Medium format technical / view camera

ags2mikon · Dec 16, 2024

It used the same lenses as the VH-R. 65mm, 75mm, 90mm, 105mm, 120mm, 150mm and 180mm. All had cams available to rangefinder focus with the rangefinder cameras. It works good too.

ic-racer · Dec 16, 2024

pkr1979 said:
Thanks. Not okay with bigger than 6x7. These backs seems readily available though.

The 6x7 film back allow more exposures. The aspect ratio is very close to 8x10 and 4x5"

ic-racer · Dec 16, 2024

This PDF shows the useable lens list for the Horseman FA 4x5" camera, but it would also apply to the VH.

Paul Howell · Dec 16, 2024

Here is a link to Wikipedia for the 980 looks like 65mm to 180. The Mamiya Press and Universal seems to have longer list, 55 to 250.

Horseman 980 - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia

camera-wiki.org

pkr1979 · Dec 17, 2024

romosoho said:
Do you mean the quality of the glass or what the options are? Sorry that I don't quite understand what you are asking. I have the 75 and 90 lenses, FWIW.

Both I suppose There is a VH with a 6x7 back on ebay now with a 90mm 5.6. Compared to the Pentax 67 lenses at 2.8 that is 2 stops slower. I dont know if there are any faster lenses for this camera though, and if there are - how is their performance compared to slower ones.

pkr1979 · Dec 17, 2024

@ic-racer and @Paul Howell - thanks. Might go for the ones intended for the medium format. The 105/3.5 could be an interesting lens. Does anyone know if there is a big difference in quality?

GG12 · Dec 17, 2024

Have enjoyed Ebony 23S and SW. Likely parting with the nice and small SW, used Technica lens boards.

Paul Howell · Dec 17, 2024

pkr1979 said:
@ic-racer and @Paul Howell - thanks. Might go for the ones intended for the medium format. The 105/3.5 could be an interesting lens. Does anyone know if there is a big difference in quality?

Topcon made two levels of lens, the pro and the professional. My 105 3.5 professional is as sharp as my Mamiya 100 likely sharper. If you are going to go without the rangefinder then any MF lens with a shutter will work, Zeiss, Mamyis. Konica, just need to fabricate a lens board.

abruzzi · Dec 17, 2024

the 105mm ƒ3.5 is the fastest horseman made lens for the VH system, but that doesn't mean you cant get a 105/2.8 Xenotar and mount it. If buying a VH-R for the purpose of using the rangefinder, you'll only find cams for the horseman lenses. However maybe a 65mm cam for the 65/7 will work on other 65 mm lenses?

The cams are getting a bit hard to find. I have most of the horseman lenses--65, 75, 90, 105, 120, 150, and 180. Of those I have yet found a cam for the 120 and 150. I have both a VH (the first one I got) and a VH-R. They're both quite nice but the VH-R has the same issue as the baby Technikas--with the roll back mounted its hard to get your eyes close enough to look through the viewfinder or rangefinder. They were supposed to have a 1.5in long tube that makes viewing easy, but you rarely see those on VH-R that are up for sale.

ags2mikon · Dec 17, 2024

@abruzzi, Are you referring to the rubber eye cup tube for the viewfinder? If so there is a seller on ebay that is making 3d printed ones. I bought one, in fact he had the ones for the 970, 980, 985 and vh-r. I gave him the dimensions for some of the cameras. It is good quality and does help with light shielding. The only problem is on the vh-r you have to remove it to rotate the back.

pkr1979 · Dec 17, 2024

Paul Howell said:
Topcon made two levels of lens, the pro and the professional. My 105 3.5 professional is as sharp as my Mamiya 100 likely sharper. If you are going to go without the rangefinder then any MF lens with a shutter will work, Zeiss, Mamyis. Konica, just need to fabricate a lens board.

Whats the difference between the pros and professionals?

romosoho · Dec 17, 2024

pkr1979 said:
Both I suppose There is a VH with a 6x7 back on ebay now with a 90mm 5.6. Compared to the Pentax 67 lenses at 2.8 that is 2 stops slower. I dont know if there are any faster lenses for this camera though, and if there are - how is their performance compared to slower ones.

As others have said, you can put in faster lenses if you like. 5.6 isn't that slow compared to the LF lenses I use, so I'm okay with it.

I was watching a youtube video on the VH that talked about the importance of the fresnel for the viewfinder. I don't have it, and don't see any on ebay that do, but worth maybe looking for. I have not had a problem focusing, even without a dark cloth, in general.

MTGseattle · Dec 17, 2024

@Chuck1 That little Arca Swiss A is interesting. I have no idea which roll backs fit on it.

