Xpan Struggles

[@donmcc3]

I watch all your videos. I think you have a great balance of gear and photo "art". Two/thirds for the latter. I like your your selectivity. Things that I would go ahead and shoot, you walk away from. I have struggled shooting woodland shots, but you show how it can work. Thanks for posting.

[@SteveONions]

I’m glad you like the videos, they are fun to make. Woodland shooting is quite hard to do initially but like everything it gets easier in time. Often I prefer the longer lenses to cut out distracting details that wider lenses included.

[@leslumieres1237]

Every time I enjoy your videos; very inspiring. No bling bling but just exellent photographs. Thank you.

[@SteveONions]

Glad you like them!

[@jw48335]

Steve, I was surprised you didn't opt for the 135W back for the SQ. That, or perhaps a Horseman 6x12 back for the Intrepid. The latter was my solution, not just due to format, but also because it made it easier to make use of the LF kit. I sold my Leica M5 not long ago after fighting to "like" using it for almost 2 years. I wanted that camera for so many years, I took forever to admit it wasn't for me. Love that shot at the 13:00 mark. Cheers

[@SteveONions]

The pano backs are silly money now and I prefer to just crop down a 120 frame. The Xpan just isn’t for me and I can’t make myself love it 🙁

[@jw48335]

@@SteveONions @SteveONions Well, the pano backs are far cheaper than the X-pan, and they're not going down in price, so if you're selling the x-pan...😁 I 100% agree though, scarcity has driven the prices into the stratosphere. Luckily my buying and re-selling gear paid for my pano back. It bothers my OCD cropping that much, feels like I'm wasting film. I sold a Leica M5 that I had wanted forever and I struggled with it for a year trying to make myself like it. I owned a horseman 6X12 for a few years that I never got along with either. Ultimately I really prefer an SLR viewfinder, esp. for pano. I also asked about the 135W thinking perhaps that the viewfinder on the xpan may have been the real deal breaker. I will say, having observed your compositional style, often having to take into account cutting out the sky, I am surprised that you don't own a 645 back. I like having the extra shots and it forces me to think in a framing between 135 and square. I know, same answer, you could crop, BUT you could also look at it as forcing a 4:3 perspective 😎 Great stuff!

[@kevinthephotographer9346]

I took a much less expensive foray into panoramic formats with a Horizon 202. However I found it very difficult to find compositions that could maintain interest across such a wide field and sold it after a year. Then I got a 6x12 Horseman back for my 4x5 camera; this was more useable but the weight and bulk in carrying it didn't justify the returns. I decided if I was going to carry a 4x5 camera I was only going to shoot 4x5 with it.

[@Gallery90]

My first panoramic was also a Horizon 202. The first roll sucked. So I had to sit back and come to grips that changing the aspect ration didn't change the basics of good photography. I just had to be a little more mindful of what I was doing.

[@SteveONions]

I have the Horseman 6x12 back for my 4x5 and it is a very good option, if a little slow to setup 👍

[@The_Hero_Is_Back]

Hi, Steve. Sorry about your xpan woes. I like the format but it can be a tough one. I crop my own 24:65 format photos with software. I think you could have done a very nice xpan photo by filling the frame with the trunks of those silver birch trees. I'm going to watch out for something like that later in the year. Looking forward to the next video.

[@SteveONions]

I think I would be better just taking crops from my current cameras to be honest, a lot cheaper and no worries about the things breaking at great cost 🙁

[@StanleyVaughn-xk3wv]

Another GREAT VIDEO with MAGNIFICENT PIX!!! Please keep up the EXCELLENT WORK!!!

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Stanley 🙂

[@AliasJimWirth]

I really like that last image in the square format; the reverse vignette, Steve. Thanks for another enjoyable, and educational (for me) video.

[@SteveONions]

Glad you enjoyed it James 👍

[@jumpingjohn280459]

So you’re the person who has all of the Bronica bodies! Here’s me having to struggle with two SQAi bodies.

[@SteveONions]

😀 get them while you can!

[@yurymelnikov3644]

In my opinion, the panoramic format is a highly specialised project that requires a specific plein air image, which dictates the limited use of this format. For me it is a very challenging idea! Thanks for a marvellous walk and good luck!

[@SteveONions]

It is definitely not for everyday use, sadly I’ve had my fingers burned.

[@jeremyevans9137]

That was a great video. You are so clear in explaining your thinking. May I ask what your preview device is? It sounds very interesting.

