Panon 120 Panoramic Camera-Update

My Panon 120 camera with case.

It's interesting how cameras can just stop working, especially when they haven't been used for a while. I wanted to do an update on the Panon 120 camera post I wrote a few years ago. It's a camera I really enjoy shooting with due to the panoramic format and its ability to use 120 film as opposed to 35mm.

 I'm updating my blog post for two main reasons. First, when I initially planned to go to Japan for camera shopping, I wanted to take the Panon 120 with me. But when I picked it up after about a year of not using it, the camera wouldn't fire.

 I sent the camera off to Precision Camera Works in Austin, TX—they did a wonderful job overhauling my Widelux F7, so I wanted them to do the same for the Panon 120. To my surprise, the lead technician at Precision hurt his hand and the repair took longer than anticipated, but they were kind enough to get my camera back to me right before my trip. The camera is now in outstanding condition, so one of the reasons for this blog update was to take some fresh photos to update the website.

 The second reason for the update happened while I was browsing an online auction. In one of the photos, I spotted what appeared to be a Panon lens assembly resting on its side, along with a box of parts in a separate image. There were a few large-format lenses in the lot as well, so I took a gamble, put in a bid I thought was fair, and to my surprise, I won the auction.

 When the package arrived, the "parts" Panon 120 seemed surprisingly complete. The lens assembly was in what appeared to be good condition. The body, back, and film loading cartridge were all intact with no damage, and the gearing system looked solid. I sent another note to Precision to ask for a quote on getting what appeared to be a 90 to 95% complete camera up and running.

 After a few weeks, I received a note from Precision stating that the camera was going to require much more than their standard overhaul service. While I was still interested in getting it put together into a working model, they explained that they would need to charge by the hour, bringing the total cost higher than I was willing to spend.

 With that said, I'm planning on listing the parts camera on my eBay store soon. I'm hoping to find someone willing to take their time, put the pieces together, and end up with a wonderful Panon 120 to use or sell.

A Quirky Strap Dilemma

Another oddity of the Panon 120 is that the strap lugs are larger than those on a Mamiya, Hasselblad, or Rollei, making it very difficult to find a strap that fits. I've tried about seven or eight different standard straps that clip onto camera lugs, but they were all too small. Because of this, I've resorted to using a guitar strap.

 The issue with the guitar strap—and this is just my own insecurity—is the lingering thought that the camera might slip out of the strap and fall to the ground. I know this is completely irrational and very unlikely to happen, especially since guitars are often more expensive than many cameras, and I shouldn't worry about it. But hey, that's just how my brain works!

My Camera

The Panon 120 camera is a beast in size and weight. The camera measures 4.75” tall by 6” wide at the widest part the rear) by 4.25” deep, and weighs a whopping 4 pounds 2 ounces without film or the fitted leather case. The camera produces a whopping 6x14 negative due to the curved film plane and rotating lens.

Unlike the Widelux camera which rotates the lens and cock the shutter when you advance the film, the Panon 120 you need to manually pull the lens from one side to the other to cock the shutter. That’s what the pull area on the side of the lens is for.

The lens on the Panon 120 is a 50mm f/2.8 Konishiroku Hexanon (Konica) lens with aperture settings from F/2.8 to f/11. You set the aperture manually by sliding a lever inside the lens chamber to the desired setting.

Focusing is done manually too on the Panon 120 camera. On top of the lens chamber is a wheel with “focus” written on it. Turn the wheel and look at the lens to find the distance to your subject.

Loading the film is done by removing the bottom of the camera by unlocking two wheels on the bottom, then sliding out the film holder which is curved to match the rotating lens.

The hardest part of loading the film is making sure the film is behind the curved wall, then placing the film insert back into the camera the right way. If the insert is backwards, the winding wheel sticks up and the film door cannot be placed back onto the camera. Just reverse the insert, and the film will fit properly.

There are onle 3 shutter speeds on the Panon 120, 1/200, 1/50 and 1/2. The shutter speeds are set by turning a wheel on the top of the camera. Also on the top of the camera are two bubble levels, one for vertical, and one for horizontal. The flip up viewfinder is alo on the top of the camera.

Top view of the Panon 120 camera

My Results

Now that I've had the camera serviced, I loaded up a fresh roll of 120 film and walked through the neighborhood to take some photos for the blog.

 Here are some of the recent photos taken with the Panon 120.

Conclusion

I have a real internal conflict with this camera. On one hand, I love that it's essentially a medium-format version of the Widelux (which is my go-to camera that I shoot with around 90% of the time). On the other hand, the sheer size and weight of the Panon always give me second thoughts about taking it out.

 There are things I just need to resolve in my head so I can start using the Panon 120 more often. Beyond the size and weight, the main operational differences are having to manually focus the Panon 120 (whereas the Widelux is fixed-focus), dealing with different shutter speeds, and having to manually set the lens before firing the shutter, unlike the Widelux, which cocks the shutter automatically when you advance the film.

