DIY Sinar Norma Handy 4x5 Photos

[Nokton48]

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. Calzone provided me with bolts to attach the Pentax67 strap lugs.

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.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

What fun! That's splendid.

 

[giganova]

Hand-held 4x5 -- brilliant!

 

[Nokton48]

Thanks Guys! 🙂

I bought myself two more 4x5 Graphmatic backs, so now I have three 🙂 Need to load 'em. That will give me eighteen shots in a teeny Swedish Medical bag. And room for meter, phone, and stuff. Camera slings easily over shoulder and not heavy at all. A speedy way to shoot with a speedy camera. This thing does attract attention out in public, in a good way.

 

[Nokton48]

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?

 

[Nokton48]

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]

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]

I'm not interested in 612, I shooting the entire sheet. It covers 4x5" when focused hyperfocally, but really shines with 9x12cm which is a bit smaller sheet. I have both sizes in stock right now, presently running 4x5".

My approach to this is different from others here; It's absolutely ALL about the box. It was terribly important to me to build the Norma camera that was never introduced; The Sinar Handy came along with the introduction of the F, C, and P. I have been acquiring Norma stuff cheaply since I was age 25. So this camera completes my Norma collection (for now!)

The conical Norma board, with the 65mm Helical, came to me for cheap, so why not build the missing link? Lots of tinkering fun, it's all about the box.

BTW I went out this morning with the idea of exposing six sheets of HP5+ in a 4x5 Graphmatic. I love how the camera handles, MAN is it Handy. They certainly named in right. I exposed three sheets of three different subjects, in my travels around the city. I think I will process the HP5+ in PMK+ as it worked for me 25 years ago. I did add extra exposure as Pyro causes speed decrease in my past endeavors.

 

[Mackinaw]

Very impressive. A compact 4x5 that is without the bulk of my old Crown Graphic. Nice job!

Jim B.

 

[Nokton48]

It's like using a giant Leica with a 21mm F3.4 Super Angulon, but on steroids 🙂
Darkened corners are about the same and I like those. I can always dodge the corners.

Fun to shoot with. Anybody here use Acufine with HP5+ or/and TMAX400?

I have some new to me ideas about what to do with this thing.

 

[Nokton48]

Sinar Norma Handy w TTL Sinarsix metering by Nokton48, on Flickr

I have found another use for my Sinarsixes! 🙂

This is my homemade Sinar Norma Handy 4x5 camera, with 65mm f8 Super Angulon. Reading TTL with the Sinarsix through the camera, at EI 250 HP5+ I am reading EV9 which equates to 1/125 at F8 on a heavy overcast day.

This in my experience is a believable light reading. And on bright days it will read through the center filter and I can read all four corners TTL

 

[Nokton48]

Sinar Norma Handy Lowboy 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

My fifth Norma is this homemade in my shop "Sinar Norma Handy Lowboy" which will get some use.

The lensboard cone and helical are stock Sinar Norma items in the Norma catalog.

With the Sinarsix and Schneider 65mm F8 Center Filter I am good to go. 🙂

 

[Nokton48]

HRU test Norma Handy Sinarsix MicX by Nokton48, on Flickr

Nothing artistic but a superwide view off of my back deck, on a VERY windy clear sun key day.

Fuji 4x5 HRU XRay test key day Sinar 4x5 Norma Handy 65mm F8 chrome Schneider Super Angulon lens, with Schneider 65mm F8 Center Filter. Norma Sinarsix TTL meter F11 reads green grass EV 7 2/3 equates to 1/15 at F11. Very windy day lots of tree movement. Camera mounted on a Star D tripod to allow slower shutter speeds. Microdol-X straight replenished 12 mins at ambient. Development by inspection red safelight Omega DII Omegalite diffusion head Arista #2 RC paper mulitgrade dev Scratches! Used Paterson trays, should have used smooth Cesco trays. This is a wide scale subject, Microdol-X has done a pretty good job once again 🙂

 

[Nokton48]

url=https://flic.kr/p/2k1R33m]

[/url]Ashton Pond Norma Handy HRU Mic-X 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Ashton Pond Columbus Ohio Sinar Norma Handy 4x5 Fuji HR-U XRay 65mm F8 at F22 Schneider Center Filter + Sinar Norma Dark Yellow 103mm Glass Disk 1 sec at F22 Legacy Mic-X replenished stock in tray 18 mins at 62F Arista #2 RC 4x 8x10 Multigrade dev

 

[Nokton48]

Ashton Pond Norma Handy HRU Mic-X by Nokton48, on Flickr

Ashton Pond Columbus Ohio Sinar Norma Handy 4x5 Fuji HR-U XRay 65mm F8 at F22 Schneider Center Filter + Sinar Norma Dark Yellow 103mm Glass Disk 1 sec at F22 Legacy Mic-X replenished stock in tray 18 mins at 62F Arista #2 RC 4x 8x10 Multigrade dev

 

[Nokton48]

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!

 

[Rick Waldroup]

That is a thing of beauty. Wow.

 

[Nokton48]

Thanks Rick!

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

First try. The faster the film speed the better. HP5+ at EI 250

Might try Norman 200B next with wide angle diffuser or maybe even bare bulb. 200 Watt Seconds 2x the power of a 283. But portable! Also get out the Schneider 65/F8 Center Filter

Stocked up on 4x5 Graphmatics have six ready to load with HP5+. The holders fit in my Mini Swiss Medical Bag from the surplus store

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

 

[Nokton48]

SONY DSC 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

 

[Nokton48]

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.