New Widelux possibly coming

[gorbas]

Any real update about the project?

 

[mshchem]

Maybe the Widelux, and not a Leica, should then carry the "Dentist's camera" badge?

The old school dentist camera was a Yashica "Dental Eye" macro setup. I could have bought a new Widelux for what I, and my insurance company has spent in the last 3 years on my poor old molars

Anyway, I'm really hopeful for the Widelux project. I would love to have one.

 

[awty]

Not sure why Jeff never did cinematography, he would be excellent at it.....better than most of the current.

 

[Hassasin]

If only the other Jeff put his money into it.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Another video about this. The Silvergrain Classics team being interviewed by Lina Bessonova:

Thank you. One of the few long videos that I took the time to watch the whole thing. I did not know about the background of this resurrection movement.

I have a WideLux F7.

I have mine mounted on a post. When I hold it by the post, my fingers do not get in the photographs. That is much better than holding the camera by the body.

 

[Rayt]

Are these rare cameras? Why not fabricate parts to rebuild/repair existing ones? Where is the market to sustain this project in the long run? Imagine buying a new one and then oops we are facing market challenges and no parts for you?

 

[brbo]

I feel like this project has very low chance of success. On the other hand, Widelux (and its cousins) was never a camera that was produced in large quantities, so maybe bringing back to life the odd ones is indeed more sensible than something like a p&s that always depended on mass production to bring down the price so it was accessible to everyone?

 

[grain elevator]

If only the other Jeff put his money into it.

I think this Jeff has enough money for that and is actually interested in it, whereas the other would optimise his benefit rather than the product. Were all better of with the this Jeff. BTW I just watched d the video posted here and I'm pretty excited as this seems to be real. Exciting times!

 

[Hassasin]

I think this Jeff has enough money for that and is actually interested in it, whereas the other would optimise his benefit rather than the product. Were all better of with the this Jeff. BTW I just watched d the video posted here and I'm pretty excited as this seems to be real. Exciting times!

Jeff the star here has money, but the other Jeff has changed, in case you have not noticed. So have his spending habits since divorce. Whether he gets all the benefits for that kind of spending only he can answer. Regardless, some of his chump change would help any worthy cause, including this one.

But all the best to Bridges, anything of this sort can only be good, even if not ultimately successful.

 

[grain elevator]

Jeff the star here has money, but the other Jeff has changed, in case you have not noticed. So have his spending habits since divorce. Whether he gets all the benefits for that kind of spending only he can answer. Regardless, some of his chump change would help any worthy cause, including this one.

But all the best to Bridges, anything of this sort can only be good, even if not ultimately successful.

No I haven't noticed, I sure hope he spends all his horde on worthy causes.
I still don't follow though, are you saying Jeff Bridges is too poor to fund a widelux reissue? Is this is a billions of dollars project?

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

Are these rare cameras? Why not fabricate parts to rebuild/repair existing ones? Where is the market to sustain this project in the long run? Imagine buying a new one and then oops we are facing market challenges and no parts for you?

It was well covered in the video: all of these cameras have manually filed and adjusted parts, and as such can't be cannibalised as parts donor. However, I have also always struggled to find repairmen that would know how to work with these cameras, and at present time I don't know of anyone left at all.

I own an F8 (just learned from the video that only 1000 are known to exist - did I get it right? - my oh my I now wonder how is it possible at all that I succeeded in putting my hands over one of these!?) and despite being relatively recent I always struggled to have it working properly: frame overlapping issues first (that I had to fix myself as a half dozen professional repairmen proven unable to address them) and now issues with re-engaging the shutter cocking mechanism after a shot, and I really don't know who would possibly be able to fix that.

So I am also looking forward with great interest to this resurrection project. A new camera engineered to work correctly for around 20 years will probably outlast me at this point in time. My main concern is that it will most probably cost so much that only wealthy actors will be able to afford it, but we'll see, you never know.

 

[Sirius Glass]

It was well covered in the video: all of these cameras have manually filed and adjusted parts, and as such can't be cannibalised as parts donor. However, I have also always struggled to find repairmen that would know how to work with these cameras, and at present time I don't know of anyone left at all.

