The first frame of my first roll of film for my first photography class was of this bridge at Choate Park in Medway in 1992. Almost every camera, every lens, and even drone were first tested at the spot above. Thirty+ years of photographing this spot, so when I loaded the first roll for film in the Widelux I shared a post about last week, I kept the tradition going.
I scanned the negatives from the test roll I took last week. These were all shot on a Widelux F7 panoramic camera with Kodak Portra 800 film. I am pleased with a few of them. I need to work on thumb placement. The 126-degree range of the lens catches fingers if you hold it as a traditional camera. I lost two frames (I knew it at the time) to improper advancement of the film. You must change the shutter speed before winding the film – I am reminding myself that right now, that is going to be a problem I have again.
Overall I love the camera. It slowed me down and got me thinking about the shot more than I have in years. It is nice to be learning again. It is now loaded with a second roll, this time black and white. The second film camera I added to the collection will debut here soon. That one also had a roll of black and white, and I developed it – by hand. Maybe that is a post for tomorrow. Below are more of the Widelux test roll.
tr/trp
Hi Tim,
The camera needs to be wound FIRST, then the shutter speed changed. Refer to Jeff Bridges comments (https://www.jeffbridges.com/tipsonwidelux):
“There is only one way you can destroy your Widelux, other than dropping it or smashing it, and that is by setting the shutter speed incorrectly.
1. If you want to change the shutter speed (1/15, 1/125, 1/250 sec), do so only after you have advanced the film, which also cocks the shutter. If you change the shutter speed first and then wind the film (cock the shutter), you will eventually destroy your camera.
This very important point is not mentioned in your manual, but it was included on a separate instruction sheet with new cameras. (Note: a few episodes of doing it the wrong way will not hurt the camera.) “.
Regards,