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

[Calzone]

It's been mentioned by his long time Studio Manager (I believe), that the Manager talked Avedon into the advantages of the Norma automation early on. So at least sometimes, the answer is Yes. Of course he also used the 8x10 Deardorff and the 360mm Symmar. Same lens I just snagged from Igor with the Mickey Mouse Auto Iris automation.

My Wife and I saw a giant color print on display in a local Museum by Annie Leibowitz. It was really something, she photographed his equipment storage area. There was set up to go an 8x10 Norma Rear Standard with a more modern Front Standard. I always thought that was an unusual combination but obviously it was working for him 🙂

Dan,

It makes sense how using a TLR has its advantages.

Before 8x10 I have heard stories of Avedon shooting Rollies and having two assistants loading and unloading cameras.

Diane Airbus carried three loaded Rollies in a knapsack. That's the baine of shooting film, unless you shoot perhaps 70mm backs and have 15 feet of film in a magazine.

Even with 35mm I tend to carry two cameras when shooting film.

Cal

 

[Nokton48]

Lots of shooting makes sense to me. Long rolls is kind of like shooting digital, I never have to stop or break. Hasselblad is pretty quick and seamless in that way, same with your Linhofs

 

[Hari]

So, are you set up for studio flash?

 

[Nokton48]

So, are you set up for studio flash?

Yes I have Broncolor electronic flash units in the studio, as well as Norman 200B and Vivitar 283s for location portable. BTW the Hazylight came from a NYC studio, a gentlemen from London who shot 8x10 fashion chromes. Along with the Hazy, a giant Mole Richardson rolling stand, with British Broncolor Overhead Boom. And two 6000WS Broncolor 606 heads runs on 220V, several 6000W 606 Heads, and a Theatrical Spotlight modified for 606 Broncolor Pulso. 1000W modeling light in the 606 hazy head, it makes beautiful simulated window beauty light with only the modeling light. And I have several giant grid screens for it.

I have lighting accessories stored away in this portion of the studio.

Studio Renovation 4 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[KenR]

Wow! What a setup, looks amazing. Any parallax issues? I think Peter Gowland had a way of adjusting parallax in his twin lens 4x5.

 

[Nokton48]

With this camera you adjust the lenses to be as close together as possible. Then use rear fall and rise to adjust so the images look similar. Of course the taking lens (top) is a bit higher up than the viewing lens (bottom), so the views are similar but not identical. But close enough for viewing and framing. So in some ways similar, and in other ways not, to the Gowlandflex.


TLR Norma 150 Comp Bottom Lens 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Viewing lens (bottom one) 150 Componon

TLR Norma 150 Comp Top Lens by Nokton48, on Flickr

Taking Lens (top one) As you can see a -slightly- higher camera viewpoint. But similar enough for composing and viewing. Doing portraiture I always want the camera looking slightly down. The classic rule is never look up people's noses. I try to keep to that

 

[Nokton48]

Sinar 5x7 & 4x5 TLR 200mm Imagon Pair 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here is another matched pair of lenses for the 5x7/4x5 TLR Sinar Norma. The bottom viewing lens is a barrel 200mm Imagon, the top taking lens is a 200mm Imagon forward mounted in Compound shutter. This covers 5x7 for this application and is a lovely addition to the lens bank.

Sinar 5x7 & 4x5 TLR 200mm Imagon Pair 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I have decided to leave one TLR Norma set up as a 5x7, then use 4x5 Norma Reducing Backs to shoot 4x5 and 9x12. Here the top camera is 5x7 and the bottom is 4x5. I am waiting for another 4x5 Reducing Back to arrive from overseas.

Studio Renovation Phase 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I've been working on fully equipping my studio. I have eight Norma cameras now! 🙂

 

[Nokton48]

120 Angulon Lens Pair TLR 5x7 Norma 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Two more lenses that were both in the Sinar Norma catalog. A matched pair of Schneider 120mm f6.8 Angulons. Bottom viewing lens is in barrel, top taking lens is in compound shutter. This works great configured for 5x7 or shooting reduced down to 4x5. The 5x7 version works as well as the 4x5 version. It is quick and intuitive to use once you get used to how differently it operates.

