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View Full Version : A practical question about the Horseman VH



Kevin M Bourque
26-Jan-2008, 17:23
Hi All -

We're taking "as given" that the VH is in fact large format. I think it is. :-)

I've been using the camera for a while now and I'm generally pleased. I like the rotating angle viewfinder, and therein lies the one operational quirk that really bugs me. Unlike 4x5, where you slide the film under the glass, the glass (and viewer) has to come off to attach the film holder.

This implies that you have to put it somewhere. If I've walked away from the camera bag I have to walk back or lay it on the ground. I really don't like laying it on the ground.

Two ideas have presented themselves. First, attach a flash shoe to the bottom of the finder and park it in the holder on top of the camera. Second, attach the film holder to the body by a (removable) extensible mechanism...something like a scissor hinge. Then the holder could go under the gg, much like a Galvin. You'd still use the sliding clips to secure the holder, of course.

Both these notions have drawbacks. Has anyone been down this road? Any suggestions?

Leonard Evens
26-Jan-2008, 18:15
I have a Horseman 980 which i used regularly for some 30 years. But in my case, I aways made sure the case was nearby, so there wasn't a problem. But it seems to me you could use some sort of wrap and then put it in your pocket.

ic-racer
26-Jan-2008, 18:52
My first thought was to put the reflex viewer and the rollfilm back on the rotary back. Then you can just spin it around to go from one the the other. I checked my older literature and it does not show a picture of this exact combination but the "Horseman System Flow Diagram" seems to indicate it would work.

john collins
26-Jan-2008, 19:27
perhaps you could use a pouch on a belt - like trap shooters use. I use one and I've also used a carpenter's belt with side bags.

Steve Clark
27-Jan-2008, 07:58
Kevin,
I use several different backs on an FA. A lightweight vest works nicely for easily accessable storage.
Steve

Mark Tweed
28-Jan-2008, 09:25
If I'm understanding you correctly, I believe I have the same issue when I use my 2X3 Century - what do you do with the ground glass back when you remove it to attach the roll film holder. I've worked out two solutions.

On the Century camera body (sans rangefinder) I have a two large square patches of Velcro (the hook material) applied to the top and side of the body. This is the industrial strength variety. It's there to attach my dark cloth with which has a corresponding patch of the Velcro pile sewn into the central front edge. I also have a square of the Velcro pile affixed to the back of the folding viewing hood which connects to the removable ground glass. When I'm done with the dark cloth and am ready to use the film back, I can remove the viewing hood/ground glass and securely attach to the top or side of the camera. The Velcro is a very solid connection.

I also have a rubber O-ring securely affixed to one of the tabs that holds the ground glass in place on the back. When it's in place it looks very much like a D-ring connection. I could have created a loop with a small length of nylon cord, but the black O-ring looks cleaner. So the second option is hang the ground glass back using this O-ring, from the hook on the bottom of the vertical column on the tripod. There it hangs securely out of the way until I'm finished shooting with the film back. Many tripods feature this hook allowing one to hang a weighted camera bag to help stabilize the tripod - mine didn't have one but I was able to add one.

I hope the description is clear enough to understand. The Velcro option may not work for you if you don't have the right surface to attach it to, but surely there's a way to add some form of loop to your removable back so it can hang from the hook on the bottom of the vertical tube on your tripod. Say your tripod doesn't sport an adjusting vertical column, there should be some way of adding a hook or open eyebolt to the underneath of your support plate.

Hardware stores are your goldmine of connectors.


Mark

Kevin M Bourque
30-Jan-2008, 15:26
Thanks, everyone. Mark, I really like the o-ring idea. I'll give it a try.