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Martin Aislabie
18th July 2019, 05:35 PM
Hi guys

I am wondering about a Horizon S3 panoramic camera.

Does anyone own one or has experience in using one ?

I know panoramic cameras such as this with a 2.75:1 aspect ratio are not for your everyday shots but for specific subjects they offer a unique perspective/viewpoint.

This is of course in addition to all my other cameras and not instead of any one.

Thanks

Martin

skellum
18th July 2019, 06:43 PM
Mine isn't a '3', but I think all versions are pretty similar.
35mm film, rotating lens, controls the exposure by having a variable width slit which the lens peeks through, and two rotation speeds.
Wide slit, slow rotation= 1/2 second exposure.
Narrow slit fast rotation =1/250
Build quality adequate- I almost lost the film wind lever once, as the retaining screws had worked loose.
Built in 'bubble level' visible in the viewfinder to help composition.
Uses 35mm film, but you need an enlarger cable of handling 6x6 as the negs are so wide.
Fixed lens, so not nearly as versatile as an X-Pan, but Panoramic fun for a fraction of the cost.

Positives:
Very striking images. I've sent a couple of these in the print exchanges.
Lens is a cracker. 28mm, and the slit exposure means the lens makes use of just its sharpest central resolution.
Not particularly heavy.
Pretty compact for a camera which delivers 24 x 58mm negs.

Negatives:
Keep it level or the world bends unnaturally!
Viewfinder is a bit of an approximation at the lateral edges of the frame.
You have to master holding it so your fingers don't appear in frame.

Mine sometimes puts a faint pressure line across the frame, and I've never found the cause.
For my enlarger I had to make a negative holder, using an unwanted 35mm half-frame holder.

Good camera to make you see the world a bit differently. I like my Horizon, and really should use it more;
http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/album.php?albumid=452&pictureid=3509

http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/2478

http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/2492

Terry S
19th July 2019, 12:17 PM
I have been tempted to buy one, upon each time I take a look at them, but the one thing that seems to bug me, is that (presuming it to be correct), on the Lomo site, it says that there are NO tripod threads on the bottom of any of the models?

If so, how does one keep the camera steady during a longer than usual (for hand held) exposure?

Skellum = having one yourself, can you advise please?

Terry S

EDIT: I have just looked on ebay and have seen that the later model, the S3 Pro, DOES have a tripod mount! :)

And I'm even more tempted by this model, with various shutter speeds and apertures, which is selling for just under 100 pounds + p/p.

Lostlabours
19th July 2019, 12:25 PM
I toyed with the idea of a Horizon or Noblex a few years ago but came to the conclusion that for my work they weren't suiable. That was after seeing images Sandy King posted on APUG/Photrio.

Then I looked at the 6x17 extension backs for 5x4 cameras but your very limited in what FL lenses you can use, so I went for a dedicatesd 6x17 camera instead and cones for 90mm and 75mm lenses. In fact I only use the 75mm as it's an ideal FL for my uses, normal for 120 in the vertical plane and an excellent wide view in the horizontal plane.

The problem with the Horizons etc is the curvature, the examples above are good because good choice of subject overcomes this disadvantage.

Ian

skellum
19th July 2019, 12:41 PM
Terry, I've had mine for years so it's an older model and definitely has a tripod socket and accepts a threaded cable release.
Comes with dinky filters which clip inside the lens turret.
Yellow, neutral density, and UV (haze).
I butchered the UV filter and made an IR filter by cutting down an Ilford gelatine SFX 200 filter.
It is perfectly usable hand held, but for slow exposures and straight horizons put it on a tripod.
http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/2006

http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/1868

I bought mine new from an Ebay seller called Ustas in the Ukraine. Paid, then didn't hear a word back. I was just starting to think I'd been robbed when it showed up. I'll check what the model numbe ris when I get home.

skellum
19th July 2019, 12:53 PM
Ian-
I agree on the limitations of the Horizon.
Choice of subject matter is important, and keeping it (more or less) level.
My two favourite formats are square, having grown up with it, and Panoramic; I always loved cinema, and was besotted by the dramatic shape of Cinerama and Panavision.
As attractive as a dedicated 'wide' camera is, with the possibility of greater freedom in composition, I can't justify another format. I barely shoot enough to keep my cameras alive as it is. A few years back I was given a book by Colin Prior, featuring his 6x17 colour work (Velvia??). Absolutely outstanding.

