Karl151k
16-May-2009, 13:06
I just received my new camera in the mail. It's a Horseman 4X5 LE which is a step up from my Busch Pressman. I have a few questions that will probably be no-brainers for most users on the forum.
First of all, I have a 120mm f5.6 Schneider Symmar lens that I was using on the pressman. It worked great on the pressman, but when I fit it to the Horseman, I can't focus to infinity anymore. However, before you suggest a bag bellows to remedy this, I already have one and it's still not focusing to infinity. I'm sure that if I stop down to f45 that it won't be a huge deal, but I does limit my creative use of DoF with this lens. I'd prefer not to buy a recessed lens board since they're in the $150 to $250 range. Is there anything I can do to fix this?
With the 120mm Schneider, I found that if I remove the rear element, I am able to focus to inifity with ease (although I still need the bag bellows). Removing the rear element seems to change the focal length from 120 to somewhere in the 240mm neighborhood. This seems fine to me as it's like having two lenses for the price of one. I do worry about the sharpness though. Am I loosing a ton of sharpness by removing this rear element? Is the lens no longer Apochromatic?
Also, I was looking for another lensboard for a Copal 1 lens that I have and all I can find for the Horseman LE are 140mm boards. I measured my board and it's 138mm. Are the extra two millimeters for the rounded edges on the left and right of the board? I'm thinking this is the case, but I want to make sure before I waste a bunch of money on a lensboard that doesn't fit my camera.
Finally, I remember hearing about a modular lensboard system that can be carried across different camera systems. Is that system called Tecknica? If so, how much of an invesement would it be for me to get an adapter for my Horseman and 3 boards to fit the adapter?
Thanks as always for your assistance!
First of all, I have a 120mm f5.6 Schneider Symmar lens that I was using on the pressman. It worked great on the pressman, but when I fit it to the Horseman, I can't focus to infinity anymore. However, before you suggest a bag bellows to remedy this, I already have one and it's still not focusing to infinity. I'm sure that if I stop down to f45 that it won't be a huge deal, but I does limit my creative use of DoF with this lens. I'd prefer not to buy a recessed lens board since they're in the $150 to $250 range. Is there anything I can do to fix this?
With the 120mm Schneider, I found that if I remove the rear element, I am able to focus to inifity with ease (although I still need the bag bellows). Removing the rear element seems to change the focal length from 120 to somewhere in the 240mm neighborhood. This seems fine to me as it's like having two lenses for the price of one. I do worry about the sharpness though. Am I loosing a ton of sharpness by removing this rear element? Is the lens no longer Apochromatic?
Also, I was looking for another lensboard for a Copal 1 lens that I have and all I can find for the Horseman LE are 140mm boards. I measured my board and it's 138mm. Are the extra two millimeters for the rounded edges on the left and right of the board? I'm thinking this is the case, but I want to make sure before I waste a bunch of money on a lensboard that doesn't fit my camera.
Finally, I remember hearing about a modular lensboard system that can be carried across different camera systems. Is that system called Tecknica? If so, how much of an invesement would it be for me to get an adapter for my Horseman and 3 boards to fit the adapter?
Thanks as always for your assistance!