Jeff Bridges talks about Widelux Photography

DeadJohn · 10-27-2019, 09:50 PM - **2 Likes**

Jeff Bridges, the actor, released another book of photography. He's doing the talk show circuit promoting it. I heard about the Widelux before but I never saw it in operation before this video.

In case the link doesn't work correctly for you, the photo talk starts 1:30 in. Jeff Bridges on Meeting Snoop Dogg, Turning 70 & Photography - YouTube

stevebrot · 10-27-2019, 10:03 PM

Love the inflatable guys!

Steve

veato · 10-28-2019, 04:06 AM

Is the Widelux similar to the Lomography Horizon cameras?

taktoon · 10-28-2019, 05:21 AM

Where is my money?!

photoptimist · 10-28-2019, 07:44 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by veato

Is the Widelux similar to the Lomography Horizon cameras?

Yes, both cameras use the same principle. They both have a scanning slit, a simple wide angle lens, and a curved film plane. The lens-slit assembly rotates fairly slowly during the shot to scan the scene horizontally which can produce artifacts with moving subjects.

The image geometry is a bit unusual -- rectilinear in the vertical direction but a bit fishy in the horizontal direction. Straight, vertical objects (trees, buildings, telephone poles, people, etc.) in the scene remain straight, vertical objects in the image. However, straight horizontal objects in the scene (streets, rivers, horizons, etc.) become curved in the image if they are not centered in the image.

The overall result can be quite nice with a vanishing point effect on both sides of the image and none of the stretching distortion of a fully rectilinear UWA (which makes people look so fat on the left-right edges of a typical UWA image).

stevebrot · 10-28-2019, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by veato

Is the Widelux similar to the Lomography Horizon cameras?

Yes, though a Widelux or a Noblex would likely be better made.

Steve

**travelswsage** · 10-28-2019, 07:55 AM

It's funny he mentions it breaking all the time -- I remember when these were popular that was always the build quality was always the big knock on them. Fun post and thanks for the explanation photoptimist.

veato · 10-28-2019, 08:14 AM

I think the Horizon cameras are reasonably well made as they aren't manufactured by Lomography out of cardboard - as seems to be the case with a lot of tat they sell. KMZ (Zenit) make them.

10-27-2019, 09:50 PM - 2 Likes	#1
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	Jeff Bridges talks about Widelux Photography Jeff Bridges, the actor, released another book of photography. He's doing the talk show circuit promoting it. I heard about the Widelux before but I never saw it in operation before this video. In case the link doesn't work correctly for you, the photo talk starts 1:30 in. Jeff Bridges on Meeting Snoop Dogg, Turning 70 & Photography - YouTube

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10-27-2019, 10:03 PM	#2
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Love the inflatable guys! Steve

10-28-2019, 04:06 AM	#3
veato Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Nottingham Posts: 543	Is the Widelux similar to the Lomography Horizon cameras?

10-28-2019, 05:21 AM	#4
taktoon Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 605	Where is my money?!

10-28-2019, 07:44 AM - 1 Like	#5
photoptimist Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 5,128	Originally posted by veato Is the Widelux similar to the Lomography Horizon cameras? Yes, both cameras use the same principle. They both have a scanning slit, a simple wide angle lens, and a curved film plane. The lens-slit assembly rotates fairly slowly during the shot to scan the scene horizontally which can produce artifacts with moving subjects. The image geometry is a bit unusual -- rectilinear in the vertical direction but a bit fishy in the horizontal direction. Straight, vertical objects (trees, buildings, telephone poles, people, etc.) in the scene remain straight, vertical objects in the image. However, straight horizontal objects in the scene (streets, rivers, horizons, etc.) become curved in the image if they are not centered in the image. The overall result can be quite nice with a vanishing point effect on both sides of the image and none of the stretching distortion of a fully rectilinear UWA (which makes people look so fat on the left-right edges of a typical UWA image).

10-28-2019, 07:54 AM	#6
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by veato Is the Widelux similar to the Lomography Horizon cameras? Yes, though a Widelux or a Noblex would likely be better made. Steve

10-28-2019, 07:55 AM	#7
travelswsage Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2016 Posts: 385	It's funny he mentions it breaking all the time -- I remember when these were popular that was always the build quality was always the big knock on them. Fun post and thanks for the explanation photoptimist.

10-28-2019, 08:14 AM	#8
veato Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Nottingham Posts: 543	I think the Horizon cameras are reasonably well made as they aren't manufactured by Lomography out of cardboard - as seems to be the case with a lot of tat they sell. KMZ (Zenit) make them.