Pistol grip for Sinar p

[dick roadnight cotswolds]

I bought my Schneideer Super-Angulan 47XL mostly for architectural

work, but ultra-wides have other uses, and I want to take a picture

of my favorite waitress pouring me a cup of coffee, from table level.

 

This would involve shift, tilt and yaw to keep the backgound square,

and get the coffee pot and waitress' arm, face and body in focus. I

might have to revert to a tripod, but a wire frame view finder would

be handy, especially if it also marks the camera end of the depth of

field.

 

For heavy cameras I sometimes mount the pistol grip on a monopod.

 

I would be using this kit with two Metz 70s, or studio flash, and 69

or 612 roll film back.

 

Any ideas?

[ellis_vener_photography]

Use a tripod and be prepared to spend some time setting up the

photo, some some one as a stand in for your polaroids. I really

don't think that putting a camera that weighs nearly 16 lbs on a

monopod equipped with a pistol grip of dubious strength is a

particularly good idea. <P>Perhaps renting a Hasselblad SWC/M

is a better idea.

[markci]

A pistol grip for a Sinar? I think we can shut photo.net down: clearly every question has been asked.

[dan n.]

Wouaahhhh... If you can do that you will be in the Guiness Book.. :-)

 

Did you consider using MF or LF with something similar to pressman type camera (à la Graflex or Linhof..etc..)

[ellis_vener_photography]

Actually Sinar did make a pistol grip so that you could handhold

the Sinar . I forget the name of the model bu in was essentially

the rear standard from the P, the ground glass assembly (tofine

focus and compose), a lensboard with a focusing mount

(specific to the lens) and accesorries like a viewfinder and the

pistol grip. You could use roll film balcks (it had a graflok),

standard Polaroid and sheet film holders.

[david_goldfarb]

I made a pistol grip for using my 8x10" Gowland with a 120mm lens Hobo-style. It looks something like Sinar ultra-wide cam and weighs about 7 or 8 pounds, I'd guess, all set up. I dispense with the rail and mount the camera to a cherry wood flat rail with three holes in it, and this screws into a standard pistol grip with cable release. The rear standard screws into the rear hole of the flat rail, then the front standard screws into one of the two front holes--one for infinity focus and one for focus at about 6 feet. All movements function. My next project is to build a wideangle viewfinder for it.

[joe_freeman]

I'm not sure how great the wire view finder will work. Your focal plane will be pretty altered with the movements, and I don't see how the finder could compensate for them.

[bj_rn_nilsson]

<p>Ellis is talking about the Sinar Handy, which is somewhat like the Cambo Wide, but with a pistol grip under the frame. The Sinar Handy has helicoid focusing and shift, but no tilt or swing.

<p>But as other have commented, mounting a Sinar P on a pistol grip is stretching the limits a bit. If you could get a certain Mr. Schwartchenegger (sp?) to hold it for you, you might stand a chance. :-)

[dick roadnight cotswolds]

Thank you all for your help and interest.

 

Ellis:

I am thinking about getting a stronger monopod - why do they not mount tripod legs with 1/4 or 3/8 screws, so that you can use the legs as monopods?

 

The camera would be in my lap, so most of the weight would be on my knees - I cold use my Distagon 40 on the Hasselblad 555ELD, which would enable me to use the waist level finder, but I think I might need LF movements to get it all in focus. The nearest point in focus would be within a foot or two of the lens, so a wire frame could extend to this point, so I would not have to look through a finder.

 

Dan Nguyen:

A lighter camera compatible with my lens boards would sometimes be handy.

 

David:

I made a pistol grip for my Hasselblad 555 ELD � I just drilled a hole through it an inserted the wire release.

 

Björn: If I got Arnold Schwarzenegger to hold the camera, this might have a beneficial effect on the waitress� expression, but it wouldn�t be my photo. I got a great picture of my fiancées brother the other day, but his 9 year old daughter pressed the button: (I held most of the weight of the Hasselblad 555ELD, 120mm Macro-planar and meter prism finder.)

[ellis_vener_photography]

"Ellis: I am thinking about getting a stronger monopod - why do

they not mount tripod legs with 1/4 or 3/8 screws, so that you can

use the legs as monopods? "

 

Gitzo makes or at least made a couple of models that do this.

 

If you don't mind the erratic framing and angle you are holding

the camera at (which of coursee would negate any swing, tilt or

hyperfocus calculations you are using) sure this could work: For

starters I'd get rid of the silly pistol gripd head as that will be the

weakest part of your support system and I'd also consider some

way to support the camera on your shoulders with a kind of

brace (and of course that would be some kind of yoke) in

addition to the monopod.

 

 

You have nice fantasy but just get a decent tripod and head.

You'll he happier in the long run.

 

I know of at least one photographer who operates out of a

motorrized wheelchair with a detachable camera support rig built

into the frame of the chair.

 

If you really think this idea is preposterous think about the car

photoraphers who use a 4x5 or larger camera attached to the

end of a boom for vehicle photography.

[dick roadnight cotswolds]

Ellis:

Thank you: Some other posters have not taken the pistol grip idea seriously � it was an illogical fantasy extension of the set-up I use with my Hasselblad 555ELD and two Metz 70s, which was an extension of systems I used on 501 CM, Nikon FM, C330 and Practica LLC.

 

 

I have a nice Manfrotto 161 and geared head, but at 10kg it is a bit too heavy for me to be happier on a long run.

 

 

I am thinking of getting a Luksa boom or tripod, and these are often vehicle mounted.

[matthew_runde]

<a name="1">Dick,</a><br>

<br>

Why don't you put a mirror on the table?<br>

<br>

Just an idea.

[dan n.]

well... honestly... as a Sinar user... the P is way too heavy... the A1 (or the Alpina) is lighter ....if you still want to stick with Sinar that is....

[pete_andrews]

Is this a troll?

[scott_kester]

Try using a Bogen super-clamp with 3/8" adapter screwed into the bottom of a pan-tilt head or ball-head. We use this set-up with a Sinar P for shooting restaurants as most shots are from table-top height. It allows us to back all the way into a corner. Perhaps this will apply to the shot you are describing. We have even rotated the camera 90 degrees to the side on the rail to get the axis a few inches from the top of the table.

 

Another tip: add bags of ice to the table base to stabilize the set-up.

[ellis_vener_photography]

I think the previous poster forgot to mention that the jaws of the

Superclamp grip the edge of the table. I like this idea.<P>You

can also use a heavy tripod like a Gitzo 410 with an equally stout

side arm to get the camera into a position that mounting the

camera on top of the tripod will not get you into because of an

obstacle.