Image comparison: Widelux vs. Horizon

ksmattfish · Feb 7, 2005

Recently I borrowed a friend's Horizon 202 and compared it with my Widelux. Here are 2 photos I took. Both were taken handheld within a minute of each other. The day was bright overcast, and the lighting remained even. Exposure was 1/125th @ f/11 on Tri-X. Both rolls were developed in the same batch with Diafine. Both are scanned from the negs, and the scanner settings were the same. In the detail images that follow there has been no PS adjustment from the 1600 dpi neg scan.

Both cameras have bubble levels, but you can see the level in the viewfinder of the Horizon. Notice that the Widelux photo shows more distortion because I wasn't holding the camera level.

Horizon 202

Widelux F6

Horizon 202 detail

Widelux F6 detail

ferny · Feb 7, 2005

Those Horizon cameras look pretty cheap. When I saw a picture of one I thought "ahh, I'll have one of those". Then I saw the price tag. :lol:

Thanks for the photos matt. I like the Widelux better. Even though you say the distortion is because it wasn't level it looks fine to me. Are you sure it's not just down to the lens being different?

terri · Feb 7, 2005

wow! The Widelux certainly shows better detail. I would think having the level in the viewfinder would be a good thing, but bottom line is the Widelux image is superior. Looks a little darker on my monitor, but there's no arguing with the detailed enlargement here. Impressive! The overall tones are clearly different, too.

I see that the statue or marker in the foreground is distorted more in the Widelux. It doesn't bother me, though. I'd trade that for the sharper lens.

Interesting! You must have had fun with this little experiment.

ksmattfish · Feb 7, 2005

ferny said:
Are you sure it's not just down to the lens being different?

It could be, or I may not have stood in exactly the same spot. The difference in the detail in the images could be caused by many things. It could be something that could be dealt with.

Considering that the Horizon goes for half what a Widelux costs, as long as you get one of the good ones, it does a pretty good job.