DIY Sinar Norma Handy Photos

Nokton48 · Feb 9, 2020

First test 4x5 Sinar Norma Handy by Nokton48, on Flickr

First test 4x5 Sinar Norma Handy 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

First test of my homemade 4x5 Sinar Norma Handy. This is hand held 4x5 camera, with a 65mm F8 Schneider Super Angulon lens. Viewfinder is a 43mm model for the Mamiya 7. Made from original Norma parts and some home made parts.

Very expired HP5 (not +) developed in JOBO with straight Acufine. This particular film has high base fog, and little shadow detail. Want to repeat tests with fresh TMAX400 in the Acufine. Using this camera requires as high a speed film as is possible. Very fun to use this. Lens always focused to hyperfocal distance for max DOF. 1/125 at F11 hand held No center filter used

Sinar Handy with Strap and Cable Extension by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's the completed camera.

Bob S · Feb 9, 2020

Very nice, but you need the center filter.

Nokton48 · Feb 9, 2020

Bob S said:
Very nice, but you need the center filter.

Good suggestion. Actually I have it (it's marked "Center Filter for 65mm F8 Super Angulon" in a leather case, on the neck strap. Requires that you stop down at least two stops for effective use. No way under these conditions. If back to tripod I will use my monorail Normas.

I wish they made 4x5" 3000 EI sheet film! I do have some Fujiroid 3000 but that's 3x4.....

awty · Feb 9, 2020

Very nice job, like how compact it is. Wonder how hard it would be to give it a bit of focus adjustments for closer shots, would only need a centimeter or two.

Nokton48 · Feb 9, 2020

Hi Paul,
Thanks! The Norma Schneider focus helical is calibrated to the 65 F8 lens exclusively, so it's marked for distance to fairly close (about 3 feet I think). I pasted a hyperfocal distance chart to the back of the grip (it's a Graflex XL BTW, adopted by Sinar, but it's Graflex) as I tend to use it for photos where I want infinity sharp as well as as much forground sharpness as I can get.

With a DOF chart easy to put the focus right where you want it, front and back.

awty · Feb 9, 2020

Nokton48 said:
Hi Paul,
Thanks! The Norma Schneider focus helical is calibrated to the 65 F8 lens exclusively, so it's marked for distance to fairly close (about 3 feet I think). I pasted a hyperfocal distance chart to the back of the grip (it's a Graflex XL BTW, adopted by Sinar, but it's Graflex) as I tend to use it for photos where I want infinity sharp as well as as much forground sharpness as I can get.

With a DOF chart easy to put the focus right where you want it, front and back.

Had to look up focus helical, now I understand. Is that something you made or can make yourself?

MattiS · Feb 10, 2020

Nokton48s focusing helicoid is of course the Mercedes of helicoids.

I´m on a similar project and use a cheapo M65 focusing helicoid. Cheap focusing helicoids are available in M42 and M65 in different lengths. With the M65 flanges for the lens end and body end made by RAFCamera (Moscow) they are perfectly usable for own projects (ebay, two flanges and helicoid about 70-80€).

Nokton48 · Feb 10, 2020

awty said:
Had to look up focus helical, now I understand. Is that something you made or can make yourself?

I was was lucky enough to find the Sinar Norma helical/cone lens board (for the 65 f8) many years ago in a local camera store. I then used original Norma parts, and some I made, to finish the camera. It took a while to design and build.

Lens helicals are available sometimes on Ebay.

Nokton48 · Feb 10, 2020

This one sold a while ago. Clever adaption of a more modern Sinar rear frame:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sinar-Larg...747509?hash=item44527dba35:g:X3cAAOSwXvFeK5Mt

BTW the most desirable 65mm f8 SA for the Handy, is the setup mounted in a self-cocking Prontor shutter.
Mine is the standard Compur, not quite as convenient to use.

Bob S · Feb 10, 2020

Nokton48 said:
This one sold a while ago. Clever adaption of a more modern Sinar rear frame:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sinar-Larg...747509?hash=item44527dba35:g:X3cAAOSwXvFeK5Mt

BTW the most desirable 65mm f8 SA for the Handy, is the setup mounted in a self-cocking Prontor shutter.
Mine is the standard Compur, not quite as convenient to use.

But far less mechanical vibration then the self cocking Prontor unless it is the Prontor Professional!

Nokton48 · Feb 10, 2020

Bob S said:
But far less mechanical vibration then the self cocking Prontor unless it is the Prontor Professional!

