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Jeff Greenstein and Gabe Sachs
The smash hit podcast about cameras and camera collecting from Jeff Greenstein and Gabe Sachs.
Episode 82 • November Spawned a Monster
“Four more years! Four more years!” Could you have ever imagined, when these two miscreants launched I Dream of Cameras on 11/20/20, that four years later the show would be an unstoppable juggernaut and the toast of seven continents? Neither could we! In this epic-sode, Gabe dons a dopey hat and Jeff a dopey visage to reflect upon IDOC’s journey from to zygote to Smash Hit. There’s a quiz! A truce! A song! A rundown of panoramic aspect ratios! Tune in for all the persiflage and badinage, which is NEVER, EVER BORING!It’s our fourth anniversary show, and Gabe wore a stupid hat! Celebrate four years of our Smash Hit Podcast™ by giving us notes!Gabe went to a Beers and Cameras meetup at Canyon Coffee in Echo Park…… and William Piper let him try his Plaubel Makina 67 - but Gabe has an issue with it!Gabe quizzes Jeff about how well he knows his podpartnerJeff bought himself a birthday present, the rare and coveted 24mm Angenieux for the Alpa… waited all day for it to arrive… and the mailman passed him by! We invite you to share your own maddening “waiting for new equipment” storiesJeff embarks on an ill-advised and deeply nerdy rundown of panoramic aspect ratios (XPan, Minolta P’s, Widelux) vs. various cinema formatsNo more animosity with Camerosity! we love those guys, and not just ‘cause they wanna collaborate on an Alpa episodeGabe went to a Catalina wine mixer, POW! - USC’s Distinguished Leaders Program - and led the participating CEOs through a cool photography exercisefinally, we take a relaxing dip in our prestigious and Prodigious Mailbag™, perhaps our best yet! prepare to be moved!
01:14:4619/11/2024
Episode 81 • Gabe’s First White Shirt
Like “Man in Black” Johnny Cash, Gabe Sachs is never seen without his signature ebon apparel. So what could coax him into donning a white dress shirt? And while we’re asking questions: who’s shooting 220 film, what’s a Zunow, and can Jeff actually perform Tom Lehrer’s “The Elements” on command? Find out in the latest obsidian-dark episode of I Dream of Cameras!Gabe was plied with birthday gifts!a camera-print shirt from a Paris boutiqueEyes Wide Open! 100 Years of Leica Photographya Polaroid Big Swinger and three precious packs of Fujifilm FP-3000bJeff made a world-wind trip to LA, where he and Gabe dined with Jeff’s friend and Renaissance-woman Cathy Rogers of indiepop legends Heavenly and Junkyard Wars a.k.a. Scrapheap ChallengeToday is Jeff’s 12th Alpaversary, yet his cherished 11si does not exist!to celebrate, he replaced the mirror foam in his Alpa 10s, and has a sexy how-to tip!Gabe bought a thrashed Rolleicord with Rolleinar close-up attachment and is wracked with regretJeff shot the Heavenly show with a Pentax 6x7 and 45mm lens and does not recommendyet he was quite pleased with his wedding shots from the XPan and Olympus XA4Gabe loved the documentary Uncropped, produced by Wes Anderson, about photographer James Hamiltonalso take note of Glen E. Friedman, seminal skateboard, punk and hip-hop shooter whose work is all over Dogtown and Z-Boysnow some questions! ever tried Shanghai 220 film?ever heard of the fascinating and ultra-rare Zunow SLR?did you know Tom Lehrer did a version of “The Elements” for a Polaroid sales meeting?and finally, our Prodigious Mailbag™, featuring a truly devastating missive from John Kelly, late of the Washington Post, in which he compares IDOC to the obscure and little-heard Camerosity podcast
01:14:5930/10/2024
Episode 80 • So Good
Our blockbuster eightieth episode includes talk of wedding shoots and model shoots, German Rolleis and Swiss Alpas, plastic Pentaxes and Pano Portrait Snobs. Tune in for all the badinage!Eighty episodes — even the hosts can’t remember the highlights! So which three episodes would you recommend to the uninitiated?Gabe went to a Cameras & Coffee meetup at the Culver Steps……where he drooled over an Olympus OM-4Ti and a MamiyaflexHe also brought five cameras to a shoot with Claire Hinkley:the rare and coveted Tele-Rolleiflex lent to him by the sainted John-Michael Mendizzathe old faithfuls: Rolleiflex 2.8E2 and Leica M4the mighty Nikon FM3aand a long-languishing Hasselblad 500CWhen Jeff and his siblings met up in Philadelphia for their yearly Fourphans™ Weekend, the Canon EOS Rebel 2000 with 40mm lens was his faithful plastic companionHe also went to Unique Photo and gaped at some rare