Norma users: What is this part?

[darinb]

Hello Norma users,

What is this part? I appears to be some sort of filter holder, that would flip out of the way. Resembles the bellows holder, but with a different design and much shorter rail.

Can't find anything on the Internets....

Came with a Norma kit....

--Darin

 

[darinb]

Oh, outstanding! I search quite a while on the internet and found mention of the holder but it always showed the other model. Mystery solved--thanks!

--Darin

 

[AgX]

To my understanding your thingy consists of what in the latest catalogue is called "bellows holder" and "bellows rod".

EDIT: seen the next post there are two versions of this thingy.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I simply adapted the F series bellows rod and clip to my Norma. It is lighter, and the bellows shade has never popped loose, even in bad wind.

 

[DREW WILEY]

I don't own a digital camera, and don't have a copy of the Sinar Code here at the office with the official part numbers. It's called the "bellows shade
clip" and is used as a pair. A common item on the used market. One of each is snapped onto a conventional box bellows as a compendium (not the
tapered Norma bellows). The only problem is that the hexagonal rod orients incorrectly in the Norma standard, creating a diamond-shaped rather
than leveled square shade. Sometimes this orientation is actually preferable. But what I did is file six more little flats to the end of the rod which fits in the standard, so the shade can work in either orientation. Simple enough.

 

[Jerevan]

If I have understood things correctly, you can use the Norma hood (bellows) with an auxillary standard. If this is not enough, well then you'd better get down in the cellar to escape the tornado.

 

[DREW WILEY]

There's no need for another standard, with its extra weight and bulk. That's the whole point. This is an instance where the general concept of the rod
and bellows clip was distinctly improved in the subsequent f models. Just get a pair of those clips.

 

[AgX]

But in the field a accessory standard would improve stability, hampering vibration building up.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Potentially just the opposite because it adds unnecessary extra weight out front beyond the front standard itself, also requiring an even longer main rail. But heck, I shoot long lenses plus the shade on the Norma rather frequently, and our wind incessant much of the year. The simple rod and clip
system is ample.

 

[AgX]

Thank you for clarifying.
I expected a bellows shade of that kind, only mounted to the front standard, bearing some leverage on it.

A matter of theory and practice...

 

[DREW WILEY]

A "normal" (12 inch) 4x5 box bellows from the f-series isn't very heavy to begin with. And as a shade you don't need to use it fully extended anyway.
And of course, an older bellows with a few light leaks in the folds still work perfectly fine as a mere shade. That's what so nice about the Sinar system, all its interchangeability. I generally use either the original tapered bellows on the Norma, or a 28 inch Horsesman box bellows, which doesn't
need an intermediate support either. I mostly shoot with long lenses, but can obviously remove rail sections and substitute a bag bellows for true wide angle work. But I don't like fussing with more than one tripod mount, so have learned to optimize the system "as is" for long focal length lenses.
Among other things, this involves mounting the Sinar rail block directly to the tripod platform (never a separate redundant tripod head), preferably
a mid-weight Ries wooden tripod, etc. I had about twenty years of mountain experience with Sinar F cameras in just about every kind of weather
imaginable, until I switched over to almost exclusively 8x10 work for about a decade. Then when I stumbled on a very clean Norma figured that would be the last 4x5 I'll ever need. I still shoot 8x10 for dayhikes, and use a little Ebony 4x5 folder for long backpack trips; but the Norma is certainly the most user-friendly and versatile of any of my view cameras.