Widelux F8

Any input on the Widelux F8 camera? I have someone that would like to sell one to me. Any concepts on price, reliability, image quality, etc? Thank you- Jon

My page (in French) about Widelux is at :

http://www.multimania.com/cesarigd/photopmat

Price (in France) 500 $ B+ Reliabilty : good, but not a workhorse

image quality : very good

 

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IMHO : the Widelux is not a LF camera. For all-round pano

photographs, stitching is the way to go now. It still may be of use

for creative pictures and moving subjects. A Widelux 1500 (using 120

roll film) is worth for large prints..

The correct address of my page is :

http://www.multimania.com/cesarigd/photopmat.htm

This contribution is probably too late to assist with your decision,

but I have some general comments. There is very limited first-hand info

out there about Widelux. In part, this is because Panon is no longer

producing the F8. Much of the info circulating is negative--tales of

terrible banding problems, unreliability, etc. However, many of these

stories are being retold and magnified by individuals without direct

experience with Widelux. Consult users and techs before you make up

your mind--there are fanatically dedicated Widelux users out there. The

Widelux banding problems were largely solved with the F8 model, and

most of the pre-F8 cameras are fine with diligent user care and regular

CLA's. You can use a Widelux for journalistic photos that are not

possible to make by stitching. It certainly has limitations, such as

few shutter speeds and slowness of film-loading, but its lens is

superb, it is quiet, it occupies a small space in your kit, and it is a

pleasure to handle. Contact me directly if you want a summary of a

small survey I took of Widelux users and technicians a few months ago.

Good luck!

Since using a Widelux F7 while working for newspapers I have

to say I'm hooked. It is a visually exciting perspective for news

and feature stories -editors love the shape of the pictures.

I bought my own, F7 three years ago . the only mechanical

problems were due to cranking the winder too hard - this can

affect the shape of the body and put everything out of alignment

It cost $US50 to fix including a service and speed adjustment.

 

The lens is superb, the mechanicals need cleaning and

adjustment at least yearly .

My F7 was stolen recently on assignment in Los Angeles but I

have managed to find a good F8 in Sydney so I can put the

Hasselbald away and shoot real panoramas !

Good luck James

Hi James,

Just got an excelent Widelux F8 from www.keh.com last Summer. I'm still learning to use it, now with the help of a Sekonik Studio deluxe L 398 Photometer.

Tell me James are you still happy with your F8?. Please James tell us your experiance during this years. Any need to get the camera serviced, how is the control off the banding issue?.

Thanks in advance.

Regards

Hi Joao,

Sorry to take so long but I have had two more Wideluxes since then, both

stolen. I have just bought another one through EBay for $US600 and it's

unused and almost new. It will be going in for a service before I start using it for work, the light traps are bad so there is fogging between frames, not a big problem. The Widelux is still a money-making machine for me. I do digital panos but they just don't look the same.

Bye Jim McEwan