Horseman 45FA / Horseman 45HF

[andrewch59]

As an example, the optical finder (I'm still looking), the extension back and the correct Topcor 90mm f5.6 lens that fits in the front standard hole
The zoom finder is of special note as I can't say I have ever seen one for sale. Maybe it was a Japanese market only item.

Attachment 187357

Attachment 187358
Attachment 187366

The Universal Zoom Finder is not very accurate as a composing frame for the different focal lengths, mine stays in a drawer. The extension bellows however, are a very good item to have, tucks away nicely in my backpack, as the posts come in sections and can be unscrewed. I bought mine recently off ebay very cheaply it was missing a knob. Be aware that using a copal 1 or larger shutter will require an extension lens board of about 12mm, or the shutter wont fit due to the front standard uprights hitting the shutter.
I have a few 4x5, but always go back to the trusty horseman, I have also found that the fresnel on the horseman is very good, possibly not quite as bright as the maxwell, but I can focus a lot easier with the horseman.

[Roberto Nania]

Hello,

I'm resuming the thread to ask if a Symmar-S 5.6/150 would fit inside the camera when folded-up.

Thank you!

[CreationBear]

Symmar-S 5.6/150 would fit inside the camera when folded-up.

I would doubt that would be the case--you'd probably be best off looking for lenses with filter rings 41.5mm (like the Sironar N 135/5.6 for instance) or smaller. The G-claron 150/9 might be your best bet in that focal length.

[Armin Seeholzer]

I would doubt that would be the case--you'd probably be best off looking for lenses with filter rings 41.5mm (like the Sironar N 135/5.6 for instance) or smaller. The G-claron 150/9 might be your best bet in that focal length.

I have the Horseman HF for handy field, it is a superb camera. But the small lensboard is a bit of a problem and for on the way a future, because it need not much space. But if I would like to do portraits then it would not be my first camera. A Linhof Technika or even a Sinar F would be the better choice in my opinion.
I will not say it would'nt work but its easier with cameras with bigger lensboards and longer bellows draw. If I use my HF for portraits then I use a Schneider Tele Arton 270mm, for Landscape I use most of the time at the long end a APO Ronar 300mm with a Extention board.
It can be done, but with reduced possibilitis.

[B.S.Kumar]

Hello,

I'm resuming the thread to ask if a Symmar-S 5.6/150 would fit inside the camera when folded-up.

Thank you!

I can confirm that the Symmar-S will not fit into a Horseman HF camera when it is folded up. The older single-coated Fujinon 150mm f/6.3 and f/5.6 lenses will fit, as will the 125 and 135mm lenses of the same series and possibly the Fujinon A 180mm f/9 lens. Send me a PM.

Kumar

[Roberto Nania]

Thank you very much gents.

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

Hello,

I'm resuming the thread to ask if a Symmar-S 5.6/150 would fit inside the camera when folded-up.

Thank you!

Hello Roberto, hello to everybody else,

I answer a little longer now, maybe this will be useful for someone ...

After I sold a big bunch of photo equipment and kept only two Linhof Technikas, I thought about how to get the functionality of the Technikas with a lighter, smaller, newer camera.

The Horseman 45FA seems to me to do exactly what a Technika 4 does. But it is 1kg lighter, 2cm more compact, with larger dials and built-in 65mm wide angle focusing ability. For less money.

Some flaws and their solution:

1. The boards are too small for Copal 3 - there are good lenses with Copal 0 and Copal 1.

2. The base of the barrel is too narrow for filter threads larger than 45 - Fuji has lenses with filter thread of 46mm. I you want to use 46mm filter threaded lenses, you may have to extend the inside of the focusing slider with a metal file, about 1mm, symmetrical, on each side, crescent-shaped, if you use longer lenses like the a Fuji Fujinon A 9/180. I also use a Fuji Fujinon NW 5.6/125, a Fuji Fujinon NW 5.6/105, a Schneider-Kreuznach G-Claron 9/210 (49mm). You can also mount a Fuji Fujinon W S 5.6/135 or a Schneider-Kreuznach G-Claron 9/150, a Rodenstock Geronar 6.3/150 etc.

3. The bellows extension is only about 270 cm - for 300mm focal length I use Fujinon T 8/300 on a flat board, perhaps I could use a Fuji Fujinon T 8/400 with an extended lens board?

4. The absence of a rotating back is annoying when it rains or is dusty - use an umbrella that is attached on the tripod (Manfrotto clamp). Move the camera 90° - then you will have more rise, fall and swing.