[@SteveONions]

Thank you. The preview device is the Artists Viewfinder MkII

[@davidottman9501]

Thanks for making and posting this video. It's always helpful to see a demonstration of how to create an image that works. However, it's just as valuable to see you take a pass on an image that doesn't quite work, and explain why it's not worth the investment of time and film. Then we can spend those resources on better things that DO work!

[@SteveONions]

That’s a good point David, passing up on weak images means more time spent on the good ones. This is where I often go wrong when shooting too many frames with the digital cameras.

[@stephenmason5682]

Magenta filters really help woodland scenes, especially ferns.

[@SteveONions]

Interesting tip Stephen, I’ve not come across that filter before 👍

[@stephenmason5682]

@@SteveONions Ur welcome. Maybe show us your results when you try it? A credit would be nice.. S

[@ianlainchbury]

This is timed well for me... I have a Zeiss Ikon Nettar freshly loaded with HP5, and yet to try a (new to me) Bronica ETRS 645 - which I'll load with some Delta 400 probably. Thanks Steve

[@SteveONions]

You’re welcome.

[@ReynoldsCreative]

Hi Steve, thanks for all the great content, love the channel and you've inspired me to have a go on KZbin myself, must congratulate you on making it look so easy! I totally get your worry about whether the xpan will grenade itself and you'll lose your money, I've had a few of those kind of cameras in the past and it isn't what you want to be thinking about when you're out and about trying to make work. I was lucky enough to buy a fuji 6x17 second hand in the late 90's for £500. It should've been amazing, but I hated the format and never got to grips with it, I ended up swapping it for a full RZ67 kit c/w 3 lenses which I pretty much wore out over the next 10 years. I loved that thing. I think if you were constantly hiking great distances in the alps with grand vistas of lakes and mountains and skies you'd probably be loving it, but I feel the panoranic format is probably too limiting to cope with the great breadth of work you undertake. Hope it all works out for you and if you do sell it then I hope you can find something marvelous that you love to replace it with. Best Regards and good luck, John.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks John. Perhaps if I lived by the sea and had a lot of open space to photograph it would have worked well. If I’d also bought it 20 years ago for £1000 and had years of trouble free use it might have grown on me. All the best for your new venture on KZbin 👍

[@CalumetVideo]

I have owned and used a lot of cameras, the Bronica SQ-B, Fuji GW690, Rolleiflexes and Hasselblad 500 C/M. I can say I really like the 6x6 format. I can keep it as square or crop it to a 645. The GW690 was a 6x9 with a sharp lens, a rangefinder with a fixed 90mm lens, why did I sell it, with 6x9, it was overkill for what I need, the film costs and only 8 shots on a roll, besides I also have 4x5 and a 6x9 back. All in all the 6x6 is the sweet spot for me. If someone can’t afford a Hasselblad, get a Bronica SQ will not disappoint.

[@SteveONions]

I’d agree, having shot 6x6 off and on for over 30 years it is an aspect ratio that suits me a lot of the time. If I need to go bigger then 4x5 is the most flexible option.

[@impressionsoflight9263]

I sold my x-pan many years ago because of fears that the electronics would fail rendering it useless, but I still enjoy the panoramic format. I also have one of the original 6x9 Bessas with a Heliar lens that I can always crop to 4:9 or 3:9 or whatever to suit the scene if I need to. It’s as much about a connection with the gear as it is about a connection with the scene you’re photographing, so if you’re not feeling it, it will show in the results. Take care mate.

[@SteveONions]

I’ve also used my 6x9 in this way at times, plenty of resolution and in many ways better handling (not to mention the huge difference in price). Oddly I also find the old folders much nicer to use.

[@impressionsoflight9263]

I call mine “The quiet achiever” It just gets the job done without all the fuss.

[@thenutter2003]

good video there steve i really like the 6x6 format with my minolta autocord i did try the instax sq format and really did not like that all trying to line up shots did not seem to work.

[@SteveONions]

I’ve also tried instax but don’t like it either, a bit too unpredictable.

[@stevebarnett5048]

Nice video Steve. I do have a 6x12 panoramic camera but to be inspired I need a specific project for it rather than going out to find a random photograph with it.

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

I have a few folders the Ikonta M is my joint top favorite with the Bessa II

[@SteveONions]

That’s about right Steve, it’s hard to take random shots with such an elongated format.

[@iNerdier]

I had very briefly an xpan last year (basically ended up renting it for 3 months and sold it for £50 less than I paid for it because I didn't have the money to keep it) and I have to say it was not nearly enough time to get used to that aspect ratio. I took it on a trip to Istanbul and shot exclusively panoramic and it just required a different way of thinking than my usual way of shooting which is the decidedly un-panoramic 6x6. It was not something that I liked for work that you tend to do, everything gets lost with nothing in the foreground. For more 'cluttered' scenes and urban areas I thought it was great, though I too don't really love rangefinders. I know you said you're in two minds about doing it but really, have it on you every time you go out for a month and see if it sticks with more use. As for it breaking, well, everything breaks in the end. I'd rather my cameras break while I'm using then than die on a shelf.

[@SteveONions]

I think I’d have had to forego the other formats to learn the panoramic approach and in the end I didn’t want to. Interesting that a few people have mentioned how well it works in urban situations, I was finding the same on the handful of occasions I took it out.

[@valdezapg]

I don't have a panoramic camera, but I think that they could be good for wide open spaces, like photographing flat fields, large lakes, seascapes (like your pictures at Llandudno Pier) etc. where there is not much foreground (if any), and no overly high mountains or prominent subjects. Always pleasure to watch a new video from you!

[@Gallery90]

Wide open can get pretty boring with an XPan. The same "rules" apply with regard to composition, framing, perspective, front/back, etc.

[@SteveONions]

I think you’re right, if I lived by the coast it may have been ideal

[@chromagraphphotoart]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the XPan and its niggles. I personally think 6x17 or similar aspect ratios are like moving to Large Format and require a different approach altogether. Just look at how much work Nick Carver Puts into making a single image.

[@SteveONions]

Good point, his work with the Shen Hao is excellent but certainly not spontaneous.

[@gregoryroscoe3818]

I feel the debate! 6X6 was always my preferred perspective. I did commit to a wider alternative considering 6X19 but settling on 6X12 . I don’t regret having a panoramic option but I do struggle with finding and executing a compelling panoramic composition. However, I still appreciate and occasionally find that composition that really benefits from the wider perspective. I agree maybe the xpan isn’t the weapon of choice.

[@SteveONions]

6x12 is a good option and I shoot it occasionally with the horseman back on my 4x5.

[@gizmophoto3577]

There you go, making me think I want a Bronica again. 😉

[@Cruise_Control_On]

For me all my panoramic scenes are done with the RB67 using 2 to 3 images merged in PS. I think the nettle closeup had some real potential overall. Maybe even in color and polarization. Another fine outing here, Steve.

[@jimbob2861]

I agree, the nettle shot rotated 90 degrees clockwise looks better.

[@SteveONions]

Agreed 👍

[@SteveONions]

I’ve done a few 6x6 stitches panoramas and they turned out very well for static scenes.

[@wocky1993]

Sad to see you didn't get on with the xpan! Its a format that I've played with a lot with panoramic adapters, and would love to try an xpan bht it's definitely niche. I definitely agree that limiting your opinions tends to yield better results!

[@SteveONions]

I tried i suppose, I’d always wanted one and this has cured me!

[@wocky1993]

@@SteveONions Sometimes that's the way to do it, you only know by trying it! If you ever decide to part ways with it, I might be able to help you out!

[@mrdasboot45]

Have you considered the bronica 135w back ? They will give you a 54x24 image, the backs are expensive though 800 euros range . As I understand it the Bronica 135n back can be modded into a 135w ,that might be cheaper. I have no experience with either

[@SteveONions]

I’d get one if it weren’t for the price, nearly had one 10 years ago for just £200 🙁

[@lensman5762]

I am glad you managed to get some decent shots. I am with you as far as the XPan is concerned. I just don't see the world in Panorama. I think you should give the X-Pan a good go and then decide. I always fancied an SWM and three years ago I could have bought a beaitiful example for just over a £1000, but look at their prices now!!! I think the cure for your rangefinder apathy, is a Leica M3 with a 50mm Summicron rigid, that viewfinder is to die for. Cheaper than the X-Pan but just. Great show as usual.

[@SteveONions]

I feel your pain on the SWM, now somewhat out of reach.

[@lensman5762]

@@SteveONions 😥😥😥😥😥

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

That last shot wins for me steve well seen shot and efited. I have a few 6x6 csmeras my fave being the ikonta m love it i also have a 6x6 TLR which im learning to love. A few years ago i wanten an xpan but not for the prices being asked so i tried my Bessa II 6x9 with the intention of cropping to a more panoramic format for the few times i want a panorama its a great compromise.

[@SteveONions]

I’ve also done some cropping from 6x6 and 6x9 Paul and it’s certainly more economical than buying an XPan. I was hoping I’d take to the dedicated camera but it just didn’t feel right.

[@paultaylorphotography9499]

@@SteveONions fair enough mate i really love the idea of the x pan tho but not sure it could suit me

[@DizinEire]

One of the things 'that just work' for me , is early retirement! Been on an extended wander, so binge watching Steve. I do like the pano format with a 6x12 back on the 5x4. Not sure about taking it in the woods though. Nice wander through the woods, and think your square format works well 😁 Cheers Diz

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Diz. I think I prefer my 6x12 back too, much more time to think through the compositions and very cheap in comparison.

[@DizinEire]

@@SteveONions I sometimes run 35mm through a 6x9 back with cheap adapters . It exposes the sprocket hole as well. Would be interesting to run 35 through a Horseman 6x12.(Wouldnt work on the dayi back I have) Cheers Diz

[@raybeaumont7670]

I tried a friend's XPan - no thanks. I'm back to carrying my old Ikonta M 6x6 - really enjoyable to keep things simple. All the best Steve.

[@SteveONions]

I tend to agree, you know quite quickly what suits you.

[@anomalousresult]

Not sure what bronica you have but there is the SQ 135W back which converts it to 35mm pano which may be up your street.

[@SteveONions]

It’s a good option but well over £600 😲

[@JanneRanta]

I probably have asked this before but have you considered the panorama back / screen for your bronica?

[@SteveONions]

I have, but at around £700 it isn’t viable, cheaper to just crop down from the full 6x6 frame.

[@WintherKl]

I almost never use anything wide anymore....I like the focus and balance of the square format as well. I am also having abit of a slump with 35mm, I wish there more film and cameras for 4x4.

[@SteveONions]

Very true, if the 127 format had been more popular and there had been interchangeable lens SLR’s for it I think I’d be very happy. 3:2 aspect ratio is possibly my least favourite which is unfortunate given the dominance of 35mm 🙁

[@graemelever-naylor6721]

I shoot my panoramas with a Mamiya 645 and 80mm lens and stitch four or five images together in Lightroom. Works for me (assuming the scene is fairly static). Down side is a 100mb file size.

[@SteveONions]

I do the same sometimes with the Bronica but I much prefer a single shot capture.

[@utekopka7920]

Great video Steve! I can relate very much to your rangefinder experience. I have some, Canon 7, Mamiya Press, Certo Six and her little sister Certo Super Dollina II, but it is just not for me. An SLR, TLR or ground glass fits so much better to my process. And I also love the 6x6 format. In the panoramic format it is easier for me to find compositions for street photography or at train stations with all those guiding lines than in landscape photography. My alternative to the XPan is the Ligero69, a 3d printed camera body that takes Mamiya Press lenses and backs. I use it with 35mm film, the 50mm f6.3 lens and the 6x9 back and a 20mm finder in the coldshoe. It works great but I must not forget the lens cover or the dark slide. :)

[@SteveONions]

I’ve also looked at some of the alternatives that take 4x5 or Mamiya press lenses and they are very tempting. I think at the moment I’m going through one of those phases where equipment is more of a burden and I find myself wanting to use much simpler outfits. Maybe when I get more time for photography and have a specific idea what I want to shoot I’ll revisit the format.

[@jasongold6751]

Great images as usual! Format alway a thought. The Hassie long could easily replaced with 4x5 and 6x17 format film holder. You have the 4x5! I use RF in Leica M3 and others. I do pefer the SLR. I beleive the RF is worst camera to learn on! I was given good advice centuries ago! Use a Medium Format TLR! I wish I'd listened.. Bravo Steve.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Jason, I agree that the roll film backs for 4x5 give better service.

[@scaramangabongo4420]

The xpan is a lovely camera, used by some to great effect, even for street stuff but at that price, nah, I'm sure you've knocked out a great panoramic image or two splitting 4x5, am I wrong? Anyway forget the hipster xpan what happened to that Konica pearl? I was looking forward to seeing some of that.

[@SteveONions]

I sold the Konica a few months ago, it just didn’t get any use as I typically went for the 6x6 folder which is oddly smaller and lighter.

[@izzyleicanut9190]

The trusty Bronica has a versatility that is not matched by the XPan. My most used lens is usually the 50 followed by the 28 and 90. At times, the 28 is a wee bit too wide. Love the Birch shot at 11.12. There's a calming mood about them. You may be on the right path, de-cluttering. I decluttered sometime back and now I have only 3 main camera bodies for regular use. Cheers

[@SteveONions]

I love the standard 80mm followed by the 150, not so much the wider lenses.

