Experience with the Horseman SW612

[chennn]

没有人用过Horseman SW612或人SW612 Pro，最近想买一个。这个容易用吗？我拍的大部分场景都在1m到5m的范围内，不用磨砂能砸石头给我玩吗？用过的唯一对焦估相机是卢莱35。
Thank you

 

[chennn]

我打算使用Rodenstock apo Digital系列镜头，它适合在SW612上使用吗？

 

[koraks]

@chennn, for most of us on this forum it would be more convenient if you'd run the text through Translate and post it in English. Would that work for you? Thanks!

 

[chennn]

I'm so sorry,i got a mistake.

 

[chennn]

Has anyone used the Horseman SW612 or SW612 Pro, and I recently wanted to buy one. Is it easy to use? Most of the scenes I shot are in the range of 1m to 5m, can I focus accurately without using frosted glass? The only focus estimation camera I've ever used is the Rollei 35.

 

[chennn]

I plan to use the Rodenstock apo Digital series lens, is it suitable for use on the SW612?

 

[koraks]

Thanks, appreciated

 

[Axelwik]

Has anyone used the Horseman SW612 or SW612 Pro, and I recently wanted to buy one. Is it easy to use? Most of the scenes I shot are in the range of 1m to 5m, can I focus accurately without using frosted glass? The only focus estimation camera I've ever used is the Rollei 35.

I don't have this camera, but do use a 6x12 back on a 4x5, and use an SWC. 5 meters with a wide angle lens stopped down a bit will probably work fine, but at 1 meter I would definitely use a ground glass to focus.

 

[Axelwik]

I plan to use the Rodenstock apo Digital series lens, is it suitable for use on the SW612?

You didn't give a focal length, but it's easy enough to find specifications for that lens in terms of the image circle. If it covers 4x5 it will also cover 6x12. Most digital series lenses are designed for medium format digital, so it might not.

 

[chennn]

I don't have this camera, but do use a 6x12 back on a 4x5, and use an SWC. 5 meters with a wide angle lens stopped down a bit will probably work fine, but at 1 meter I would definitely use a ground glass to focus.

Thank you for your reply.

 

[chennn]

You didn't give a focal length, but it's easy enough to find specifications for that lens in terms of the image circle. If it covers 4x5 it will also cover 6x12. Most digital series lenses are designed for medium format digital, so it might not.

I would like to use the 55mm 90mm 150mm, they both have an imaging circle of over 125mm and should cover the 612.

 

[chennn]

And I wonder if they would be sharper than Film Camera Series Lenses

 

[Axelwik]

And I wonder if they would be sharper than Film Camera Series Lenses

They should be very sharp. You might need a center filter for the 55 - that's a very wide lens for 6x12, unless you don't mind the photos being darker toward the edges.

 

[chennn]

They should be very sharp. You might need a center filter for the 55 - that's a very wide lens for 6x12, unless you don't mind the photos being darker toward the edges.

Yeah，i need a center filter nd.

 

[Axelwik]

Yeah，i need a center filter nd.

Chennn another thing to think about with those digital lenses. If they only cover 125mm, you might still get vignetting with 6x12 because you have to measure the diagonal, not straight across. Take the square root of 120^2+60^2 (diagonal of the film) and it's more than 125mm. And I don't know about the Horseman camera, but some of those cameras will have some fall built in, which would take away more image circle.

Of course the film gate will be a tad smaller than the stated 6x12. I have a Horseman 6x12 back that fits on a 4x5 camera and measured the diagonal of the film gate. (I assume it will be the same as a Horseman 6x12 camera.) The measurement was 126mm. You might get acceptable results with those digital lenses if the lens is perfectly centered on the film, but I would rather have a little more wiggle room.

If I was you, instead of the digital lenses that might just barely cover or vignette, I would look for lenses that comfortably cover 4x5 large format. There are a lot of very fine ones out there, and far less expensive than the "digital" lenses.

 

[chennn]

You have a point, and I'm thinking about these issues as well. But I've read a lot of forums saying that a 55mm lens can cover 45mm at aperture of 22, a 90mm lens can cover 140mm, and a 150mm lens can cover 150mm. But I can't confirm the authenticity of the information because the official figure is only 125.

