CAMERA & DARKROOM c A dhe Wo Standsiter Versatile” The V-PAN 617 Panoramic Camera By Dave Howard common shortcoming of most panoramic cameras is their lack of interchangeable lenses. The large, rotating Cirkue cameras from the catly years of this century had chem, but neatly every one since has not. There are «4 couple of reasons for this: the frst isthe added expense of interchangeable lens ‘mounts on an already expensive, limiced- production camera; the second is the assumption that “panoramic” is synony- wide as you can possibly _get,” s0 just bole the widest-angle lens that will cover the particular format on the camera and be done with it As with most assumptions, they don’t always hold water. often want the wide aspect ratio (anywhere between 1:2 and 1:3, height-to-wideh), bue not che exaggerat- cd foreground and tiny, rapidly receding backgrounds produced by super-wide- angle lenses. The means to that end isthe use of longer, interchangeable lenses. Until recently, this ability has been pretty much the stuff of dreams. ‘The Linhof Technorama 612, which accepts two lenses, has been around for several years; bur ewo lenses isn't range enough, and 6x! 2cm often isn’t wide enough. The Technorama 617, Art Panorama and Fuji G617 offer the satis fyingly wide 6x17em formar, bur have Fixed lenses. Fuji’s newest GX617 offers a selection of three lenses; much better, to be sure, and great for aerials and on-the fy handheld use, bue still a bie limiting RerLecion, Zion NATIONAL PARK, UTAH. I sre. ar 5132 oN KODAK LuMiERe, ISOHH Schneioen Aro Sritian. THe V-PAN's [BEATTIE INFENSCREEN MADE VIEWING for fastidious fine are work. So just what ‘would it eake co keep» me panoramically fave? ‘Well, I would wane the 6x17em for- mat, which offers large-format quality ‘with roll film convenience. Interchs able backs would be nice, for switching, between color and black-and-white, Lens- 3? Oh, how about 75: m co 1200mm? Te would be a great economy if I could adape lenses 1 already own. The control of a ground glass focusing screen (one of the new “bright” screens, of course) is much preferable to the rough approxi- mations offered by panoramic optical viewtfinders. While I'm at it, I might as ‘well wish for rise, fll, swing, tile and shift for total image control, And, che whole thing would have co be easily backpack able for erekking 0 unimaginably spec- tacula vistas Pipe dream? Not at all. The “wish- lise special” I've just briefly described is lable now, in the form of the V-PAN 617. This panoramic field/view camera is the handiwork of Chee Hancheet of St Louis, Missouri, and is the resule of lis- ening to the requests and suggestions of lot of phocographers specializing in the wide image, As past president of the LA.P.P. (International Association of Panoramic Photographers), he’s had his finger on the pulse of the industry with a first-person awareness of current tech- niques and hardware, Introduced a couple DAVE HOWARDof years ago and constantly refined since, the V-PAN 617 offers a unique combi nation of image controls and transport bility I've had a chance to live with the latest version of the camera, the Mark IL, for a few months now, so le’ cake a closer look at what it has to offer. In its standard contiguration, the V-PAN comes equipped with a 16" break-down rail which comes apart in 5" and LI sections. The significance of this is that the front and rear sean- dards compact together and slide forward onto the 5" sec tion, which is then separated from the rear 11" section, per mitting much easier stowage in a back: pack, This accommodates lenses from 58mm (with Gx 12cm formae) roa 500mm, ‘not long focus) lens. A 21" bel: (0, is also available. Ie comes with 3%, 11 \V-PAN 617, WITHOUT FILM HAGAZINE, MOVEMENTS. [TIS THE FIRST ROLL, tilts are limiced only by lens coverage, In my use of che camera so fir, I haven't had ‘occasion co wish for any greater range of movements. While a few pho- ographers might lament the lack of rear standard movements for greater control of perspec tive, inclusion of his feature would have added significanely mplexicy weight and cost. In prictice, 1 seldom miss ic for the landscape work that Luse i for The V-PAN accepts stan- dard Linhof Technika lens boards or their generic equiva: lent ($40, center-drilled for a Copal #0, 1 or 3 shutter) avail- able from V-PAN. That's one Of the great selling points for the V-PAN. compared to most other panoramic options—you can use any large-format lenses you already own as long as they will cover the 6x17 format. Although 6x17cm is basically just a “slice” out of and 16° rail sections. Custom rails a bellows can be special-ondered to handle lenses to 1200mm, The above bellows are usable with wide angle lenses, providing you don’t need to apply lens moves ments. When significant rise fall, shift, cile and swing are necessary, a special, inte changeable, non-pleated bag bellows is the answer, at a cost of $250. Ir is usable with lenses from 58mm co 210mm. The range of movements available (frone standard only) is as follows: Rise 2; Fall, 1"; Shife, Vs"; Swing and axial DON'T RELEGATE PANORAMIC CAMERAS Mano 16% nas. THe 5” & 11m 16 the middle of 5x7", since a lens used for 6x1 7em doesn’e have to cover the corners of 5x7", you can get away with lenses that have quice a bie shorter focal lengch than you might other wise think necessary. For inseance, a 75mm Schni der Super Angulon XI with center fileer, will cover with no move ments. My 90mm /75.6 Super Angulon covers easily, with some image circle reserve for movements. It definitely benefits from use of a center filter coo, but the new XI version might ‘not need one. The recently released 72mmthe V-PAN in a closet and stare attend. ing meetings of Panoramics Anonymous, or take the batteries out of my smaller hardware Is there anything I'd like ro see added to the camera? Of course; do you own camera that you fee! has 100%% of every thing you desire in your ideal piccute aking machine? In this case, the first addition would be engraved and filled lines marking the zero positions of the movements, for a visual confirmation of the camera's ball deeents. Wish