There is ZERO "classic" with or about a Sinar Norma, F, F+, F1, F2, P, P2, X and all their variants, they are modular designs that simply piece of work with ease of modularity to adjust the Sinar to nearly any view photographic camera image making need. Sinar remains THE view camera image makers tool. This is based on using the Sinar system since the mid-1980's to this day. More than a few of the Sinar bits were purchased used in the mid-1980's and they are used to this day.

Equally for repair, it is hard to bust a Sinar. It demands a LOT of physical abuse and five to six figures of sheet motion picture exposures to begin wearing out a Sinar. Given the view camera is modular, if a forepart or rear standard is cleaved, simply interchange that trouble standard with another, then back to making images again. Know the standards from Norma-F(all variants)-P-P2 are interchangeable. This ways one tin can customize a Sinar in ways to meet the needs of the individual image maker.

Quick look on eBay https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...ellows&_sop=15
notes plenty of Sinar bellows, both standard and bag 4x5 for about $40 USD and up. Horseman Fifty series bellows work identical on Sinar.

As for cost, a Skilful used 4x5 Sinar is well-nigh the same equally a make new "Intrepid and Standard Photographic camera" neither could promise to lucifer the stability, precision, accuracy, ease of employ, durability, reliability, modularity and wide variety of accessories with ease of availability on the used market.

Camera aside, the potential for vastly greater frustration for an image maker venturing into epitome making their first time is a whacky and unpredictable shutter more than so than the camera every bit it is substantially a light-tight box that is flexi in the center.

With all that circumlocution presented...

Sinar Norma is a better photographic camera in construction than the F2. Difficulty with purchasing any Norma, they are now decades old. Unless the Norma to be purchased has received a proper Clean-Lube-Adjust, information technology will probable have lubricants that have go clay seriously impairing it's function. This is a given due to fourth dimension and crumbling. But, information technology is non that difficult to Clean-Lube-Adjust a Norma as the quality of structure, blueprint and materials are no different than a high quality Swiss made time piece. Once a proper Clean-Lube-Arrange has been done, a Norma volition concluding and produce as many sheets of movie needed for many more than decades.

Sinar F2 has less of the lubricants turned to clay trouble as it has high quality plastic gears and guides. These are mostly self-lubricating and more than resistant to dirt intrusion. Sinar P and P2 are similar in this way.

Given your needs to use a 90mm for interior images, a pocketbook bellows is essentially mandatory due to the needs of using camera movements both forepart and dorsum. Information technology is too likely a lens of much shorter focal length will be needed. This image making needs dictates the current fashionable new view cameras like the Intrepid-Standard Camera-Chamonix and like equally they are light weight field folders and do not meet the demands of interior view camera image making using very short lens focal lengths with combined forepart and rear camera movements.

As for learning how to "view camera" it is easier to learn on a monorail than a field folder due to the concrete presentation and access of controls of the view camera. Back in the days of formal Photography view camera didactics the most common student view camera was a monorail camera, non a field binder.. why?

BTW, 5x7 Sinar Norma lives in a Pelican FAA deport-on approved roller case with four lenses (115mm Grandagon, 165mm Angulon, 10" or 12" Xenar or Kodak C. Ektar, ~one of the 4 barrel lenses gets picked depending on what is needed~, sixteen 1/2" or 19" APO artar), purse & standard bellows, Sinar shutter, light meter, 7x loupe, tape mensurate, nighttime cloth, cable release, half dozen 5x7 or 13x18cm film holders.

Bernice

Quote Originally Posted by sharktooth View Post

Your "starting time" 4x5 camera should exist i that actually works properly. These esoteric discussions most the perfect archetype camera are not very useful for practical purposes. Unless you're extremely lucky, an old photographic camera is likely to be full of pinholes in the bellows, and will take some minor to major mechanical issues. If you know what to wait for, and how to repair it, and then fine and dandy. If non, you could exist in for a very expensive and frustrating feel.

Sinars were extremely popular in their day, but that day has long gone. If y'all go to the B&H website and blazon in a search for Sinar, you'll get 10 items, all of them 3rd party adapters. Good luck finding a new Sinar bellows. Sure, you can get a new bellows from England, or China, but you might take to put it on the frames yourself, or send the quondam frames to the supplier. Wait to pay at least $300, and await a few months, in order to get someone else to do the whole thing. If you're handy, you could too build a bellows yourself, or spend fourth dimension learning and doing your own repairs. That's bully if you similar to do information technology, but not so great if you lot don't.

If you're a beginner anxious to go started in large format, and then at that place are two reasonable options. One option is to buy something new. Intrepid and Standard Cameras are two inexpensive versions, and at that place are a few expensive options from Chamonix and others. A second option is to purchase a used outfit from a "reliable and trustworthy" seller who can guarantee that the camera, lens, and accessories are in proper working guild. Similar for everything, there'south no complimentary lunch.