Re: Horizon 202 Questions

[Willem-Jan Markerink <w.j.markerink@xxxxx>]

On 23 Sep 98 at 14:28, Curt Miller,EMW wrote:

> Hi All -
> 
> I've been working with the Horizon 202 for a couple of weeks now and have a
> couple of questions based on this experience:
> 
> 1) How do others rate its overall optical-imaging quality?

I just returned from the Expo in Lissabon with my first session of
real night photography, and with all those tiny lights that is IMO a
pretty good test, and I am very pleased with the results. Never had
anything to complain about daylight photography either.

I once ran a few rolls through a Noblex 135, but the difference is
minimal in my eyes, especially when you consider the price of a
similar featured (slow speed!) 135U....for much more quality than
the 202 you better choose a medium format Noblex 150 (or wait for
the Horizon 205PC early next year).
 
> 2) I've noticed about 2 stops of vignetting or light lost along the upper
> 1/8th of most images as well as some image softness in the same area,
> particularly at apertures wider than f/8, but even at f/11 or f/16 - f/8
> seems to be the "sweet spot" for this lens.  Is this consistent with other's
> experiences?

No, never seen anything like that, and I am completely lost about the 
cause....if it is really the aperture causing this, than the bottom 
1/8 should also be affected, since it is a symmetrical problem.
Did you try slide film, and can you exclude darkroom problems?
 
> 3) If I'm correct about this softness in question #2, does this mean I need
> to limit my imaging so that only sky and very unimportant detail falls into
> this area?  Does that preclude its use for sharp achitectural rendering in
> this zone, for example?

Where did you buy it?
Still have warranty?
 
> 4) What do others feel is the upper limit of enlargement from negatives shot
> with good technique: tripod, slow film and good exposure?

I have had up to 1m wide commercial shots made, for a real estate 
promotion.
 
> I must say I really like this little camera and it accompanies me whether
> I'm out shooting street scenes with a Leica or landscapes with my
> Hasselblads, so it fills a very real imaging need...I just don't want to
> kick myself two years down the road for not having bought a Noblex or
> Roundshot.  I shoot exclusively B&W.

The Roundshot is nice, but far from a carry-always & easy to handhold
camera....I am still eyeballing with a Roundshot 65 for the 70mm
capability, but that one only functions along with a tripod, so it
is nearly impossible to use on my shooting favorite place, ski
slopes high in the mountains.

> Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.  While there are lots of images
> made by the 202 on web pages and specifications for the camera on others,
> there is very little  objective (or subjective) evaluation given this camera
> anywhere I've found.

Did you check my homepage too?....:-))

http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/mainpage.htm

 

--                 
Bye,

Willem-Jan Markerink


      The desire to understand 
is sometimes far less intelligent than
     the inability to understand


<w.j.markerink@xxxxx>
[note: 'a-one' & 'en-el'!]