number wo is a set of guide pins or rails flank. ing the lefe end of rhe ground anchor the far end of the ground glass cover!protector. The third item would bea erio of accessory shoes. Huh? Okay ‘one im the center for a multi-focal opti- cal viewfinder, which is handy for quick lens focal-length selection and when using the camera to photogeaph large (wide) groups of people. The other two, swivel-mounted co either side of cencer, would accommodate two shoe-mount Mash units. This would allow overlap: ping and feathering of the ewo strobes for even, full-width coverage wit he widest lenses, as well as presene creative li ing possibilities by differentially pow ering and/or fileering che cwo flashes The final item on my wish lise would be a folding viewing hood for the ground « of¢ s screen, Ie would serve the function round glass cover/proteceor, as well as, in most instances, obviate the dark cloth, which is my Least favorite ‘The V-PAN macazine For 120 ROU Fim With the exception of the fold ing hood, these “wishes’ would be that’s one of the appeals of the V PAN; it’s easy to customize. Do-it yourselfers could have a ball! If you dont feel up to it yourself, Chet Hanchert is a good listen. ce. That's how the camera has evolved to its present Mark III ine wish all camera manufac turers were as attentive to their customers’ needs. As a result of this interactive process, there are several possible new accessories on the horizon. The only one I'll mention here because I know the proto: type exists is a set of heli cally focusable lens cones that would attach to the film magazine and accept the normal lens boards. This would give you a handheld 6x17 for jobs such as aerial phorogea phy, or when action is involved. Now, if 1 could just con Chet into designing a cold light head for the V PAN o's I wouldn't have to shuck out for a 5x7 enlarger Address Vari PaN INC, 2725 Sutton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63143; (314) 781-3600 By permission of CAMERA & DARKROOM, 9171 Wilshire Bivd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (818) 760-8983, Reprinted by Reprint Management Services, (717) 560-2001Grandagon from Rodenstock may possi bly just cover also, chough I haven't tried The camera's monorails are geared, providing smooth, positive focusing ‘movement. Drag is adjustable, The tripod mounting block has both threads. Actual focusing is on a Beattie Invenscreen Plus, which greatly aids even- lluminacion, especially when uti lizing wide angle lenses with “maxed ge circles im: A hole in the lower right corner of the screen permits view. ing the frame numbers on the paper back ing of the 120 roll film used in the PAN film magazines, similar to standaed practice with old box cameras. Obvious- ly, 220 is not usable, due to the fogging that would resule from the lack of paper backing. A clear plastic ground glass cover/prorector is a $25, The rear standard is set in a dove-tailed slide with a locking lever. This facilitates both quick/rough focus and fiteing the frone/ear standards onto the 5" rail without removing the cripod block: The film magazine (includ: cd in the price of the camera made of cast aluminum alloy Tehas.a film pressure plate, datk slide and simple (reads robust and reliable) manual film wind mechanism. “The rear of the may hinged and removable, providing wide access to the straightforward film ig path. After securing the film to the take-up spool and clos ing/lacching the maga the film is wound until the number “2” appears in the film window. The following three exposures four coral) are wound fn to frames 6, 10 and 14. In the near future, a mask will be available that will allow use of the magazine for 6x 12cm for mat when desired, the ground glass frame is spring-loaded, and the film magazine is simply insereed in front of the ground glass, as with a conventional sheee film holder. The only thing you have to learn the “feel” for is the proper seating of the magazine's ewo light-sealing ridges. ask a satisfy i seats correctly ined quickly, as che magazine gives ly solid-sounding thunk when A bail handle releases tte frame pressure when cocked perpen= dicular to the ground glass, and reapplies pressure after inserting the magazine by returning it 0 its normal position paral- Hel to the ground glass, Additional mag. zines are $1,500 a copy Fic and finish, while not Linhof-svelee is very good. All comer points that you're likely co run your hand into are round tS ek Bony pares ee lack anode oe pla ced, and the magazine is epoxy-painted The camera body weighs 5!/ Ibs. Add chree pounds for the magazine ‘The camera, complete with magzzine in its 16" break-down configuration sells for $3,095. The 21” version goes for $3,495. You can contact the Stoeview oF rhe PAN, sans rium company for the name of the nearest rental house that stocks the V-PAN 617 if youid like to test-drive” one. So what are my field impres- sions of this camera aftr living with it for a while? Basically, the more I use i, the more I like it. Lbackpacked ic im desere heat and mountain winter cold, and i never let me down, Nothing jammed, broke or fell off. Dim, pre-sunrise light presented no problems with the bright Inten- scree, While the V-PAN isn’t exactly a featherweight, neither are the nice, big, top-dollar-saleable transparencies ehat it produces. Thirty Reanview oF V-PAN, FM MAGAZING INSERTED. NOTE DOVE-TAIL SLIDE, AND HOLE IN BEATTIE INTENSEREEN FOR [READING FILM NUMBERS, five millimeter punoramics just don'e cut it when compared to the “emul: of 6x17em. Bei able to use the lenses from my 4x5 Technika on itis a big plus for me, and I like being able to do long telephoto panoramics. This may at first sound like a tion, but once you get the hang of “optical extraction’ and che graphic renditions obtainable wich telecompression, there's no turning back My only minor complaint is that it’s coo easy to get hooked fon. My beloved smaller-forrmat cameras that 1 would normally Deva oF snonT AND REAR STANDARDS apply t0 landscape work have been lan- |ANO TRIFOD BLOCK, COMPACTED ONTO 5” ‘guishing on the shelf ever since acquir- ing the V-PAN. I guess I'd better lock