I have the Holga wide pinhole and I have a few Zeiss Ikon cameras. Holgas are nice and light but the Zeiss Ikons- my Dad had one that I use to play with. I couldn’t remember the name and my Mum said it was German and that he got it in the 1950s in my Nan’s catalogue. It did take 6.45cm square pictures. I did research and found that some of of the 6x7 ones had masks in to do different sizes. So for me the Zeiss Ikon has a special place in my heart.
that's awesome. i can appreciate the history behind these items. i'm only discovering them now but love the fact that they enabled so many in the past to capture great images.
Hint for a digital Xpan alternative... ...try the “Sigma DP0 quattro” - you can get this Cam for ~€700,- brand new and you can shoot it in 21:9 frame ratio ooc. I sold my Xpan instead and never regret...greez Midge
@@BrotherMidge There is a youtube video on the Sigma with the Aspect ratio. They guy picked up the camera for cheap as it was a dogs chew toy. Images look pretty cool. You can do some cool things with the Sigmas like taking off the filter and you have infra-red camera as well. Not seen any panorama infrared shots before.
Three years later, because of the resurgence in analog photography I guess, the Bronica 135W backs have gone up in price about 50%. Currently US$800-900 on eBay. I was lucky, I started using the Bronica in 1991, and my lovely wife gave me one of the 135W backs for Christmas that year. It was the only thing on my list, and I'm sure it was a sacrifice, as even back then, a new one was about $300, and we were pretty poor. Now, there are other options, like the Fujifilm medium format panorama cameras (6x9, 6x12, and 6x17) , and panorama backs for large format cameras (4x5"), but they are also very expensive, although still not as much as a Hasselblad.
i use the chepo veersion for the etrsi and just load 35mm film in a regular back. you can trick the camera with the double exposure function to cover a whole 135 film :)
@@ribsy i clipped 120 spools so that they extend the 135 film capsule, and use a 120 spool as takeup. After the camera frees the counter at the 15th frame, i dont wind till the end, but just one frame (by guess) then i hit the double exposure and take a photo, after that i exit double exposure and wind to the next frame, hit double exposure again and so on. i guesstimated that one frame is 3/4 of a turn of the knob on the film back :) I had a ton of 135 film and didnt want to spend the money on a 135 back, although i would LOVE to have the W back, but my whole outfit was 190€ so 450 for a back .. i would rather buy a zeiss super ikonta for that kind of money :)
I rigged one of my ETRS 220 backs to capture a panoramic image similar to the same proportions of an Xpan, but on 120. Engaged the multi exposure lever and locked in the wind pin on the back. I use the magazine crank to go 10 steps and that gets me evenly spaced images on 120, but I get about 26! Sounds crazy but it’s fairly easy to do.
@@ribsy It's pretty neat, the only thing that you need for that type of photography is some kind of mask to put on the viewing glass. I cut mine from a black cardboard, had to measure couple of things but it's alright :) It's super helpful for composing the shot
Hello there Great video. I have a relatively cheap suggestion for a panaroma camera. The Russian Horizon Perfect. A super simple panorama camera and also relatively cheap. Take a look at them. Greetings from Bavaria / Germany
I have Holga wpc120 using 6x12 and Fuji GW690 adapter for 35mm (make a black card with central 8.5 mm hight rectangle hole in the middle view finder attached)
I use a Lomography BelAir X 6-12 - as pocketable as the Nettar, plus offers many features of a modern camera plus has two lens choices (90mm and 60mm). I have not tried it with 35mm film yet but 120 negs were nice. So it's time for some 24x120 negs ;-)
@@ribsy Hey Ribsy, I got one of the "limited edition" BelAir's, all in the original package, plus one of the Russian made glass lenses. I am not sure it works properly anymore though, I gotta check with fresh batteries. I've used the camera only a few times and here's why: the back holding the film does not have a pressure plate and the take up spool cannot create enough tension to hold the film flat enough. I've tried various hacks (to create more tension on the film), with little success. It's nearly impossible to get sharp images with this camera - completely defeating the purpose of shooting such large medium format frames. You would probably get better images with a low grain 35mm frame, cropping in to the same aspect ratio. Yes, it's that bad. This camera was the last thing I bought from Lomography. It was such a disappointment and waste of money. It's trash.
I am liking the Bronica option because it is the closest to actually an Xpan. I bought my Xpan nearly 15 years ago so it was more affordable then and with that told there are no options that can replicate or replace the Xpan and the experience using it.
Doing Film Things Widelux is very expensive but not expensive as the XPan. If you look at Jeff Bridges he has done two books of him using a Widelux when filming. Films like Tron. Worth a look. He even took it on an interview as he goes everywhere with his widelux!
@@ribsy You still have to buy film plus you would have the 6x6 negatives I made a mask for my mamiya C33 so I could compose the picture I'm retired and can't afford the expense of the adapters plus you buy the film over time.
I have the Holga wide pinhole and I have a few Zeiss Ikon cameras. Holgas are nice and light but the Zeiss Ikons- my Dad had one that I use to play with. I couldn’t remember the name and my Mum said it was German and that he got it in the 1950s in my Nan’s catalogue. It did take 6.45cm square pictures. I did research and found that some of of the 6x7 ones had masks in to do different sizes. So for me the Zeiss Ikon has a special place in my heart.
that's awesome. i can appreciate the history behind these items. i'm only discovering them now but love the fact that they enabled so many in the past to capture great images.
I had no idea about the bronica! I'm going to have to keep my eyes peeled for some deals!
Yea it’s def worth checking!
Good Video..! Awesome info. on Panoramic cameras.. I think , I will get a Zeiss Ikon, due to your reviews.. Muchos gracias !
Great! That’s a good choice - it’s not ideal per se, but it’s a lot of fun
Ive modify a Hasse magazine for panos. Widelux ,Horizon perfect , Mamiya 7 pano ,are my options.
Nice!
Hint for a digital Xpan alternative...
...try the “Sigma DP0 quattro” - you can get this Cam for ~€700,- brand new and you can shoot it in 21:9 frame ratio ooc. I sold my Xpan instead and never regret...greez Midge
very interesting! gonna do some research - thanks for sharing
Ribs Doing Film Things you’re welcome!
Good article to start....www.snowhenge.net/pblog/the_digital_xpan_by_sigma
BR
Marcell
@@BrotherMidge There is a youtube video on the Sigma with the Aspect ratio. They guy picked up the camera for cheap as it was a dogs chew toy. Images look pretty cool. You can do some cool things with the Sigmas like taking off the filter and you have infra-red camera as well. Not seen any panorama infrared shots before.
Three years later, because of the resurgence in analog photography I guess, the Bronica 135W backs have gone up in price about 50%. Currently US$800-900 on eBay. I was lucky, I started using the Bronica in 1991, and my lovely wife gave me one of the 135W backs for Christmas that year. It was the only thing on my list, and I'm sure it was a sacrifice, as even back then, a new one was about $300, and we were pretty poor. Now, there are other options, like the Fujifilm medium format panorama cameras (6x9, 6x12, and 6x17) , and panorama backs for large format cameras (4x5"), but they are also very expensive, although still not as much as a Hasselblad.
amazing! cool that you've had one so long
i use the chepo veersion for the etrsi and just load 35mm film in a regular back. you can trick the camera with the double exposure function to cover a whole 135 film :)
oh that is very interesting - didn't think about that. how does that work?
@@ribsy i clipped 120 spools so that they extend the 135 film capsule, and use a 120 spool as takeup.
After the camera frees the counter at the 15th frame, i dont wind till the end, but just one frame (by guess) then i hit the double exposure and take a photo, after that i exit double exposure and wind to the next frame, hit double exposure again and so on.
i guesstimated that one frame is 3/4 of a turn of the knob on the film back :)
I had a ton of 135 film and didnt want to spend the money on a 135 back, although i would LOVE to have the W back, but my whole outfit was 190€ so 450 for a back ..
i would rather buy a zeiss super ikonta for that kind of money :)
@@inevitablecraftslab someone should just 3D print a new 135 back!
