Feedback on Horseman LE

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Any feedback on the horseman LE.

No backpacking in my future.

Build Quality? Can the tripod mounting block be moved along the length of the monorail??

Others considered: Technikardan, AS F compact, VX125

Thanks, Jesse

-- jesse kramer (Jesskramer@aol.com), April 16, 2002

Answers

Jesse,

If I am not mistaken, the LE is the least expensive of this group. If you are not concerned about weight, then perhaps you might be better off with the least expensive of these cameras. The other cameras on your list are expensive, and often used by photographers who need a lightweight, portable monorail. Alternatively, You might want to consider a Toyo 45C, a Linhof Kardan M, an Arca Swiss Discovery, or a Calumet 45NX. These are all well respected cameras that can do the job for you, as is the Horseman LE.

By the way, I think that the LE has axial tilts, while at least some of the others have base tilts. Yaw free base tilts might be important to you if you are going to do table top photography.

-- Dave Karp (davekarp@ix.netcom.com), April 16, 2002.


The LE tripod block can slide from end to end. All the geared rise/fall and shifts are smooth and lock easily and solid. I carry mine in a daypack with a 150mm attached and a ground glass protector over the glass. Works well but does take more time to setup. Carrying the camera and accessories is easy, the tripod is another thing all together. If you can get by without the base tilts it's a great camera and will allow a 60mm lens to be used on a flat board (with wide-angle bellows) but there will be no room for tilts and swings.

-- Garry Teeple (gteeple@coin.org), April 16, 2002.

There is an interesting article about LE in the field under this url: http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~qtluong/photography/lf/mono-field.html When I was making decision about which camera I would like to work with, this article helped me a lot. LE is very fine. Although now I know more and today my choice for outdoor landscape and architecture photography will be a non-folding Ebony SW45. But when you are going to shoot also in a studio, then LE is the best choice.

regards

-- Lukasz Zandecki (lz34246@gsk.com), April 17, 2002.


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