The BeerPAN may be the entry point for photographers seeking an affordable alternative to vintage medium-format panoramic cameras that usually sell for several thousand dollars. It’s a 35-mm film camera that’s compatible with Bronica Zenza ETR lenses.
Currently a Kickstarter project, the BeerPAN was created by Dutch panoramic photographer Robin Beerman.
“The BeerPAN is for photographers who are drawn to the panoramic format but put off by the cost of entry, who appreciate a slower and more intentional way of shooting, or who want a mechanical camera that can be maintained and repaired,” he says. “You don’t need to be a film photography veteran. If the format excites you and you want a camera that encourages you to slow down, the BeerPAN might be what you’re looking for.”
BeerPAN
Purchasing an antique panoramic camera body from classic brands such as Hasselblad and Fuji can be very expensive due to their prestige and rarity, but the BeerPAN aims to be a bridge to a less expensive option. As well, shooting on 120-mm film stock can be costly for the casual photographer, mainly due to the chemical processing and scanning that can only be done at custom film labs (most one-hour processing labs are only equipped to handle 35-mm film).
The BeerPAN camera instead shoots 65 x 24-mm frames on standard 35-mm film, with a 36-exposure roll yielding about 20 shots. It also has a waist-level viewfinder with a bubble horizon level to aid in composition. This instills a slower methodical way of shooting, as the user has to look down to check the image.
“I’ve always loved shooting with a waist-level viewfinder. Looking down into your image rather than pressing a camera to your face changes how you compose and naturally slows you down,” says Beerman. “I wanted to combine these two things: the panoramic format made more accessible, with a waist-level viewing experience. That camera didn’t exist, so I started making it.”
BeerPAN
The body and several internal frames are comprised of a combination of 3D-printed nylon and custom machined metal parts, which reduces the costs compared to traditional injection-molded construction and allows for accurate assembly. The gears, lens mount and film advance mechanism are machined from metal for durability and strength while embodying a tactile shooting experience.
The leaf shutter in the lens has a range from bulb to 1/500th of a second and is controlled via a mechanical film advance lever built around brass gears and mechanisms that provides a tactile experience.
Beerman purposely designed the camera mounts to be compatible with Bronica ETR lens due to their compact size, sharpness and wide affordable range of lenses up to f/2.8 available on the used market. He claims the Bronica Zenzanon 75-mm f/2.8 or 40-mm f/4 lens will work on the BeerPAN.
BeerPAN
The camera is available in two versions, with the base model’s internal frame structure comprised of 3D-printed nylon framed between two 3D-printed nylon plates. The premium version will have anodized aluminum for the top and bottom plates.
Beerman plans on releasing full designs files under the Open Community License a year after all Kickstarter orders have been dispatched to allow for open access to the right to repair. The user is free to copy, share and modify the designs for their own use under OCL terms of usage. Anyone with a 3D printer and materials can build adapt or improve his design as a non-commercial user.
Beerman will also offer replacement parts and instructions directly for repair if the user doesn’t want to send back the camera for repair and is able to do it themself.
You can get your very own BeerPAN camera for €660 (about US$784) for the base version or the premium €840 ($998). If all goes according to plan with funding and production, the BeerPAN is set to ship December 2026.
Source: Kickstarter
