35mm Panoramic Cameras – Real vs. Fake

Yeah a few days ago I broke down and said "Ok, it's time." and bought myself a Horizont, Shipping from the Russian Federation takes a long time, but I'm pretty excited about it, I'm thinking of shooting some Ektachrome through it, should be fun.

Is there a problem getting film developed commercially from a true panoramic camera? Is it possible that they might cut the negatives right in the middle of a shot because of the unusual aspect ratio? How would you go about ordering prints, since panoramic is unlikely to be an option. Obviously, if developing yourself, you have full control over this.

Analogue.

Another way to get high quality pano negatives (with sprockets holes, or for a little more work, without) is to load 35 mm film into a medium format 6×6, 6×7, or 6×9 (or, for the real masochist, 6×12) camera. I've done this (once, so far) with a Mamiya RB67 and 220 film back. I may, at some point, make a film mask to get neat corners and cover the sprocket holes, so my 24×67 frames will look like they're supposed to be that size. Yeah, the camera weighs as much as my Pentax Spotmatic, a flash unit, and three extra lenses — but my Spotmatic can't switch to 6×4.5 or 6×7 by just pushing in the darkslide, unlatching the film back, and latching on a different one. Possibly with a very different film loaded.

Another option is to load 135 film into a medium format camera (using an adapter). Of course composing is a bit of a challenge, but it will generate a true 35mm panoramic image.

Just take two shots, then scan and stitch in lightroom

when i shoot Panoramic pictures i shoot through a huge ex-cinema Anamorphic lens.. and ether correct the stretch in post digitally or on the enlarger with another anamorphic lens

I picked up a Horizon 202 on craigslist a few months ago because it looked so funky and interesting and I love the images it has produced! With the rotating lens, you do get some distortion of the horizontal lines, especially if you're close to your subject, but I am very pleased with the results. I've definitely gotten some funny looks from people when I use it; the rotating component can be pretty jarring if you're not expecting it lol

The Bronica sq-a (and ETRS?) have specific film backs for taking 35mm panoramics

Thank you! Any experience using anamorphic lenses/adapters with a 135 film camera and then scanning and desqueezing the image in software? I rarely see this being done and I've never seen a video on it

You are great

Thanks

Thank you for this!! Subscribed ^__^

Carlton and Metcalfe

Nicely done video. The panoramic format is wonderful. I got into the panoramic format of 6x17cm back in the mid 80s and still shoot with a Linhof now. The cinematic feel of the 3:1 aspect ratio is unmatched by any other photographic experience.

“Fake” panorama has a purpose, first, it lets you frame accordingly, instead of cropping in post, which would still waste image and quality. And it comes from cinema, and it’s the way it has been done forever, and is still being done, spherical widescreen always cuts the image and quality, but you get frame guides for framing.
During the film days, and now with digital sensors, you have a full frame image, that need to be cropped to different aspect ratios for release.

And this is why I LOVE APS film. The only native 16×9 image…. And I sometimes feel no one else has APS love 🙁

i really wish you could help explain how those X-PAN/fuji TX1 CAMERAS could take those panoramic shots with a single lens, or are those lens specifically designed larger than normal 35mm camera lens..

just came here to see if you have your own x-pan! :D:D:D:D i own both spinner 360 and Horizon perfekt and there is a huge different in the way you can control what it's going on. Nice video!

Amazing video as always.
I don't know if I'm the first one but I wanted to say that I'm form Mexico, so you really are going wider

Back in the days of Popular and Modern Photography magazines, I recall reading about Simon Nathan's quest for a wide field camera. Long story short, with the help of a major camera manufacturer in Japan, he created the "Simon/Wide," an-otherwise-4X5 camera that exposed a "6X17cm" strip on 120 film.
http://bucksdigital2.blogspot.com/2013/11/simon-nathan-pioneer-in-panoramics.html
I suspect that is one of the progenitors of the 6X17 panoramic cameras seen today.

I shamelessly enjoy shooting my faux pano p&s. It has cropped framelines and composing is a fun and welcomed challenge. I don't think it's lost on anyone shooting one of these that we're tossing the top and bottom of the film. Mine was $4 so what, a 1000x's less than an XPan? Obviously the negatives won't print as well as an XPan and I would never use it for paid work but realistically, I mean, the experience of shooting a barn door pano cam is extremely similar to shooting one 1000x's more expensive. Furthermore, with the exception of a few slrs towards the end of film slrs, all of these faux pano cams were cheap p&s cameras. It's not like they were being marketed to studio shooters and wedding photographers. They were meant to be cheap and fun. A goal they've succeeded on in my use. Great channel and I look forward to future videos, 😀.

I'm being pedantic, I know, but the widelux, horizont, and perfect, all have rotating lenses, they expose a slit as they move; it isn't just a rotating thing in front of the lens.

Man I found one of these in a second hand shop almost immediately after I finished this video lmao. Safe to say I didn’t pick it up

You can run 35mm through a lot of medium format cameras to get a panorama with sprockets. It's better to do it with a system camera and a 220 back (like the rz/rb67s and such) since it'll hold the film flatter though. People will say just to crop 120 film, but I find that such a waste and I like at least being able to see what the picture looks like with sprockets even if I'm going to crop them out.

If I ever wind up with more money than I know what to do with I want try to try a 6×17 back. Currently when I shoot panoramics I simply crop from a 6×7 image, it's a bit less cost effective than an xpan and not pocketable but I don't have to get a ludicrously expensive camera.

Great video, would love to see more content on 16mm film or even your Bolex, 16mm film is always such an interesting topic.

Wow, this was interesting! I wonder if you could make some modification to a 35mm movie camera to have a wider aspect ratio.

Great video! i dont know why some one would want something like the sprocket rocket tho.

Hey. I have a suggestion. Agfa's rapid film is quite an ambiguous subject for me. I can't seems to find too much information online. Maybe you can help a brother out and make a video about it. Cheers. Love your content as always.