Alpas, including the freakish 8b, which is both an SLR and a rangefinderWhich cameras did he use to cover his girlfriend’s son’s wedding?Canon EOS Rebel 2000 for pre-wedding prepOlympus XA4 with A11 flash for the rehearsal dinnerand of course the Hasselblad XPan for rooftop beauty shots of the betrothedYearning to get some new gear, Jeff grabbed an 24mm Angenieux lens for the Alpa at KEH… only to return it because it was not Alpa mount, but ExaktaHe also handled a Pentax 17 and recoiled from its icky extruded bodyAnd despite his devotion to the XPan, he bombed at the Epson Pano Awards — could he be a victim of the pano portrait snobs?As requested by faithful listener Gaetan Cormier, may we present the “So good” t-shirt, a loving tribute to Gabe’s catchphraseAnd finally: a deep dive into our Prodigious Mailbag™
01:13:3513/10/2024
Episode 79 • I Regret Nothing
Gabe Sachs, 25 years after Freaks and Geeks, is the Astrid Kirchherr of American comedy; Jeff Greenstein, 25 hours after Paris Fashion Week, is the Derek Zoolander of European modeling. Tune in for their rollicking adventures!Jeff’s just back from a wild trip to Paris! Including:P did a runway gig for Balmain for Fashion Week…while Jeff modeled for renowned photographer Leslie Kee of Super magazine…suffered hand-check travails at Orly Airport…and browsed overpriced gear at Euro-Photoour friend Chloe Kissner now has a photo businessGabe did a photo shoot with Raven-Symonémysterious lightning marks on film - could it be static electricity?Freaks and Geeks just turned 25, and Gabe Sachs is the Astrid Kirchherr of contemporary comedyGabe did a lightning-fast photo session with new dad Eoin Mackenis the Wandrd Prvke Lite the platonic ideal of camera bags?our Prodigious Mailbag™, including a passing mention of lost folksinger Connie Converse, whose music and new biography you should investigate
01:08:2829/09/2024
Episode 78 • Join the Car Crash Set
Hear the crushing steel, feel the steering wheel! Gabe lingers in NYC for more photographic and culinary adventures, while Jeff sees his reflection in the luminescent dash of his newly beloved Alpa 10s. But what will happen when he gently caresses its warm leatherette? Tune in and find out!presenting… our bad-review mug! however, you gotta listen to the episode to find out where to get it, ‘cause it’s not on our merch pageGabe recounts further New York exploits with Sissi Lu, Chris Chu and Chris LowellSissi gave each of the boys one of her super-cool DO NOT X-RAY film travel bagsGabe test-drove the Pentax 17 and had some criticisms - pictures came out great, though!Gabe’s palate was enslaved by Xi’an Famous Foodshe visited the new Leica Store in the Meatpacking District - turns out they are still carrying used equipmenthis only dud of the entire trip: three rolls of film purchased from Willoughby’s turned out to be both expensive and expirederratum! apologia! mea culpa! we found Louis Mendes, namesake of our last episode (oops), and he’s a national treasureJeff has been finding the Alpa 10s an utter joy to shoot withbut beware of dry (ba-dum-bump-bump, ba-dum-bump) leatherette - Jeff did a quick fix with a replacement strip from cameraleather.com (and also procured a replacement sheet from Polar Bear Camera)Jeff bought a tiny Reveni light meter Mk. 1 on eBay and it is niceAusgeknipst (“switched off”), makers of the charger to replace the PX625 with the rechargeable Varta V80H, make their own version of The Thingy and so much more - check ‘em outMint’s new Rollei 35AF will cost $800, making the Pentax 17 seem like a bargainwe urge you to learn the story of the Salmon of Knowledge so you will be spared Jeff’s Irish accentP dusted off her old Nikon F5 and 85mm f1.8 Nikkor to shoot a newly engaged couple, burning through two rolls of FPP Color 125 in fifteen minutesexciting news! John-Michael Mendizza plans to lend Gabe his new Tele-Rolleiflexwe take a shallow dive into our Prodigious Mailbag™and finally, our art director Keith Greenstein wrote and illustrated a new children’s book - it’s called Why Don’t You Marry It? and you should buy it!
01:08:1506/09/2024
Episode 77 • Today My Name Is Lois Mendez
It’s Talking Heads: 77 as the boys convene in New York City for a pilgrimage to B&H Photo, where they ambush veteran camera guru Michael Armato at the used counter for what proves to to be a truly phenomenal interview. Then it’s off to Fotografiska for the long-promised visit to the Vivian Maier and Bruce Gilden shows. Who will emerge victorious when Jeff confronts his photographic nemesis? Tune in and find out!
