Sinar F2 Folding Hood?

<p>I am seriously considering getting an F2 and was wondering if anyone has ever fitted a folding focusing hood to the back, like the ones the Linhof Technikas and Wista 45VX cameras have. My Canham DLC45 came with one (that the previous owner modified to fit the DLC's back) and I have been spoiled by it, so I have never actually used a dark cloth. Plus, it also serves as protection for the ground glass since it has a metal cover. I am aware of the Sinar Binocular Veiwer, but it is a little more bulk than I care for since this will serve as a field camera as well as a studio camera, unless the Binocular Viewer will serve the same purpose if I can leave the binocular part behind.</p>

<p>One other question. The F2 I am looking at has shift lock on the front, but not on the rear standard. Is this something I will miss, or just added security? Would it be worth the cost of replacing the back with one that has the shift lock?<br>

Basically, the Sinar will be my studio / not going to terribly far from the car camera, while the DLC will be my hiking camera.</p>

<p>No experience with folding focusing hood. I do have a Sinar Norma 4x5 with 2 backs, onto one of which I have shoehorned a plastic Cambo right-angle viewer, which is good for use outdoors. Sinars do of course have a facility for clipping a spare bellows to the back of the screen to act as a shade.</p>

I use the Binocular/Mirror Reflex indoors and a bellows outdoors. A Sinar bellows will clip onto the back. I usually shoot wide and use the standard bellows for viewing.

 

I use a Sinar C so don't have experience w/ the F2 rear standard.

<p>It <em><strong>usually</strong></em> doesn't take much to modify a ground glass hood from one camera to fit another. I used to do it all the time.</p>

<p>As far as the locking shift on the rear standard, it's critical to be able to lock the front standard because you're dealing with the shutter and cable release. There's not much going on at the rear standard at the point you make the exposure that would cause it to move. Front standards almost always fall at the worst possible moment when they aren't locked.</p>

<p>Then there's the point that, as far as I know, most photographers shift with the front standard anyways.</p>

<p> </p>

I would think that it would be advantageous to have everything lock on the rear standard since you have to (depending on

if the back has lifting levers or not, which I personally think all large format cameras should have) put some pressure on

the rear standard to pull the GG back away from the back to slide the film holder in.

 

Another question. The widest lens I have right now is a 75mm. Would I need a recessed lens board for it and/or bag

bellows to have any kind of movements? I have not ever handled a Sinar before, but heard/read that they are great

cameras for field and studio use. I have also been pondering the Arca Swiss and the Toyo VX125, but that's a whole

other price category. By the way, I mostly like to shoot wide and close. The longest lens I have right now is 210mm.

The shortest lens i use on my Sinars is 47 mm, and it can be used on a flat board. So no, no recessed lens board needed for a long 75 mm. ;-)<br>The closer the front and rear are, the more restricted swings and tilts, because they will collide sooner. But before they do, the rear part of the lens will come close to and touch the focusing screen. A recessed lens board will not help.<br>But a 75 mm lens really isn't that short. No problem.<br><br>As far as i am aware the only movement that doesn't have a lock, because it is self-arresting (so still locked) on Sinar F2s is rise. Are you sure that there is no lock? Some Fs had both swing and shift locked with one single lever. Others had two separate ones, one for each. But all have all movements locked.<br><br><br>Noah,<br>Most photographers should know better. ;-)<br>Shift with the front changes things in a different way than shift with the rear does. Moving the lens vs moving the frame within whatever image the lens projects. If you set the lens to get the right perspective, you have to (!) shift with the rear to keep it the way you want to.

Thanks Q.G., it looks like the front standard has separate locks for swing and shift, the rear has them combined.

The backs from older 4x5 Sinars are designed to accept the metal Graflex Graphic folding focusing hoods. They even have the notch for

the spring-loaded open/close tab. This was even illustrated in the old Norma literature. Early F/P backs share this design. Once they went

to the stupid Metering Back design of the F2 this capability was designed out.

 

You could but another old back. Or maybe even a whole new rear since it sounds like you got a hodgepodge camera built from parts

anyway.

 

Graphic hoods could be stolen off unsuspecting Crown Graphics or purchased on eBay for about $50.