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.

Agfa Isoly III

I call it the Isoly Deluxe because it comes with aperture f3.9 to 22 and 1/30 to 1/250 (plus B) which is quite luxurious in comparison with the standard Isoly's which comes with f11 and 8 plus 1/100 or 1/30s. The Isoly is using 120 film and exposes 4x4 cm (1,5x1,5").

Isoly III with Agfa RSXII 200 slide (greece)I dont want to spare you from the wonderful manual of the camera in english and german language !

Supersampler Panorama

In my quest on collecting panorama cameras I came across the Supersampler panorama camera from the Lomo hype company. Its a piece of plastic that shoots 4 panorama shaped images on 1! piece of 35mm 24x36 frame. And it comes for the hefty price of 40 to 50 U$ ! Excuse me ? I always thought lomography is a photographic artform not a trademark, but after further investigation I found out that "lomography" is a trademark by an austrian company that bought it from Russia. Nope. Not with me, I will not follow this plastic hype, but create my own style of cheap cameras with a certain art style. I will update you on that.
PS: I bought the supersampler on ebay for an "ok" price to get the collection complete !

With the Ansco and ERA in: Shanghai

During my last trip I explored the very basics of panorama photography. Using the chinese bw film ERA in a Ansco plastic panorama camera with fix 1/125, f11 and fix focus. I used occasionally my lightmeter, I must admit that trains your light sensitivity ! The camera is handy, almost zero weight. I paid more for the development of this film than for the film and the camera together !

This is not about fancying cameras or trash photography. Its about seeing !
My 2 cents for today.

Shanghai 4x5 black and white film

During my second visit within 4 weeks to Shanghai, I decided to hunt for the bw film brand i only heard of before: "Shanghai". Same location, "Xing Guang Photographic Center". I found a shop only selling large format equipment - How do they survice ? - having stock of these brand. I bought 2 boxes, 80 RMB each (about 8 Euros), each box contains 48 sheets. Also get another four 4x5 film holder. Next weekend will do some test shots and enlighten you with the results.

Shen Hao GJ 4x5

The latest addition to my collection, a large format field camera (4x5 inch) from the chinese manufacturer Shen Hao (see link). I bought it used with a Nikon W 210mm/5,6. Seems this model is no longer available. My treasure shows some traces of use but after using some wood wax and brass polish, its a pleasure to use and look at.
Next satruday I will source for "Shanghai 4x5 film" in Shanghai. A local contact told me the price for one box with 50 sheets is 80 RMB. Lets see. As soon I am able to use it I will update you with some stunning large slides.

Panorama Camera Collection: Ansco Pix Panorama

Latest addition to my panorama camera collection. Maybe the cheapest, I bought for 1U$ and got it shipped for another 10U$ !The Ansco Panorama camera, a piece of plastic from the pre-Holga era, with fix focus, 1/125 and f11 exposure uses 135 film and mask to 13 x 36mm. This specific model was packaged by the Outdoor Company. Ansco does not exist any longer, the factory was torn down around 2001. This camera was made in China anyway, from some recherches in the web it seems Haking Ltd in Hong Kong bought once the name for the consumer market products.

Will dont spare you from experiencing some Ansco panoramics soon.

More info: The old company Ansco does not not exist anymore (see link Ansco Chronolgy by William L. Camp), also the name is no longer used for an actual product. The HP 122 (see link at Haking website) still looks a bit like the Pix Panorama !

You are looking for the manual ? Check this: