Difference between revisions of "Panon"

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m (Separated Panon as manufacturer from Widelux as a camera model (as I will be developing a major treatment of that model))
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|image= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/5053288903_283b835334_m.jpg
 
|image_align= right
 
|image_align= right
|image_text= Widelux F7 panorama camera<br>for 35mm film
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|image_text= Premises of the Pano Camera Co. in Tokyo
|image_by= Rachel Rayns
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|image_by= Keita Sato
 
|image_rights= with permission
 
|image_rights= with permission
 
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'''Panon''' Camera Shoko  was a small-scale Japanese camera manufacturer, founded by Shozo Nakayama in 1952. The company is bets known as the maker of the '''Widelux''' [[Panorama camera|panoramic cameras]]. The Widelux, as well as its predecessor the Panon, uses a lens which swivels through a horizontal arc, projecting an image onto a cylindrical film gate.<ref>Movies showing the turret of a Widelux F7 turning at various exposure speeds as seen from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagefutures/5784368662/ camera front] and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagefutures/5784421187  camera back]</ref> The principle is similar to the [[Noblex]] and [[Horizont]] cameras—or for that matter the [[Kodak Panoram]] series, begun in 1899.
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'''Panon''' Camera Shoko  was a small-scale Japanese camera manufacturer, founded by Shozo Nakayama in 1952. The company is bets known as the maker of the '''[[Widelux]]''' [[Panorama camera|panoramic cameras]]. The Widelux, as well as its predecessor the Panon, uses a lens which swivels through a horizontal arc, projecting an image onto a cylindrical film gate.<ref>Movies showing the turret of a Widelux F7 turning at various exposure speeds as seen from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagefutures/5784368662/ camera front] and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagefutures/5784421187  camera back]</ref> The principle is similar to the [[Noblex]] and [[Horizont]] cameras—or for that matter the [[Kodak Panoram]] series, begun in 1899.
 
 
Panon was the name of the company's original 1952 panoramic camera for 120 film. In 1958 the company introduced the Widelux FV which used [[35mm_film |35mm]] film (135), and which underwent various model upgrades (last model F8, ceased production in 2000). The Widelux F-series models were designed for 35mm film, giving horizontal coverage of about 126° and a vertical coverage of 55º (24 x 59mm image size).<ref>A roll that would ordinarily give 36 conventional exposures will yield about 21 panoramic images on the Widelux</ref> Based on serial numbering, it seems that only about 20,000 total 35mm cameras were produced.<ref>[http://manualcamera.info/widelux.htm Widelux serial number data base] at [http://manualcamera.info/ Manual Camera]</ref> In 1987  Panon resumed offering a model for 120 film, the Widelux 1500, but production was ended when the factory suffered a fire in the mid 1990s.<ref>Detailed information on Panon is very hard to come by</ref>
 
  
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Panon was the name of the company's original 1952 panoramic camera for 120 film. In 1958 the company introduced the Widelux FV which used [[35mm_film |35mm]] film (135), and which underwent various model upgrades (last model F8, ceased production in 2000).  In 1987  Panon resumed offering a model for 120 film, the Widelux 1500, but production was ended when the factory suffered a fire in the mid 1990s.<ref>Detailed information on Panon is very hard to come by</ref>
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|image= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4470899990_6455da7977_m.jpg
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|image_text= Widelux 1500 for 120 film
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|image_by= Jean-Luc Elias
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==Product Line==
 
==Product Line==
 
===Panorama Cameras 120 format===
 
===Panorama Cameras 120 format===
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*Widelux 1500 (1980)
 
*Widelux 1500 (1980)
 
*New Widelux 1500 (1987)
 
*New Widelux 1500 (1987)
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===Panorama Cameras 135 format===
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|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/rachelrayns/3255903524/in/pool-camerawiki
|image= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4470899990_6455da7977_m.jpg
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|image= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3428/3255903524_5b1df4a433_m.jpg
 
|image_align= right
 
|image_align= right
|image_text= Widelux 1500 for 120 film
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|image_text= Widelux F7 panorama camera<br>for 35mm film
|image_by= Jean-Luc Elias
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|image_by= Rachel Rayns
 
|image_rights= with permission
 
|image_rights= with permission
 
}}
 
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===Panorama Cameras 135 format===
 
 
* [[Widelux]] FI (prototype?)
 
