Fastest Speed of All 4x5/9x12 TLR Sinar Norma

Nokton48

Nokton48

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Norma Instant Operation by Nokton48, on Flickr

I'm like a kid playing with my box of incredibly expensive tinker toys, building all kinds of interesting rigs. Why not? From "Sinar- the perfect tool for the professional photographer" Karl Heitz 1964. I have built the camera on the bottom left. They would configure the camera for you at the factory; Wonder how they embellished it?

Sinar Norma 4x5 TLR Matching 210 Xenar Barrel Lenses by Nokton48, on Flickr

I decided to finish the 4x5 Sinar Norma TLR today. I found a couple of old boards with mickey mouse automation, I removed all of that. Then I cut large holes with my electric scroll saw, and finished with a good deal of hand filing. I just need to fill some holes with JB Weld. So now here two perfectly matching 240mm Schneider chrome Xenar f4.5 barrel lenses, should be great for portraiture. I exchanged the Black Binocular modern reflex magnifier on the back, with the original Norma Rubber Bellows, and the uber rare Norma Reflex Magnifier, which is quite small and I prefer it to modern Boxy Reflex Sinar.

So now I am ready to learn more about how this works. Testing looking through the camera went well, ready to go
 
Highest Speed 4x5 Norma 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's the reverse view. I added a Norma Rubber Hood, Norma Long Bellows Rod, and Norma Filter Holder with 108mm yellow glass. So pretty much like it came right out of the Norma brochure. Was fun to put together. Some old things need fixing and I like working with my hands.
 
Fastest Speed of All Sinar Norma Three Good Pairs 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

After searching around and configuring what I can right now, I have come up with three perfect identical lens pairs for the Fastest Norma twin lens camera. On the left, are absolutely identical Schneider 150mm f5.6 chrome Componons. In the middle, two nearly identical (will do ok) 240mm f4.5 Schneider chrome Xenars. The viewing lens only works wide open, the iris is not working. But OK for viewing. I still have to plug the mickey mouse automation holes with aluminum filler. And on the far right, a perfectly matching pair of forward mounted Schneider 240mm f5.6 chrome Symmars. The taking lens is a Sinar Symmar, and have direct operating mickey mouse aperture mechanism (least amount of automation aperture board). It will take several hours of metal cutting to buzz down the flange diameter, and enlarge the hole size in the top hat. Then all will fit and I will have three nice workable pairs for this camera
 
I wonder if there is anybody who used this combo in the 60s vintage studios back then is familiar how to operate with it. But thanks for all suggestions and interest

Also wonder how this compares to the Gowlandflex?
 
Fastest Speed of All Sinar Norma Pair 240 Symmars 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Matching 240mm Sinar Symmars in matching forward mounted lensboards. Clamping mechanism above adds rigidity, could use some short rods, across the top metric stock from McMaster Carr will do the job. Twin Sinar Norma Bag Bellows on back with Sinar Norma Monocular Viewers works great. More matched pairs are coming in, 150 180 210 300 chrome Componons, 250mm H5.8 Rodenstock Imagon barrel pair, So I will be well prepared for high speed 4x5 portraiture and tabletop stuff
 
Fully Functioning Fastest Sinar Norma 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Today a matching pair of these 300mm Componons came in, I mounted them quickly into identical boards. The view through the top lens is from a higher viewpoint, that is what I want. I can get matching views as close as possible, something I think I csn get used to with more practice. I like this camera, it's so different from anything I have used. 300mm is 2X on 4x5 and is about as long as you can go I have read regarding the Gowlandflex. Sinar says this camera will take any focal length.

Fully Functioning Fastest Sinar Norma 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here the fastest Norma is set up to provide identical views, with the identical 300mm Componons. Top and bottom views are similar, of course the top taking lens has a higher viewpoint, so I am shooting slightly slightly down versus the view lens. Desirable for high speed B&W portraiture
 