Vincent who posts here has done some beautiful work with an X-Pan, some in IR too I think.

For me, the Horizon lets me explore wide composition when I feel in the mood, and was cheap enough that I don't fret about 'underusing' her.

ps- this isn't Horizon, it's Widelux. Another 35mm rotational pano camera. Jeff Bridges don't care about being level

https://www.jeffbridges.com/photoaug13.html

Terry S
19th July 2019, 12:54 PM
Okay, after comparing all of the cameras available, I've gone and ordered one of the S3 Pro's. And there's me sitting here with a Kodak Brownie Cresta 2 camera, with case, that arrived this morning, which I hope to try out over the weekend. :)

As for the S3 Pro, it has a slightly better, for me anyway, range of shutter speeds; it has a tripod socket AND it comes with a case, which none of the others at the same price for different models did.

So, some lucky person should be getting a shot from it's first outing, in a not too distant print exchange, I would think. :)

Terry S

Lostlabours
19th July 2019, 04:33 PM
As attractive as a dedicated 'wide' camera is, with the possibility of greater freedom in composition, I can't justify another format. I barely shoot enough to keep my cameras alive as it is. A few years back I was given a book by Colin Prior, featuring his 6x17 colour work (Velvia??). Absolutely outstanding

I made a 6x7 field camera 3 years ago using some Graflex parts, tracbed, guides, front standard, etc. I'd bought a box of Speed/crown Graphic parts from Paris a few years ago along with a Postacard sized Grfalex SLR.

My plan was build the 6x7 camera first then build a dual format 6x17 and 5x4 camera. I have some plans for the 6x17 back someone posted online and a spare trackbed, guides and front standard, I want a camera with front tilt and rise and fall.

I have a spare Super Graphic front standard and managed to modify itto fit the quater plate Grfalex rails - I was told it was impossible :D That'll give me far more movements than a Pacemaker front standard.

There's another option as I have a Seneca City View 7x5 parts camera, I've made parts so it can use my Wista/Linhof lens boards with it, I'll make sure it can use the same 6x17 roll film back. Needs some fittings making and new bellows.

I do like the 6x17 format :D

http://lostlabours.co.uk/portfolios/portfolio_images/aprodisas_04a.jpg

Ian

Martin Aislabie
20th July 2019, 12:52 PM
Unlike Ian, I do not have a 10x8 enlarger sitting in my darkroom - so a 6x17 back for my 5x4 is out of the question.

In addition at Terry S says at £100 ~ ish, they are as cheap as chips.

The curved film plane gives some interesting (!) effects - not suitable for most subjects - but great for a few.

Its the curved film plane that is the particularly interesting effect to me - the aspect ratio can be achieved with cropping in the darkroom.

Thanks

Martin

Terry S
5th August 2019, 01:51 PM
Okay, after comparing all of the cameras available, I've gone and ordered one of the S3 Pro's.

So, some lucky person should be getting a shot from it's first outing, in a not too distant print exchange, I would think. :)

Terry S
And it arrived about only ten days after ordering it = well done posties all around the world involved in getting it to me! :)

Manky weather outside today, so I'll be in the darkroom this afternoon. But I do have a day off on Wednesday, so if the weather is a bit better, I have my S3 AND my box brownie to try out. It'll then be a high probability that someone will be getting a print from one of the cameras really soon! :)

Terry S

Martin Aislabie
5th August 2019, 03:05 PM
And it arrived about only ten days after ordering it = well done posties all around the world involved in getting it to me! :)

Manky weather outside today, so I'll be in the darkroom this afternoon. But I do have a day off on Wednesday, so if the weather is a bit better, I have my S3 AND my box brownie to try out. It'll then be a high probability that someone will be getting a print from one of the cameras really soon! :)

Terry S

Let us know how you get on with it.

Martin

Terry S
6th August 2019, 11:44 AM
Let us know how you get on with it.

Martin
I will do Martin.

I'm very excited to try out this new format (to me) camera and just looking at the weather forecast for Wednesday, it looks like sun and a bit of cloud all day = ideal for me! :)

Terry S

Terry S
26th August 2019, 01:12 PM
Let us know how you get on with it.

