Back in October 2024 I wrote here at PVC that “during a recent Late Show with Stephen Colbert actor Jeff Bridges mentioned he was bringing back the WIDELUX camera in 2025, with a new model that combines its iconic rotating lens with modern technology.”
Communication was sparse during 2025, and the launch of the new model never made the news, but October 2025 a WideluxX prototype was revealed. A video introducing the prototype 0001 was presented at the International Association for Panoramic Photography convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, confirming that SilverBridges, the company founded by Jeff & Susan Bridges and Marwan El Mozayen and Charys Schules was paving the way for 2026.
The original WIDELUX camera, first developed by Panon Camera Shoko, in 1958, ended production in 2000. The new WideluxX cameras are manufactured and assembled in Germany, individually assembled by hand, and placing a preorder, you reserve your place in the limited initial production run as the company begins building WideluxX with the precision and care expected of a hand-assembled mechanical camera.
According to the information shared by SilverBridges the first cameras are expected to ship approximately 6-8 months after orders open, with the full production run expected within one year. Each camera is individually prepared for its owner, including engraved initials specified at order, with additional customization options selected later in the production process.
Preorder Overview
- Price: $4,400.00 USD
- Insured Shipping: $172.00 USD
- Production: Initial run limited to 350 cameras
- First Deliveries: ~6–8 months after orders open
- Completion: Entire run within ~12 months
- Payment: Full payment at preorder
- Cancellation: 14-day voluntary period from order
- Refund: Full refund if not shipped within 12 months
- Personalization: Initials + later options
The new camera is not a nostalgic return to the past. The WideluxX exists alongside contemporary tools, offering a different way to create. Inspired by the original Widelux F8, the WideluxX preserves its character while updating materials and manufacturing to modern standards. The modern camera keeps essential traits of the original like:
- Swing-lens capture
- Single exposure
- Core optical behavior
- Fixed focus
- Fully mechanical operation
and adds:
- Modern precision
- Serviceable parts
- Modern glass
- Improved rewind
- Custom finishes
The WideluxX is not a camera for everyone. It is designed for photographers who enjoy shaping an image through timing, movement, and perspective — and for those drawn to finely made mechanical cameras. WideluxX shines in environments where space and motion contribute to the image. Landscapes, architecture, street scenes, and group portraits benefit from the extended field of view and the continuous sweep of the exposure. WideluxX isn’t designed for rapid sequential shooting, close macro work, or automated exposure adjustments. It encourages a more deliberate way of photographing. The photographs taken by Jeff Bridges for decades are a good example of what the camera can do, but the Widelux website has more photographs, taken with the prototypes during development of the WideluxX.
According to the information made available now, replacement parts are produced to consistent specifications so the camera can be adjusted, repaired, and restored for decades to come. The WideluxX is designed as a mechanical instrument meant to remain in use across generations — a camera that can be maintained, cared for, and passed on rather than replaced.
It’s, the company says, “A camera with a future, not just a heritage.”