01:02:0323/08/2024
Episode 76 • 10s, NE1?
Hurricane Debby brings a downpour of camera gear! Gabe’s out with his Leica III and Mamiya C330, while Jeff samples some digital Leicas. Gabe chats with Toronto photographer Jessica Devic, and Jeff recounts his acquisition of a rare Alpa 10s from a seller in Alaska. Tune in for all the fish stories!It’s raining cameras! So much to report…Gabe figured out how to adjust his Leica III rangefinderand he’s acquired a Metz 45 CT-1 flash, the Bruce Gilden Specialand he’s been shooting his Mamiya C330 with the chimney finderJeff wanted to shoot portraits with a Leica M Typ 240, but the charger was missing……so he tried a Leica V-Lux 4 and did not enjoy itmeanwhile, his girlfriend’s Nikon F5 turned up under a pile of winter clothes and ski bootshis “poor condition” Petri Color 35 Custom turned out to be perfectbut most improbably, he found an insanely rare Alpa 10s on craigslist… with Schneider-Kreuznach lens and tons of accessories… from the original owner in Alaska… for only $400! However…it was missing the takeup spool — thank goodness for eBayand there’s a tricky battery problem, for which he MacGyvered together a neat solutionspeaking of batteries, there’s a new thingy in town! Could KaptainKugelkopf’s rechargeable Varta V80H + this inexpensive charger be the ideal replacement for the long-discontinued PX625 battery? Jeff ordered one to find out!Gabe’s bookstore recommendation: Untitled Books in Echo Park, Los AngelesFred Coury is loving his Leica Q2turns out Gabe does know who Vincent Peters isGabe’s interview with Toronto photographer Jessica DevicGabe’s friend is a descendant of (and dead ringer for) the mighty Ernst Leitz!finally, a dog-paddle around our Prodigious Mailbag™, including how Jeff’s Strong Opinions about Vivian Maier cost his brother Steven a chance at love
01:11:2209/08/2024
Episode 75 • We Finally Accept Some Praise
One of the Best Photography Podcasts To Listen To In 2024 (per Amateur Photographer magazine) returns to bask in some praise for a change! In this blockbuster XL episode, we run down our travels in Europe and Canada, recap recent celebrity photo shoots, exult over exotic gear acquisitions, and dive to the bottom of our Prodigious and Informative Mailbag™! Tune in to see what the fuss is about!THE BIGGEST NEWS: our smash hit podcast earned global acclaim, as Amateur Photographer named us one of the best photography podcasts of 2024! Thanks, Jess Miller!you’d be wise to consult Lina Bessonova’s invaluable hand check guide before travelingJeff once again experienced sudden XPan battery death after less than a month (= 30 rolls), so mock his spreadsheet at your perila Czech photographer picked on Jeff for daring to do portraits with a pano camera - also, he failed to make the cut for Brooklyn Film Camera’s photo show - the shame!finding film in far-flung locations is HARD, so stock upJeff recounts an extremely bad experience with a Rome photo labnot to be out-traveled, Gabe went to Canada with his Leica M10 and Noctilux - what’s more, he:…visited Leitz Road in Midland, Ontario so his lens could see its birthplace…hung out with Jessica Devic at Youthful Vengeance Coffee in Toronto - she’s a tremendous photographer, check her out…toured Memento Film Lab in Toronto…shot Claire Hinkley with the peerless Olympus 35 RC and monstrous Mamiya C330…and had a Fred Coury rock ’n’ roll idyll at the Rainbow and Whisky a Go Go with Taime Downe of Faster PussycatJeff harpooned a long-sought white whale you’ve never heard of: the Petri Color 35 CustomGabe bonded with a TSA agent at Toronto Airport who turned out to be a film shooterbehold the B&H Lego set!check out the Half Frame List of half-cookie cameras in current productionwe’ll be at the Bruce Gilden and Vivian Maier shows at Fotografiska in Augustand finally, our Prodigious and Informative Mailbag™, featuring plenty of fierce clapback about the Pentax 17
01:18:2523/07/2024
Episode 74 • Ubriaco A Roma
