Ansco Pix Panorama (c1990s)

A simple 35mm point-and-shoot camera with built-in flash and a fixed 28mm lens, sold under both "Pix Panorama" and "Pix Panorama Flash" names.

Overview

The Ansco Pix Panorama is a basic 35mm point-and-shoot made in the late 1980s or early 1990s, with production likely centered around the 1990s. It has minimal controls and a fixed-focus lens. A version with a built-in flash was also sold as the Ansco Pix Panorama Flash. The panoramic format is faux. The camera masks the top and bottom of the standard 35mm frame to simulate a wider aspect ratio. The whole thing is plastic, and it was built cheap in a disposable-camera sort of way.

Specifications

Focal length	28mm
Shutter speed	1/125
Aperture	f/11
Features	Built-in flash
Features	Faux panoramic
Lens type	Fixed-focus
Film format	35mm

Design

The Ansco Pix Panorama is all plastic. Reviewers called it "plastic-o-rama" and "no frills plastic-o-rama." It was an entry-level consumer camera, and the build has very little mechanical complexity.

Reception

One reviewer described it as "a complete piece of crap but fun to shoot with." It has a single shutter speed and soft image quality. Reviewers observed it was "not as wide... and overall softer" than true wide-angle cameras. One joked about the exposure system with "one shutter speed to rule them all... no really, one ...".

Market

In 2011, the camera was listed for sale at $10. Craig Camera priced an original instruction manual at $15.00. Current listings often use the title "Vintage Ansco Pix Panorama Flash 35mm camera,"