[@katharinemovertonphotographer]

I am trying to make a panoramic pinhole camera due to the price of the x pan then if I don't enjoy it my loss is small. Thank you for sharing your adventures always enjoy

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Katherine. I do have the 6x12 Holga pinhole but never use it. I had another one years ago and converted it to a proper 6x12 by attaching a 65mm large format lens.

[@buyaport]

Absolutely share your view on rangefinders. I have some of them but as much as I have tried to like then: You never get what you see, especially when having to use glasses. They are apparently specifically made for people who don't wear glasses...

[@SteveONions]

I’ve tried many times too but never enjoyed the experience.

[@JasonGreensides]

The other day I was out walking and I thought, I wish O’Nions would take that xpan to Croesor Quarry just to see what happens

[@SteveONions]

Sadly that’ll never happen now 🙁

[@azfactor7875]

There's much to be said about matching the kit to the environment and not fighting the compositional opportunities. I wonder if you might have more success with the Xpan down by the shore or a near urban setting. And that last reverse vignette shot worked quite well. That's one most people would walk right by not being aware of the potential.

[@SteveONions]

I think you’re right, it needs to match the location. The coast is far better suited than a forest for sure.

[@HesselFolkertsma]

I have been using the pano-adapter with my mamiya6mf, I actually really enjoy the format. But more for mixed photographs of human and nature elements together, rather than nature only. I think my only advice on using the xpan would be to force yourself to first use it as a 35mm camera, just to get to grips with using it before disabling the 3:2 mask. If I remember correctly, the xpan’s have this capability of switching on/off the pano format. If the still you can’t get on with the camera, get rid of it.

[@SteveONions]

To be honest the XPan handles really badly (for me) and doesn’t feel as good in the hand as a regular 35mm Nikon or the Bronica. I suppose everyone is different but I think they didn’t get the ergonomics right.

[@alfredanheier4779]

I was surprised when you initially got the Xpan, which I consider completely overpriced due to the name, and way too specialised to be useful, but I held my comments because of your enthusiasm for it. I have only one rangefinder, a Fuji 6x9 with the 90mm lens, and I only found a couple of instances where it proved useful to me. Not a total fan of the square format (even though I learned on a Hasselblad 501 way back when) I prefer the Mamiya RB/RZ system. But it is interesting to note that the choice of camera to take along is influencing the way one looks at things to shoot.

[@SteveONions]

I think I prefer the stubbier formats, 1:1 and 4:3, not to mention 4x5 of course. Even 3:2 feels a bit wide most times.

[@willyonamountain]

I've been having a fun time shooting in an X-Pan aspect ratio crop with a Fuji GFX50Sii. Not exactly a budget option, but at least I'm not paying for film while I play around with those wide shots 😁

[@SteveONions]

I’d actually considered one of the Fuji’s, especially as there’s an adapter for the XPan lenses.

[@Gallery90]

The first roll from my first panoramic camera (a Horizon swing-lens camera marketed by Kiev USA) was a disaster. It seems that I got enthralled by the aspect ratio and forgot the basics: Framing, foreground/background, anchor point, communications objective, etc. So, I had a sit-down with myself and also looked at a lot of successful panoramic photos. One thing I’m not burdened with is the obsession to rigidly bind the final image exactly to what I saw in the viewfinder or what was projected onto the film/sensor. Cropping the final image is fine, and in the darkroom or on the computer you can choose whether or not to adhere to the original aspect ratio of the camera. The viewfinder is there to suggest the possibilities and help you realize those possibilities. Said another way, you don’t cook the whole cow to make two hamburgers. Coming from a photojournalism background, I found those Voigtlander Bessa cameras (RF and non-RF) to be a bit liberating (eventually getting me to a pair of M6s). They reinforced my long-held habit of keeping the camera’s manufactured rectangle in the “suggestion” category, with the photographer making the final decision regarding composition and aspect ratio. It just happens that the XPan (which I once owned) had a unique quality of suggestion (though there was always the possibility of 24x36mm. That “suggestion” is still there with my two pinhole cameras (one 6x9 and one 6x12) where I have to function without a viewfinder. There is a lot of very good XPan photography out on the web, and also some “digital XPan” work by photographers using that feature in their Fuji GFX cameras. This includes landscapes, street, industrial, architectural, deep woods, portraiture, etc. I did sell off both my XPan and my last M6 a few years ago as I switched to mostly digital photography. Any film work is now B&W where I can “soup and scan” at home. For a different perspective of the wide aspect ratio, I suggest “Lawrence of Arabia” (see it through once, and then watch it again with your finger on the pause button).

