mike_seaborne

I have sucessfully hand-held a number of 4x5 cameras over the years, even including an Ikeda wooden field camera. Folding metal technical/press types, such as the Linhof Technica, Horseman and Wista cameras, work reasonably well, but by far the best option IMHO is the Cambo Wide. This camera is just perfect for hand-held work, light and well-balanced, and probably 25% of all my 4x5 photography is hand-held with the Wide fitted with either 90mm or 65mm Super Angulon lenses. With a shutter speed of 1/60th second I don't find the hand-held shots to be any less sharp than the tripod mounted ones. The Wide lenses have helical focussing mounts so they can be accurately focussed without using the ground glass. A good viewfinder is a must for framing the picture though : I use a Silvestri Shift Viewfinder which ensures pretty accurate framing even when using upward or downward lens shift.

Does anyone know if it is possible to mount a 47mm Super Angulon XL

on a folding Horseman camera? I have a 45HD and am wondering if it is

possible to mount the 47mm lens on the panel with C-0 ring (part

number 25651) so that it is projected forward by 10mm, and then

positioning the front standard on the parking rail inside the camera

body to get infinity focus (the camera bed could then be dropped down

if it protrudes into the picture frame). Alternatively, instead of

using the lens panel with C-0 ring, could a Schneider helical

focussing mount, which projects the lens forward by 20mm, be bolted

onto a flat lens panel and mounted on the camera in the same way? Any

thoughts on this, or alternative methods, would be very welcome.