C41
Kodak Portra 160
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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The Horseman VH (1980) is a 4×5 press/field camera built by Komamura in Tokyo (the Horseman brand). All-metal body (vs Linhof's aluminum-and-leather), front and rear movements (rise, shift, tilt, swing on both standards), bellows extension to 350 mm, coupled rangefinder for hand-held use. The VH is positioned between the Linhof Master Technika and the simpler Crown Graphic — same press-camera workflow, similar movements, Japanese build quality.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 4x5 format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 160 is a professional C-41 color negative film with fine grain, soft contrast, and natural color.
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Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Labs in our directory that process 4x5 film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
Japanese press camera. Linhof Master Technika at a discount, made in Tokyo by Komamura.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 4×5 |
| Mount | Horseman lensboard |
| Years | 1980–2002 |
| Bellows | 350 mm extension |
| Movements | Front: rise/fall, shift, tilt, swing. Rear: tilt, swing. |
| Build | Aluminum + leather |
| Rangefinder | Coupled (cammed for specific lenses) |
| Weight | 2,400 g |
| Battery | None |
Komamura founded Horseman in 1956. The VH (1980) was their press-camera flagship. A refined VH-R (with mechanical revision to the rangefinder cam system) came later. Production ran until 2002. Horseman also made monorail (L-series), 6×9 roll-film bodies (Convertible), and 6×7 / 6×9 rangefinder bodies — a substantial Japanese LF maker.
For 2026 buyers, the Horseman VH is the cheapest substantial press camera with full movements. Used at $800–1,500 — comparable to a Crown Graphic but with metal body and more refined movements. Trade-off vs Master Technika: the rangefinder cam system is less precise, and the bellows is shorter for telephoto work.
Horseman lensboards (smaller than Linhof Technika boards). Most Schneider, Rodenstock, Fujinon, Nikkor 4×5 lenses fit on Horseman boards. Roll-film backs (Horseman 6×9, 6×12), Polaroid 545i back.
BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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