[@SteveONions]

I also find the vast majority of my film work is with B&W where I still prefer the results over digital. The digital panoramic options are excellent and as you say, some cameras offer the native Xpan format in body which is a plus.

[@brianeibisch6025]

Steve, consider yourself really lucky to have an XPan. The film being 35mm means you have a cheaper film stock for this camera and probably more types of film too. The camera is a lighter weight setup for carrying around. I love the 1x2.7 format and I think the way to deal with the XPan is to really take it in safe situations but then try to wear it out too in the joy of taking magnificent vistas. Let’s face it, the Fuji 6x17 is a lot heavier and expensive to run. Cheers

[@SteveONions]

It’s certainly more manageable than the big Fuji but somehow it’s awkward to carry for handheld shooting up in the mountains. I’ve tried numerous cameras bags but it really needs the lens detaching to balance properly. Perhaps had I bought it 20 years ago I’d have grown to like it, they were only around £1000 then and repairs were easier.

[@MikeMcDermott-wv7ew]

Why not use your Bronica with a Vpan conversion. Hasselblad introduced the 6x3 format when the 503CW came out but it’s an easy conversion for most square format cameras. It’s not quite the same ratio of an xPan but it’s close enough. You’ll then have all the benefits of a panoramic format without the fragility of an electronic camera that is all but unrepairable.

[@SteveONions]

I’ve not come across the Vpan conversion, only the 135W back.

[@irresponsiblepictures7451]

I will stick to my pinholes for pano. Heck the holgapan is a bargain and is medium format. Pano has its uses but is also limited. Always enjoy your down to earth and honest videos :-)

[@SteveONions]

I must dig out my holgapan, lovely lightweight camera.

[@RickMahoney2013]

What I did in my photography was find a camera,lenses and accessories that work well with me and I work well with them and stick to that system.

[@SteveONions]

That’s what I do, then I change my mind 😀

[@chinmayeed]

Good to see you! Thanks for the great videos -Rahul Deshpande (India)

[@grahambell1959]

Wouldn't beat yourself up about the XPan, Steve. It's a difficult tool for the type of shots you're best at and I've always thought the aspect ratio is better suited to street, urban environments or wide open landscape vistas, not forest studies. I can see how much the Bronnies make you happy 😊.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Graham, it’s made me even happier to shoot with the Bronica.

[@stuartbaines2843]

I understand the Dilemma of formats and Gear. Perhaps separating the two might help clarify the issues? You do have a more effective square Eye 👍

[@SteveONions]

I do prefer the square format Stuart, I took to it immediately.

[@davidpowell5437]

I think that dedicated panoramic cameras really are niche equipment and if you find yourself worrying about the longevity (or otherwise) of a camera that you seldom use its time to move it on. I appreciate that you prefer to shoot film, but if you have any sites in mind that really would benefit from a "widescreen" approach, a used digital body plus one of your existing F mount lenses would be a lot cheaper and quite a bit more flexible. At the end of the day, it's the image not the means that gets remembered...

[@SteveONions]

I’m sure I can get panoramics without the expense of the XPan and to be honest I prefer the way my other cameras handle.

[@Jennifer_Prentice]

Interesting how everyone is different.. I am not a fan of square format :). I almost always like my 35mm frames and my 645,6x7,6X8 and 6x9 stuff .. I am the kind of person that likes to switch back and forth from Landscape and Portrait views :). Now I will shoot portrait modes with 645 and 6x7 but the 6x8 and 6x9 I find is better for landscape work . I have never had the chance to shoot any panoramic stuff so I can not relate to your struggles. Again even if you did not like some of those shots you took I liked most of them and think your work is great ..

[@SteveONions]

I struggle quite a lot with 3:2 most of the time which is a pity as 35mm film cameras are the most popular option. Had they settled on a 4:3 aspect ratio all those years ago I think I’d have been happier.

[@davidharle8794]

You are just not a panorama man! I rather like them myself, but only occasionally, when I stitch images taken with a normal lens-35mm-usually on full frame or equivalent in micro 4/3. I don't think I would ever consider a dedicated camera like the XPan. I sympathise with your anxiety about the reliability issues, too. You are a master of the square format, though!

[@SteveONions]

I think you’re right David, there are enough routes to panoramic images without the worry, and expense of the Xpan.

[@browntown52]

It's hip to be square.

