New Widelux possibly coming

[gorbas]

Thats the reason why we founded the company in the city of Bad Kreuznach Germany. Known for more than 100 years for excellent optical industry expertise. And you‘ll be surprised about the thechnological progress in tooling especially when you work with companies in the aerospace field. They can make extremely good metal parts with extrem precision and small production runs.

If I can add small design suggestion, please incorporate water level in the viewfinder as in Horizon's, not just on the body as old Wideluxes. If you do it, I'm buying the new camera.

 

[mshchem]

No it is metal. Parts made by a german aerospace manufacturer.

Best regards

Marwan

That's great, I'm looking forward to receiving my latest copy of Silvergrain Classics. Good luck with the project, I love panoramic cameras. The huge Cirkut prints always fascinate.

 

[warden]

This just popped-up in my Youtube subs.
It looks like there might be a new and improved Widelux coming down the pipeline!
I was watching the Silvergrain Classics short video and they've partnered with famous Widelux aficionado Jeff Bridges and his wife to re-make the famous camera.
They even have some prototype parts on the desk.

Check it out.

Very cool. I look forward to this!

 

[armadsen]

I'm basically on record as saying I'll buy any new film camera someone (whose name is not Leica*) brings to market. I don't own a swing lens panoramic camera, and never have (I do have an Xpan), but I've always been interested in them, and in any case, a new, mechanical camera is so up my alley in general.

(*Not a slight against Leica. My main camera is a Leica MP I purchased brand new, I just don't need another one.)

 

[Lachlan Young]

if Lomography can do it

They came damned close with the Horizon Kompakt - if it had offered variable apertures (something like 4/5.6/8/11 would have been good), it would have been a really close to ideal camera of this type - I think that a 135 format that's set up for 1/125 (or 1/60) shutter speed & a fixed focus lens that gives 4/5.6/8/11 (on the cognisance that the original Widelux was designed in an era of slow Kodachrome) would be really useful - and if really pushing the boat out, a 120 that does 1/60 & 5.6/8/11/16/22, again with fixed focus. And ensure that there are ways to hand-hold the camera without fingers in the frame (the Noblex 150 achieved this).

 

[mshchem]

Reliable, simple, reasonable price

 

[MarkS]

Choose any two of those!
I wish them all the best. Certainly the engineers and developers are aware of the Widelux's ...idiosyncrasies... and will want to improve on that camera's antique design. But it's gonna cost what it costs. Hopefully less than a Silvestri or Alpa... two other specialist cameras made in Europe.

 

[Xylo]

And ensure that there are ways to hand-hold the camera without fingers in the frame (the Noblex 150 achieved this).

I must admit that having a grip on the bottom would be an improvement. But the Widelux Grip does work, so unless you have blown wrists, it's not much of an issue.

 

[Sirius Glass]

They came damned close with the Horizon Kompakt - if it had offered variable apertures (something like 4/5.6/8/11 would have been good), it would have been a really close to ideal camera of this type - I think that a 135 format that's set up for 1/125 (or 1/60) shutter speed & a fixed focus lens that gives 4/5.6/8/11 (on the cognisance that the original Widelux was designed in an era of slow Kodachrome) would be really useful - and if really pushing the boat out, a 120 that does 1/60 & 5.6/8/11/16/22, again with fixed focus. And ensure that there are ways to hand-hold the camera without fingers in the frame (the Noblex 150 achieved this).

I bought a post that mount to the bottom of the WideLux in the tripod mount. That keeps my fingers out of the photographs.

 

[bags27]

I've almost bought one a couple of times, but just seemed to spend my money elsewhere. However.....

 

[mshchem]

I'm quite excited about this project. It will be expensive, that's a given. But if it is exceptional optically and mechanically there huge potential.
Field testing pilot units with real world photographers, close to the manufacturing team, so the engineers, designers, marketing folks have eyes on the test units is the way to proceed, in my experience.
Should be cool.

 

[Roseha]

I bought a post that mount to the bottom of the WideLux in the tripod mount. That keeps my fingers out of the photographs.

I would just use a collapsed table top tripod to keep my fingers out of the way.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I bought a post that mount to the bottom of the WideLux in the tripod mount. That keeps my fingers out of the photographs.

I would just use a collapsed table top tripod to keep my fingers out of the way.

I use fast enough film so that I do not shoot at 1/15 second and so I do not need a tripod or any size.

 

[cayenne]

First:
PLEASE TAKE MY MONEY!!!

Yes, looks like it'll be a kickstarter and I"ll jump on from moment one.
I have an old soviet HorizonT, and it works pretty much about 95%. It bands from time to time, but rarely.
I've had my eye on the widelux....but if a new one comes out, I'll be all in for that!

PLEASE make it fully mechanical...I hate buying film cameras that require a battery. (Think Xpan and how easily one can brick on you given it's age and electronics).