120 Angulon Lens Pair TLR 5x7 Norma 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

The second 5x7/4x5 original Sinar Norma Reducing Back just arrived from Germany. I have another Norma era Reflex Viewfinder coming from the UK and will be here shortly. Glenn Evans had a nice Norma Monocular still with the original eyecup so that is all coming together nicely. I see this camera as a studio only portrait/speed camera. So now I understand why Sinar promoted it as such. Certainly it must have had merit back then and I am slowly rediscovering that this s true. This is fun 🙂

 

[Nokton48]

Terror and Holy Terror by Nokton48, on Flickr


I think it would be perfect for photographing animals. And squirmy kids :smile: When you only get one shot...............Terror and Holy Terror by Nokton48, on Flickr

"The Boys" visited my studio back then. I got this -one- shot. They behaved for one minute, and would do what I say. After the first "pop" they were all over the place, and then you have to chase them down. This is a 20x24 canvas print that has been hanging for nearly thirty years. Mamiya C33 105mm Sekor Chimera Softboxes Broncolor Impact strobes.

This is the type of photography that this camera was designed to do. Shot above could have just as well as been done in 5x7 versus 6x6. One shot!

 

[Nokton48]

More Norma TLR Matched Lens Pairs by Nokton48, on Flickr

I've been slowly working towards building up my lens bank of matched Norma TLR pairs. I have 4x5 and 5x7 TLR Norma cameras at this point.

Top Box From Top Left: Norma 150mm F9 Rodenstock Apo-Ronar Aperture Controlled pair, 240mm F9 Apo Ronar Aperture controlled pair, 300mm F9 Apo Ronar barrel pair, 360mm F9 Sinar Apo Ronar Aperture controlled pair.

Bottom Box from Top Left: 520mm F9 Rodenstock Apo Ronar barrel pair, 90mm F6.8 Angulon shutter and barrel pair, 120mm F6.8 Shutter and Barrel Pair, 200mm H5.8 Rodenstock Imagon barrel and shutter pair.

I am repurposing what I have and adding to it

Having a lot of fun with this TLR project.

 

[Nokton48]

Sinar Norma 5x7 TLR 520mm Apo Ronar focused close up by Nokton48, on Flickr

"Construction Unit Design" means that I an extend the camera using extra Norma parts. Here I have added a second Norma 4x5 Rear Standard and added a couple of the 4x5 Regular Bellows. Camera is solid and will be useful.

Here's I'm setting up my Sinar Norma 5x7 TLR with my longest lens so far; the Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 520mm F9 Norma matched pair. Focused on a very small area extreme close-up. Keith at Custom Bellows in the UK, is making a matched pair of original Sinar Norma 5x7 Extra Long Bellows (50% longer than standard 5x7 Bellows). At the same time, I asking for an extra long (50% longer again) 8x10 Sinar Norma Bellows. The bellows frames are going out the door today. Shouldn't be long shipping has been quick from the UK on some things. 4x5 Regular Bellows and 5x7 Norma Bellows fully extended in this digishot. XTRA long bellows will suit my upcoming uses very well.

 

[Nokton48]

520mm 20 inch Apo Ronar Pair XTRA long 5x7 new bellows 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Keith at Custom Bellows UK just made this 5x7 Extra Long Norma original bellows pair. I told him I wanted the original Norma pattern but 50% longer than the regular Norma 4x5 bellows. The camera is focused on a target the size of a Norma lensboard. And of course the camera can be infinitely extended if need be

 

[Nokton48]

520mm 20 inch Apo Ronar Pair XTRA long 5x7 new bellows 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

My 5x7 Twin Lens Reflex Sinar Normal testing and comparing groundglass views. Yes there is a difference in viewpoint but that is minimal in my opinion. The bottom is the view lens and you can see the "flash pop" on the groundglass for a micro second in the taking lens, hence you can catch the exact peak moment. The option is viewing the image obliquely at an angle and it's just not the same. This is the 520mm 20" Rodenstock Apo-Ronar matching pairs, my longest pair (but not longest LF Apo-Ronar lens) that I own. To get nearly identical views, simply use the front and rear rise and fall to tweak both images exactly where you want them.

