My last Velvia 50

The Noblex made its way to Sydney and surrounding as well, not that I fly to such an iconic environment equipped only with light leaking pseudo panorama camera from 1938. So, here some results, this was the last Velvia 50 I had. Will it ever come back ?

Yes, thats Australia as well, Nan Tien Temple near Wollongong.

..and of course, on the attempt to shoot the most iconic place at all, the Opera House, the film transport went bezerk .... think there are already enough pictures/panoramas of that anyway.

Beirax goes Panorama Results

Here we are, back from the lab. The results reach about the level of quality I have foreseen. Not breathtaking, but the fun I had was worth the effort.

Some feedback:
1. The whole film is exposed (not a surprise), that eventually gives some kind of artistic touch (maybe).
2. There is big light leak (obviously). Assume its caused by the improperly sealed film count window.
3. There are tremendous scratches on the film, no clue where that comes from.
4. The Beirax works with a 105mm lens and fastest speed of 1/125. Most of the images a blurred. Of course ! These 6x9 cameras were build to create contact prints not enlargements.
5. My selfmade panorama viewfinder does not match correctly. Who would shoot the Sydney Opera without the top in the frame ?! Will do some adjustment shots.

Think will go for another round of this experiment ! With tripod and proper sealing.

Great offer

Thats a great offer ! I found this in the seat pocket on the flight to Sydney. You can use the motion sickness bag to submit you film for print or development ! What happens if I dont feel well AND want to send negatives to them ;-) I assume for both purposes need to seal the bag....

Ken's Gallery

I had a chance to drop his gallery last week. He is running 3 or 4 of them across Viktoria and NSW, this is one is at the Rocks in Sydney, a prime location - no doubt. People are filling up the gallery all the time and the cashier runs like in a supermarket ;-)
As you can see I could not afford more than the free brochure ...not true.... I bought 3 small books. His pictures (the framed versions, not the mousepad, mug, calendar and so on) is pretty pricey. But nevertheless I appreciate his work very much and he created milestones in panorama photography, think he started 15 years before I started to think panoramic. I would not mind meeting him but he is maybe the only celebrity in our panorama business/hobby/craziness and hard to catch.
my 2 cents

PS: Just realized I got a Ken for free. The 3 books came in a glossy paper bag that has 2x 40x10cm panos on front and bag in pretty high resolution. Cut it and paste it on mounting board. Thats it, can add to my panorama museum here.

Panorama ?

Just returned from Australia with a couple of panoramic images as well other panoramic "findings" as you can see on these images. Seems the word panorama is used more often in Australia for all kind of stuff, other than panorama images.

My real panoramic Australia will follow soon.

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.

Ansco Panorama goes Hong Kong

I can t leave out the 1$ panorama camera results from this Hong Kong panoramic series, right ?
Ansco Pix Panorama with ERA 100 bw film.

Roundshot goes Hong Kong too

Yes, the the panoramic outing to Hong Kong with the Seitz Roundshot 28-220, the Noblex 135 and the Ansco Pix Panorama.

Noblex goes Hong Kong

The first visit to Hong Kong this year. I like to explore the city even I came here already 5 times last year. The diversity and sounds and sights are great. Best time to come here, not too cold not too hot. And the Noblex makes her "rounds" with me !

Ansco and Lucky 200

Another set of Anso Pix Panorama pictures from Shanghai using the chinese Lucky 200 colornegative film. Thats pretty grainy, dont think gonna replace my Velvia 50.