses without having to remove them, as well (which enables them to be very rapidly set up).

I have two of them.

[Photobackpacker]

Based on your photo, I don't think a field camera would pack and carry a whole lot differently. I will say that Drew's description of carry mode is different than yours. The Photobackpacker cases take up more room than other ways of carrying lenses.
I have a similar sized backpack and carry: Linhof Technika 5, 3 lenses (125mm, 180mm & 250mm), ~15 holders (maybe a few more-n.t.s.), dark cloth, meter, level, filters, Leica M5 and 1-2 lenses if I really need to.
The Linhof is heavier than my Zone VI camera but occupies less space folded up. everything is a trade off.
I carry my 3 lenses in a fishpond large Sweetwater fly reel case. If I had smaller lenses I could probaly fit four in there. The Fujinon-W 250/6.3 is a big sucker. Like this...

Just a point of clarification - Sinar boards are 5.5" x 5.5". That is what causes the pictured lens case to be large. Your Linhof boards are slightly less than 4" x 4". They fit nicely in my much more compact LS-xxxx-4 lens cases - no coincidence since I, too, shoot a Linhof Master2000 and designed the cases to fit.

[rdenney]

Just a point of clarification - Sinar boards are 5.5" x 5.5". That is what causes the pictured lens case to be large. Your Linhof boards are slightly less than 4" x 4". They fit nicely in my much more compact LS-xxxx-4 lens cases - no coincidence since I, too, shoot a Linhof Master2000 and designed the cases to fit.

For a whole lot less than the difference in price between a Sinar and a Master Technika, you could buy a Sinar-Linhof adapter board. That would let you keep your lenses on Linhof boards and still use the Sinar camera.

Rick "who has considered this on occasion" Denney

[Richard Wasserman]

Rick, I use a Sinar-Linhof adapter and it works great. Highly recommended!

[Brian Ellis]

If you can find a nice one, a Meridian 45B has more movements than most other Technical/Press cameras, do credibly well with wide angles, and are far less expensive than a Technika or a Toyo 45AII. They also are light at about 5 lbs sans RF or lens. They fold up to protect rather largish lenses without having to remove them, as well (which enables them to be very rapidly set up).

I have two of them.

There was a Meridian on ebay last night, probably still there. I don't know if it's a 45B.

[Jim Michael]

Take a serious look at the Canham 45 DLC - it's lightweight, can handle lenses at both focal length extremes easily, and has more movements than you're likely to be able to use.

[JustinB]

Take a serious look at the Canham 45 DLC - it's lightweight, can handle lenses at both focal length extremes easily, and has more movements than you're likely to be able to use.

I don't know about that Jim, I'm sure I can throw tilt, shift and swing at the camera until I exceed some tolerance somewhere.

[BennehBoy]

Transporting a LF camera is always going to be a compromise, a balance of how much pain we are willing to accept against the quality of the output.

Environmental and personal factors will weigh heavily in that compromise, for someone using public transport in a city such as NY then light makes sense.

Living in urban England, where a car can get pretty much anywhere, I find it easy to move my P2 8x10 about in a Peli 1440. Lens, blackjacket, loupe, meter, holders, other crap goes in a large laptop bag (which sits atop the peli whilst it's being rolled). Tripod and pan tilt head goes in a sling type Manfrotto padded bag.

It's heavy, cumbersome, a good workout, and ultimately worth the hassle to get the shots.

I doubt this goes much toward answering the OP's question, but it may be useful to some.