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Some from The Widelux


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Thanks to the lockdown I've been poking around in forgotten corners of the house, and I came across a packet of negatives, dating back to the mid-1970's. Among them was a series taken at an old country house my wife and I were involved with, early in our marriage. The camera involved was a Widelux FV, owned by the commercial photography company in which I was a partner, and the film appears to be Kodak Ektacolor Type S. I was astonished by the excellent condition of the negatives in their glassine sleeves; colour negative film of this age almost invariably showing signs of deterioration, but these negatives scanned with very little adjustment to the scanner's concept of how they should look. The colour has a decidedly retro look, quite unlike modern digital colour or even the colour rendition of modern film, but I think it has a certain charm, and I'll post some samples below. The negative size is 24mm x 56mm and they were scanned on an Epson V800 using the native Epson software.

 

The Widelux featured quite regularly on the forum years ago, but it's ages since I've seen any mention of it. For those of you unfamiliar with the camera, here's a crude stock photograph of one.

 

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The Widelux was a swing-lens panoramic camera manufactured in Japan by Panon Camera Shoko, first appearing in 1958 and continuing with a progression of models in both 120 and 35mm formats through to 2008. The FV Model appeared in 1959 and had a Panon f/2.8 26mm lens and three shutter speeds, 1/15, 1/125 and 1/250. Focus was fixed, and a spirit level was incorporated to assist in keeping the camera on an even plane. The results display the distortions typical of these and the Noblex and Horizon cameras, but the lens is quite sharp and in the right situations the camera certainly had it's uses. The camera stayed with the company when I left and while I've sometimes toyed with the idea of buying another example, they really are of limited use and sell for quite hefty prices.

 

I hope there's something of interest here for members.

 

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Always wanted one, but never had one. The trouble with panoramic cameras is actually printing the images or even displaying online to the effect they deserve. Very long and very thin makes them disappointingly small online, and the same when printing unless the print is huge. When printed very large so the vertical dimension is considerable they can be wonderful.
Robin Smith
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Beautiful shots, as always from you! Sometimes we forget your talents extend beyond taking the pictures to mastery of the Epson v800 flatbed: these scans from the old pano negs are quite impressive.

 

Even today, wouldn't a Widelux with rotating lens sometimes have advantages over something more modern like a FujiBlad X-Pan? Like not having to deal with a center spot filter?

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Very nice results from the Widelux. I was reminded of those school pictures, where the whole school used to assemble in front of a camera which somehow scanned across the scene. At least one pupil ran behind from one end to the other during the exposure, and so appeared twice in the picture. Or so it's said.
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For some years now, the usual photo printing places will make panoramic prints.

 

There used to be a Kodak disposable panoramic camera, which uses a 24mm lens, for a 12mm x 36mm image.

 

I presume I could put a 24mm lens on an SLR or DSLR, and crop appropriately, but never tried.

 

It seems that Target will do it starting at $2.50, though I don't know the size.

 

Many have printers that print on 4 inch continuous roll paper, and can make a 4x12inch print.

 

It might be that the price is the same as a wider print of the same length, though.

 

Also, it should be pretty easy on an inkjet printer, even better with roll paper.

-- glen

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  • 3 weeks later...
An amazing book shot entirely with a Widelux that may have escaped your attention: "Inside Algeria," by Michael von Graffenried, published by Aperture. The Swiss photographer traveled through Algeria in the 1990s, documenting the social upheaval underway. Amazingly, all the pictures were made surreptitiously, with the camera disguised as a pair of binoculars hanging from a neck strap and shot from the waste. An astonishing accomplishment.
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arthur _gpttschalk said :

An amazing book shot entirely with a Widelux that may have escaped your attention: "Inside Algeria," by Michael von Graffenried

 

Thanks, Arthur, I had come across this book, and shared your amazement and admiration. The actor Jeff Bridges has published two fine volumes featuring his work with the Widelux, "Pictures" and "Pictures Volume 2", each equally impressive in a very different way.

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Very nice shots, and a fascinating look back in time. I had / have a Nikon Pan head just for panoramas - even with that, printing and some assembly required. Now many cameras and editing software will do the same thing. These were always thin on the ground - even though I was in the retail camera business the place I worked never had one in inventory. One of our wealthier customers brought one in - think it is the only time I saw or handled one. Thanks!
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I really wanted some kind of panoramic camera like the Widelux, and your work with it shows why they were so neat.

Thanks.

 

Nowadays, I mostly stitch, although I have accumulated some ultra-wide lenses.

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Rick, the pictures melt my heart. A hint as to location? I doubt Wairarapa.

 

Ah, Tony, spoken like an ex-pat...The location is a fascinating old home named Oruawharo, at Takapau in the southern Hawkes Bay. I felt a tinge of nostalgia when looked again at the images, roads not taken, all that stuff...

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  • 2 weeks later...

Very nice, Rick. I suspect my Widelux & Kodak Panoram images are what you alluded to when you mentioned Widelux posts here in the past.

.

My own Widelux is also an FV, though upgraded to later design spiral bevel gears around 2006. I used mine a lot from purchase in 2006 to 2011. It went down the Blue Ridge Parkway on a motorcycle trip, Route 66 on a Jeep trip with my 12 year old son & me, and 280 miles through Grand Canyon on a raft.

.

On the Grand Canyon trip, it collected sand, and currently is in need of cleaning.

.

I've recently married, and my wife & I shoot weddings together. She's at least my equal with weddings, her college major was art, and she also enjoys shooting film.

.

Relevance:

We shoot weddings on modern dSLR Canons, but I'm about to have my Widelux cleaned and add it to my quiver for weddings. It would seem an ideal arrow for the current rage of photojournalistic style weddings.

.

Attached is one of my own Widelux photos, my older son asleep in my Jeep on the Route 66 trip, July 2007. Enjoy!

 

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doug grosjean said:

Very nice, Rick. I suspect my Widelux & Kodak Panoram images are what you alluded to when you mentioned Widelux posts here in the past.

 

Yes, Doug, it was your pictures taken on the Grand Canyon trip that came to mind. Many of those were beautiful images. Good to know you're still taking photographs!

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