Two glasses of white wine reduces Jeff to drunkenly raving about travel cameras, airport hand-check injustices and (predictably) his usual cast of bêtes noires. Meanwhile, stone-cold-sober Gabe offers sharp, reasoned takes on the new Pentax 17 and the cameras of 1955. Tune in to Episode № 74 (not 75) for all the mayhem!Jeff recorded this episode from Rome after imbibing two glasses of cheap white wine, which is why he keeps calling it Episode 75Why the two cameras Jeff picked for his extended European trip — Olympus XA4 and Hasselblad XPan — have been idealLisbon Airport is the worst — they abjectly refused to hand-check Jeff’s film!Jeff had 18 rolls developed at Ars Imago in Rome, and here’s what he learned: Kodak Portra 160 needs tons of lightGabe unexpectedly presents: Cameras in Focus 1955!Miranda TCanon IIs2A $200,000 Leica accessory the Leica UW underwater housingOlympus WideGabe visited our lovely friends at LA Film Camera and you should tooThe boys drop some Strong Opinions™ about the new Pentax 17 half-frame film cameraGabe considered trading his Rolleiflex 2.8F for a Plaubel Makina and finally opted not to……but because he’s Gabe, he stumbled across a garage sale in Pacific Palisades and came away with all this for only $200:Olympus 35RCTopcon RE Super with three lensesLeica V-Lux 3Gabe revisits his chronic bouts of which-camera-to-bring anxietyWe drop a small I Dream of Pizzas travel tip: the best pizza Jeff’s girlfriend has ever had was at Ai Marmi in RomeA dip into our paltry yet Prodigious Mailbag™ Gabe reacts to the NY Times article about film shooters trashing their negativesAnd Jeff offers one more shout for the RitchieCam, an iPhone app that can emulate the XPan
01:01:4101/07/2024
Episode 73 • I Have Your Review in Front of Me
“I am sitting in the smallest room of my house. I have your review before me. In a moment it will be behind me.” — Max Reger, German composer (1873–1916), responding to a savage reviewJeff’s in Lisbon at the start of a month-long European trip; Gabe’s in LA developing his own film for the first time in years. But what’s obsessing them the most? Their first rotten review! Tune in for all the merriment and NO PRAISE!Jeff’s choice of cameras and film for a month-long European trip:the Hasselblad XPan with both the 45mm and 90mm lensesthe mighty Olympus XA4 macro24 rolls of Kodak Portra 400 and Portra 160Gabe’s eBay misadventure in pursuit of the Pentax 50mm 1.7: the “as-is” Pentax ME Super and S1 turned out to be nonfunctional, the lens was dented……but he did get a Watson bulk loader!He lent his Canon EOS 3 to Martin Starr… so he had to buy a replacement: the EOS Elan 7NE. Which was perfect — even better than our beloved Rebel 2000!More eBaying: Gabe also got the Nikon 85mm f1.4Dand he got his beloved Leica M3 repaired by our trusty dusty camera repair guy! whom he interviewed! and who may finally be unmasked in an upcoming episode!Jeff was on the cusp of buying an Olympus OM-3 when his cherished 12” Retina MacBook dropped dead… hence no OM-3Gabe went shooting with the Elan and his Rolleiflex and processed the film himself — it’s a new era!In Lisbon, Jeff visited Vintage Dream Cameras and took a hard, hard look at a Snoopy 110 camera and a rare Leica IIIc with sharkskin leatheretteWe got a terrible review!Gabe compared Rolleiflex TLRs with Dave Tada, but it turns out there are lots of differences between the 2.8E and the 2.8E2! Also, Dave’s has an RZ67 finder!Our friend Oliver’s exotic Chinese Pearl River SLRJeff experienced sudden XPan battery deathWe empty out our Prodigious Mailbag™ Some notes on our composer Fred Coury: his former band Cinderella’s Night Songs was released on this day in 1986; also, Fred just won his 6th Emmy!
01:17:2210/06/2024
Episode 72 • Mint & Rare & Cameras & Coffee
A transformational live-on-locational supersensational IDOCstravaganza! First we go to a Los Angeles Photography Club Cameras and Coffee meetup in Koreatown to talk to folks about their cameras and dogs. Then we SPAN THE GLOBE to interview Jo Geier, proprietor of Mint and Rare, a phenomenal camera shop in Vienna, Austria. You won’t want to miss this one, so TOON IN!
