Here’s a camera I’ll be spending a lot of time with, especially considering how long I waited to actually get it. I pre-ordered my Wanderlust Travelwide system in the spring of 2014 and finally received it this month. Yup, a two year wait! From what I understand there were a lot of manufacturing issues that prevented a timely delivery, but it’s all good. It was a kickstarter project, after all 😉
The Travelwide is basically a large format point-and-shoot. It accepts 4×5 film holders and can be configured to take large format lenses like the 65mm Super-Angulon, pictured above, or the nice and compact 90mm Angulon (mine is currently being CLA’d). The entire system, with a lens, a couple film holders, and all included accessories, fits nicely in my smallest camera bag, which I typically use to carry mirrorless cameras and lenses. Very cool.
This is also my first real experience shooting large format. A workmate of mine gifted me some sheets of transparency film, and I found my dad’s old changing bag in a pile of photo gear he gave me, so it was just a matter of learning to load the film holders (not easy at first) and heading out to shoot some photos!
So far I’ve shot 4 sheets. Here’s the first one, taken with the 65mm Super-Angulon:
Scanning film this size at the lab is quite pricey, so I just back lit the developed slides with an iPad and photographed them with a high resolution camera. Seems to have done the trick for now:
Another with the 65mm:
The camera ships with a pinhole cap, cut to f/283. The longer exposures required to shoot pinhole mean you’re generally on a tripod. I took a couple shots using my gorilla pod:
The frames above and below were both shot with the pinhole attachment and exposed for between 3 and 4 seconds. Can’t be all that precise with the timing when the shutter system is your hand and a black piece of plastic 😉
The pinhole shots are obviously not as sharp as the ones taken with the Super-Angulon, but you still gotta love the color you get with slide film. 4×5 slide film…MMM-mmm.
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Travelwide + 65mm Super-Angulon/Pinhole Pinwide
Kodak E100G 4×5
Jonathan Fleming's Blog 
I’d say the Travelwide was worth the wait! I love both the pinhole shots and the lens shots. Both techniques have different artistic value, and I love that you can shoot either just based on your mood! I’d like to see you use this camera with an instant film back one day, maybe to help with processing costs. Hehe!
Yes! We need to go pick up a Polaroid 545i holder, then we can run some instant through this thing. So many possibilities! 🙂
Too bad I didn’t know you had ordered this. Just sold the last of my 4×5 stuff the middle of last year.
Doh!
Can you tell me the diameter of the pinhole? I can’t find that information anywhere. Thank you!
Sure! Diameter is 0.3175mm
ƒ/283 at 90mm (helical fully retracted)
ƒ/346 at 110mm (helical fully extended)
ƒ/205 at 65mm (with 65 Conversion Kit)
Thank you very much!! I appreciate it a lot!