XPAN or Use my Fuji 670 ?

[Meleica]

I have been bitten by the pano bug. I had a Noblex 150 - but the rotating drum was not for me...I have been looking into the XPAN II....but since I have both a Fuji 670II and Pentax 67 AND I prefer the 1:2.5 pano aspect ( I like prints finished to 8 x 20 inches ), why wouldnt I just use either 67 camera cropped ? The approx 56x66mm negative, when cropped to a 1:2.5 ratio would give me a negative size of 26mm by 66 mm. And since 26mm is a tiny bit more than even the XPAN's 24mm vertical neg....wouldnt I do just as well with the cameras I have ? Is there any fault in my logic ? thanks Dan

 

[Terence T]

Well, for a start, the Xpan is a lot smaller and compact compared to the 2 cameras you mentioned. 35mm film is readily available anywhere, an important factor if you travel a lot. I'm not sure about the lenses for the Fuji 670 but the Hassey and Fujinon lenses for both the xpan and TX are wonderfully sharp and compact as well.

 

[Meleica]

TT - thanks - but in rebuttal, with the Pentax I have a huge range of lenses I can use, I can focus much closer than XPAN and I also end up with both a 6x7 negative and the ability to crop it down to a pan neg.... PLUS I dont have to buy another $ 2000 in camera gear ( XPANII / lens ) :>

 

[Meleica]

PS - since all of the cameras are likely to be used on a tripod - size/weight doesnt matter much to me

 

[kbg32]

TT - thanks - but in rebuttal, with the Pentax I have a huge range of lenses I can use, I can focus much closer than XPAN and I also end up with both a 6x7 negative and the ability to crop it down to a pan neg.... PLUS I dont have to buy another $ 2000 in camera gear ( XPANII / lens ) :>

I have a lot of panoramic gear. I can't help but be an honest photographer. I don't like to crop, plus one is forced to "see" and learn differently when using the actual gear for the format.

You may want to check this auction out - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30059&item=7528601087&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V

Anyway, it seems YOU answered your own question.

Cheers,

Keith

 

[Meleica]

"honest"photographer


what does that mean ?

 

[kbg32]

" I don't like to crop,......."

 

[Doug]

Cropping is dishonest?

 

[Ralf]

Consider how much you are going to use new equipment. Casual, user? - Stick with the Pentax 6/X7.

But if you want to start producing calenders in wide format, requiring a whole bunch of negs, cost effectiveness comes into play. I think you've already said everything that needs to be said, that is, you have a greater range of lenses, and the choice to crop or not to crop.

Just my two bob's worth.

 

[kbg32]

Cropping is dishonest?

I guess one needs to answer that for one's self..............

 

[x-ray]

not dishonest!

not dishonest!

Cropping is dishonest?

Make a viewfinder mask with a fine point sharpie on clear acetate. Make it to size, cut it to fit the viewfinder in the pentax and remove the prism and put it on top of the focusing screen then put the prism back in place. The is an old trick that us commercial guys have used for years. Art directors made acetate masks with the layout scetched on it and we would put it in the viewfinder of our 2-1/4 or on the back of our 4x5 or 8x10. There's nothing dishonest about cropping! Using the 6x7 gives more options than shooting strictly with a pano. If you want the full format you instantly have it and you can take any segment of the frame if you want the crop. You're not loosing any frames just giving your self options. If you really want a serious pano camera invest in a fuji g or GX 617 and lenses or the Linhof 6x12 or 6x17. I have the fuji and absolutely love it.


http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=5045

www.x-rayarts.com

 

[Doug]

Speaking of masks, there's an outfit called Photodiox that makes a matched set of pano masks for the Pentax 67's film gate and viewing screen, often seen as auction listings on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=30059&item=7529382132&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

[tamerlin]

PS - since all of the cameras are likely to be used on a tripod - size/weight doesnt matter much to me

I guess that depends on how far you're willing to carry all that weight and how much other stuff you
need to take with you to get to where you want to shoot 🙂

 

[HenningW]

Another factor is to ask yourself how wide do you want to go? There is nothing like the 30mm Xpan lens for the Pentax. The 35 isn't as wide, and it certainly doesn't have the resolution.

I use various pano formats, from Horizon 202, Noblex 150, Roundshot 220-28, 6x12 on 4x5 with lenses from 35mm on up, and the Xpan system. They are all different, and not interchangeable. Shooting a day with a cropped 6x7 will not, in all likelyhood, produce the same pictures as shooting a day with an Xpan.

Henning

 

[kbg32]

Another factor is to ask yourself how wide do you want to go? There is nothing like the 30mm Xpan lens for the Pentax. The 35 isn't as wide, and it certainly doesn't have the resolution.

I use various pano formats, from Horizon 202, Noblex 150, Roundshot 220-28, 6x12 on 4x5 with lenses from 35mm on up, and the Xpan system. They are all different, and not interchangeable. Shooting a day with a cropped 6x7 will not, in all likelyhood, produce the same pictures as shooting a day with an Xpan.

Henning

Thank you Henning.

Cheers.