[HUG] Re: Looking XPan Users

Hi Justin,

I too own a 6x6 hasselblad and a 4x5 camera (Cambo), but the Xpan is
something completely different. I theory you can also shoot panorama's
with your 501 or 4x5 inch, but for me that didn't work. When you put the
viewfinder of the 30mm to your eye, you see different things. The
perspective is so different, that you will create different images. The
funny part for me was that I didn't need a lot of adjustment - like I
did shoot panorama's for a long time but just needed the machine to
capture them.

 

Some relativation: I can imagine that a photographer with a camera
collection like yours, will be dissapointed when he gets a Xpan with the
standard 45 mm. The 30mm with its own separate viewfinder is a vital
part of my positive user experience of the xpan. The downside is that
the 30mm probably will cost you more than the Xpan itself with the
standard lens. 

 

In addition to the printing part; I also use a 4x5 enlarger to enlarge
the xpan negatives. But that means the negatives have to be put between
glass and you end up with a lot of surfaces and even more dust. So I
just prefer my own glassless mask.

 

Regards,

Henk

 

On 25/10/2007, Henk Westerhof <Henk.Westerhof@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Justin,

For me the Xpan is absolutely no gimmick or a JustNiceToHave camera.
When I could spare the money, I bought a new Xpan II with the 45mm
standard lens. Within a few weeks later I could get my hands on a hardly
used 30mm and since that lens is the one I use most. I also have the
90mm to complete the set. 


   Hi Henck! Thanks for replying.. I was getting worried there.. ;-)

   I'm looking for something new.. I own a Hasselblad 501 c/m, an F5 and
a 4x5 camera.. My girlfriend a while back bought me this book on bike
racing (I race bicycles) that was entirely shot with a panoramic camera.
The results were stunning. I think that it would force me to view things
differently which is always good.. But I was concerned that maybe this
pano stuff was a little on the gimmicky side but I am happy to hear you
don't think this is the case. 

         

        About printing; After some testing with different methods, now I
use a home made maskset on my Philips PCS130 enlarger. This is a very
unique enlarger that uses three halogen light sources (red/green/blue),
which you can mix stepless with an electronic unit. The enlarger uses
small and flat (1mm thick) metal plates as masks, so I could make a
24x65 mask very easy. The mask is not perfect, but good enough to hold
the negatives flat and show the complete negative. 
        I also scan negatives and slides on an Epson V700 Photo scanner.
The Epson is able to determine the scanning masks itself, but this won't
work for Xpan negatives. So I have to mask the negatives manually for
the best results. 


 
    Hmm, I'd print traditionally.. This part worries me some. I own a
4x5 enlarger. I guess I'd have to hack something up using a 6x7 neg
carrier ?

    Thanks again

    J
 


-- 
Justin F. Knotzke
jknotzke@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.shampoo.ca

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