For Sale FS: Sinar Norma 4x5 Camera

Hermes07 · Jul 12, 2011

For sale is my Norma 4x5 which I'm having to abandon to use larger lensboards. Am selling my Norma 8x10 conversion kit separately, but they work brilliantly together allowing around a metre of bellows extension. If someone wants both I'll knock a bit off the price.

Will get pictures up as soon as I have a minute but suffice it to say, it's a Norma 4x5 in
excellent condition - 4x5 front and rear standards, 4x5 spring back including ground glass, standard bellows, bag bellows (cracked but still usable), 30cm rail and the beefier 'P' Rail clamp.

The spring back has a few flakes of paint missing, the ground glass has a frame outline drawn in pen by the previous owner and some of the screw heads could perhaps do with a clean. These are the only flaws I can find. As mentioned above the bag bellows have a cracked frame - they still look usable to me but consider them a bonus.

Asking £300 Shipped + Insured within the UK or nearest offer. If you're outside the UK, contact me for additional shipping costs.

Have only bought and sold a few things on this forum before but I'll happily contact you from ebay or another forum where I have 100% feedback. Will accept Paypal or bank transfer.

Comrade Conrad · Jul 12, 2011

I'm curious what lenses you're using that require larger lensboards. I use a Norma and while I admit that there are some lenses that just won't go on the camera, I've been able to have some pretty large lenses mounted by having an adapter piece made which is attached to the front of the lensboard and allows a larger mounting surface. This then let's me still use the Sinar shutter which I think is one of the best features of the system.

Hermes07 · Jul 12, 2011

To name a few:-

300mm Aero Ektar
460mm Beseler
1200mm Apo-Tessar

Am also on the lookout for a fast 600mm lens which will cover at least 16x20 - chances are that will not fit on the sinar board either.

Believe me I've mounted some pretty huge lenses to a standard sinar board before but these all have bigger clear apertures than the 4x5 standard, or the sinar shutter will allow so I use them strictly with Packard synchro shutters and 5x7 or even 8x10 lensboards to take advantage of the full apertures.

cdholden · Jul 12, 2011

Comrade Conrad said:
I'm curious what lenses you're using that require larger lensboards. I use a Norma and while I admit that there are some lenses that just won't go on the camera, I've been able to have some pretty large lenses mounted by having an adapter piece made which is attached to the front of the lensboard and allows a larger mounting surface. This then let's me still use the Sinar shutter which I think is one of the best features of the system.

At some point, isn't the hole in the shutter a bottleneck? Aren't those like 2.5"-3"?

Comrade Conrad · Jul 12, 2011

cdholden said:
At some point, isn't the hole in the shutter a bottleneck?...

No doubt, depending on the lens, the format and the particular application. I realize the Sinar has limitations; I was really just curious what lenses were being used.

2F/2F · Jul 12, 2011

To get around the size limit of the DB shutters, I've thought about adapting a Speed Graphic rear shutter to my Sinar, in front of the film plane. That would be pretty slick if it worked. Basically, I envisioned mounting the shell of a Speed Graphic on top of the rear standard, in place of the rear carrier frame, and somehow hooking the SINAR bellows up in place of the Graflex's bellows. Not only would this give you a Graflok and rear shutter, but it would also maintain all of the rear movements.

I wish I needed the Norma. I'd love to have one. But I have a C. I really wish that your 8x10 conversion kit was a 5x7 conversion kit. I'd be all over it!

cdholden · Jul 12, 2011

2F/2F said:
To get around the size limit of the DB shutters, I've thought about adapting a Speed Graphic rear shutter to my Sinar, in front of the film plane. That would be pretty slick if it worked. Basically, I envisioned mounting the shell of a Speed Graphic on top of the rear standard, in place of the rear carrier frame, and somehow hooking the SINAR bellows up in place of the Graflex's bellows. Not only would this give you a Graflok and rear shutter, but it would also maintain all of the rear movements.

It's certainly possible. Why not fit it to the back of a Sinar front standard instead? You would also need to modify the back of the shutter to be able to hold the front of the bellows.
With a focal plane shutter, your exposure would be a little different too, but not enough to matter unless it was really slow.

What's the maximum opening size of the FP shutter?

2F/2F · Jul 12, 2011

cdholden said:
It's certainly possible. Why not fit it to the back of a Sinar front standard instead? You would also need to modify the back of the shutter to be able to hold the front of the bellows.
With a focal plane shutter, your exposure would be a little different too, but not enough to matter unless it was really slow.

What's the maximum opening size of the FP shutter?

The shutter is at least the size of a 4x5 film sheet. I am not sure of the exact size of the opening, though I can measure if you really want to know.

I figured on putting it on the back standard so the conversion would be easier due to more integration. That way, I could just plop the whole Graflex shell on there, and only have to figure a way of attaching the bellows to the shell, and the shell to the standard bearer. The shutter would never have the possibility of blocking the image or physically interfering with a lens, or of having the shutter speeds be off due to a different placement within the image circle, since it would be right where Graflex placed it in relation to the film.

Also, I do most of my tilt and swing movements with the front standard, while keeping the back square most of the time. Keeping the Graflex shutter and back square would probably make it more stable.

Hermes07 · Jul 12, 2011

2F/2F said:
To get around the size limit of the DB shutters, I've thought about adapting a Speed Graphic rear shutter to my Sinar, in front of the film plane. That would be pretty slick if it worked. Basically, I envisioned mounting the shell of a Speed Graphic on top of the rear standard, in place of the rear carrier frame, and somehow hooking the SINAR bellows up in place of the Graflex's bellows. Not only would this give you a Graflok and rear shutter, but it would also maintain all of the rear movements.

I wish I needed the Norma. I'd love to have one. But I have a C. I really wish that your 8x10 conversion kit was a 5x7 conversion kit. I'd be all over it!

Interesting idea with the speed graphic shutter. Lucky for me I only work with flash. My 7" opening packard shutter is just there for the sake of a consistent flash sync.

With Sinars, I've always favoured shooting 5x7 with a reducing back on an 8x10 standard. Makes more sense to just have one bellows setup and reduce down to 4x5 or 5x7 when needed.

I think everyone should own a norma at least once. The quality of construction really is in a different league to the Ps, Cs and anything else Sinar have made since.

cdholden · Jul 12, 2011

I've seen a piece (black, but not sure if it's a true Sinar part or fabricated) that connects to the bearer like a Sinar carrier frame on the bottom, but has holes for drilling into the bottom of a camera (think Kodak 2D or Century Universal) to convert other cameras to the Sinar system.
I'm sure one could easily be made if time/money were available to work with. Just take off the front of the camera and use the case/back, witha sinar front and bellows. That would be pretty sexy for any rangefinder or press camera fan.

SOMEONE BUY THIS NORMA BEFORE I GET FLOGGED FOR HIJACKING THE THREAD!!! (my apologies, Hermes)

gbunton · Jul 13, 2011

I use the sinar shutter and add an extra standard on my rail put a square bellows in front of it and slide it back so there is no interference from any lenses I attach.

Hermes07 · Jul 13, 2011

A picture of the two 4x5 Standards & bellows (obviously ignore the 8x10 bellows in the background).

Robb Scharetg · Aug 6, 2011

Hello Hermes,

So, is this kit still available? If so, I'm in interested in it, AND the 8x10.

Thanks
Robb Scharetg
Robb@Scharetgpictures.com

For Sale FS: Sinar Norma 4x5 Camera

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