I hope they can reproduce as close as possible to the original...make it fully mechanical...and only "tweak" where modern thoughts or machinery can help.

Again...Please Take My Money!!!

It looks like someone from the project is on this thread? If so, is there a website or email list we can get on to be notified when the kickstarter comes on line?

I don't want to miss this one.

cayenne

 

[mshchem]

I received my latest copy of SGC today. Really pleased by the edition, especially the news of the new film camera. Couldn't have wished for any better champions than those now involved. I have an old Fujica G617, that I treasure. Looking forward to an opportunity to getting a better look at the new pano!
Mike

 

[mshchem]

Has there been any updates on this project that I have missed?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Not that I heard about.

 

[Xylo]

Projects like that can be slow coming. Just think about how long it took The Impossible Project to bring the very first films to market.

 

[europanorama]

They came damned close with the Horizon Kompakt - if it had offered variable apertures (something like 4/5.6/8/11 would have been good), it would have been a really close to ideal camera of this type - I think that a 135 format that's set up for 1/125 (or 1/60) shutter speed & a fixed focus lens that gives 4/5.6/8/11 (on the cognisance that the original Widelux was designed in an era of slow Kodachrome) would be really useful - and if really pushing the boat out, a 120 that does 1/60 & 5.6/8/11/16/22, again with fixed focus. And ensure that there are ways to hand-hold the camera without fingers in the frame (the Noblex 150 achieved this).

Those who praise simple(in reality crap) Horizon compact have zero experience in real rotopancameras. go to my rotatingpancams.net forum then you know why. talked about that endlessly. Horizon S3Pro with Horizon 202-lens and all problems solved.
have read a report by Marco Kröger(if not him who elses should be a camera-expert?) what went wrong with Noblex. good then i had it only for 6 months and already there mistakes happens during production. and with Widelux 1500. better forgetting to buy. only after having tested it deeply. 50mm cam with only 3 exposure times. with non-magnetic filters. yes someone made one. and my repairman has a concept for inscreen-leveller. 50mm lens is decentered. shoot twice one shot upside down from a high building and be critical. below 5m forget sharpness. only nobles able delivering. dont know maybe due to slim slit.
and the other problems with DOF-limits. endless entries in multiples forums by me since decades.
widepan has special nodalpoint correction lenses i had seen on ebay. the same as for horizon 35mm is true also for Widelux 1500. adding dymotape-shim to get better DOF. NB: I have made W1500 DOF-table. will upload asap.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Those who praise simple(in reality crap) Horizon compact have zero experience in real rotopancameras. go to my rotatingpancams.net forum then you know why. talked about that endlessly. Horizon S3Pro with Horizon 202-lens and all problems solved.
have read a report by Marco Kröger(if not him who elses should be a camera-expert?) what went wrong with Noblex. good then i had it only for 6 months and already there mistakes happens during production. and with Widelux 1500. better forgetting to buy. only after having tested it deeply. 50mm cam with only 3 exposure times. with non-magnetic filters. yes someone made one. and my repairman has a concept for inscreen-leveller. 50mm lens is decentered. shoot twice one shot upside down from a high building and be critical. below 5m forget sharpness. only nobles able delivering. dont know maybe due to slim slit.
and the other problems with DOF-limits. endless entries in multiples forums by me since decades.
widepan has special nodalpoint correction lenses i had seen on ebay. the same as for horizon 35mm is true also for Widelux 1500. adding dymotape-shim to get better DOF. NB: I have made W1500 DOF-table. will upload asap.

I was only speaking in terms of the concept - a single shutter speed/ slit width & the lens does not need to be very fast, just well corrected & with adjustable aperture - to listen to your claims that have been obsessively repeated over the years, it would seem that apart from hypothetical cameras in your own mind there are no usable swing lens panoramic cameras. Yet the reality is there are several, all of which have quirks and limitations - none completely fatal, some mildly annoying - but which in all cases seem to have come from trying to offer too many features, thus compromising ultimate reliability. And at a certain point, if someone has consistent operational problems with cameras across a range of different manufacturers, there are serious and fundamental questions that need to be asked of the end user's practices and expectations vs realistically achievable engineering outcomes.

 

[gorbas]

Horizon S3Pro with Horizon 202-lens and all problems solved

I don't remember you posting procedure how to swap lenses from 202 to S3, but remember over the years you bitterly complaining about S3 lenses?
So far with S3 I did not notice any serious flaw with the lens. 202 has WAY better lens than original Horizont. Maybe is time to compare 202 and S3 lens at the same scene?

 

[ic-racer]

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

 

[mshchem]

Charming people!! I really hope this happens. I had a dentist appointment today, they used a swing "lens" (so to speak) X-ray to image a tooth. Very cool!

 

[brbo]

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

 

[Richard Man]

Great news. Looking forward to it!