Portable LF/6x9 solution - recommendation?

[DREW WILEY]

The Fuji 6x8 is basically a studio system and neither light weight nor particularly portable.

 

[Moopheus]

Ok, then it's very interesting. Is there a catch? Batteries?

I think that is the case--it is not a completely mechanical system. And, as noted above--it is a system camera, so lenses, backs, etc. are not interchangeable with other cameras, as would be the case with a 4x5. But it was designed to be what you asked for--a medium format system with movements.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Horseman VH is nice. Similar to the Linhof in the movements. The VH-R is the same model with a rangefinder system. If you are using it as a view camera the rangefinder isn't useful. The Horseman has a rotating back. The one limitation is wide angle work. The focusing rails do not go back into the main body. A 75mm worked fine, but a 65mm without a recessed board had limited movements and focusing.

Oh, my Horseman didn't accept old Graflex roll film holders so plan on getting more recent- and better- Horseman backs.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Horseman technical cameras are beautifully made, but rather limited in bellows, excluding convenient usage of either especially long or short focal length lenses.

 

[mnemosyne]

I can wholeheartedly recommend the Horseman VH unless you do not expect to use lenses longer than 210mm or shorter than 65mm (with movements). The rangefinder of the VH-R adds more weight and bulk which is only useful when shooting handheld, which you do not plan it seems, so I would prefer the VH. The cameras are very versatile and sturdy and have just the right weight for a field camera IMO, that is heavy enough to give the necessariy stability and precision and ruggedness, but still very compact, and lightweight enough to be comfortable to carry around all day with 3 or 4 lenses, 2 film backs and the usual accessories AND to allow the use of a relatively lightweight tripod.

On the VH/VH-R you will have full movements with 75mm or longer lenses (Super Angulon 75mm MC works very well in my case), and full movements with a 65mm on a recessed board. That could be either the original Horseman f7/65mm lens, or a different lens that can be transplanted in one of the Horseman recessed Seiko shutters, (not necessarily one from the 65mm lens, but for example also the one from the cheap and plenty 105mm f3.5 PRO). I have done this successfully with a Fujinon 65mm SW f8 (resulting in full movements) and it could possibly be done with other 65mm lenses in Copal 0 size, but I haven't tested it. The 65mm with the longest flange focal distance to my knowledge is the Fujinon SWD 65mm f5.6 (newer/bored up version of the above mentioned SW f8) and on a flat board it is restricted in movements as the front standard will hit the clamshell with the lens focused at infinity, although only barely (by a mm) or so. I haven't tested any of the 55mm, but have read that the Grandagon 55mm will work at infinity if you position it at the rearmost end of the focus rail and use the little available rise to get the focus rail out of the view. The Super Angulon 47mm MC will work (without movements) if you put it all the way back in the clamshell (transport position), drop the bed and focus via the back extensions. No front movements possible, obviously. Again, this is not from personal experience but what I have gathered from comments of other users. AFAIK the Baby Technikas will NOT offer any more flexibility compared to the Horsemans when it comes to WA use, but rather less.

On the long end (this is where the Linhof Technikas are probably better equipped), you are, IIRC, limited to 210mm on a flat panel (?) and 240mm or so with a top hat panel (have tried that), above that the air gets very thin very quickly. A longer tele might work (limited movements) or there are some aftermarket extension tubes for even longer focal lengths but I haven't tried any of those. Also, longer large format lenses of the common Plasmat type tend to be quite heavy and bulky and make the whole setup front heavy and a bit impractical to use in the field. There are small compact lenses at the long end, but the good ones are sought after and not cheap. The longest native lens of the Horseman system is a 180mm tele.

The native Horseman lenses I used have all been very good. 105mm ER, 90mm ER, 150mm super. I also have two copies of the 65mm, but they are both broken and I cannot comment on them.