* [[Widelux]] FI (prototype?)
 
* Widelux FV (1958) with Panon f/2.8 26mm
 
* Widelux FV (1958) with Panon f/2.8 26mm
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==Sample Photos==
 
  
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|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/camehbro/2666486647/in/pool-camerawiki
 
|image= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3049/2666486647_08db886162.jpg
 
|image_align= left
 
|image_text= Widelux: Swans, Lake Burley Griffin Canberra
 
|image_by= Camehbro
 
|image_rights= with permission
 
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{{Flickr_image
 
|image_source= http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagefutures/5775778366/in/pool-camerawiki
 
|image= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5775778366_c4ab80b01b.jpg
 
|image_align= left
 
|image_text= Uneven movement of the lens turret (due to build-up of dust and grime in the gears) <br>results in characteristic banding
 
|image_by= Dirk HR Spennemann
 
|image_rights= with permission
 
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==Notes and References==
 
==Notes and References==
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== Links ==
 
== Links ==
 
Technical details:
 
* [http://www.garloo.com/widelux_fv_images.htm Widelux FV] at [http://www.garloo.com/ www.garloo.com]
 
* Movies showing the turret of a Widelux F7 turning at various exposure speeds as seen from [http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagefutures/5784368662/ camera front] and [http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritagefutures/5784421187  camera back]
 
Tips:
 
* [http://www.jeffbridges.com/widelux.html Tips on operating the Widelux camera] By John Stamets on [http://www.jeffbridges.com/ Jeff Bridges's website] (yes, '''the''' Jeff Bridges)
 
General
 
 
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/パノンカメラ商工  Japanese Wikipedia entry]
 
* [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/パノンカメラ商工  Japanese Wikipedia entry]
 
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotosato/5053288903/ image of (closed-down) workshop] Photo by Keita Sato
 
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotosato/5053288903/ image of (closed-down) workshop] Photo by Keita Sato

Revision as of 04:20, 4 June 2011

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Panon Camera Shoko was a small-scale Japanese camera manufacturer, founded by Shozo Nakayama in 1952. The company is bets known as the maker of the Widelux panoramic cameras. The Widelux, as well as its predecessor the Panon, uses a lens which swivels through a horizontal arc, projecting an image onto a cylindrical film gate.[1] The principle is similar to the Noblex and Horizont cameras—or for that matter the Kodak Panoram series, begun in 1899.

Panon was the name of the company's original 1952 panoramic camera for 120 film. In 1958 the company introduced the Widelux FV which used 35mm film (135), and which underwent various model upgrades (last model F8, ceased production in 2000). In 1987 Panon resumed offering a model for 120 film, the Widelux 1500, but production was ended when the factory suffered a fire in the mid 1990s.[2]

Product Line

Panorama Cameras 120 format

  • Panon Camera 50A (1952)
  • Panon Camera AII (1952, Oct) with Konica Hexanon f/2.8 50mm[3]
  • Panon Camera AIII (1953, Jun) with Panon /2.8 50mm[4]
  • Panon Camera AI (1954)
  • Widelux 1500 (1980)
  • New Widelux 1500 (1987)


Panorama Cameras 135 format

  • Widelux FI (prototype?)
  • Widelux FV (1958) with Panon f/2.8 26mm
  • Widelux FV I(~1964)
  • Widelux F6 (~1970)
  • Widelux F6B (~1970s)
  • Widelux F7 (1979-1988)
  • Widelux F8 (1988–mid 1990s)

Other



Notes and References

  1. Movies showing the turret of a Widelux F7 turning at various exposure speeds as seen from camera front and camera back
  2. Detailed information on Panon is very hard to come by
  3. West Licht Auction 3, Lot 799
  4. Panon Camera AIII at Map camera

Links