ULF Swing-Lens Panoramic Cameras?

[Drew Bedo]

Has anyone put together something like a 7x17 panoramic camera?

I mean one of those rigs with a panning lens and a curved film plane.

Anything like that as a pinhole?

[jprofita]

Google Thomas Yanul to see what he did. I would like to build something like this but haven't gotten very far. My biggest concern is how to make a 'simple' swing mechanism for the lens. I posed the question on this forum awhile back. Also, there is a builder in Lithuania that sells on eBay that made some curved film plane 4x10 pinhole cameras. I bought one last year...quite nice and reasonably priced. Good luck!

[Ron in Arcata California]

Here is a photo of my 24" x 60" swing lens camera. It uses a 19 inch dagor. It was built to replicate the 1906 San Francisco panorama by George Lawrence. April 18th 2006 the camera was flown in position with a helicopter because kites like Lawrence used are now illegal to fly over the city.
222036

[Ron in Arcata California]

Another ULF pan camera that is fun is my #16 cirkut. It uses fans to regulate the rotation as shown in the youtube video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LksE-n44HS8

[jon.oman]

Here is a photo of my 24" x 60" swing lens camera. It uses a 19 inch dagor. It was built to replicate the 1906 San Francisco panorama by George Lawrence. April 18th 2006 the camera was flown in position with a helicopter because kites like Lawrence used are now illegal to fly over the city.
222036

It would be nice to see an image made by this camera!

[Richard Wasserman]

It would be nice to see an image made by this camera!

Yes please!!

[jprofita]

I am glad you chimed in, Ron in Alaska/Arcata. I am still interested in a build but other projects got in the way.

[Tin Can]

Very good Ron!

I am in winter process, of first making a 14X36" curved back Pinhole

Then make a Swing Lens same size

No helicopters, Earth Bound, local, Middle USA


Here is a photo of my 24" x 60" swing lens camera. It uses a 19 inch dagor. It was built to replicate the 1906 San Francisco panorama by George Lawrence. April 18th 2006 the camera was flown in position with a helicopter because kites like Lawrence used are now illegal to fly over the city.
222036

[Tin Can]

May as well dump my recent research

Maybe this works
https://www.donttakepictures.com/dtp-blog/2017/9/11/in-motion-darren-samuelsons-great-big-camera

https://www.thephoblographer.com/2018/03/05/john-potter-creating-curve-film-plane-paper-negative-camera/?utm_source=vuukle&utm_medium=emote_recommendations

https://www.etsy.com/listing/210990534/vermeer-6x17-panoramic-curved-plane?ref=pla_sameshop_listing_top-1&frs=1

https://www.etsy.com/listing/227706354/vermeer-6x24-cm-panoramic-curved-plane?gpla=1&gao=1&&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_us_a-art_and_collectibles-photography-other&utm_custom1=_k_CjwKCAiAwKyNBhBfEiwA_mrUMheTEQVq-Q3mHhx4yML01_8tToWfzyRPhBjW_2eBrjpy4mcINIGAFBoCr-QQAvD_BwE_k_&utm_content=go_12573072850_118992184025_507602373725_aud-1118323511678:pla-354151956605_c__227706354_137458484&utm_custom2=12573072850&gclid=CjwKCAiAwKyNBhBfEiwA_mrUMheTEQVq-Q3mHhx4yML01_8tToWfzyRPhBjW_2eBrjpy4mcINIGAFBoCr-QQAvD_BwE

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinhole_camera

[Tin Can]

Thank you

I have a 6X17 Curved Back on order from the man in Lithuania

Thomas Yanul
(http://www.thomasyanul.com/yanulbio.html)

Google Thomas Yanul to see what he did. I would like to build something like this but haven't gotten very far. My biggest concern is how to make a 'simple' swing mechanism for the lens. I posed the question on this forum awhile back. Also, there is a builder in Lithuania that sells on eBay that made some curved film plane 4x10 pinhole cameras. I bought one last year...quite nice and reasonably priced. Good luck!

[europanorama]

from a russian man i learned they made a three-lens short-rotation pan cam with sheetfilm also with back i suspect. no further details.
the idea is good.
someone vergisst on ebay offering 4x10 film-pinhole -film change in bag. he could make 70mm version. but i dont want to change that way.
enough with complicated filmchange with pinhole-scuras.
Kurt Mottweiler i think is working on a new cam.

[Tin Can]

I am sure I can make an adjustable rate swing lens camera with modern toy robot parts

One sheet exposure per outing is fine for me, as I plan to process the 14X 36 inch film and contact print same day

Before getting too deep, I will be shooting 6X17 roll film, 4 exposures with both a flat back camera and a curved back to compare

Long roll Cirkut cameras (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirkut_(camera)) are wonderful, except film IS a huge problem

[Drew Bedo]

Tin Can: Please show us what you do. Toy robot parts? Great!

[Tin Can]

I am still researching

I have bought parts from this excellent source

https://www.pololu.com/category/21/mechanical-components

Go to their free tutorials


Tin Can: Please show us what you do. Toy robot parts? Great!

[Ron in Arcata California]

For the people that wanted to see the image made over SF, here it is. The negative was cropped to the same dimensions of the original Lawrence print. There is a lot more detail in the real image. The exposure was 1/30 second with a 4 second sweep. With a shaking helicopter it did amazingly well.

https://ronkleinphotos.com/sfpan2006aa.jpg

[Roger Thoms]

For the people that wanted to see the image made over SF, here it is. The negative was cropped to the same dimensions of the original Lawrence print. There is a lot more detail in the real image. The exposure was 1/30 second with a 4 second sweep. With a shaking helicopter it did amazingly well.

https://ronkleinphotos.com/sfpan2006aa.jpg

Nice, Pre Sales Force.

