Horseman 45FA distance scale

[Ken Dangerfield]

I checked out the archives and although this question was discussed, the solution given was to abandon the Horseman distance scale and attach some sort of ruler and pointing device instead.

However, it seems unlikely/improbable to me that Horseman would design and sell a distance scale for the 45FA if it doesn't actually work.

Has anyone used the Horseman distance scale successfully and, if so, how?

[Robert A. Zeichner]

I somehow remember responding to a similar question quite awhile ago, but have been unable to find that thread through a search. When I had a 45FA, I remember that scale. It was reversable, if memory serves, with a couple of focal lengths acommodated on each side. I have to believe that these scales were plotted for specific focal lengths in the Horseman lens lineup. I only had one Horseman lens at that time, a 65mm f7. I don't recall that one being on the scale at all. For such scales to work with any degree of accuracy, you would first need to have the exact lens for which the scale was designed and then adjust the infinity stops so that lens could be set to infinity (using the gg to focus). You could then adjust focus by scale and if you guessed the distance correctly get sharp results. This is really more of a press camera type focusing technique, although most press cameras have rangefinders to aid in focusing. As the 45FA doesn't have a rangefinder, I abandoned that scale and replaced it with a millemeter scale, affixed a pointer that I made out of brass shim stock and fastened using a nearby screw. This proved to be more useful, not for setting focus by distance, but for centering the lens between the near and far focus points and determining the aperture I would need to achieve the desired depth of field for that shot.

[Ted Harris]

Ken,

I use a Horseman FA as my primary field camera and do not have any problems with the scale. I don’t use it a lot either but generally find that it works ok.



Here’s how I use it. First, I have set a stop at the infinity mark for each of the marked lenses (remember the last post .. the scale has two sides and you can thus do this for six lenses but can only see the scale for three at a time). Second I use those stops as a starting point for more accurate ground glass focusing. Very very occasionally I will just rack out to the scale point and shoot a grab shot which I assume is part of your interest.



To test the usefulness of this approach I got the camera out and mounted a 150 mm lens yesterday after reading your post. Flipped up the appropriate stop, racked out the lens and then looked through the ground glass. The focus was right on at infinity and looked pretty good at some other distances which I approximated. In any event, if you want to use the scale it is usable although I fail to see why you would want to use it very often other than as a reasonable starting point.

[d.s.]

Ken, I think I'm the one that asked this question a couple of years ago. The scales that are included on the camera are correct for Horseman lenses, though may work for other brands. Robert Z. also answered my question the same way back then and even sent me a milimeter scale he had made for his camera. I still use it to this day for near / far focus spread. (Thanks Robert!) I don't use a pointer, but instead I use the edge of the front standard. I am always on the lookout for a nice milimeter scale that reads in the correct direction, that I can cut and mount in the same way except that I want the milimeters to read the correct distance from the focal plane. dee