Hmmmm. Thanks for that Bob

Alan Edward Klein · Feb 10, 2020

That looks like a pretty amazing camera. Great job and good luck with it. Alan.

Nokton48 · Feb 10, 2020

Thanks Alan! It attracts attention when I take it out, especially if there are other photographers around

Has anybody here processed 4x5 TMAX400 in Acufine?

I'm wondering about what kind of filmspeed you can get and still get shadow detail?

Anybody shooting 35mm TMX400 in Acufine? What speed?
__________________
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

Nokton48 · Feb 10, 2020

More info about the 1972 model Sinar Handy here:

https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/01448/01448.pdf

I have the Norma which is is the earliest model Sinar.

Nokton48 · Feb 15, 2020

Norma Handy Stuff 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Norma Handy Stuff 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Norma Handy Stuff 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

That's a Swedish Medical Bag, to carry holders and day stuff. Graphmatics are the way to go with this camera I have three good ones now, enough to make a full run in my poor man's rotary JOBO (Eighteen sheets).

When it warms up, this is going to be a hoot. This camera attract attention, especially photographers

I like the center filter, but it requires closing down two stops, and the filter factor as well. The higher the effective film speed, the better. Right now, that is straight ACUFINE replenished (phenidone type).

Notice the hyperfocal chart pasted to the back of the Graflex XL Hand Grip (Sinar Norma used this, put their badge on it).

Nokton48 · Feb 27, 2022

4x5 Custom Made Sinar Norma Handy 283 Wedding Bacharach by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is my old bulletproof Wedding 283 Flash with Mini Soft Box. Great for Press Photography. The Viewfinder is a Mamiya 7 43mm Optical Finder. Also would work good with the Minolta SRT Era Deluxe III Flashgun. The Minolta SRT Era Flash Meter is deadly accurate with my Broncolor stuff and matches it in terms of readings. Also it reads focal plane flashbulbs!

Nokton48 · Feb 27, 2022

4x5 Norma Handy with Wedding Flash 100WS by Nokton48, on Flickr

Nokton48 · May 7, 2022

Norma Handy gets 4 inch Deep Yellow Wratten behind by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here my front end of the Sinar Norma Handy homemade camera, now it gets a 4" Kodak Wratten Deep Yellow Gelatin Filter, which I gaffer taped to the rear of the original Norma 65mm F8 factory conical mount board with correct helical. I prefer the colored filter inside the body (behind the lens) rather than another glass filter, in front of the Schneider 65mm F8 Center Filter. Going through two pieces of glass in front is asking for problems with reflections. Mucho better this way.

4x5 SInar Norma Handy by Nokton48, on Flickr

My 4x5 SInar Norma Handy with 65mm F8 Super Angulon, Schneider Center Filter 65/8, and K2 Yellow Series 8 filter. The colored filter presses tightly against the center filter, it's the combination I want to use. Six 4x5 Graphmatic film backs, these will be loaded with HP5+ and 400TMAX 4x5 film. Vivitar 283 strobe with Photoflex XTC mini softbox. Should be interesting for closer in shooting. We will see. A hyperfocal focus chart is printed on the back of each Graphmatic for quick focus setting

el_37 · Jun 27, 2022

Bob S said:
Very nice, but you need the center filter.

Curious- during your tenure with Linhof how many Technar's were actually sold in the USA? I was heavily involved in the LF shooting and buying/selling in the late 90's early 2000's and I never saw one except in the Linhof brochure. You would see the occasional used Sinar Handy in that era though. But even then they were fairly rare.

AgX · Jun 27, 2022

Nokton48 said:
I have a "Center Filter for 65mm F8 Super Angulon" in a leather case, on the neck strap. Requires that you stop down at least two stops for effective use. No way under these conditions.

I know of the respective hint from Schneider. But I understood it as that the filter as such is usable wide open already (where itself already needs factor-3 exposure compensation) and that the advised closing of aperture by 2 stops is meant to raise the usable image circle up to the corners. Where image quality otherwise did not matte mucgh as being lost in vignetting anyway.

But I admit that I never checked this at lens performance tables. And I am aware that stopping down has effect on the gradation of shades in front of the lens. So that this effect already may have taken into account for the advised stopping down at the design of the filter. And thus the filter as such not being at optimum wide open.

Bob S · Jun 27, 2022

el_37 said:
Curious- during your tenure with Linhof how many Technar's were actually sold in the USA? I was heavily involved in the LF shooting and buying/selling in the late 90's early 2000's and I never saw one except in the Linhof brochure. You would see the occasional used Sinar Handy in that era though. But even then they were fairly rare.