@@slightlynuts I managed to mod a 135N back to function as a 135W back a few months ago. If you are interested, its on my channel
I rigged one of my ETRS 220 backs to capture a panoramic image similar to the same proportions of an Xpan, but on 120. Engaged the multi exposure lever and locked in the wind pin on the back. I use the magazine crank to go 10 steps and that gets me evenly spaced images on 120, but I get about 26! Sounds crazy but it’s fairly easy to do.
Oh interesting. That’s pretty cool
I use Mamiya RZ67 with 3d printed adapters C:
ahh yes, ive heard about this. how'd it go?
@@ribsy It's pretty neat, the only thing that you need for that type of photography is some kind of mask to put on the viewing glass. I cut mine from a black cardboard, had to measure couple of things but it's alright :) It's super helpful for composing the shot
Hello there
Great video. I have a relatively cheap suggestion for a panaroma camera. The Russian Horizon Perfect. A super simple panorama camera and also relatively cheap. Take a look at them. Greetings from Bavaria / Germany
thanks! yea ive heard of those cameras. have never tried one tho!
As an alternative to the Xpan, I bought a Mamiya Universal with a 6x9 back and a 50mm lens. Cheap, when compared to the Xpan.
yea for sure!
I have Holga wpc120 using 6x12 and Fuji GW690 adapter for 35mm (make a black card with central 8.5 mm hight rectangle hole in the middle view finder attached)
oh yea! good call - i think i've seen something like that before
I use a Lomography BelAir X 6-12 - as pocketable as the Nettar, plus offers many features of a modern camera plus has two lens choices (90mm and 60mm). I have not tried it with 35mm film yet but 120 negs were nice. So it's time for some 24x120 negs ;-)
hey! yea, ive looked into that as well. the belair is quite interesting and funky
@@ribsy Hey Ribsy, I got one of the "limited edition" BelAir's, all in the original package, plus one of the Russian made glass lenses. I am not sure it works properly anymore though, I gotta check with fresh batteries.
I've used the camera only a few times and here's why: the back holding the film does not have a pressure plate and the take up spool cannot create enough tension to hold the film flat enough. I've tried various hacks (to create more tension on the film), with little success. It's nearly impossible to get sharp images with this camera - completely defeating the purpose of shooting such large medium format frames. You would probably get better images with a low grain 35mm frame, cropping in to the same aspect ratio. Yes, it's that bad.
This camera was the last thing I bought from Lomography. It was such a disappointment and waste of money. It's trash.
Bronica as my first choice..... After winning the lottery!! And most definitely the Netar...... A gorgeous camera :-)
hahah yea sometimes i wonder what cameras i'd buy if i won the lotto ... xpan for sure lol
hahah yea sometimes i wonder what cameras i'd buy if i won the lotto ... xpan for sure lol
I am liking the Bronica option because it is the closest to actually an Xpan. I bought my Xpan nearly 15 years ago so it was more affordable then and with that told there are no options that can replicate or replace the Xpan and the experience using it.
yea the bronica is clutch
what about swing-lens panoramic like the Widelux or Horizont.
hey! i've never tried one of those but i hear they are a lot of fun
Doing Film Things Widelux is very expensive but not expensive as the XPan. If you look at Jeff Bridges he has done two books of him using a Widelux when filming. Films like Tron. Worth a look. He even took it on an interview as he goes everywhere with his widelux!
Great video man, very well done!
Thanks for watching!
I would choose Pentax 6x7!
haha yea! Can’t go wrong with that
Couldn't you simply crop a 6x6 negative to the 35 mm ratio?
Yea but that’s a lot of wasted film
@@ribsy
You still have to buy film plus you would have the 6x6 negatives I made a mask for my mamiya C33 so I could compose the picture I'm retired and can't afford the expense of the adapters plus you buy the film over time.