 

[Axelwik]

You have a point, and I'm thinking about these issues as well. But I've read a lot of forums saying that a 55mm lens can cover 45mm at aperture of 22, a 90mm lens can cover 140mm, and a 150mm lens can cover 150mm. But I can't confirm the authenticity of the information because the official figure is only 125.

Yes, if the vignetting is optical the only drawback might be a little softness in the corners, but if it's mechanical (due to the rear element having a hood built in or the filter thread on the front of the lens) then it will be a more abrupt transition to darkness.

And another thing to think about is the availability of lens cones and focusing helicoids for whatever lenses you choose.

 

[chennn]

Yes, if the vignetting is optical the only drawback might be a little softness in the corners, but if it's mechanical (due to the rear element having a hood built in) then it will be a more abrupt transition to darkness.

And another thing to think about is the availability of lens cones and focusing helicoids for whatever lenses you choose.

Thank you for your answer, I'll think about it.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

I plan to use the Rodenstock apo Digital series lens, is it suitable for use on the SW612?

All the film lenses for the camera are absolutely superbe - why do you want to use the digital lenses with smaller image circles? For close distances you can get away with hyperfocal values but you're better off using the ground glass for critical focus - especially the 90 and 150.

 

[chennn]

Because I may need to upgrade my digital back in the future, I don't want to buy more lenses.

 

[Axelwik]

Because I may need to upgrade my digital back in the future, I don't want to buy more lenses.

It appears that the 90 and 150 might cover okay (if your sources are correct), but I wouldn't get the 55 for that camera - image circle is too close to the film gate. The 55 might vignette simply by screwing a filter onto the front of the lens!

A Schneider 47mm Super Angulon XL has an image circle of 166mm, and in practical terms is probably just as sharp (or maybe sharper) than that 55 digital lens. And it appears that Horseman made a cone for it.

I'm sure the digital lenses are sharp, but using the word "digital" doesn't make it any better than the lenses that came before it. Other than some very minor changes that don't really matter in the real world of photography "Digital" is a marketing term designed to extract more Euros from your pocket.

 

[Rick Rycroft]

Hi Chenn, I have the SW612 with a 65mm lens and can tell you that close focusing can be a challenge without the ground glass. I was happily going about my business with the camera then when I needed to do a precisely focus at close distance I used the ground glass and I found the lens distance scale was way out. Not too much of a problem at say 5 meters and f22 but not ideal at 1 meters and f8. If you are planning to source other than factory lenses and lens cones I highly recommend the ground glass if only for calibrating the lenses.

 

[chennn]

It appears that the 90 and 150 might cover okay (if your sources are correct), but I wouldn't get the 55 for that camera - image circle is too close to the film gate. The 55 might vignette simply by screwing a filter onto the front of the lens!

A Schneider 47mm Super Angulon XL has an image circle of 166mm, and in practical terms is probably just as sharp (or maybe sharper) than that 55 digital lens. And it appears that Horseman made a cone for it.

I'm sure the digital lenses are sharp, but using the word "digital" doesn't make it any better than the lenses that came before it. Other than some very minor changes that don't really matter in the real world of photography "Digital" is a marketing term designed to extract more Euros from your pocket

Schneider's SAXL footage is great, I'll think about it, thanks for the suggestion

 

[chennn]

Hi Chenn, I have the SW612 with a 65mm lens and can tell you that close focusing can be a challenge without the ground glass. I was happily going about my business with the camera then when I needed to do a precisely focus at close distance I used the ground glass and I found the lens distance scale was way out. Not too much of a problem at say 5 meters and f22 but not ideal at 1 meters and f8. If you are planning to source other than factory lenses and lens cones I highly recommend the ground glass if only for calibrating the lenses.

Thank you for your reply, I will buy a frosted glass.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

The sw612 really excels with film lenses and a 612 film back. The sw612p is even better because it offers a significant amount of shift especially with the Schneider lenses (although they are much harder to find). Do keep in mind that it was conceived as a wide angle camera, and the longer focal lengths can't be shifted as much because the long cones end up vignetting the image circle.

If you want to go digital I would get a seperate camera like the medium format fuji gfx and dedicated lenses.