Is there a U.S. distributer for the Horseman LD?

I was intrigued by Jack Flesher's artical on fabricating a LF-DLSR

camera using a Horseman LE camera and a Canon. However, Horseman

already has such a camera in existance called a Horseman LD

described on their website at:

http://www.horsemanusa.com/digital/LD.html . I searched the web and

emailed various Horseman distributers in the U.S. and no one carries

it. I evne sent a couple of e-mails to Horseman USA with no reply.

Being the lazy guy that I am, I rather buy a ready made instead of

fabricating one from pieces and parts. Does anyone know of an U.S.

distributer.<div></div>

<p>Schneider is actually the US distributer for Horseman -- see <a href="http://www.schneideroptics.com/cameras/horseman/">http://www.schneideroptics.com/cameras/horseman/</a>. Schneider has a good reputation for responding to customer queries, so I suggest trying one of the contact methods at <a href="http://www.schneideroptics.com/contact_us/">http://www.schneideroptics.com/contact_us/</a>. Maybe they will know of a retailer who has one, or can tell you of a show where they will display one.</p>

Thanks Mike, my e-mail is on it's way as you read this.

Hello one and all,

I, too, am interested in the Horseman LD. I got in touch with Schneider and they sent me to the Horseman address. I have emailed them twice requesting more information, and am awaiting a reply. Phootos in Holland was good enough to respond, and their price with no lens board would be around $1,950USD, but they can't get one yet.

Guess we'll have to be patient.

I found a site in England that has them for about the same price. However, I found a Sinar F with an extra wide angle bellows, three lens boards, a couple of dozen film holders, a extra "P" style rear frame...etc for $700.00 from a member of this forum. There is a company called Fotodiox in Indiana that will be making adapter plates for DLSR's for about $200.00. Yeah, the Horseman probably would have been lighter, but then that's not an issue for studio work anyway. Life is good!

Here is the Sinar F-P that I got for $700.00 including two 454 Polaroid holder, regular bellows, regular bellows rigged for a compendium, 32 4x5 film holders and case.<div></div>

<p>B&H Photo sells this camera. It's $2400. You can use view camera lenses down to 90mm, and also mount Pentax, Mamiya, Hasselblad lenses. The main limitation, I expect, would be wide angle optics--just what you want for architectural subjects. I don't see how you could focus something like a 35mm or 28mm wide angle lens at infinity, or inside normal working distances.<br>

I expect a wide angle shift lens would also be standard equipment. For the money, I might try Canon's 17mm tilt/shift wonder--but for product photography, studio photography and macro (tabletop) the Horseman would be a gem. <br>

I actually have the same set of problems with my Pentax 67 II rig, which I can mount on the back of a Sinar F. Shorter lengths won't focus to infinity (but could be used for close-up photos at greater focal length). Love the image of the Sinar F_P above, ready to go to work. I guess it is possible to mount any camera on the rear standard, install a bag bellows, and mount lenses on recessed boards. But again, the smaller the film (CCD area) the less you can do in the wide angle range because back-focus becomes impossibly small--limiting infinity focus and camera movements. </p>

<p>Just the same, the Horseman sure is a pretty camera! I really like it.</p>

<p> </p>