01:16:2222/05/2024
Episode 71 • Tucker: The Dog and His Dream
Consulting Producer Tucker Sachs, the real brains behind I Dream of Cameras, has long lurked in the shadows with a bone and a chew toy, but in this episode he finally steps into the light. Also discussed: photo books, photo contests, photo walks and photo acquisitions, along with every syllable of your deathless prose from the Prodigious Mailbag™. It’s a doggie-dog world!Daido Moriyama’s ’71 NY is an incredible photo book shot on an Olympus Pen WGabe had a blast at the latest Beers and Cameras feat. Joe StittSpotted: a Fujica ST 801check out Walker Evans' subway photo book, shot with a Contax II: Many Are CalledJeff entered an Epson pano competition - any favorite photo contests?Gabe really should get a Nikon SP, but in the meantime he finally snagged an ugly black-paint Nikon F from KEHour new cult favorite film: FPP Color 125bulk-loading and its discontentsGabe scored a slew of point-and-shoots at a yard sale for a total of $28:Olympus Infinity IIFuji DiscoveryPentax IQ ZoomOlympus Infinity Jr.Polaroid announced an upgrade to their B&W 600 film - kudos!The IDOC gang are planning a Polaroid-peel-apart-film-shooting festivalcheck out Sissi Lu's reels and IG live shotsJeff is performing at the Ruskin Theatre in Santa Monica on Mother's Day (click See a Show and then look for Library Girl)The Prodigious Mailbag™ features the Osmond brothers doing Crazy HorsesHank Haddock’s ISO 3200 stickers (designed by Suné Horn) will help you avoid arguments at airport security - find them at tinyurl.com/savemyfilmdo you make photo books, and if so how?and finally, Consulting Producer Tucker Sachs puts in an appearance
01:06:5408/05/2024
Episode 70 • Say Hello to Vivian
He wouldn’t…. Now that the long-raging and ill-advisedly-ignited Vivian Maier debate has finally died down, Jeff wouldn’t throw gasoline on those embers by expressing a Strong Opinion about some recent Viv-related news, would he? Well, you’ll just have to tune in to find out. Also discussed: the boys swap cities, Gabe in New York and Jeff in Los Angeles; recent shooting adventures with a slew of cameras both old and new; and the proper way to express your love of our smash hit podcast: through lavish gifts!we had a tremendous response to the last episode — clearly 69 is something people really enjoyheh heh heh, the folks at Camerosity took the bait — haven’t y’all read The Mouse That Roared?Gabe’s adventures in New York shooting his Rolleiflex and Leica M10 with Sissi Lu (shoutout: Katz’s Deli) and Chris Chu (shoutout: Salt’s Cure), plus drive-bys at B&H and picturehouse + the small darkroomJeff sold his Robot Royal 24, but shipping to South Korea was twice as much as what the UPS website originally quoted, so he realized a net profit of $3.32however, he still wanted a square-format 35mm, so bring on the Mamiya Sketch… which is delightful and quirky!shooting the Canonflex R2000shooting the Pentax MF with FPP Color 125 (see Jeff’s article in Casual Photophile)a hearty thanks to super-listener Jeffry Pittman, who sent us a Baby Rollei, a Hermes 3000 typewriter, and lots of filmiPhone iOS 17.4 now includes podcast transcripts so you may enjoy our soaring rhetorical flourishesJeff mildly reacts to some recent Vivian Maier newsGabe’s planning an all-medium-format film shoot with the Pentax 6x7, the Mamiya RZ67, and the Hasselblad 501CMa passing mention of new friend Peter Kagan, about whom you will hear morea bold voyage into our Prodigious Mailbag™ and finally, a fond farewell to the great Joe Flaherty
01:17:2918/04/2024
Episode 69 • P
Paulina Porizkova joins the boys to offer her unique perspective on the art and business of fashion photography. How’d she get into it? What’s the most important thing a photographer should know about working with models? Why does Paulina call Irving Penn “Mr. Penn”? Does the fact that Jeff has a spreadsheet of when he last changed the batteries in his cameras render him more attractive? All this and much, much more in our sexy Episode № 69 — nice!how Paulina got into modeling at age 15, how she learned the crafther growing awareness of lighting and camerasthe dance between photographer and model, and how it’s altered by different types of camerahow a photographer’s behavior influences a model’s confidencehow real is the Veruschka scene from Blow-Up?do you know if the shot is good?how aware are you of camera equipment?can what you know about modeling be taught?pay attention to lighting! take a selfie when you look great!were you ever interested in photography yourself?her late husband Ric Ocasek’s interest in photographystudio vs. location shootingthe business of modeling is not what you think!does the fact that Jeff has a spreadsheet of when he last changed the batteries in his cameras render him more attractive?what is the most important thing a photographer should know about working with models?is it different working with a female photographer?working with Irving Penn and why P always calls him “Mister”Bill Kingthe one photographer she wishes she’d had a chance to work with: Helmut Newtonthe resurgence of 35mm point-and-shoots in fashion photography, e.g. Marie Tomanova’s shoot for Czech Voguecan you get a good shot of a model by being mean to her?what’s it like shooting with your boyfriend, former photographer of plants and buildings?the portrait by Jeff that P lovesher Top 5 photographers she enjoyed working with:Mr. PennArthur Elgort (author of Camera Ready and Camera Crazy)Patrick DemarchelierMarcus BardMarco Glavianowhat’s it like being constantly confronted with images of your younger self? do you have a favorite?