[@davidwalsh566]

KISS: keep it simple Steve. Too much choice is debilitating. One camera plus one lens can be liberating, allegedly. Leonardo da Vinci (reputedly) said, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication". BTW, take care in that tall bracken - it looks like tick city.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks David. I’m usually only comfortable carrying one camera at a time but even having the XPan in my head made me hesitant to venture out without overthinking things.

[@RichardMaguire110]

I was in Aldi not so long ago, they had chainsaws. I reckon one of them would be useful when photographing in the woods to remove irritating tree.

[@SteveONions]

😀

[@mrca2004]

I have a pano plate for my tripod and never used it. If I want a pano, I'll shot 3 frames and stitch. The last thing I need is another camera.

[@SteveONions]

I always handhold pano’s when shooting digital or 35mm film, the stitching software is so good these days.

[@danncorbit3623]

I have bought a lot of equipment I eventually decided I did not really like. But until you give it a real go, there is no way to know how you will feel about it. I like panoramas for wide vistas or things that naturally demand it. But I just stitch images together instead of buying a panoramic camera. Since you prefer physical development and enlarging, I think that approach would be far too tedious. I guess if you lived in Montana or Wyoming you would like a panoramic camera, because those places are pretty much composed of panoramic scenes.

[@SteveONions]

Location definitely affects the choice of equipment and unless I’m in the hills the wide views don’t work so well.

[@mike747436]

Lovely camera the X-Pan, but for similar money you can buy a Mamiya 7 with the 135 adapter kit and shoot the same 24x65 format, and get a top MF camera thrown in for free! All you lose is the option to switch between wide and standard 24x36 frames.

[@SteveONions]

I did consider the Mamiya 7 but knew that it would compete (replace?) the Bronica and didn’t want that. I also like longer lenses and the SLR’s are better served in this respect (makes me wonder why I ended up with the XPan!???).

[@carbonejack]

Life is too short. Sounds like you need to dump the Xpan. I. have too much stuff, too. Makes deciding what I'd I use when I go out confusing and problematic. I waste a lot of time deciding. Stuff needs to go. Your process ad conversations are inspiring.

[@SteveONions]

Very true 👍

[@SloopJohnBeeRockabilly]

The last shot almost had an infrared look 👍📸

[@SteveONions]

It did, probably because I like that look 🙂

[@ciaranpringle9082]

Steve - if I were you I'd sell the Xpan while it's still working and get my money back. I love shooting panoramics - but I shoot them on a full frame sensor with the final crop in mind. The best of both worlds. I regularly print 15" x 45" panos taken on a Nikon D810 (with a little help from Gigapixel AI).

[@SteveONions]

It’s been a painful experience and like you I prefer to just crop down from a regular camera.

[@photobobo]

Steve, if you really don't like the XPan, you could always send it to me.

[@SteveONions]

😀

[@peter-robinson]

that image of the nettle in the stump would have been excellent if you’d used the xpan 😂

[@SteveONions]

Eeeek!! No way Peter 😀

[@pixelpeter3883]

Have you tried the Xpan on more sweeping landscapes, like in the mountains or what not? If so, and you still didn't like the photography experience with the Xpan, I'd say: sell it ;-)

[@SteveONions]

I’ve wanted to take it into the mountains but it’s an awkward shape for carrying. I prefer to have my camera to hand and not have to take the bag off to use it and no matter what bag I tried it’s just an odd shape to lug around.

[@pixelpeter3883]

@@SteveONions Why not use a neck-strap? When you keep it a bit longer you can carry the camera on you chest, or over a shoulder or put the strap across your chest, over your head on the other shoulder (hard to describe) which is handier when you need both hands while walking.

[@cabbelos]

Oh nooo. I got a heck of a deal on a Xpan recently, and immediately went back to your first Xpan video to get sort of "peer support" for a new owner. Sad, yet understandable, to see you are not having fun with it. It is a demanding camera to shoot in a way that feels like the shot deserves to be a panoramic. And it's hard to not think about the price when carrying it around in the forest (my favourite location too). Also, when you get those periods where all the compositions feel kind of mediocre and not inspiring... you just have to shoot through it. Sure, they still might not be good shots after you develop the film, but 1) shooting the only way you get out of the slump, and 2) you saw *something* in the composition originally - you might be in a more receptive mood for it in a few weeks or months time when you look at it again.

[@SteveONions]

I really wanted to like the Xpan but it just didn’t feel right for me. Also, having such a wide choice in aspect ratios is very confusing and makes venturing out an agonising process.

[@cabbelos]

I know what you mean. I switch between 6x6 and regular 35mm with ease, but the Xpan really puts a strain on the old composition muscle in my brain. So far I've been enjoying the challenge, but make no mistake it's a challenge. I've been looking at a lot of cinema composition styles to find ideas on how to utilise the frame. Problem is... I don't really care about photographing people. And that's what cinema mostly revolves around. I might be in the same boat as you in a few months, but I have to try everything I can so I won't come to regret my decision if I sell it.

[@actionimagesphotography]

I was told many years ago "If you want better pictures put yourself in front of better views". The area your in, although quite relaxing is visually kind of boring. I think (imho) your recent struggles come from this. Trying to make art from an area like this can be quite frustrating and really it's not your fault. It's the location.

[@SteveONions]

We are all somewhat constrained by where we live when it comes to shooting outdoors. I’d love to concentrate on the mountainous regions but when time is limited I have to go local. I will say that working with less photogenic areas makes you a better photographer (just my own opinion of course 🙂).

[@garykuiken6191]

When i look at nature with my eyes, i see more like the Xpan than a square. Just a thought.

[@Gallery90]

Uh-huh. And when you go to the movies. One of the first "real" cameras used (decades ago) was a Rolleicord. Did we just print square pictures? Of course not. That would be either silly, or sort-of a "look what I did" one-trick pony. The Rollei was square because it pretty much had to be. That square is just a container for both horizontal and vertical compositions.

[@garykuiken6191]

@@Gallery90Good to know and it's even better that with the resurgence of film several formats have seen considerable interest and films sales have had quite a resurgence. I still have my M2 which is still loaded with Tri-X 400. Sad that Kodachrome 25 is gone forever. Stay safe and keep clicking!!!

[@SteveONions]

I prefer square somehow, the compositions seem easier to my eye but then again we are all different. .

[@SteveONions]

I know that Ansel never printed square from his hasselblad but I actually like the 1:1 format.

[@garykuiken6191]

@@SteveONions And that's the beauty of choice!

[@andrewtonkin7643]

I wonder what proportion of your viewers have, just like me, too much gear? Despite having three bags permanently loaded with 35mm, MF & LF, before venturing out STILL end up thinking.....what if?! Much more relaxed about cropping these days, so providing it's part of the original plan when shooting, can't see anything wrong in making a panoramic shot on 6 x 7 or 5 x 4. Doubt you'll lose much money on your Xpan anyway Steve. Would certainly pay for a lot of film. Thanks for the videos as ever.

[@SteveONions]

Thanks Andrew. I’ve gone through stages of having multiple camera systems packed and ready to go but I still end up agonising before heading out!

[@anta40]

As someone who in general is not a big fan of wide angle lens (because the tendency of more unwanted elements), I think XPan gives more dramatic and distraction-less images. It naturally goes well for landscape or street photography which horizontal elements are dominant (e.g Joseph Koudelka who shoot with XPan's bigger brother: Fuji 617). For me, 6x6 is usually about feeling "balance", while panoramic format is about "dynamic". Sadly, XPan is getting expensive and probably is unrepairable once broken..

[@Gallery90]

There is a shop in Paris that specializes in XPan repair. When I sold my XPan I sent it to a shop in NYC for a pre-sale CLA (it was going on consignment and I wanted the dealer to have more confidence in the item)..

[@anta40]

@@Gallery90 Hmm Paris... Les Victor, I guess?

[@Gallery90]

@@anta40 I think. They used to be the Hasselblad repair station. I almost used them to CLA my XPan but it was in August and I wasn't sure if there was some kind of duty waiver getting the camera in an out of the EC.

[@SteveONions]

I think I’m more comfortable with the stubby formats, even 35mm is a bit long.

[@timryan894]

I prefer my Chroma Six:17 over an Xpan. I have ground glass for focusing at a fraction of the price of a used hassey.

[@SteveONions]

It does look promising, tremendous resolution too.

[@stevef2114]

cant see the point of owning an xpan.. over priced...especially seeing what you said. i also think you need to start using less cameras mate...

[@MpenziYako]

A great video today, not surprisingly, as all your stuff is really top quality. I was most interested in your declaration that you had too much stuff - like all of us - but more interested to know your preferred marketing outlet. Not seeking trade secrets but; it is time to reduce the ranks of early film equipment causing some loss of domestic harmony. Here is hoping that the hassleblad does not get the Chop. mark

[@SteveONions]

I’ve always been keenly aware that having too many choices ultimately affects my photography. My goal is to have as few as possible in the future but whenever I’ve tried this in the past I find myself slipping back into bad habits and buying more gear 😲

[@MpenziYako]

Yes, the GAS attacks keep repeating themselves 🙂