NEWS: Susan and Jeff Bridges Revive the Widelux Camera with SilvergrainClassics

Susan and Jeff Bridges have joined forces with the team at SilvergrainClassics magazine to embark on a new venture: the creation of a new swing lens panoramic film camera. Aiming to revive a classic camera, the project is focused on producing a modern version of the Widelux camera.

Last produced in 2000, the Widelux stands out for its distinct feature—a panning lens that rolls across a strip of film instead of using a traditional shutter. This mechanism captures more time in a single image, offering photographers certain creative possibilities that are difficult to replicate with other cameras. Each panoramic frame is 2x the typical length from a 35mm frame.

Susan and Jeff Bridges had the idea for a long time of recreating the Widelux, but it wasn’t until they teamed up with Marwan El Mozayen and Charys Schuler from SilvergrainClassics that it became more realistic. With the SilvergrainClassics team’s industry connections and proximity to manufacturing centers in Germany alongside the team’s collaborative efforts, the project has already produced a prototype.

Jeff Bridges used the Widelux camera often to capture life on movie sets and in his Tragedy/Comedy series. Having gathered an interest in the camera from multiple interactions with it over time, Susan, his wife, gave him one as a belated wedding present. Read more about Jeff’s history with the camera here.

“The Widelux [panoramic ratio] is like how your eye sees, with peripheral vision. And the swing lens! Between the time when the slit starts moving and when it’s done, the world has changed.” – Jeff Bridges

Susan Bridges is a photographer herself and recently garnered acclaim for her first solo exhibition which reveals epic images taken during the filming of the western film, Heaven’s Gate.

“[The Widelux] is a fabulous format. I think it’s one of the most artistic ways to use a camera. And I like film because, to me, it’s the soul of photography.” Susan Bridges

More details on the project can be found on the SilvergrainClassics website. The team is also publishing an in-depth article on the entire project, including a portfolio of the Bridges’ photography in Issue 19 of SilvergrainClassics magazine. Stay tuned for further updates!