- Jeff Bridges is a long-time fan of the original Widelux line of cameras, released in the 1950s.
- Silverbridges, the actor’s company, plans to relaunch commercial production of the panoramic camera
- WideluxX uses a unique rotating lens to capture frames in a cinematic widescreen aspect ratio.
What do you get when you bring together a successful A-list actor and a love of photography and classic cameras? No, it’s not a trick question or the precursor to a punchline; is simply Jeff Bridges lifting the lid on his passionate revival of the Widelux, the extraordinary mechanical swing-lens panoramic camera of the late 1950s.
There was an understandable stir in 2024, when Bridges announced his intention to bring back one of the most unusual and collectible cameras of all time, but for the first time we caught a glimpse of a working model.
In a new video posted on the website of Bridge’s company, SilverBridges, we see him excitedly receiving a package. As a camera reviewer, I’m used to feeling that sense of anticipation whenever I see a Peli Case-shaped box that I know contains something special, so I can instantly identify with the actor’s clear enthusiasm. For him, this is the culmination of years of planning and development as he aspired to revive one of his favorite cameras.
He then opens the case to reveal two cameras, with serial numbers 0001 and 0002, indicating that these are the first pair of cameras to come off the production line. He continues to load the number two with film, carefully inserting the leader into the factory-fresh advance assembly, before replacing the backplate and making an image of his wife, Susan Bridges, née Geston.
The video beautifully illustrates the unique mechanism of the Widelux (now called WideluxX, the extra X added to differentiate members of the new line from the classic series), as well as Bridge’s clear passion for the camera and his understated photography style.
What is WideluxX and why now?
The Widelux was launched in 1958 and used an original rotating lens design to capture panoramic images. As Jeff Bridges himself explains in another video on the SilverBridges WideluxX website, this worked using an optic that moved in an arc, behind which was a slit that ran across the area of the film, exposing it in a long, wide aspect.
While the camera was able to capture good levels of sharpness throughout the frame, Bridges claims to have fallen in love with the quirks and flaws. He says he always enjoyed how Widelux provided images with a combination of sharp and blurry areas, creating a special atmosphere which he enhanced by using fast ISO3200 films, often automatically processed at ISO6400.
It was the Widelux that brought Bridges into photography, largely due to how the widescreen format replicated the film frames he was accustomed to in his line of work as a film actor.
“I didn’t start getting into photography until I bought a Widelux camera,” he explains. “It was kind of the missing link between still photography and film photography.”
Bridges also explains some of the practical benefits of using such a wide frame. “You can handhold it in 1/15th of a second, so it’s very forgiving that way.”
“It’s the only camera I use, my Widelux.”
So it’s understandable that the actor was upset when the original line of cameras was phased out in the early 2000s. Pann Camera Shokai, the Tokyo-based manufacturer, pulled the last unit off the production line in 2000. Since then, Bridges’ company, co-owned by his wife Susan, has worked to relaunch commercial production. While an official date has yet to be revealed, meaning it could still be a while until we get a sample, the latest video is another sign that the Bridges are serious. For updates on WideluxX, there is a registration form on the SilverBridges site.
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