widelux serial number database

- - WIDELUX serial number database - -
Widelux FV - Widelux FVI - Widelux F6 - Widelux F6B - Widelux F7 - Widelux F8

Some years ago a Panon Widelux camera comes to my hands; since then, I became an absolute fan of these cameras. I wanted to know more about it: differences between models, years of production, total number of units produced, range of serial numbers... but I found very few information about it. So, I started my own research.

I have checked serial numbers of hundreds of units. It seems to be chronologically ordered (from approximately 340.000 to 360.000) , so, total production would be 20.000 units, which is a small number for a camera in production during 40 years. On the other hand, I found some cameras with his original invoice: this alowed me to catch serial numbers and date of production (even though camera can be stored some time in the shop before be sold).

Some models remained in production even when a new model had been reached, so serial numbers can overloap. About Widelux FI (first Widelux model?), I have only notice of it through a factory booklet.

Like other panoramic cameras with swing lens (russian Horizon and FT-2, Noblex, Viscawide...), Widelux gives to the pictures a really unusual prespective, quite different that the one get with panoramic fix lens cameras. Banding, on the other hand, is the most usual problem with Widelux cameras, that tends to appear when a camera has been stored for a long time without be fired.

model	production range	lens	shutter speeds	serial numbers (first # known - last # known)	estimate production
Widelux FI (chrome)	1959? (prototypes?)	Lux 26mm f/2,8 - f/22	1/5, 1/50, 1/200	31101-59218	?
Widelux FV (chrome)	1958-...	Lux 26mm f/2,8 - f/11	1/5, 1/50, 1/200 (some units with speeds 10/100/250 or 10/100/300)	340633 to 341996	~2000
Widelux FVI (chrome)	~1964-...	Lux 26mm f/2,8 - f/11	1/10, 1/100, 1/250	342004 to 343344 some units beetwen #342834 and #343286 with "KALIMAR" name	~1500
Widelux F6 (black or chrome)	~1970-...	Lux 26mm f/2,8-f/11 uncoated - 6 diaphragm leaves	1/15, 1/125, 1/250 (some units with speeds 10/100/250, number 3455xx with very rare 7/70/125 speeds)	343568 to 345454 (chrome) 345146 to 347525 (black)	~3000
Widelux F6B (black or chrome)	~1970's	Lux 26mm f/2.8 - f/11	1/15, 1/125, 1/250	346009 to 346057 (chrome) 346072 to 348685 (black)	~2000
Widelux F7 (black)	1975 - 1988	Lux 26mm f/2,8 - f/11	1/15, 1/125, 1/250	347193 to 355616	~8000
Widelux F8 (black)	1988 - 199?	Lux 26mm f/2,8 - f/11 coated - 8 diaphragm leaves	1/15, 1/125, 1/250	355739 to 359560	~5000

image size: 24x59mm (11 pictures with 20 exposure film, 21 pictures with 36 exposure film)
angle of view: 140º (diagonal), 126º (horizontal), 50º (vertical)
Focus: fixed at 5m
finder coverage: 90%
size: 160x85x60mm
filters set: SL (Skylight), W2 (Light Orange), C4 (Blue), Y2 (Yellow), YA2 (Orange), ND (Grey)

DOF:
f/2.8: 4' 11" to 49' 2"
f/4: 4' 3" to 65' 7"
f/5.6: 3' 4" to 98' 5"
f/8: 2' 7" to infinity
f/11: 2' 4" to infinity

A selected stock of antique & classic cameras and lenses is available ... go here for details

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