01:19:5902/04/2024
Episode 68 • Peres-Troika
It’s an xlent xlerated xtralarge xtravaganza as Gabe and Jeff hack and slash their way to the bottom of the Prodigious Mailbag™, which features a slew of emails penned by celebrities under the pseudonym “Alan Peres.” Also discussed: cameras of ’55, cameras of ’24, Dune 2, SB2, SL3, FP4, HP5, Number Six and Zippora Seven! Tune in as we run the numbers!Cameras in Focus 1955:Olympus WideRolleiflex 2.8Dthe Nikon SP was in development (which prompts a reprise of Jeff’s astonishing SP acquisition story)PentaflexGraflex Stereo Graphica 1955 survey of 35mm cameras by price rangeJeff briefly acquired an Asahi Pentax SB2, rare variant of the H3/S3 sold only on Japanese military bases… but it was broken, so back it wentGabe launches the Under $40 Camera Challenge!The soon-come Pentax film compact camera will be a half-frame model with zone focusingFor the third straight time, Leica reports record revenue, plus the new SL3 is outGabe rhapsodizes about the monstrous GowlandflexDave Tada picked Gabe up a coveted Nikkor 28mm f2.8……but he still yearns for an ugly black Nikon FDune 2 was shot on a $50 Helios-44!Nikon is buying REDJeff watched the great Yu Tsai in action at the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue 60th anniversary shoot in Fort LauderdaleWe go XL to empty out the Prodigious Mailbag™ Our IDOC Discord channel is hoppin’! Join us!
01:14:2810/03/2024
Episode 67 • Your Extra Time and Your Kiss
“Pablo Larraín, the film’s Chilean director, felt [Jackie] Kennedy’s love of beauty was so integral to her character that he requested [Natalie] Portman utter ‘I love beauty’ at some point during the shooting of every scene.” This is absurd, but not as absurd as Episode № 67 of I Dream of Cameras, “Your Extra Time and Your Kiss,” in which we discuss cameras called Beauty and Kiss and Super. Tune in for all the mayhem!Jeff made yet another math error! 64 is 2 to the fifthGabe presents… Cameras in Focus, 1956:Canon VTPentacon FB / Contax FBMamiyaflex Automat BIIBeauty 35 Super(“I love beauty”)Beier Precisa IIABolta Photavit 36Duplex Super 120Flexora IIIKodak Signet 40original Leica MPJeff snagged a Canon EOS New Kiss Panorama (a.k.a. Rebel G, a.k.a. Rebel 500N) for $14.50 and gave it to his brother StevenAfter much equivocation, and after handling the lens at B&H, he concluded he does not need the extravagantly-priced 30mm for the Hasselblad XPanGabe did an all-film photo shoot with Claire Hinkley during the recent L.A. monsoonAlso shot Kylie Silkman and her sister Danica with the stunning Helios-44 lensJason Schneider's books on camera collecting are amazingPerplexity.ai is a useful tool for camera comparisonsWe will try to chat with y’all on Discord - check the #idoc-podcast channel under Sunny 16Don Goldberg at DAG helped Gabe fix the broken strap guard on his Leica M6 TTLAnd finally, a deep dive into our Prodigious Mailbag™!
01:08:0319/02/2024
Episode 66 • To the Bathyscaphe!
