Sinar

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Sinar AG is a Swiss company producing innovative medium format and large format cameras.

The Swiss photographer Carl Hans Koch invented the Sinar camera in 1947 due to his dissatisfaction with the imprecise nature of wooden view cameras and limitations of technical (ie-Linhof Technika) and field cameras in general. His main aim was to produce a large format camera of high precision and simple operation, with a system of parts that were readily interchangeable. The name SINAR is an acronym for Science, Industry, Nature, Architecture, Reproduction, which sums up the versatility of the Sinar system. The versatility and anti-obselesence of the Sinar system is unsurpassed, accessories as well as major components (ie- rails, bellows, lensboards, and standards) made in the 1940's are still usable with currently manufactured Sinar equipment. The Sinar Norma, made from 1947 to 1970 is today hailed as a technological and industrial design icon (MOMA has one in their permanent collection) that ushered in the modern era of the view camera.

The Sinar P introduced in 1970, further advanced the technology of the view camera by introducing asymmetric tilt and swing, not the traditional center or base tilts. This means rapid and precise settings, without ever losing sharpness on the axis. The P also introduced features such as self arresting gearing-which allows one handed manipulation of camera movements, a quick format change system that allows the photographer to quickly switch between 4x5/5x7/8x10 without having to fully disassemble the rear standard- which is accomplished by using a common rear standard bearer, and only having to unlock a single knob in order to switch between the various format frames, and also introduced the Sinar system of calculating swings and tilts as well as the Sinar depth of field calculator.

Sinar has manufactured many unique accessories over the past 60 years, some of which are still eagerly sought after many years after being discontinued, by both collectors and users alike. The unique swing out filter holder, which allows the photographer to easily use a polarizing filter as well as 4x4 inch gel filters is an example of one such accessory. Sinar also made what many consider to be the best 4x5 reflex attachment, which used an adjustable mirror for the best possible viewing of the image. Adapters (now discontinued) were made by Sinar in order to adapt this viewer to various other view camera makes such as Plaubel, Linhof, and Toyo. The Zoom series of roll film backs, which allowed the user to utilize current 120/220 film formats from 6x6.45 to 6x12 with the ultimate in film flatness further extends the format capabilities of the Sinar- and is also usable on any 4x5 camera with an international (Graflok) back.

Made in Feuerthalen (Switzerland, north of Zurich), Sinar cameras have built their reputation amongst studio, architectural and landscape photographers by providing time-saving solutions—like lens-independent automatic self-cocking shutters with built-in apertures, and film plane metering—major advances in their time. More recently Sinar have promoted the use of digital backs—from a shaky start in the early 1990s with an immature technology, most commercial studios now see the advantage of high resolution digital capture (albeit at medium format sizes). In 2006, they also took over the distribution of Rollei (also known as Rolleiflex) cameras world-wide.

[edit] Representative products

Sinar Norma - the original system camera, convertible from 4 x 5 to 5 x 7 and 8 x 10 formats
Sinar P/P2 (Perfection) - introduced in 1970, forms the basis for current high-end cameras, convertible from 4 x 5 to 5 x 7, 8 x 10 & p3 formats
Sinar P3 - high-end, digital, medium format view camera
Sinar F/F+/F1/F2 (Field) - classic, entry-level, 4 x 5 and 5 x 7 (F2) and 8x10 large format film view cameras, simple and robust, the starting point for many students of photography around the world
Sinar F3 - entry-level, digital, medium format view camera
Sinar C/C2 (Combination)- System camera that combines a P/P2 style rear standard with a F/F1/F2 style front standard- marketed as a less expensive alternative to the P/P2
Sinar X- camera that was a stripped down version of P2- 4x5 format only
Sinar Alpina/A1- entry level view camera that had an unique flat but incompatible rail system with other Sinar cameras, also sold as the Zone VI monorail camera in the 70's
Sinar Handy- "Point and shoot" 4x5 camera that used a 4x5 P format frame and ground glass back mounted on a handgrip, used lenses mounted in focusing mounts
Sinar E- P2 that was connected to a computer, which calculated and carried out the movements for the photographer- very rare sold at a cost of over $30,000US in the early 1990's.
Sinar m - modular digital hand-held, auto-focus multi-format: medium format and 35 mm format camera (taking Zeiss or Hasselblad lenses in medium format, or Nikon lenses in 35 mm format), also adaptable to the Sinar p3 medium format view camera
Sinar Hy6 - auto-focus, hybrid (film & digital), multi-format (6x6 & 6x4,5) camera, developed between Sinar and Franke & Heidecke (the manufacturer of Rollei cameras)
Sinar-approved Sinaron lenses - made in partnership with Rodenstock, Germany
Sinar camerabacks 22, 23(H), 54M (MC,H), 75 H, eVolution, eMotion22,75 and live video (lv ) options