Martin
Well, after having trouble with my (Rodinal) developer NOT developing my first film (I don't think we need to go into that, as that's being discussed on a separate thread), I went out and tried to retrace my steps to take another roll.

So, apart from one frame overlapping slightly = I don't know if that was me or the camera or both(?), the whole film of bracketed exposures came out well! The negatives of the actual exposures taken seem spot on, but I will try printing some of the one stop over and under etc. as well just to see if I prefer one of them = you never know! :)

As expected, pointing the camera up or down, instead of straight on, does give rather a warped view of things, but hey, I might want that effect sometimes?

I took the majority of the film on a tripod, but also took one or two handheld exposures. I did this to see how low a shutter speed I could hand hold before camera shake, as even at 1/250 second exposure, it actually takes longer than that, as it has a rotating lens to expose a larger negative. I suspect 1/250 to be closer to 1/60, but tests will show over time what I can get away with.

So far it's been great fun and it definitely gave me the push to get out and take some pictures of things that suit the new panoramic format. And of course, for only about 125 pounds, including about 25 pounds of that for carriage from Russia, it's a real bargain of a camera, especially as it all (camera, case and odd bits and bobs) appears to be so well made. If you've ever ummed and arred about getting one, now's the time before Lomo takes over and the prices go up! :)

Oh, and attached are a couple of really bad digital compact pictures of two of the negatives held in front of the bathroom window, so they really don't do the camera or film justice. They're there just until the first print swap when its all used on and proper prints start to appear in the galleries.

Terry S

Terry S
29th August 2019, 12:24 PM
I took the majority of the film on a tripod, but also took one or two handheld exposures. I did this to see how low a shutter speed I could hand hold before camera shake, as even at 1/250 second exposure, it actually takes longer than that, as it has a rotating lens to expose a larger negative. I suspect 1/250 to be closer to 1/60, but tests will show over time what I can get away with.

And of course, for only about 125 pounds, including about 25 pounds of that for carriage from Russia, it's a real bargain of a camera... If you've ever ummed and arred about getting one, now's the time before Lomo takes over and the prices go up! :)

Terry S
A quick update. :)

I did a couple of test prints yesterday, which need a little bit of work on the next session = mostly due to a slight over-development of the film with ID11 I think, which has blocked up the highlights even at grade 1 on the paper. Next time I'll try 10% less of the time and see if that helps.

BUT, I'm am quite amazed by how sharp the actual pictures are, right the way across the paper, even on a full negative print of about 16" x 5"-ish.

Also, I have just read about the shutter speeds, on jeffridges.com, where he talks about a similar camera, and he says that, 'By my measurement with a stopwatch, it takes about 2.5 sec. for the camera to pan at the 1/15 sec. setting. Based on that measurement, it should take about 1/3 sec. to pan at 1/125 sec. and 1/6 sec. to pan at 1/250 sec.' So from this I am glad that I took the majority of my pictures on a sturdy tripod, but it will interesting to see how some come out from the handheld ones. In future, I think that I will use a sturdy monopod at the very least.

And as for Lomo, they do sell a couple of models and the one equivalent to mine, they are charging about £289.00 plus p/p for it. Compare this to the one that I bought direct from Russia (or whatever it's called now) for £99.00 plus p/p, and it becomes a real bargain in my eyes. And if I continue to get as much fun out of it as I have recently, it has been money well spent! :)

Terry S

skellum
29th August 2019, 03:58 PM
Hi Terry-
The Horizon has two rotational speeds, Fast and slow.
Slow is almost exactly 5 seconds.
Fast I can't measure, but having watched it a few times I'm guessing it's about 1/2 second.
It produces the different exposures by warying the width of the slit through which light passes. If your using the higher speeds it is still absolutely possible to hand-hold, because although the turret might take half a second to spin round, the light falling on the film is such a narrow slice it is effectively like a faster exposure. I use mine hand-held regularly.
On the slow speed I do use a tripod, because with a five second rotation you could easily introduce some vertical 'wiggle'.
I did see some images made with intentional camera movement during exposure, but can't (of course) find them again to link to. Not really my thing, but if you were looking to experiment I suppose you could rotate the whole camera in the opposite direction to the turret, and produced 'squeezed' lansdcapes with tall skinny people in? Or, wiggle to camera to bend all the straight lines.
Should we have a contest??