Widelux
Encyclopedia
The Widelux is a fully mechanical swing-lens panoramic
camera
first developed in Japan
in 1948, with both 35mm (the F6, F7 and F8 models) and medium-format (1500) models available. The WIDELUX cameras manage this trick because of a 26mm lens pivoting on an axis.
This pivoting lens allows for some special effects not available with traditional cameras.
As of 2006, the current model for 35mm is the F8. There are important differences between the F and 1500 series cameras. The 35mm cameras have a set focus (5 ft to infinity), whereas the 1500 Widelux can focus at any of seven settings. The 35mm cameras have three shutter speeds, 1/15, 1/125 and 1/250 of a second, whereas the 1500 Widelux has shutter speeds of 1/8, 1/60 and 1/125 of a second. The F series cover a 140 degree view, whereas the 1500 series covers a slightly wider area (150 degree view). Finally, the 1500 Widelux, like most other medium format cameras, has a shutter that must be cocked before the camera will fire. The Widelux has been used on some NASA missions for its 140° coverage.
The widelux trademark has still a lot of fans and users: one of them is the actor/photographer Jeff Bridges
who published a book of his panoramic pictures in 2004.
Cameras with similar functions include the Noblex
and Horizon
.
Panoramic photography
Panoramic photography is a technique of photography, using specialized equipment or software, that captures images with elongated fields of view. It is sometimes known as wide format photography. The term has also been applied to a photograph that is cropped to a relatively wide aspect ratio...
camera
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
first developed in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1948, with both 35mm (the F6, F7 and F8 models) and medium-format (1500) models available. The WIDELUX cameras manage this trick because of a 26mm lens pivoting on an axis.
This pivoting lens allows for some special effects not available with traditional cameras.
As of 2006, the current model for 35mm is the F8. There are important differences between the F and 1500 series cameras. The 35mm cameras have a set focus (5 ft to infinity), whereas the 1500 Widelux can focus at any of seven settings. The 35mm cameras have three shutter speeds, 1/15, 1/125 and 1/250 of a second, whereas the 1500 Widelux has shutter speeds of 1/8, 1/60 and 1/125 of a second. The F series cover a 140 degree view, whereas the 1500 series covers a slightly wider area (150 degree view). Finally, the 1500 Widelux, like most other medium format cameras, has a shutter that must be cocked before the camera will fire. The Widelux has been used on some NASA missions for its 140° coverage.
The widelux trademark has still a lot of fans and users: one of them is the actor/photographer Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
who published a book of his panoramic pictures in 2004.
Cameras with similar functions include the Noblex
Noblex
The Noblex is a German made motor-driven swing-lens panoramic camera. There are multiple models of this camera in multiple formats.Cameras with similar functions include the Widelux and Horizon.*...
and Horizon
Horizon (camera)
The Horizon is a mechanical swing-lens panoramic camera. It is manufactured by Krasnogorskiy Zavod in Krasnogorsk, Russia, better-known for their range of Zenit cameras.Cameras with similar functions include the Noblex and Widelux....
.