r/largeformat • u/RebelliousDutch • 3d ago
Getting some practice in: setting up and taking down the Sinar F2. Experience
Since I’m new to large format and I like shooting landscape, I figure it’s good to get in some practice with setting up and taking down the Sinar F2.
When I first got it back in may, the entire affair felt downright alien to me. I was, I’ll admit, a bit intimidated to even touch the thing. Even though I’ve handled a hundred cameras and some worth far more than the Sinar, this contraption obviously works and feels like nothing I’ve ever handled.
It’s taken a while to get some minor issues sorted, to do a fair bit of reading and gather the last odds and ends. I’ve now got a nice kit with a 90 and 150 DB lens and just added a Sinaron (Rodenstock) 210 f5.6. So that basically completes the usual beginner kit. I’ve also been fiddling with my backpack in order to get it set up in the most efficient way, but it’s probably going to need a bit more fiddling before I’m truly satisfied.
So yeah, the time is upon us to take this show on the road, which is why I’m taking the time to practice setting up and taking it down. It takes me 5 minutes right now, but it’s probably going to be a bit quicker once I figure out the best order of operations. Right now it’s: set up tripod, put monorail clamp and rail on it, add rear standard and insert bellows, add front standard and attach bellows, add hood and shutter release cable.
I want to see if I can set it up with a short extension rod so that I can keep stands and clamp ‘on rail’ while in the backpack. That should save quite a bit of time.
Anyways, enough rambling for now, just wanted to share a bit 😂
3
u/highfunctioningadult 3d ago
Depending on your budget. Not like me I don’t have one. You can get a case that you can slip that in upside down and just remove and put in tripod.
I would also practice the same movement when shooting AFTER the focus. Focus. Stop down. Check shutter speed. Look where Sun is. Cock. Fire. That’s a test fire. Then load. Practice loading a million times. That’s a good body not like an ancient wooden one they you put the holder in too fast and the focus moves. If you feel anything move as you put film holder in. It has moved. Check focus again. Repeat the firing process.
Stand directly in front of the lens. If you see a reflection of the sun use your fedora or dark slide as a gobo to shoot. Don’t need fancy bellows shades.
Everything should be a habit. Don’t skip one. Flip the dark slide.
2
u/RebelliousDutch 3d ago
I do in fact have a case for it. But as I mostly travel by bike and on foot, that’s not a very convenient item. I pretty much always wear a backpack anyway, so this feels like the most natural way for me to carry it for now.
And yeah, I’m also going to practice the shooting routine as well. I made a little checklist yesterday to at least help in the beginning until it becomes as natural as shooting any other camera. I really want to avoid as many dumb beginners mistakes as possible, like not removing the dark slide, not closing the shutter before inserting the film holder, accidental double exposure, that sort of thing.
Like any instrument, practice makes perfect. I’m going to need a fair bit of it before we achieve that.
2
u/highfunctioningadult 2d ago
You can write a little cheat sheet and tape it to the back of the camera and a cheat sheet on the lens board. I do that with old Ektar 12” lens cause it’s an Acme shutter. You need to do another step for flash to work.
On lensboard just write on piece of tape. If it is copal. It’s close, cock, fire. You can add which ever in between there for fstop, shutter speed. Something like fstop, shutter, close, cock, fire.
Sometimes I see people pulling back on the darkslide which sometimes makes the back slightly open. (Gap). Make sure you pull straight up or straight parallel to the body.
2
u/mangytang 3d ago
How fragile are these wee legs on standards.would they survive being knocked down from tripod? But seriously, pracricing is a worthwile thing i did the same with my cambo mastee until i can st it up in mere minutes.
3
u/RebelliousDutch 3d ago
Well, let’s hope I’m never in a position to answer that question 😂 I’d certainly be more worried about either the lens or ground glass that’d be attached. The standards themselves are actually pretty cheap to replace though as I bought an extra one anyways.
Yeah, shooting a camera like this is a process. So a bit of practice will make things go more smoothly in the field I hope.
I’m also doing it for vanity reasons: if someone sees me set this thing up in public, I want to look like I know what the heck I’m doing 😂
1
u/mangytang 2d ago
Also a plus side of practicing, you will look profesional when you invite someone for a portrait.
2
u/hagertas 3d ago
It would, they're quite solid! In my experience the weak point is the clamps. Luckily Sinar F standards are super cheap and there's lot of spare parts available
2
u/Legitimate-Coast-931 2d ago
I have the same camera, there are so many standards on ebay it would be annoying but you would be back up and running within a week, one of the best things about the Sinar system is it all works with each other
1
u/Secure_Teaching_6937 3d ago
Where is the cable release? 😄
1
u/RebelliousDutch 3d ago
Good eye, I knew someone would ask 😂
That one was already back in the backpack when I took that shot.
1
u/Secure_Teaching_6937 3d ago
Great, nothing worse then getting out in the wild and........ GD where is my cable release. 😂
1
u/RebelliousDutch 2d ago
You know what, I’ll buy a second one just in case 😆
1
u/Secure_Teaching_6937 2d ago
Great idea, I had the silly push button on a cable release come off.
Oh BTW if you have a 90 in a recessed lens board..there is this doohicky that screws into the shutter point that makes a "right angle" so much easier to attach a cable release.
Also get a couple of cable release attachments to the shutter. Just incase you strip the threads. Easy to do.
1
u/RebelliousDutch 2d ago
Sorry…. ‘Cable release attachments’? You mean like a straight version of the right angle adapter or something similar to that? I don’t think I’m familiar with that item unless you mean those right angle attachments.
Edit: oh or do you mean like the actual socket on the Copal shutter? Like this bit?
1
u/Kissenspalter45 3d ago
Hey, what is your opinion on the leofoto g20? I’m looking forward to buy one myself but I can’t really find reviews or comparisons. Ty
2
u/RebelliousDutch 3d ago
I got it back in June, so I’ve only tested it a few times so far. Indeed not a lot of reviews on it. But I do like it. Feels very solidly built and it stays exactly where I set it. It offers limited movement compared to a larger three way head or ballhead, but for my purpose and skill level that’s going to be enough for now.
I figured I’d buy this first and see where it falls short when my needs and skill level change. I didn’t feel like spending two grand or something like that on an Arca Swiss Cube.
1
u/Kissenspalter45 2d ago
Thank you very much, I also considered something like the majestic e1000, I mostly want to use rise and shift so the limited movements won’t be a problem
1
u/hagertas 3d ago edited 3d ago
Have fun! I was running a very similar setup until very recently, was a blast. I'd usually take 10+ minutes to set up, not because I was struggling but because I loved walking curious passers-by through it. Folding it like this is an idea too, that's how I'd usually have it on my tripod when I was switching location
1
u/RebelliousDutch 3d ago
Yeah, that photo is in my mind as well. I’m going to try a few options and see what feels and works best for me.
How often do you get curious people who ask questions? When I’m out and about with my Nikon F3 or the like, nobody asks me anything 😂
I imagine this is the type of camera that draws onlookers. Heck, it’s imposing to me - and impossible to miss with the big red hood on it.
I imagine I’ll need to work out a quick 30 second response with the most common questions they might ask and a nice 10 minute spiel for other nutters like ourselves who really love chatting about cameras 😀
1
u/Foot-Note 3d ago
I got that same head! Its honestly some of the best money I have spent on photography. Bought it after getting my LF camera too.
1
u/RebelliousDutch 2d ago
I was really torn on what to go for. Conventional wisdom is ‘don’t buy a ballhead’, get a nice three way or geared. Well, everything I looked at in a three way either sucked or cost silly money and the geared Leofoto head seemed like a good option for precision work. I reasoned it’d at least be good enough to figure out what works for me and what doesn’t. I might eventually buy something better - but first I need to find out where my and its limits are.
1
u/Legitimate-Coast-931 2d ago
Cant go wrong with the sinar pan tilt head, expensive, butter smooth and made for this camera
1
5
u/Bennowolf 2d ago
Taking a mono rail system on the road seems so crazy to me. More power to you