It’s a voyage to the bottom of the Prodigious Mailbag™ on our Smash Hit Podcast™, but before that there’s talk of the year in photography 1957, the revived Southern California camera show, Jeff’s trip to the Caribbean with a sexy Swede and also his girlfriend, eBay execs sending pig fetuses to their critics, and so much more!Jeff made yet another major math error! 64 is 2 cubedSorry, but Parenting Hell is not a smash hit podcastGabe presents The Year in Focus 1957:Nikon SPIlford SportsmanHasselblad 500CKodak Retina ReflexConcava Tessina watch camera TLRLeica M2 (for real) which when new went for $276, or $2,884.37 in today’s dollarsArsenal SalyutAsahi came out with the original PentaxOlympus Wide EGabe went to the new Huntington Park camera show (very exciting) and nearly bought a Contax TJeff visited 5R Photo Lab in New York and met proprietor AlecA trip to St. Barth’s, French West Indies occasioned the return of the XPan, and a love affair was reignitedJeff shot with both Portra 400 and 160… and liked 160 better!Gabe visited Jeff and P in NYC, went to B&H Photo, bought nothing……but then ordered an Exa 1B and a Helios-44 lensMint unveiled their coming-soon Rollei 35AF — apparently anyone can license the name “Rollei” for a buck fifty — but who needs this thing?A bunch of eBay execs were creepy criminalsJeff got a cool Minox film slitter from camerhack.itCheck out RitchieCam, a camera app for iPhone with an XPan emulation modeA dive so deep into our Prodigious Mailbag™ that it requires a bathyscapheGabe wants to hear about online photography websites you love - blogs, magazines, whatever
01:04:1003/02/2024
Episode 65 • Rebel Rebel
You want more and you want it fast? Tune in to Episode № 65 of I Dream of Cameras, “Rebel Rebel,” in which Gabe and Jeff wax rhapsodic about the trash-table treasure Canon EOS Rebel 2000. How did this grubby chunk of plastic capture the hearts of two men devoted to the cult of Leica? Pluck this pod and find out! Also, we call out great cameras NOT from the big-name brands, recount recent shooting adventures, and take a shallow dip into the deep and prodigious mailbag!Jeff made a major math error! 64 is 2^8Cameras of ’58:Nikon S3Leica M2Rolleiflex TMinolta SR-2Mamiya Elca (and from ’59, the fascinating square-format Mamiya Sketch)Ricoh 519Zeiss Ikon IkonetteAnd now, the long-promised Minority Report (great cameras not from the big-name brands)Alpa 11si (of course)Pentacon SixPetri Color 35Plaubel Makina 67 (Gabe’s gonna get one!)RectaflexBalda Baldaxette IIVoigtländer Vitessa LWideluxThe trash-table Canon EOS Rebel 2000 is dirt cheap and packed with features — we both love ours!There’s also an even-cheaper EOS Kiss Panorama with a stupid panorama switch!The 40mm f2.8 pancake lens is delightfulCheck out Casual Photophile's impassioned defense of “Dorky AF” SLRs of the late ‘90sGabe’s been shooting portraits (?!) with Leica’s 28mm ElmaritAnd finally, a dip into our Prodigious Mailbag™
01:08:3508/01/2024
Episode 64 • By the Time I Get Some Phoenix
The big news in Episode № 64 of I Dream of Cameras is the release of Harman Phoenix, a brand-new experimental color film from the company we insist on calling Ilford ‘cause they didn’t give us free stuff. Also covered: notable cameras of 1959; fun with Lomochrome Turquoise; Gabe’s recent five-camera all-film photo shoot; the growing cult of the Minolta P’s; last-minute holiday gift ideas; and tons of blowback in the Prodigious Mailbag!Cameras of 1959:Leica M1Minolta SR-1Tele-Rolleiflexdebut of the Nikon Fthe original one-lug Olympus Pen (made not by Olympus, but Sanko Shoji)Asahi Pentax S2 / H2Zeiss Ikon Contaflex SuperThe Russian Mir (a simplified Zorki 4)Gabe went to The Darkroom for the exciting debut of Harman Phoenix, a brand-new film from a company we insist on calling Ilford ‘cause they didn’t give us free stuffLabs working with this film are running smack into The Scannenberg Uncertainty PrincipleJeff had a blast shooting Lomochrome Turquoise with his rare and exotic Mamiya/Sekor 2000 DTLMeanwhile, Gabe’s been shooting with his cheap ’n’ cheerful Canon Rebel 2000 + 40mm f2.8 pancake lens — the results blew him away!He also recently did an all-film shoot with the Contax 645, Rolleiflex 2.8E2, Yashica T4, Leica M6… and Minolta P’s! P's Mania rolls on! Directing NBC’s new sitcom Extended Family, Jeff did some set photography with his beloved Olympus Pen EE-3. 78 shots on a roll!Holiday gift ideas! Jeff recently acquired some excellent photo books:Apollo VII - XVIIHasselblad - The Camera System 50 Years 1948-1998New York in PhotobooksWhy not our new Alan Daly t-shirt, or something else from our burgeoning merch page? Or Rachel's Brewster-Wright’s Ultimate Film & Darkroom WorkbookA dip into our Prodigious Mailbag™, featuring:More Vivian Maier blowback from our 50th episode - as revenge, Viv will be getting a one-woman show at Fotografiska New York in May 2024An excellent photo club, The Slow Camera ExchangeA wonderful 1942 article from The Atlantic, The Dream Camera
01:05:5420/12/2023
Episode 63 • Three Years of His Youth
It’s our third anniversary episode, featuring celebrations galore and talk of cameras past, present and future. Plus the return of our Prodigious Mailbag™, featuring NO PRAISE! Tune in for all the merriment!Cameras of 1960:Nikkorex 35Nikon S3Mthe original CanonflexPentax Spotmatic shown at PhotokinaRolleiflex 2.8FRolleiflex Rollei MagicZeiss Contarex SpecialYashica 35MLeica R5Gabe and Jeff got great birthday gifts!the original Kodak InstamaticKodak Retina IIICLego RolleiflexLeica IXMOOA golden Minolta P’sGabe’s been trawling eBay for early LIFE magazinesPlease tell Jeff he doesn’t need a Nicca IIILHe’s also fascinated by the ridiculous Contax PreviewGabe’s got some shoots coming up, and plans to use:Contax 645Minolta P’sand the super-cheap Canon Rebel 2000 with the 40mm pancakeJeff’s quasi-repaired Pentax ES II is cursed… never again!…but he’s loving his rare and delightful Mamiya/Sekor 2000 DTL…and will soon be shooting on set with his beloved Olympus Pen EE-3A deep dive into our Prodigious Mailbag™ and finally: Gabe throws out the Under $95 Camera Challenge!