 Thank you for taking the time to read this updated review of the Panon 120 camera!

Are you interested in other vintage gear? Be sure to check out some of my other Camera Reviews.

 Check out my Cuny's Camera Collection YouTube channel, where I'm putting together video overviews of the cameras I write about. Be sure to subscribe and like the channel, too!

 Cuny's Cameras and Photos is my online eBay store, where you'll find some of the cameras I've reviewed, along with a wide range of other cameras, lenses, and gear from my personal collection that I am thinning out.

 Until next week, please be safe!

Kodak Panoram 1-Model D

My Kodak Panoram 1, Model D camera

Panoramic cameras and images have always fascinated me. The thought of seeing such a wide area in a photo seems so natural to me. Whenever I look at subjects, the human eye always sees a wide field of view, and narrowing it down to a smaller angle just seems peculiar to me. Even when I look through telephoto lenses, I want to see a wider angle, just closer. Unfortunately, that’s not how lenses work, so the ability to get a wider view is wonderful.

 The Kodak Panoram 1 is one of the first panoramic cameras I've owned. The first panoramic camera I bought was a Russian Horizont, a 35mm model that came with an accessory handle, viewfinder, and case. Unfortunately, this model of camera, due to the lack of workmanship, has a tendency for image "banding" as the lens doesn't rotate smoothly when making the exposure, so when the lens hesitates, it creates a change in exposure, creating a vertical exposure difference, which is darker due to the extra exposure time.

 I only had that camera for a short time, but it was a wonderful one to learn from, and from that experience I found the Kodak Panoram 1. One of the main reasons I knew about Kodak's early panoramic cameras was a set of negatives of two of my friends, which I purchased around 35 years ago. They were a set of 40 nitrate panoramic negatives, measuring 2 1/4" x 7", from a family who visited San Francisco and the surrounding area in 1906. There were photos of the rubble from the 1906 earthquake, along with other images of the family traveling up the delta to Sacramento and into the forest areas. If you're interested, here is a link to pictures from the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.

 While researching the negative size and cameras built around 1900, I came across the Kodak Panoram 1 and the Multiscope Baby Al-Vista. I believe the Baby Al-Vista's negatives are just a bit smaller. At this point, due to my love of panoramic images, I really wanted to find a good Kodak Panoram 1 camera not only to have in my collection, but also to shoot with.

My Kodak Panoram 1, Model D with Case.

 The Kodak Panoram 1 camera used 105 film when it was manufactured, which is the same width as 120 film; the spools are just a bit different, as the flange is wider on 105 spools. Knowing that I could shoot 120 film in the Kodak Panoram 1 camera made it considerably more desirable. 

 Kodak also made larger Panoram cameras, the 3A and 4, which used larger film. The 3A produced 3 1/4" x 10 3/8" negatives on size 122 film; the 4 made 3 1/2" x 12" negatives on size 103 film. Since the necessary larger film is unavailable, choosing a usable Panoram was easy: I purchased the Panoram 1.

 The Kodak Panoram 1 comes in two distinct versions. There's the original Panoram 1, where the entire back of the camera comes off the body, revealing the curved arc of the film plane. The back of the camera is held to the camera body by two clips. 

 The second version of Kodak Panoram 1, the Model D, which I've had in my collection for 30-plus years, is slightly different. The back of the camera doesn't detach from the body, but, like some horizontal-folding cameras, there are buttons on either side you press to release it and fold it down. Then the camera's sides swing out to allow you to load and unload film.

 I have owned and restored several of both models, as the lens-swinging mechanism is the same, and the leather or suede bellows are similar. The main reason for the change in style was to reduce the camera's size. I prefer the original with the removable back, but both deliver fantastic images.

History of Kodak Panoram:

 Introduced by Eastman Kodak at the turn of the 20th century, the Kodak Panoram series democratized wide-angle photography, bringing it out of the domain of professional specialists and into the amateur market. Debuting in 1899 with the No. 4 and in 1900 with the smaller, popular No. 1, these "shoe-box"- shaped cameras remained in production until 1928.

Advertisment for the Kodak Panoram cameras

 The Panoram’s defining feature was its ingenious swing-lens mechanism. Unlike standard cameras with fixed lenses, the Panoram featured a lens mounted on a pivoting turret. When the shutter was triggered, the lens swung in an arc—typically between 112 and 142 degrees—sweeping light across a curved plane of film (the area of film bent to match the arc) at the back of the camera. This design minimized horizon distortion while capturing vast landscapes or large-group portraits in a single exposure. A swing-lens mechanism means the camera’s lens actually moves or "swings" during the exposure, rather than remaining stationary as in most cameras, to create a wide panoramic image.

 Aimed primarily at outdoor and travel use, Panoram cameras were used to document landscapes, expeditions, and colonial scenes, including polar exploration and industrial development in Southeast Asia. Their relatively simple wooden-and-leather construction, fixed focus, and minimal controls reflected Kodak’s broader strategy of making specialized photography accessible to non‑experts. At the same time, the nearly three‑decade production run indicates sustained popularity among enthusiasts of wide‑angle views.

