Horseman 23mm f/5.6 HR Digaron-S Lens Unit
Horseman cameras, made by the Komamura Corporation, have long been linked with bigger format film – their bread and butter have always been lightweight 6x9 and large format 4x5 field and technical cameras. However, the company is now well-known for its specialized digital camera solutions. For example, the Horseman VCC Pro is a handheld view camera that works with Canon and Nikon SLRs and allows users to stitch and regulate tilt, swing, shift, fall, and rise movements. The Horseman Axella SX view camera works with a variety of backs, including Canon EF and Nikon Z, Fujifilm X and GFX, Phase One, and Hasselblad. The Horseman LD Pro is an "ultimate view camera" developed for Hasselblad, Mamiya, and Phase One digital back, allowing them to control not only the front and rear movement, but also vertical and horizontal stitching to make extraordinarily high-resolution photos.
Super wide-angle lenses are uncommon because these cameras use large-format technology. The Horseman 23/5.6 Digaron-S is one of the widest medium or large format lenses currently available. The lens is fitted with a normal Copal #0 shutter and is built into a custom focusing assembly because it lacks a helicoid (as do other large format lenses).
It's only compatible with a few Horseman cameras, including the SWD Pro, SWD II Pro, SW612D, and the made-to-order Axella SX-Wide Vision, due to its extremely wide angle of view. Hasselblad, Contax, Mamiya, and other manufacturers offer film and digital backs for these cameras, and the SW612D may employ medium format roll holders ranging from 6x7 to 612 inches.
The 23mm Digaron produces a field of vision equivalent to 15mm in full-frame when combined with a 54x40mm digital sensor. It's a specialty lens, but the lens's combination with the wide range of compatible cameras gives potential that you won't find anywhere else. Although it is a very special lens, the combination of the lens with the many compatible cameras gives you a lot of potentials that you won’t find anywhere else. With its affordable price tag and high-end features, it deserves to be one of the most expensive and most desirable camera lenses.
Cost: $15,620