I've used TLR Mamiyas for weddings and portraits many years ago, I once had every model in the line at one time, and all the lenses and attachments. My fave was the venerable Mamiyaflex C2 but also loved the C33. It's taking some time to get my head around what Sinar was doing here, but after kicking the tires a bit I really do like this new rig a lot. It's different from the Gowland in that taking lens is on top, viewing on the bottom. Sure there has to be parallax, but the views can be made to be approximately similar by using the rise/fall moves on the Norma. Viewpoints without question have to be different through both lenses, but this is something I can get used to. I'm sure raising the top viewing lens on the Gowland up, to get approximate same framing, changes the viewpoint also between the two lenses, I'm sure through experience Gowland got this exactly where he wanted it. It is the same but different with Norma. The closer you move in, and the longer the lenses, the more space between them required for for approximate similar framing, although there is the viewpoint difference which increases as you move in. I could also reverse the lens sets, with the taking lens on the bottom (like the Gowland) but I think I prefer this configuration for my uses. I have another Norma Shutter coming from Germany, to dedicate to this camera, as well as three new Norma Rail Clamps, I'm going double clamp with this camera for brick house stability and easy balance with this new rig on my monster Plaubel Profia camera stand.

Glenn Evans in Chicago has configured a similar Sinar Norma TLR camera.
See here:
http://www.glennview.com/sinarTLR.htm
 
Fastest Speed Sinar Norma Pair 150mm Componons 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's the fastest speed Sinar Norma set up with twin 150mm f5.6 chrome Componons. Basically to use this camera, you adjust either front or back tilt, so that both screens are in sharp and in similar plane of focus. Rise and fall will produce nearly identical views during final framing and is quite accurate. Today I exposed four sheets of Fuji HRU XRay film, once with the top lens, and a second with the bottom 150mm lens pair. I then repeated the process with the 300mm f5.6 chrome Componon pair, again shooting with the top and bottom lenses to see the difference in prints. The negs look just great, and are drying right now. I will post B&W prints in the next few days. Entirely successful test as far as I can tell so far :)

It took four original Sinar Norma Bag Bellows to put this thing together. Notice also I have two Norma Base Rail Clamps attached now, for added stability.
 
Nokton48 said:
Fastest Speed Sinar Norma Pair 150mm Componons 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's the fastest speed Sinar Norma set up with twin 150mm f5.6 chrome Componons. Basically to use this camera, you adjust either front or back tilt, so that both screens are in sharp and in similar plane of focus. Rise and fall will produce nearly identical views during final framing and is quite accurate. Today I exposed four sheets of Fuji HRU XRay film, once with the top lens, and a second with the bottom 150mm lens pair. I then repeated the process with the 300mm f5.6 chrome Componon pair, again shooting with the top and bottom lenses to see the difference in prints. The negs look just great, and are drying right now. I will post B&W prints in the next few days. Entirely successful test as far as I can tell so far :)

It took four original Sinar Norma Bag Bellows to put this thing together. Notice also I have two Norma Base Rail Clamps attached now, for added stability.
Click to expand...

It looks so ghastly that it could be genius.
 
Thanks hap and Hari! :)

Perhaps later today I will print the test photographs I made yesterday with the 150mm and 300mm lens pairs, the objective being to compare the slightly different viewpoints between the taking and viewing lenses. I'm starting to understand why Sinar designed this unique configuration, it's easy to use once you get the hang of it. I'm glad I have it around.
 
TLR Norma 150 Comp Bottom Lens 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is the view that you see through the camera with the BOTTOM LENS. One pop at F19.5 Arista #2 8x10 Multigrade developer, dust thanks to Omega glass 4x5 carrier!

TLR Norma 150 Comp Top Lens by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is the view that you see through the camera with the TOP LENS. One pop at F19.5 Arista #2 8x10 Multigrade developer, dust thanks to Omega glass 4x5 carrier!


Test Shot #1 and #2 (nothing artistic!) my new Sinar Fastest Twin Lens camera, equipped with the chrome 150mm Schneider Componon. 9x12cm Fuji HRU XRAY film in Sinar Norma Film Holder, processed 18 minutes in 62F straight replenished Legacy Mic-X film developer. Broncolor C171 375WS Monolight strobe with Pulsoflex Soft Box camera left. A silver fill panel just outside camera range on the right.

As you can see the views are quite similar, of course the top lens has a slightly higher viewpoint. Further fine tuning will be to use identical screen carriers, that will aid in precision composition.
 
Sinar promoted doing this in their literature. Honestly I never saw it as practical but I guess they sold a few extra cameras.

