I'm not a Sinar user yet. But I am looking into moving up from 4X5 to 8X10 and have found on E-bay a Sinar P 8X10 that I am interested in. It is early in the biding and I have not made a bid.

This particular camera comes with a 10" round rail (maybe it is 12"). I am under the impression that the P designation implied a 'newer' model and the rail would be square.

I'm under the impression the P means it has a mettering back. Something that would require a digital device to meter off the ground glass. Am I anywhere near right? This should not prevent metering and exposing in more traditional ways though.

Thank you for any insights you may offer.

"P" stands for perfect. And the thing is .

It does not atomatically mean the camera has a metering back no.
But you certainy can get one of those thingies that allow inserting a probe (attached to a Gossen, Minolta or Bron meter) into the film plane. Or use a metering film holder, that performs a similar trick.
And then there is a simlar thing linked to the Epolux electronically controlled shutter.

The thing that makes the P perfect is the block, that eliminates the risers other standards have, and offer yawfree tilt.

The rail of most Sinars is round. The best way it can be.

Bruce, there are some more information on the Sinar system, different types and so on on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinar. The Sinar P, the older version of the P-type, has a chrome design, the newer P2 is all black, but the same functions, as far as I know, thus more a question of design than function. But there are two different rear bearer for the rear standard, both can hold a 8x10 carrier frame, but one, "bearer special", is particularly design for 8x10 (and 5x7); the "non-special" bearer can be used for 8x10 but will not be allow optimal movments, rather design for 4x5. When it comes to the front standard there are various possibilities for what often are called a "Sinar P 8x10". Not seldom the front standard is a Multipurpose standard hopefully with "long legs" which lacks many of the special nice features of a type P standard bearer, but it's a cheap and quite workable solution (have that combination myself). But a "real" 8x10 Sinar P has the P type bearer even for the front standard, and it should be the special longer bearer, even if it can work with the non-special front bearer designed for 4x5. A Sinar P 8x10 can thus be built in many different ways, and a "real" 8x10 will have both front and rear bearer of the special type allowing maximum movements in all directions. //Bertil

O.G. and Bertil,
Thank you very much. I'm going to follow this auction and if it seems I can get it for less than $1000 I'll make a final bid.

Now I'm a Sinar newbe. I won the 8X10 P on E-bay from the retailer Shutter Blade for $999.95 including shipping (I promised my wife it would under $1000).

There might be cheaper P's around but I've been looking for over six months now and if it isn't a real disaster I don't think I did too bad. The lens I now have for it is a G Claron 240. All I need is a lens board and a couple of film holders. I'm not able to make enlargements from 8X10 negs but I'm really interested in contact printing for now.

Wish me luck.

Nice, interesting to hear more about what you have got; my impression is that Shutter Blade is a reliable seller (so you probably will get what they said you will get), and if you got a full Sinar P 8x10 and a G Claron 240 - as far as I know an excellent lens (but haven't found much information about it) - under $1000, then you should be very satisfied! Congratulation and welcome to the "Sinarers"!
//Bertil