I own an F8 (just learned from the video that only 1000 are known to exist - did I get it right? - my oh my I now wonder how is it possible at all that I succeeded in putting my hands over one of these!?) and despite being relatively recent I always struggled to have it working properly: frame overlapping issues first (that I had to fix myself as a half dozen professional repairmen proven unable to address them) and now issues with re-engaging the shutter cocking mechanism after a shot, and I really don't know who would possibly be able to fix that.

So I am also looking forward with great interest to this resurrection project. A new camera engineered to work correctly for around 20 years will probably outlast me at this point in time. My main concern is that it will most probably cost so much that only wealthy actors will be able to afford it, but we'll see, you never know.

I send my WideLux F7 to Tempe Camera Repair. They do excellent work and cure banding. www.tempecamera.biz/REPAIR_DEPARTMENT_s/17.htm

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

Thanks for the note, but unfortunately a double transoceanic shipment with double postage costs double custom fares and double VAT charge is impracticable.

 

[Hassasin]

Thanks for the note, but of course a double transoceanic shipment with double custom fares and double VAT charge is impracticable.

I believe nothing should be double for a unit that goes somewhere for repair and back to same owner. May require proper documentation, possible tax/duties recovery process afterwards. Cost of repair and shipping will be taxed for sure, but I don't think US side will charge anything on a used gear.

 

[Richard Man]

Jeff Bridges we know, but the "other Jeff"? Are we speaking in code? Are we suppose to know who this other Jeff is?

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

I believe nothing should be double for a unit that goes somewhere for repair and back to same owner. May require proper documentation, possible tax/duties recovery process afterwards. Cost of repair and shipping will be taxed for sure, but I don't think US side will charge anything on a used gear.

Maybe "on paper", but my direct experience on the field tells me otherwise. There is also no "threshold level" as most of these costs are evaluated as a percentage of the value of the good/service and as such will skyrocket the final cost of the item, whichever the base price of it initially was, high or low it doesn't matter it will turn it into a nonsense operation in any case.

 

[MattKing]

Jeff Bridges we know, but the "other Jeff"? Are we speaking in code? Are we suppose to know who this other Jeff is?

I'm guessing that this is a reference to the extremely wealthy Jeff Bezos, of Amazon fame.

 

[Disconnekt]

Jeff Bridges posted a update on his instagram about it, looks like its going to be called "Wideluxx". The website, https://wideluxx.com/, has a signup/newsletter to keep updated with it. Fully mechanical, looks to be released sometime in 2025

 

[mshchem]

Awesome

 

[brbo]

Awsome, indeed!

I must admit I didn't really believe this project would come even this far. Having a fully mechanical swing lens Widelux copy out next year is beyond awesome. Now, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to afford it, but this is very exciting.

 

[Steve Goldstein]

While poking around the web for Widelux info I came across this:

TIPS_ON_WIDELUX — JEFFBRIDGES.COM

www.jeffbridges.com

It's a copy of a list of tips for successful Widelux use written by John Stamets as published in the January 1989 newletter of The International Association of Panoramic Photograpers. Directly under item #2 is the line "You will damage your camera if you don't follow the above three points." But there is no item #3 in the list. Does anyone know what it is/was?

I hope they'll be able to correct #1 and #2 in the new camera so they become non-issues.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Jeff Bridges posted a update on his instagram about it, looks like its going to be called "Wideluxx". The website, https://wideluxx.com/, has a signup/newsletter to keep updated with it. Fully mechanical, looks to be released sometime in 2025

Thank you for posting.

I signed up for updates.

I am waiting as fast as I can.

 

[loccdor]

Could be quite a premium product, I read that it was $4500 in 1989. I think that's about ten grand today.

 

[mshchem]

The machine will be impressive. If it can be produced at a profit and sold for 7 grand or less that would be wonderful. I suspect that the price will need to be high enough that they can keep up with orders.

This will be unique, nothing else analog or digital acts like one of these swing lens very wide angle outfits.

I'm excited.

 

[Arthurwg]

I certainly hope the new one is improved. Aside from the inevitable distortion from the swinging lens design, the original camera often suffered from "banding,"as the revolving lens tended to stick in spots. There was a guy who could repair them, but that was in the distant past.