Practically speaking, What would be the smallest lens (does the FA have a bed that drops down for wide angle?) and the Largest lens that can be really used in the field for the FA. Reading the material from FA it says that the 210mm is the largest, but I have been reading others that say, with certain brands, that a lens up to 400 can be used. I would love to have a body that weighs less than 4 lbs, if I can have enough movements available for landscape Thanks

-- Larry Gaskill (covenant@essex1.com), December 20, 2000

Answers

The Horseman web site indicates a maximum bellows draw of 249mm, so you could use a 210mm with some room to focus closer than infinity.

As for longer lenses, you're probably thinking of the telephoto designs where the rear nodal point of the lens in out in front of physical lens, allowing a longer focal length with shorter bellows.

One disadvantage of a telephoto design is that tilts, swings and shifts of the front standard won't work quite like you'd expect because the "optical pivot point" is so far out in front of the lens. Just be aware that your movements may be limited before choosing a camera/lens combination that will require a telephoto design lens.

-- John H. Henderson (jhende03@harris.com), December 20, 2000.

The FA's specs are the same as my VHR and I greater bellows extension. First of all I found that the front standard clamp could be locked mid-way hanging over the bed end. At that setting the film plane to lens board hole is 274.64 mm on the flat board without back extension and 300.04 mm with the back extended. The figures increase with the telephoto board at 299.64 mm and 325.04 mm respectively. I use a Nikkor-M 300mm f/9 on the latter board and can focus to about 8 feet.

-- Garrett Adams (gadams@jps.net), December 21, 2000.