Panorama Workshop (alias Beirax goes Panorama)

Today we look for a non-destructive way to convert the Beirax (Beier) 6x9 from 1938 to convert into a 135 Panorama camera. All we need is some double-sided sticky tape and hot-glue.

Preparation: We prepare an empty 120 film roll width 2 pieces of cut plastic providing the with of 135 film, Hot glue comes handy since it dries fast and is pretty hard.

1) Use the new converted roll for the loaded film, the glued plastic gives some guidance.
2) Load the film in the middle, anything like crushed paper can be used as distance piece.
3) You must find out with a test film, how many turns are required to forward after each shot to the next frame without overlapping (since there is no visual control or counter).
4) The film size: 90x24mm (aspect ratio 3,75)
5) Use some black cardboard to create an estimation of a panoramic viewfinder.
6) Dont forget to tape something over the 120 counter window !

Have fun with your new old panorama camera ! In principle this works with all kinds of old 6x9 cameras, e.g. like the Billy Record. It would be possible to create a mask to avoid exposing on the holes and eventually create a more flat film.

Dont sue me if you screw your collectible vintage cam ;-)
Over and Out, on the way to Sydney now for 8 days. When I am back I will post some results.

Panorama Camera Collection: Supersampler Panorama

Finally I got one piece of this horrible plastic junk that I recently was writing about from the famous LO.. company. Plastic body, plastic lens, .. all packed in a plastic box with a hip booklet.
You buy for about 40..50 U$, they produce it for maybe less than 1U$. Probably the booklet is worth more. I bought to complete my panorama camera collection, so far used one film, I dont spare you with a test shot of sub-miniature panoramas of 9x12mm each. (It shoots 4 panoramas in 0,2s or 2s using some kind of spring mechanism.)

Panoramic Singapore

Busy with some other panoramic projects, I thought its about time to browse through the archive and publish some more panoramas about Singapore before running away to Australia next week. Even its getting harder to refresh the photographic eye in Singapore, the place keeps on changing and Singapore has a specific taste that can be transported in panoramas.

Digital World

This blog is about classic panorama photography, in other means anything that produces a panoramic image on film, from 1$ cameras to a 2000$ flatbacks or rotational camera and even converted cameras. But I live in a digital world as well and create digital panoramas that are stitched or made with a digital panorama camera. I share some of this at the panoramaxl blog in case you want to stop by there.

Trash Camera

I cant spare you with latest addition of ebay treasures for 1 Euro ! (Seems its made for the spanish market) This wonderful piece of plastic crap which is praised in the highest words on the box. Please enjoy the following pictures of the camera. Sorry, I cant show you results because I couldnt make it work, the shutter is the only part of the camera which is not loose or or moving. You want to find out more about this photoequipment trash ? Google for "Canomatic" or "Canonmatic".

Full plastic, even the lens and the built-in lens protection.

"Red-eye protection" by a permanent red blinking LED ! Effect: Zero !
"New japanese lens" - great ! a newpiece of plastic !
'Focus Free" - Wonderful, no more problems with expensive Autofocus lenses.
"Case" - The only thing worth 1 Euro.
"Color Viewfinder" - Bloody Hell, its a film camera, you wouldnt find a bw viewfinder in it !
Can you explain to me what the lady is doing on the manual drawings ? Aerobics with the camera ? Maybe the only thing you can do with it.
I am considering some serious free fall tests with the camera and keeping the smelly bag alias "Free Case" ;-)
Think only Alfred E. Neumann would choose and buy this camera.

Mystic Beach

The mystic beach of Pulau Ubin, facing Malaysia a long fence protects the beach (?) from any swimming intruder. A strange feeling, at the seaside your experience always this relaxing and calming thing, but this fence rather creates a strange atmosphere.
Done with the Roundshot and Tmax 100. With some practice can use the beast without a tripod.
Besides the fence, Pulau Ubin is my favorite spot to hang out in Singapore, still slower and more laid back than the main island.

Billy Record goes Panorama

I recently had the idea to load 135 film intp the Billy Record I (1951). That would produce a panorama with 24 x 90mm negative size, a dramatic 1:3.75 aspect ratio ! So I taped the small window on the back and put the 135 roll in between some tissue paper roughly in the middle. A first experimental test setup.

The result you see above. I am more than happy with quality, I just need to find a way to keep the film in the middle and the film forwarding needs some manual counting approach. After finetuning the whole process I will upload a more detailed instruction.