 Three primary models defined the line: the No. 1 (using 105 film), the No. 4 (using 103 film for massive 12-inch negatives), and the short-lived No. 3A (introduced in 1926). While eventually displaced by newer formats and the 35mm revolution, the Panoram remains a cult classic today, prized by collectors and photographers for the unique, sweeping perspective that only a mechanical swing-lens can provide.

My Camera:

 My Kodak Panoram 1, Model D camera is 7.5" wide with the strap, by 4.5" deep by 4" tall, including the optical viewfinder, and weighs 1 pound 9.5 ounces without film loaded in the camera.

 To open the lens, pull down the front lens cover to reveal the swing lens to one side or the other. If it were pointing straight ahead, the lens cover wouldn't close. On the inside of the lens cover is the camera name, No. 1 Panoram, Kodak, Model D. On the bottom is the camera's serial number. My camera's serial number is 18986.

The camera is simple with minimal controls. On top is the etched nickel Kodak waist-level finder, which you lift to reveal the viewfinder. Behind the finder is the shutter speed selector. There are two notches: the one near the center is for a slower shutter speed, and pulling the selector to the end increases spring tension, making the lens swing faster at that speed.

 To set the speed, slide the bar opposite the lens direction. If the lens faces right, slide the bar left to set the next photo's shutter speed. Lock the chosen slow or fast speed with the clip under the selector bar. The shutter release is just right of the optical waist-level finder. Press the shutter button to release the lens and watch it swing to expose the film. Two lines form a "V" at the top, indicating the camera's approximate field of view.

As mentioned previously, to open the back to load the film, unclip the strap on the right side of the camera, then press in the two buttons on the sides of the camera, which will release the camera's back, and it will swing down, and the sides of the camera will also swing open, revealing the film chamber. There you'll see the curved film plane the film travels over, and the very impressive cone on the back of the lens guiding the light onto the film as the lens swings from one side to the other.

To load film into the camera can be a bit tricky because the newer plastic film reels—that is, the circular pieces at each end of a roll that hold the film—can at times be thicker than what was used originally back in the early 1900s, when Kodak would use metal for the reel ends and wood for the film cores, meaning the spools—the cylinder around which the film is wound—would be a bit thinner. When I went to load film for the blog post, I tried a brand I'd never used before. The spool was just a bit too thick and wouldn't fit into the camera easily, and once I did get it in, it was so stiff that the film wouldn't transport across the shutter easily.

 I loaded a new roll by placing the empty spool on the right, then lifting the winding lever and button to fit it. Then I placed the new roll on the left, brought the paper backing over the film plane, and threaded the leader into the empty spool slot. I wound the film until the start arrows appeared, pressed in the camera sides, and swung the back up to lock it.

Since 120 film isn't designed for panoramic cameras, the numbers 2, 6, 10, and 14 appear on the back of my camera. These indicate the frame numbers to stop at for each of the four photos on 120 film. I wound the film to 2 and was ready to take my first shot.

 

My Results:

 The film I loaded into the camera was an older roll of Kodak BW400CN film I purchased at a local camera show a few months ago. One thing about the film is that it needs to be processed in C-41 chemicals, which is a standard color film developing process. For the article, I wasn't sure I'd have enough time to get the film processed. Looking online, people mentioned the film can be processed in B&W (black-and-white) chemicals, so that's what I did. 

 There was a break in the rain on Sunday, so I loaded the film into the camera because the Kentmere I had didn't fit because the spool was too thick. I took the photo and went back to the house to develop the negatives. Maybe I didn't process the film long enough, since the images were extremely thin. I had to do some magic in Photoshop to get the images I have, so my apologies for the poor examples.

 However, I used the camera when I went to Yosemite a few years ago, and the images turned out great, so I'm adding a couple of color images from Yosemite to this blog to show how well the camera performs.

Conclusion:

 I've always been a huge fan of both the Multiscope Al-Vista and the Kodak Panoram camera. It's interesting that I've only owned the Panoram 1 camera and never the 3a or 4 Panoram, but I do have some of the larger Al-Vista cameras.

 The Panoram 1 is a fun camera to use, and the results are surprisingly good. I should have a camera with a smooth shutter. The cameras are compact, use 120 film, and, unfortunately, are becoming increasingly expensive as people learn about them and how much fun they are to use.

 Fortunately, I've had mine for many years, and I also have the camera case, which is a plus. It's just a real gem in my camera, and truthfully, I'm surprised I haven't written about it sooner than I have.

 Thank you for taking a few minutes from your day to read about his wonderful panoramic camera from over 100 years ago.

 Here's a link to my previous Camera Reviews.

 I also have an eBay shop, Cuny's Camera and Photo, where I sell cameras I've reviewed, along with other photo oddities. If you're interested in anything from my store, reach out to me, and I'll offer a discount. Just mention my blog.

 Until next week, please be safe.