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Ebony SW45 with roll film?

johnnygoesdigital

New member
I'm curious to know if film flatness is an issue when using a roll film holder, such as the Horseman 6x7, 6x9,and 6x12, with the Ebony SW45. I'm interested in purchasing one (SW45) to use both formats. Having the option of both appeals to me, as now i'm just shooting with a FlexBody. There's times when you just need a bigger negative. Thanks.
 

Shashin

Well-known member
I have used the Horseman 6x7 and 6x12 roll film holders, primarily the 6x12, and I have had no film flatness issues for hundreds of rolls of film. I have also used a Linhof SuperRollex 6x6 holder, which was also excellent.
 

Lars

Active member
Horseman 6x12 here (on a 45S), no flatness problem that I can tell. Optically inspecting the film flatness with a test roll showed a very flat surface.

Then again, if you have special requirements like reproducing a flat object using wide open aperture then perhaps something more extreme is warranted for.
 

johnnygoesdigital

New member
Thanks for the quick replies...I'm excited to shoot 4x5 with the Ebony, and have been debating whether to go with a Horseman SW612 or the Ebony SW45 with the roll film option. Although, the Ebony might not be quite as convenient, it's like combining the two cameras.
 

johnnygoesdigital

New member
Shashin,

Maine is beautiful! I'll be in the Bay of Fundy soon to complete a series i'm doing. There is some very compelling imagery in winter...makes one want to write a novel! Happy Holidays!
 

Lars

Active member
I really like the SW series - I have a SW23 and a 45S.

The main thing missing in my view with SW is rear tilt. I also use my SW23 to do stitched panoramics (they come out as 56x160 mm) where rear shift would have been great. As it is now, I have to use front shift for the lens, and then shift the camera in the opposite direction to avoid parallax problems.

I travelled with my 45S in Chile for a few months, shooting 4x5 film and 120 rollfilm in a Horseman 6x12 holder. Tripod was a must of course, so not much street shooting. I got some of the last Fuji Quickchange holders in Europe, so I could load 3 x 8 sheets into three cartridges.

Later on I got a Chinese 6x17 back for 4x5 - not as convenient and a bit limited but it works. it's bulky though, as it has to extend behind the back plane, and there is a separate focusing back that also extends a bit. A 6x12 holder is so much easier to handle, and about a third of the volume.
 

Shashin

Well-known member
Shashin,

Maine is beautiful! I'll be in the Bay of Fundy soon to complete a series i'm doing. There is some very compelling imagery in winter...makes one want to write a novel! Happy Holidays!
Have a great trip to New Brunswick/Nova Scotia. That is a beautiful area.

You are right, winter is a really nice time around here, not only because of the marvelous landscapes, but also for the lack of black flies, no-see-ums, mosquitoes, ticks, and green heads. The only thing that bites is the cold wind.

May the new year bring you happiness and prosperity.
 

johnnygoesdigital

New member
Lars,

Thanks for the great info. Ebony has a few options, but i'm not opposed to a folding camera either. I need something that's easy to pack. Do you recommend the fresnel GG with the wider lenses?

Shashin,

Yes! Green heads! I had an encounter with those while on Swan's Island, just off of Bar Harbor. The only way to stop them was to swim, but even in the Summer the water was freezing - I went from a tenor to a soprano rather quickly. Come to think of it, I was the only one swimming, except for the green heads...they apparently swim too...yikes!
 

Oren Grad

Active member
Roll holders - like the Horseman holders - that reverse-wind the film tightly around rollers can impart a kink to the film if it sits too long between exposures. There are other roll holders that have a much straighter path - the Sinar comes to mind, but it's big, heavy and expensive.

Does it make a difference? Depends on your working habits - not just how long the film sits, but whether you're using subject/focus distance/aperture combinations that are unforgiving of slop in the film plane, how far you intend to enlarge, how critical a viewer you are, etc. By the same token, you may or may not need to worry about how closely the GG register and the film plane in the holder match. (No, it's not standardized across roll holder and camera brands.)

FWIW, I've not had any particular trouble with my Horseman 6x9 roll holders, but I've never used them in situations that demand the utmost in precision.
 

Lars

Active member
Both my Ebonies have fresnels from Ebony Camera. On the SW23 I use a Horseman Angle Finder which means my eye is in a fixed place, so a fresnel is a must with wideangle lenses. On the 4x5 I use a darkcloth (though sometimes a bellows viewer from Robert white) but the fresnel works ok even with a 240 mm lens. Presumably you won't use lenses that long so a fresnel should be a good idea.
 

johnnygoesdigital

New member
Thanks for all the great info, this is very useful.

Oren, It makes sense, I suppose, that the 6x9, and 6x7's might not have as much or any slop in the film plane, having less of the film's integrity to slop or kink. Perhaps temp and humidity can be factors too. Being that I'll only get 6 exposures with the 6x12, I don't imagine the film will be in there too long anyway. Thanks.
 

Geoff

Well-known member
The 6x12 works well with the 4x5 Ebony. I must confess to being a MF junkie these days, but if I shoot the 4x5, that's what I'm using, and have had good luck with it. Easy to transport, process, use. And yes, the 4x5 gives you a lot more than the Horseman camera. I tried a WA Fresnel, it helps, but in some ways its a bit odd when you go to inspect the corners with a loupe. A nice GG with a cloth seems best. I'd been hoping for some viewer, but never really went the distance on it.

FWIW, the only (and truly only) issue with the Ebony (for me) is no rear shift. Not a big deal with film (just shift the front), but for using a digital back or stitching film, its a bit of a loss. That said.... its still a fine fine camera.
 

bensonga

Well-known member
Another vote for either the 45S or the 45SU models which do have rear shift. I have the 45SU and it works very well, although I frankly haven't gotten accustomed to using the asymmetrical rear swings. When they are collapsed, the 45S/SU are only 3 inches deeper than the folding 45SW. I bought the Horseman 612 roll film back awhile ago, but haven't used it yet.

Specs for the 45S
FRONT - Rise 50mm, Fall 25mm, Shift 38mm+38mm, Swing 45°+45°, Center tilt 20°+20°
BACK - Rise 50mm, Shift 60mm+60mm, Swing 20°+20°, Center tilt 20°+20°

Gary
 

awatanabe

New member
I was using a Widepan/Feying(chinese) adapter to mount hasselblad V backs on my arca 4x5 f-line. I liked it as I could carry 2 backs and shoot bw+slides. Using the older A12 style backs you can manually advance the roll while peeping through the back to get proper alignment. I switched to a 24mm ts-e II for my shifting purposes if you're interested its listed in FS.
 

downstairs

New member
I have an Ebony SW45 with the Horseman 6x12 back and a 110mm Super Symmar.
I did a couple of jobs on roll film then switched to Readyloads because they were just simpler and faster. Removing the Horseman back to recompose is an interruption and I tended the shoot the whole roll straight off. Unless you have two roll backs and an assistant to load while you shoot, you will be longing for Readyloads.
 
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