DREW WILEY · Dec 17, 2024

Look into the Nikkor M 100/3.5. It's a superb multicoated tessar lens in no. Copal shutter for sake of 6X9 format or smaller (but not enough coverage for full 4x5). It might take some patience to find one, however.

Why can't custom cams be made, or modified, for the Horseman rangefinder, just like they sometimes are for Technikas?

ags2mikon · Dec 17, 2024

The difference is between the super and professional. The super will cover 4x5, just barely. The professional is for 6x9. Most of the lenses have the coverage engraved in the lens trim ring. The 105mm f3.5 4 element 3 group is a professional series with 120mm image circle. The 105mm f4.5 6 element 4 group super has 158mm of coverage.

pkr1979 · Dec 17, 2024

ags2mikon said:
The difference is between the super and professional. The super will cover 4x5, just barely. The professional is for 6x9. Most of the lenses have the coverage engraved in the lens trim ring. The 105mm f3.5 4 element 3 group is a professional series with 120mm image circle. The 105mm f4.5 6 element 4 group super has 158mm of coverage.

I assume the professional ones for 6x9 covers movements?

ags2mikon · Dec 17, 2024

Sure. Take the 105mm professional. The diagonal of 6x7 is about 90mm, and your lens has 120mm. That will give you quite a bit of rise or shift. I have a chart in my bag that states it in horizontal or vertical and I refer to it when needed.

ags2mikon · Dec 17, 2024

The 75mm professional is also 120mm image circle. That's more than enough. The 65mm and 90mm are even larger i/c. Around 150 ish.

pkr1979 · Dec 17, 2024

Thanks man. Loads of lensboards and lenses in Copal #0 shutters seem to be available though.

Paul Howell · Dec 17, 2024

The choice comes down to with or without rangefinder. If you are going for without then you have more options. Likely rare in the E.U but I would stay away from Kodak and Wollensak MF lens as mine will not cover much movement which is why I got the Topcon 105.

Chuck1 · Dec 17, 2024

MTGseattle said:
@Chuck1 That little Arca Swiss A is interesting. I have no idea which roll backs fit on it.

It called a A. I don't know arca swiss models, but it looks like a graflock back, (not sure) and the bellows might not be great.
The super topcor lenses cover 4x5.
Just beware of the horseman specific cable release attachment($100 is a bit much)
Easiest thing is to use normal shutter (with a cable release socket)
Baby graphics are the best for wide lenses.
The gaping spring back for a galvin is a great design, but recessed boards for galvins are hard to come by, I'm pondering making a galvin to linhof adapter (to take recessed boards).
But then I have way too many projects (junk from ebay I couldn't pass up)

pkr1979 · Dec 17, 2024

Chuck1 said:
It called a A. I don't know arca swiss models, but it looks like a graflock back, (not sure) and the bellows might not be great.
The super topcor lenses cover 4x5.
Just beware of the horseman specific cable release attachment($100 is a bit much)
Easiest thing is to use normal shutter (with a cable release socket)
Baby graphics are the best for wide lenses.
The gaping spring back for a galvin is a great design, but recessed boards for galvins are hard to come by, I'm pondering making a galvin to linhof adapter (to take recessed boards).
But then I have way too many projects (junk from ebay I couldn't pass up)

Thanks. What do you mean about the horseman specific cable release attachement? I cant use a regular release cabel?

ags2mikon · Dec 17, 2024

(junk from ebay I couldn't pass up)

Oh man I hear you on that.

Dan Fromm · Dec 17, 2024

Chuck1 said:
Baby graphics are the best for wide lenses.

Some, yes. Century and 2x3 Crown, minimum flange-to-film distance 34.9 mm. These two will focus a 35/4 ApoGrandagon to infinity.

Others, not so much. Miniature Speed Graphic (that is the official name) and 2x3 Pacemaker Speed Graphic, 58.7 and 61.9 mm respectively. Both will focus 58/5.6 Grandagon and 58/5.6 Konica Hexanon to infinity. The KH covers 2x3 (6x9 is a poor metric approximation). The shortest lens I'm aware of that they'll focus is the 1.75"(44 mm)/2.8 Elcan C-88 as fitted to Vinten F.95 aerial cameras. Barely covers 2.25" x 2.25" (6x6 in metric). According to Elcan, "inverted telephoto." Not mythical, they turn up very occasionally on eBay and I've met two of them. For my purposes, the 47/5.6 SA is more useful than mine.

ags2mikon · Dec 17, 2024

If you look in the bottom of the (special) cable release socket mine are threaded. I just screwed angle adapters from hasselblad in and use regular cables. You can use a regular cable if the shank is long enough but it is fiddly.

Medium format technical / view camera

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