I still have my Sinar Norma that I bought new in 1969. I used it in the studio for thousands of product shots and in the field for over thirty years. It’s still as solid as the day I bought it and in beautiful shape. I also had the 5x7 conversion set I sold a few years ago.

I kept the price list when I bought it. It was around $360 for the basic body. The expert kit was considerably more. I was considering the Norma and a Linhof Bi 4x5. The Linhof was over $700 and simply out of my reach at the time. Honestly I’m glad I bought the Sinar. It wound up being much easier to get components for and components were interchangeable from later P and P2 cameras. Many components were common between the two. The Linhof Bi was never really popular in the US and bellows, rails and lens boards were hard to come by and very expensive.

Years later after I bought it our Sinar rep tried to buy or trade me out of it. Even to this day I wouldn’t trade it for a P2 and extra cash.
 
x-ray said:
Honestly I never saw it as practical but I guess they sold a few extra cameras.
Click to expand...

Hi Xray,

Thanks for contributing your thoughts. I want to run with this crazy idea because like the tripod mounted Gowlandflex, this offers through the lens viewing even DURING the exposure. For a second I can see with the big strobe pop I can see the burned image just for a microsecond. If photographing faces I can judge the expression if movement is involved.
Worst case is I break it apart and make dedicated wide angle and tele cameras out of the pieces. I want to leave this rig up for a good while to start and see what develops :angel: I did buy more Norma boards and extra rail clamps and clamping stuff, another Norma shutter to dedicate to this camera, and a Norma ground glass, so both top and bottom screens are identically marked.

Also this is FUN cause I've never used anything like this
 
Tuned Up Twin Lens Norma 180 Comps by Nokton48, on Flickr

The rear standard on this Norma pair wobbled on the base rail. I loosed the allen screws and reset the friction on the metal plugs that tighten against the rail. Easy to do and now square and solid. Bought another original Norma screen and marked 6x9 and 9x12 frame marks on all my screens using chartpac tape. Then reinstalled the glass in all screen carriers, adding Norma fresnels. So now identical markings completely on top and bottom focus screens and bright and very even viewing using the two Norma Monoculars with Norma Bag Bellows. It's vital that the base tilt create identical focus planes through both cameras, it is quick and easy to do. I reset after I move anything on the camera. Everything looks sharp on the glass and I'm finishing some basic lens pairs. The Plaubel Peco Profia Camera Stand is the best way to get this beast into the proper position.

Lens Pairs for Twin Lens Norma so far by Nokton48, on Flickr

Like a car in an auto body shop, Norma Lens Boards with dozens of holes in some of them, can be plugged with JBWELD and planed and cleaned, the back side dotted with flat black Krylon aerosol paint. The front of the board gets spotted with Benjamin Moore paint I had color matched with a Norma board in the store. Looks pretty good in my opinion. Schneider Norma Twin lens camera pairs shown here. From upper left: 150mm f5.6 Componons, 210mm f5.6 Componons, 240mm f5.6 Componons. From bottom left: 240mm f4.5 Xenars, 240mm f5.6 Sinar Symmars, 300mm f5.6 Componons.
This gives me a full range of lenses from 150mm to 300mm with the twin lens camera.
 
DSC02697 (2) by Nokton48, on Flickr

250mm Imagon matching pair (one barrel one in lower spot, and compound shutter top taking lens in top), mounted matched pair, barrel lens presently attached with blue painter's masking tape, needs flange attached with micro hobby modeling brass screws. Mini drill press makes lots of holes quick and precise. This will take about an hour to finish including painting. Next project is same exact deal set up, but with matching 200mm Imagon pair, for all lenses I prefer the H5.8 discs but with the petals fully closed.

I'd like to have additional supplemental aperture discs printed. I've seen this very thing done with old 4x5 plastic dark slides laser cut. A set of standards " Imagon Waterhouse Stops" cut from old plastic darkslides for each Imagon would be the final goal

The top lens is forward mounted in original Norma board so that the front and rear standards are automated Norma cables so super fast. When you insert a holder it closes the shutter, and just that fast you can pop it. And of course I see the "pop" through the taking lens for an instant. No chimping required and just like with a baby 6x6 TLR :)
 
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