 

[Nokton48]

520mm 20 inch Apo Ronar Pair 4x5 HP5 D23 F32 one pop by Nokton48, on Flickr

Testing my new 5x7/4x5 Sinar Norma Twin Lens Reflex with my longest matching lens pair set/ 520mm 20" F9 Rodenstock Apo Ronars. These are 45 degree Dialyte process type lenses offered by Sinar Norma in the day. F32 one pop YG Sinar Norma 103mm glass yelow green filter D23 1:1 Unicolor Unidrum and Uniroller. 4X 8x10 Aristo #2 RC print developed in Multigrade dev. Omega DII with Omegalite diffusion head

520mm 20 inch Apo Ronar Pair XTRA long 5x7 new bellows 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

New Lens Pairs for Sinar Norma TLR by Nokton48, on Flickr

Three New Sinar Norma Lens pairs for my Twin Lens Sinar Norma 5x7 and 4x5 cameras. From the left, Sinar norma Schneider Symmar 300mm Symmar matched pair, with Auto Aperture Controls on both. In the little plastic bag is a set of Sinar Norma parts to attach the barrel lens to the automated Sinar board. I will have to have some micro machine work done to accomplish this. In the center, the 300mm Schneider Xenar matched lens pair, I used Sinar Norma lens cones to configure these. Held together with brass hobby screws. On the right a matched pair of 165mm f6.8 Schneider Angulons. I had the shuttered lens for decades and it's an old fave. Produces a good looking negative for me always.

 

[Nokton48]

480mm Apo Ronar matched pair SK Grimes Flanges by Nokton48, on Flickr

I've owned the top 480mm Apo Ronar nearly forty years and it's an old friend. Just recently I bought a second one (took a while to buy one cheaply) but now I have a matched pair for my TLR 5x7 Norma Reflex camera. 5x7 is something new for me I am slowly investigating. S K Grimes made the matching pair of flanges

BTW I discovered that if you remove the threaded ring on the front of these Apo Ronars, they can be directly reverse mounted onto the flange! Something I just now realized, this info could be useful to some!

 

[Nokton48]

Wow. Here is a TLR Norma System all up to 8x10. Hollywood Photographer. Now I know I am not alone

Someone here may be interested. Not affiliated.

SINAR NORMA SYSTEM WITH CASES | eBay

 

[Nokton48]

Final Version 4x5 5x7 TLR Sinar Norma by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is my final version of the 4x5/9x12 and also 5x7/13x18 Twin Lens Reflex Sinar Norma. Very new in the front is Riser Rods which I made from some excess Norma Riser Rods, I cut them down with my Lil' Machine Shop Band Saw, then flipped them over, and inserted a bolt (also cut with Band Saw). So now I have a custom made "Shorty Riser Rod Set" which is perfect for my uses. I went through my Normas and selected the best pieces, and put them together for a really tight working and smooth Norma which I will leave set up permanently in my studio.

The new lens matching pair I have been looking at on and off for six months. It's a matching set of 360mm Schneider Tele-Xenars" same vintage. It took a while to find cheaply a second barrel lens, the flanges I got stock from SK Grimes. The Top Hats came from China (Wista clones) which I cut down with Electric Coping Saw and a LOT of hand filing. Then 32 holes drilled with drill press to hold the hobby modeling nuts and bolts, and steel metric machine bolts to secure the lenses. It took a while to cut and fit the TOP Hats to the flat Norma Boards, which needed some extra holes plugged firstly.

Now it just needs final finishing; shortening the hobby bolts, and touch up color front, and Flat Black Krylon Back. So this one took a good while but good to have it in the arsenal

 

[Nokton48]

300mm F4.5 Xenar matched pair TLR Norma by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's another Norma TLR matched pair which has taken a lot of time to finish. 300mm F4.5 chrome Schneider Xenars, I had a couple of Norma 300mm Symmar Tophats which I neatly removed with electric coping saw, then attached to flat Norma boards with hobby brass modeling screws. Xenars are attached to the tophats for now, with Hollywood Gaffer Tape (LOL!) Eventually I may have SK Grimes machine custom Xenar Cones on their CNC machines. All this pair needs is final painting with flat black Krylon, on the exterior of the cones, as they have some marks to cover up, from when I drill pressed the cones. Good enough for now. This set is excellent for 5x7/13x18 and 8x10/18x24 head shots, a classic for this type of photo job

 

[Nokton48]

Painting Matched Norma Lens Pairs by Nokton48, on Flickr


These are matched pairs of Sinar Norma lenses I have put together recently. The final steps are to paint the back of the shiny parts with Flat Black Krylon sprayed onto cardboard then brushed on with a fine brush. A couple of coats, let it dry in the sun, and it's all totally and finally ready to use. Lots of drill pressings as you can see. As well as scroll cutting, and a lot of hand filing. I enjoy doing this work. Many of these boards had multiple holes that required filling and touching up with Norma colored green paint