Panorascope
The Panorascope is a panoramic stereo camera for 16 mm cine film, made by Parisian company Simda from about 1955. It can use film with either one or both edges perforated; with double-perforated film, the image is 10x20 mm, and with single-perforated, 11x20 mm. A standard roll of film allows 120 stereo pairs, or 240 normal (mono) pictures.[1]
Sylvain Halgand's Collection d'Appareils describes two models of the camera.[2] The first has a pair of fixed-focus 25 mm f/3.5 Roussel Microcolor lenses, and a shutter with speeds 1 - 1/250 second, plus 'B'. It has a reflex viewfinder (a large brilliant finder), using a viewing lens mounted between the taking lenses, and a folding frame finder which erects over the reflex one, on top of the camera. Also on the top is a large advance knob, a frame finder and an accessory shoe. The camera can be set to take single (mono) or stereo pictures.
The second model of the Panorascope is broadly similar.[3] It also has fixed-focus 25 mm f/3.5 lenses, which are now by Angenieux. Instead of the frame finder it has a folding reverse-Galilean finder, with the eyepiece at the back of the camera (probably considerably more convenient to use than the original frame finder). Whereas the first model was finished in black leatherette, the second has two-tone grey covering.
Notes
- ↑ Advertisement for the Panorascope, 1956 at Sylvain Halgand's Collection d'Appareils.
- ↑ Panorascope (extensive notes, with pictures of the first model, at Collection d'Appareils.
- ↑ Panorascope (second model) sold at the May 2007 Westlicht Photographica Auction in Vienna.
