RE: Xpan is GREAT for you, not for me ;-)

["Xiong, Zonghou" <Zonghou.Xiong@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Don't get me wrong.  Xpan is the cheapest choice if you compare it with
other panoramic cameras.  It is expensive if you think it's a normal 
35 mm camera.

Think what other options there are for an image area of 24x65 mm with the 
Xpan 30mm lens. Mamiya 7 with the 43mm lens? Horseman 612 with their 
55/45/35 mm lenses? Linhof 617 with Schneider 72 mm?

How much would it cost you to buy a Noblex or a Fuji GX617?

I consider Xpan the cheapest choice with guaranteed lens quality.  I've
hesitated to get the 30mm lens partly because I own a Noblex 135U. I've
been weighing the Xpan with the 30mm lens against a Horseman 612 and an
extra lens is certainly far cheaper than a new system.  On the other hand
I did remember seeing a few 6x12 slides with very unacceptable flares.
Although I wasn't 100% sure they were taken by a Horseman, my suspicions
toward the lenses would never go away.

Sure, all my slides are scanned before outputting to any media. This means
extra blowups with smaller film formats.  If you consider scanning costs,
35mm film would save you another tenfold.  This is the other advantage 
of the Xpan.

Zonghou Xiong

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Erickson [mailto:cirkut8@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2000 1:12 AM
To: panorama-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: Xpan is GREAT for you, not for me ;-)


Some humor for the group... 

IMHO - Nothing wrong with an Xpan other than being
GROSSLY overpriced. Be honest, it is nothing more than
a Japanise point and shoot with a Swedish name pasted
on it. Are you one of those photographers who thinks
that switching to the "panorama" mode of your 35mm
camera improves the image? Do you wear a Rolex to tell
the time? Do you drive a Rolls Royce to take the kids
to private school? Then the Xpan is the camera for
you!

Just so that you know the kind of person I am... I
wear a Timex to tell time and drive a ten year old
mini-van to take my kids to public school. I prefer to
shoot a 5x7 view camera for 6x17 (get 4 per film
holder) but I wish I had a VPan. These cameras take
ANY lens and have added benifit of ALL the controlls
of a view camera. The camera on MY wish list is the
new Roundshot. It shoots 360 degree images on 35mm
film for under $2000.

BTW...I have gone just about totally digital. No film,
no prosessing, and due to the enhancing my images in
photoshop my sales have skyrockted. Why settle for
reality? If I want a dramatic sky, I've got dozens in
my stock files to pick from that are just a click
away. 

I often deliver images to my customers on CD ROM. I
use rechargable batteries so my material costs for
shooting an assignment is down to 50 cents for the
blank CD ROM. Need a print on photographic paper? Go
to http://gateway.to/prints for 12 inch by 5 foot
panorama from your digital files delivered to your
customer for under $30. 

How much do you pay for film, proofing, and printing?

:-)
Bob Erickson




=====
Robert Erickson, cirkut8@xxxxxxxxx
The Panoramic Network: http://www.panoramic.net
Panoramic Images for sale: http://www.panoramic.net/panstore

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