SilverBridges GmbH has confirmed that the Wideluxx works and are on their way to full production with a video of Jeff Bridges and his wife, Susan Geston, unboxxing the first two production models and testing them. It’s exciting news for a production that has seen slow updates until now, and we’ll likely see production ramp up in the new few months.

A Cult Camera With Hollywood Roots

The original Widelux was a fully mechanical Japanese panoramic camera first made in 1958 by Panon Camera Shoko, built around a unique swing‑lens that pivots across the film to capture about 140° of horizontal view — no traditional shutter, just a slit and a moving lens that produces wide, cinematic images few other cameras can match. Only about 20,000 were ever made before production ended around 2000, making them rare and prized.

Photographers including filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick experimented with Widelux panoramas, but its best‑known advocate is Jeff Bridges, who began using one in the 1980s to shoot behind‑the‑scenes life on sets and later published a book of those images.

SilverBridges Is Faithfully Recreating it

SilverBridges is a passion project by long-time Widelux lover, Jeff Bridges. Their 2025 Widelux•X aims to be as faithful as possible to the original experience, meaning it’s purely mechanical. That said, the company has said that it’s goal is to imrove the durability and to use sustainable manufacturing practices, so it is also an upgrade in areas too.

From Prototype to Production

No release date is set for the new Wideluxx, but the anouncement that it works and (looks) clear for production is the most news we’ve had since last year. A pre-order may not be far off either.