My son Nick gave me a very simple “point and shoot” film camera, the Panorama Wide Pic. I shared the first roll last year, and now here’s the second roll!
Two things to realize about this camera: it has zero controls beyond the shutter button, and it takes very wide and short photos, hence the “panorama” name. On regular film it leaves a wide black border at the top and bottom of each frame.
These photos date from about June 14 to July 27, 2025. I sat on that roll of film for quite a while before bringing it to Photo Central for developing!
I managed to date every image by comparing it to the videos and digital photos I took at the same time. Quite a few are from June 15 when I biked to Symington Yard (see “View From an Overpass“).
I wonder if I introduced some light onto the film when I loaded the film canister?
My favourite from that day is this view of FURX 850995, bearing a faded Saskatchewan Wheat Pool logo.
Since the camera has no zoom, the only way to take closer photos is to wait for the train to come, or move my feet. It also has a fixed aperture and focusing distance, so you cannot take closeup photos with it.
Five days later, I was out by the CN Rivers subdivision and caught a freight train passing the dragging equipment / derailment detector near mile 17.
The video I took at the same time is here.
On July 12 I was wandering around near the CPKC yard in Winnipeg and snapped a few photos.
My favourite is an overhead view of a yard job, taken from the Salter Street bridge.
The final three photos on the roll (of 39!) were of hotshot CPKC train 100 at Manson on the east side of Winnipeg. This train was led by shiny rebuilt locomotive CP 7451.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these grainy views from my Panorama Wide Pic.
The third roll is still in the camera, mostly featuring photos from Prague, Czechia. I hope to finish the roll off soon!
Very nice. It gives you a different perspective to use a limited camera. I like those shots.
Eric