Roger

[Drew Bedo]

My privacy settings won'rt let that image come up.

I am not going to dfool with it as our grandchildren are coming over soon.

[Tin Can]

Google says file is unsafe


For the people that wanted to see the image made over SF, here it is. The negative was cropped to the same dimensions of the original Lawrence print. There is a lot more detail in the real image. The exposure was 1/30 second with a 4 second sweep. With a shaking helicopter it did amazingly well.

https://ronkleinphotos.com/sfpan2006aa.jpg

[Roger Thoms]

Yeah, got the same message on Safari, opened it anyway, great image. The San Francisco skyline has really changed since that image was taken.

Roger

[fotopfw]

Oh yes, that is a fantastic image! A great look back in time.

[Ernie W]

Here is a photo of my 24" x 60" swing lens camera. It uses a 19 inch dagor. It was built to replicate the 1906 San Francisco panorama by George Lawrence. April 18th 2006 the camera was flown in position with a helicopter because kites like Lawrence used are now illegal to fly over the city.
222036

Hello Ron,
Can you share any details on your 24" x 60" swing lens camera, especially the swing mechanism, and the way film is loaded and held in place...thanks

[Tin Can]

Another learning source for moving a lens

https://www.jameco.com/z/ANGCLKV1-Wicked-Device-Angular-Clock-Kit-No-Soldering-Required-User-Programmable_2207831.html?trk_msg=K3RK71D12ONKR108RU1K69SE5K&trk_contact=B6VVL5IP4CML5NNJIEN27P8UES&trk_sid=8EDNCISA2OJKUTJFQCUE876AP4&trk_link=HPASQB4MUSD4T81NIBTEUHR798&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Angular+Clock+Kit&utm_campaign=Holiday+Gift+Guide+-+Holiday+2021+-+DS+REACTIVE&utm_content=Holiday+Gift+Guide+-+Holiday+2021+-+DS+REACTIVE

[Drew Bedo]

Hello Ron,
Can you share any details on your 24" x 60" swing lens camera, especially the swing mechanism, and the way film is loaded and held in place...thanks

I too would be interested in how this project came into being. Its got to be about as complex as a DIY/custom LF reflex camera.

[Richard Wasserman]

I remember reading about this project when you first completed it. I was awed and amazed then, and am still awed and amazed now.

[Ron in Arcata California]

Hello Ron,
Can you share any details on your 24" x 60" swing lens camera, especially the swing mechanism, and the way film is loaded and held in place...thanks

I will gladly post more info about the swing lens camera but I need a bunch of time to straighten out my website and reload the info there. It has been more than hectic for me since I was in a bad car accident in Canada. A woman crossed two lanes and smacked me head on. Thirteen broken ribs, punctured lung, broken arm and a pulverized heel have slowed me down a bit. I'm lucky, she lost her 16 year old son.

So for now I am in California as living in Alaska during the winter is almost impossible for my wife and I.

Ron in Alaska/ Ron in Arcata California

[Drew Bedo]

A helicopter ride is like flying in a hardware store paint shaker in my own experience.

If the project could be repeated in a blimp it might result in better sharpness.

Any hope of that?

[h2oman]

As far as example images, there is a guy named David Parker who has used a swing lens panoramic camera extensively. I think each image covers about a 180 degree field of view, so the results are interesting. For a taste, try this gallery of images from his web page:

https://davidparkerphotographer.com/gallery/the-phenomenal-world

I think I saw an interview somewhere in which he tells exactly what camera he uses. Here is an interview, that I don't think contains specifically what camera he uses (I've read it before, but am too busy today to check through it carefully):

https://www.conversations.org/story.php?sid=71

In addition to the strange perspective afforded by an unnaturally wide view, Parker also uses the fact that the camera is panning to do things like insert himself into the landscape in several places, or stand in one place until his shadow is captured, then move out of the image, or insert just his hand and forearm in several places.

I own both books, The Phenomenal World and Myth and Landscape (a combination of images from his Sirens and New Desert Myths portfolios) by him. The latter provides more bang for your buck, but the images can be a bit redundant. The first book has far fewer images and maybe slightly lesser quality printing, but more variety. Every image in it is on the web page, so you could just go with that!

[Tin Can]

h20man

Good source material for 360

However I need to see a 180 of squares and straight lines to gain relative perspective of angles

That's why I am waiting for a 6X17 curve back, with it I will compare 6X17 flat back, I already use


Thank you

[Aquaticadventures]

Scovil also made a large swing lens camera around 1895. It’s an interesting one to research.

[Euphus]

Love this camera, Ron!

[Phil Hudson]

As far as example images, there is a guy named David Parker who has used a swing lens panoramic camera extensively. I think each image covers about a 180 degree field of view, so the results are interesting. For a taste, try this gallery of images from his web page:

https://davidparkerphotographer.com/gallery/the-phenomenal-world

I think I saw an interview somewhere in which he tells exactly what camera he uses. Here is an interview, that I don't think contains specifically what camera he uses (I've read it before, but am too busy today to check through it carefully):

https://www.conversations.org/story.php?sid=71

In addition to the strange perspective afforded by an unnaturally wide view, Parker also uses the fact that the camera is panning to do things like insert himself into the landscape in several places, or stand in one place until his shadow is captured, then move out of the image, or insert just his hand and forearm in several places.

I own both books, The Phenomenal World and Myth and Landscape (a combination of images from his Sirens and New Desert Myths portfolios) by him. The latter provides more bang for your buck, but the images can be a bit redundant. The first book has far fewer images and maybe slightly lesser quality printing, but more variety. Every image in it is on the web page, so you could just go with that!

The camera David Parker used was a Seitz Roundshot using 5” film. He used both 65mm and 90mm lens versions, but mostly 65mm. Very interesting work!