5. The bellows is only glued on the back and very thin, it is always defective on pre-owned units - the bellows must be replaced. As always we tend to install too long bellows. Less is more: if the bellows is too long when compressed, there is less space for the lens in the camera. You almost always have to change the bellows. The small size of the bellows makes them thin. The compressed thin bellows deforms in the narrow camera. Deformed bellows like to hang in the picture ... Sellers advertise their cameras on Ebay with the words "mint", "excellent", "near mint" etc., but this is not true. You have to repair. And you also have to negotiate afterwards. 600 USD is too much for a 45FA with defective bellows. You have to pay 150-200 USD for a new bellows, for shipping and import taxes etc. 300 USD for a Horseman 45FA/45HD/45HF with defective bellows is a reasonable price. For some sellers this obviously seems to be part of the business: selling too expensive and then renegotiating and offering partial refund. YMMV.

6. The movements are somewhat limited - if you turn the camera 90°, you have much more rise, fall and swing than if you let it stand upright. And there is the technical back part, too.

7. It is not possible to put the focusing slider back to the housing to prevent damaging of the front standard base - if you unscrew the front stop of the slider, you can focus very well with a 65mm lens like the Fuji Fujinon SWD 5.6/65, because the slider can be pushed back to the housing. The front standard is then completely on the slider, and you even have room to make adjustments within the image circle with the technical back. The possibility to use this 65mm lens on a flat lens board is the absolute killer criterion compared to the Technikas before the Master Technika 3000. The Fujinon SWD 65 did not fit into the Linhof wide angle focusing device! The rear diameter was 1mm too great.

8. Whereas it is not possible to do macros in the field with a Schneider-Kreuznach G-Claron 9/210 or an Rodenstock Apo-Ronar 9/300 - that's why I keep the Technikas. Furthermore the Technika is a financial investment. They become more and more expensive. Like gold.

I think, the Horsemans are field cameras, not macro or portrait or studio cameras. They have been optimized to follow a specific purpose, like so many technology that comes from Japan: landscape photography. Here you need lightweight and small lenses - the Fujinons with 46mm filter thread.

OK, now I have answered a bit too detailed, but maybe someone can do something with my observations.

As others mentioned before, a Symmar-S does not fit into this wonderful camera. The front lens is too big. A Rodenstock Sironar N 5,6/135, whose small front lens certainly fits into the camera, delivers almost even better values than a Symmar S.

Good luck

Tschau zäme

[thorirv]

Hello Roberto, hello to everybody else,

[..]

5. The bellows is only glued on the back and very thin, it is always defective on pre-owned units - the bellows must be replaced. As always we tend to install too long bellows. Less is more: if the bellows is too long when compressed, there is less space for the lens in the camera. You almost always have to change the bellows. The small size of the bellows makes them thin. The compressed thin bellows deforms in the narrow camera. Deformed bellows like to hang in the picture ... Sellers advertise their cameras on Ebay with the words "mint", "excellent", "near mint" etc., but this is not true. You have to repair. And you also have to negotiate afterwards. 600 USD is too much for a 45FA with defective bellows. You have to pay 150-200 USD for a new bellows, for shipping and import taxes etc. 300 USD for a Horseman 45FA/45HD/45HF with defective bellows is a reasonable price. For some sellers this obviously seems to be part of the business: selling too expensive and then renegotiating and offering partial refund. YMMV.

[..]

Good luck

Tschau zäme

-
Daniel Casper Lohenstein,

I have an FA with a deformed bellows, really useful info here.
Given that your reply is not that old (well, relatively), can you share wich repair shop you used for replacement and purchase of a new one? (assuming you did replace yours)

Judging by your website you're in Europe, so am I, so a European repair shop is preferable.

Regards, Thorir

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

-
Daniel Casper Lohenstein,

I have an FA with a deformed bellows, really useful info here.
Given that your reply is not that old (well, relatively), can you share wich repair shop you used for replacement and purchase of a new one? (assuming you did replace yours)

Judging by your website you're in Europe, so am I, so a European repair shop is preferable.

Regards, Thorir

custombellows, always custombellows: http://www.custombellows.co.uk/

I doctored the bellows into the camera by myself.

[thorirv]

custombellows, always custombellows: http://www.custombellows.co.uk/

I doctored the bellows into the camera by myself.

Thanks a lot! (not that I'm too keen on the idea on doctoring it myself, but.. : )

Regards, Th