Panoramic camera suggestions

I own a Horizon S3: The weight isn't bad, and as others have mentioned, the finder (with bubble level) is good. I'd expect it to be pretty reliable.

Looks like prices for the Xpan / TX1 are very high right now. Have you considered the alternative of a Mamiya 6 MF + 35mm film adapter? That's a super camera in it's own right.
 
Swift1 said:
Bronica ETRSI with a 135W film back :)


Olds 442 by Colton Allen, on Flickr​
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Colton, I've been interested in the Bronica w/35mm pano back for a while. Seems like a decent, low cost way to get into panoramic. How easy is it to find the pano backs? I see a lot of ETRSi's for sale, but have never seen that back for sale.

Great shot of a great car, by the way. 442's were sweet.

Dale
 
More about cropping the pano image out of the 35mm frame: I use my Nikon SLRs for this. I take the focusing screen out of the camera, and with it on a lightbox, I draw pencil lines on it to mark my safe framing area. I use a 2:1 ratio, but you can use any ratio you like. I use a plastic C-Thru ruler with millimeter scale that won't scratch the screen to measure and to guide the pencil.
 
If the OP is wanting an Xpan and is considering getting a Horizon (or similar), I think it's important to point out that while the 2 are panoramic, they couldn't be more different.
The way that a swing lens camera (Horizon, Widelux) works is very different from the typical rectalinear camera. They definitely have their benefits, but it takes quite a bit to start "seeing" in the way that a swing lens camera sees.
 
Before I got the Moment anamorphic lens, I was seriously considering a panoramic mask with 35mm adapter for the Pentax 67. I would have gotten a 45mm lens for it.
 
Dale D said:
Colton, I've been interested in the Bronica w/35mm pano back for a while. Seems like a decent, low cost way to get into panoramic. How easy is it to find the pano backs? I see a lot of ETRSi's for sale, but have never seen that back for sale.

Great shot of a great car, by the way. 442's were sweet.

Dale
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I see the 135W back for the ETR system quite often on ebay. I think there is one on ebay right now. There aren't inexpensive, but still a bargain compared to an Xpan :)
 
Swift1 said:
If the OP is wanting an Xpan and is considering getting a Horizon (or similar), I think it's important to point out that while the 2 are panoramic, they couldn't be more different.
The way that a swing lens camera (Horizon, Widelux) works is very different from the typical rectalinear camera. They definitely have their benefits, but it takes quite a bit to start "seeing" in the way that a swing lens camera sees.
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Major advantage of the swing lens: doesn't distort heads toward the edges of the frame, better for panoramas with people.
 
Thank you for all your suggestions! I am at the moment ruling out the swing lens panorama cameras, and will look into having something built. Thinking of going with a 90 mm on 6x12.

First off, I'll get a lens and see if it works for me with on the 4x5 I already have, with a converted filmholder.
 
Swift1 said:
I see the 135W back for the ETR system quite often on ebay. I think there is one on ebay right now. There aren't inexpensive, but still a bargain compared to an Xpan :)
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Does anyone know if this back could be used without a camera? Could be interesting for a diy scale or fixed focus camera
 
A cheaper (and wider) way of doing something like that would be with a Mamiya Universal 6x9 back. The automatic back will properly advance 35mm film as it uses a separate roller to measure the films movement and 35mm will properly rotate that roller. You would probably have to unload it in a changing bag but as far as film advance it works fine with 120 to 35mm adapters.

Shawn
 
J enea said:
i was in the same boat as you a few years ago. I kept my eyes and ears open. then 1 day a great fuji g617 came available for a great price and i jumped on it. if your patient you can find what you are looking for. the huge MF shot is far better than any 35mm pano shot. you can get a fuji g617 cheaper than an XPAN. the fuji is built like a tank and has no electric parts, so reliability and repairabilty should be much better than an Xpan
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True, I have used the Fuji of a fried and it's a nice camera. I eventually got myself a Gaoersi 6x17 which is much cheaper and is still a fine camera. Mine can also be used as 6x15 and 6x12. Only downside: This camera is huge an heavy. But this is something which applies to all medium format panorama cameras.
 
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