Couple of dozen of the USA modified version. It had a standard LInhof cable release in the grip. The original version had the LInhof electronic cable release system in the grip.

Nokton48 · Jun 27, 2022

"I know of the respective hint from Schneider. But I understood it as that the filter as such is usable wide open already (where itself already needs factor-3 exposure compensation) and that the advised closing of aperture by 2 stops is meant to raise the usable image circle up to the corners. Where image quality otherwise did not matte mucgh as being lost in vignetting anyway. But I admit that I never checked this at lens performance tables. And I am aware that stopping down has effect on the gradation of shades in front of the lens. So that this effect already may have taken into account for the advised stopping down at the design of the filter. And thus the filter as such not being at optimum wide open."

AGX,
All you say is indeed correct in my book. When I have time I will run some definitive tests with the 65mm F8 Super Angulon Center Filter. According to what I have in my literature it really only covers 9x12cm, which is perfectly fine for my uses. I buy 9x12cm film from the usual European shoppes, and I have a lot of Linhof and Norma 9x12 film holders. But my USA made Omega DII enlargers really key to 4x5 sizes, and I have 4x5 film and 4x5 holders in quantity in this size. The Center Filter is like the cream in the coffee; I'll wager it improves the 65mm F8 Super Angulon, but we will see pretty soon now. I put a 4" Wratten #12 Gelatin Kodak Filter behind the rear cell; So I will get the combo of the Yellow K2 filter inside the body, and the correct center filter on the front. So multiple exposure compensation is required; 1.5 stops for the center filter density, 1 stop the #12 Wratten Gel filter density. So 2.5 stops total exposure factor. And then, two stops down to avoid what I think is mechanical vignetting from the edges of the center filter. This is all a guess so testing will tell the tale. Much fun ahead. Will need to bring along a tripod. The early silver Leitz Tiltall is my preference with the Norma Handy setup. Mighty Handy Indeed! I have three Graphmatic 4x5 backs loaded with HP5+, and another three Graphmatics loaded with 4x5 TMAX400. For handheld shooting I can push process the film up to EI 1600 and still get reasonable quality. Again we will see. My wedding flash setup should do the job coverage wise with the Handy; again we will see

Nokton48 · Jan 25, 2023

HRU test 2 Norma Handy Sinarsix MicX by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's a quick test on 4x5" Fuji HR-U Xray film developed in Microdol-X.

I took this at f16 and Schneider says to close down two stops to eliminate barrel vignetting by the center filter. Next time f22 as a maximum. Camera was focused by homemade hyperfocal chart.

Next time I will also test Sinar Norma 103mm glass discs (in med yellow-green and also dark yellow) plus the center filter. Stabilizing the camera makes it about 100X more useful to me. This was an extremely windy pure sun key day about 12:00AM. The additional colored filtering should improve the foliage tonality.

Nokton48 · Jan 25, 2023

OK I've just developed some 4x5 Graphmatic photos, that included superwide shots of my new set with the portrait lighting I've been working on. I like it, HP5+ pushed 1 or two stops. Also same with TMax400, EI 1600 can be achieved with good detail. And the MiniMe Softbox was my standard Wedding setup for grab and gos. I will be printing these soon.

I use an 8x10 Unicolor Print Drum, spinning on a Unicolor Uniroller. I just bought a couple more drums so now I have four that all work good. And I can run 9x12/4x5 in my JOBO Multitank 4 or Multitank5. So I'm getting to the point where I can run a fair amount of film and develop it quickly with quality

Nokton48 · Jan 27, 2023

I am busy cleaning my darkroom and film loading area. I use a Dyson V7 vacuum to clean the film holders. I just bought a second used V7, and a couple of spare new fresh original Dyson batteries. Good vacuum but the lithiums can kinda be a PITA. Hence the spares. I have six Graphmatic 4x5 Backs I intend to load with fresh Ilford HP5+, and Kodak TMax 400. Rating the film at 1600 EI, and developing it as EI 3200 per Ilford specs. Getting some luscious looking negs from D23 1:1. Got another 8x10 Unidrum coming, and I went to Harbour Freight, and picked up five pack of black bungees. Cut up one of those and they make great "rubber thing" inside the 8x10 Unidrum. Keeps the sheets from "walking over" onto each other, which can be really aggraving. The "rubber thing" is seldom with the Unidrums when you buy them used, so you have to make your own. Which is actually super easy to do yourself. I wouldn't use the Unidrum without the "rubber thing" with 4x5.

DIY Sinar Norma Handy Photos

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency