I first learned about the Widelux camera by seeing the images in a book by Joyce Ravid, “Here and There”. They were wonderful, and unusual and like nothing I had every seen. I didn’t know what camera she was using. And then when I found out, I had to have one and then a second (everyone has 2 of the things they love, don’t they? ) The very first picture I took with my Widelux F8 camera was of a woman who came into the Legion of Honor courtyard, dancing with her 3 children. I was able to take 3 pictures, and then they left. My hands were shaking holding on to this new camera and I hoped I got the image. I not only got the image, but I have grown to love the camera with it’s 140 degree distortion. Its a picky camera. The manual says you have to hold it straight and you cant see whole image. You have to check the corners out of your view. With some trials I learned the rules and then broke some as well.
I found out about the Panasonic Lumix cameras when my friend John Pearson came to one of my Photo Parties and by mistake or by some unknown power, left his camera at my home. I had just found out that the film I always used for my Widelux was discontinued and I was depressed. A photographer without a camera is a sad site. So here was a sweet little digital camera, a new thing for me, and it looked like something I could learn to us. Would you believe I went out that day and I bought that camera and thanked John.