A few years ago I managed to find the Hasselblad XPan. I was trying to find a shooting style that would help me stand out from the crowd, and the panoramic format appealed to me. I didn't realize it at the time, but this purchase set me on a rather obsessive path of trying to find the best panoramic camera for journalism and editorial work.
While the XPan is probably the most famous body (and rightly so), it's not the only panoramic camera. In fact, in some cases, it's less than ideal.
XPans have a few things that make them the best choice in most situations. First of all, the quality of the lenses is top notch. The optics are on par with some of the highest quality lenses of the era: they're sharp, with high contrast and virtually no chromatic aberration or unwanted flare, even without a lens hood. Secondly, unlike other dedicated 35mm panoramic cameras, the XPan is a rangefinder body, allowing for more precise focusing. Third, the camera allows aperture priority shooting, which allows you to focus on composing your image rather than figuring out the exposure value. In a newsgathering environment, these are very valuable capabilities. After all, you want to be able to work in a hurry.
Marine One lands on the South Lawn, in my X-Pan.
So, where does XPan not work? What camera should I turn to during these times?
Hasselblad and Fujifilm have only released three lenses for the XPan body: 30mm, 45mm and 90mm. I own the last two, but the 30mm is quite expensive and beyond my current budget. For wide angle work I turn to two different bodies: my Widelux FV and some Horizon series cameras. Both the Widelux and the Horizon feature lenses that rotate on a central axis, and the end result is similar to the XPan, but also very different in some key ways. First, XPan is exposed on a flat surface, while Horizon and Widlux have curved film planes. This can result in interesting wide-angle images, but it can also distort the image, especially if you don't take the time to compose your shot correctly, or if you get too close to your subject. They also lack any kind of automation: no light meter , no automatic exposure. The Widelux has a better lens, although the FP is an older model and can be difficult to repair. The Horizon is much cheaper (and still brand new!), but it's a product of Soviet-era engineering. Most modern examples are fine, but the quality control on early models is all over the place.
An improvised press, shot on my Widlux.
When using a rotating lens camera you run the risk of running into banding issues. Banding is uneven exposure when the camera is rotated, causing streaks on the image that cannot be easily fixed in post. They're delicate devices, and there's no manual focus : for anything over six feet, your only option is to close the aperture, which may not be ideal in some settings. But the advantages remain: For wide-angle or creative shots, a rotating lens can do things the XPan can't. I highly recommend you read some of Jeff Bridges's books. He has been on set filming his Widlux for decades and has produced some truly amazing work over the years. I also recommend taking a look at the work of Teru Kuwayama, who brought his Widudelux while working on Afghanistan .
I tend to use Widudelux when there is no physical danger to the camera itself and I want to emphasize image quality. As I said, the camera is over 60 years old and difficult to repair. Bob Watkins of DAG Camera Repair has been servicing mines for many years and does a great job, but he is part of a rapidly shrinking team of technicians able to repair or CLA these bodies. If there is a possibility of physical harm (for example, while covering a protest or anywhere else where there may be physical impact or environmental damage), I bring my Horizon camera. They're relatively sturdy, and if things go pear-shaped, it's more cost-effective to replace them.
Training with Dragon X Capsules
I have also explored other options.Noblex makes a range of rotating lens cameras, both 35mm and medium format, that should be stunning. A few years ago Lomography posted a panorama of Holga that was so impressive that I bring it out from time to time when the mood hits me. If you shoot large format there are many 6x12 to 6x17 adapters, but these adapters are bulky and generally not suitable for the work I do. You can also find any number of panoramic 35mm adapters for medium format cameras, but they suffer from the same problem as large format cameras: they're difficult to replace in the field or in a hurry. They're great for landscapes or some editorial work where you have plenty of time to play around with them, but if you're at a press conference, a large protest, or you're hanging out in the back of a plane in flight, they're too much for me Work.
New York pride, shot on my horizon.
Finally, there are many point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras with panorama capabilities, but it is important to note that these are not the same as the true panorama cameras mentioned above. In most cases, these are just standard 35mm frames cropped to panoramic size: in other words, you're losing a lot of detail. That said, I've had some very good results with the Nikon N70QD. Combined with a sharp lens like the 105mm f/1.4 or 18mm f/2.8, you can capture some interesting and unique photos. As far as I know, there are no dedicated "true" panoramic 35mm SLR cameras, although I have seen some interesting homemade bodies over the years.
To say that journalism and editing work is difficult would be a huge understatement. It's very competitive and there are a lot of underemployed shooters. You have to constantly look for ways to stand out from the crowd. My panoramic work will never replace my digital camera for everyday shooting, but I always have at least one in my camera bag. You never know when it might come in handy.