01:10:0729/11/2023
Episode 62 • Austin to Austria
Gabe goes to a celebrity wedding; Jeff appears in Vogue Portugal. Gabe has a birthday; Jeff has a breakdown. And all the while, they scour the globe in search of the world’s finest vintage camera shops. Tune in for pulled pork and wienerschnitzel and much, much more!Cameras of ’61:Olympus Pen EECanon 7Rolleiflex wide-anglePentax H1/S1A vintage Hasselblad 500c ad: What could possibly make a camera worth $550?Gabe had a birthday and received a photo-themed gift: Life Magazine and the Power of Photography, featuring his beloved Gordon ParksOur corporate retreat in Austin, Texas featured visits to The Camera Exchange and Austin Camera, followed by BBQ at Rollin’ Smoke, where you get a free beer with your tipGabe’s verdict on the Nikon 28Ti: he agrees it’s boring and prefers the Yashica T4!Jeff’s Pentax ES II mega-saga: if your stuff gets damaged by UPS, submit a claim! As for Electro Spotmatics of all sorts, never again!The new I'm Back digital insert for 35mm cameras is larger than it appears - would you do it?We were gifted a complete set of Atlanta Film Co. films from Bill ManningJeff returned to Vienna, which is vintage camera heaven! Notable stops included Camera 31, Westlicht, Jo Geier, United Camera and the astounding Photo BörseMore security hassles in Frankfurt - next time, lie about your ISO!Gabe’s been shooting with his Rolleiflex and Leica M6Jeff spent some time with Leica photographer Pat DomingoAlso a shout-out to Branislav Simoncik, who shot P for Vogue PortugalStarting with Episode 17, the subtitles on the episode page at idreamofcameras.com became delightfully obscure references, yet nobody ever mentions them. Y’all paying attention?
53:1027/10/2023
Episode 61 • More of You, Less of Us
A rare treat: IDOC № 61 is dedicated to you, our legions of devoted listeners. In this XL episode, we take a deep, deep dive into our Prodigious Mailbag™, which as of recording ran 46 emails deep. Tune in as Gabe and Jeff respond to inquiries, sympathies, clapbacks and condemnations. It’s sixty-wonderful!Cameras of ’62:Minolta Hi-MaticNikon F PhotomicHasselblad 500C in space! Wally Schirra aboard Mercury 8Canonflex RMPentax SVMiranda DRFujicarexRicoh SinglexAfter we revealed our eBay watch lists, people did indeed skunk us! The mint Minolta P’s, the bulk roll of Panatomic-X, the rare Pentax SB2, the Alpa 10d half-frame and one of the two Nicca IIILs are all gone!and for the remainder of the episode, a deep dive into our Far Beyond Prodigious Mailbag!
01:11:1814/10/2023
Episode 60 • I Dream of Genie
In Episode № 60 of I Dream of Cameras, Gabe and Jeff stun the photography world by boldly revealing the contents of their fiercely guarded eBay watch lists. That’s right — you could go on the ‘Bay right now and steal their Precious right out from under them! What are the white whales and black beauties they’ve been eyeing hungrily? And which would they choose if a magical djinn offered them just one? Cross your arms and blink to find out now!Cameras of 1963:the original Kodak Instamaticthe original gothic Olympus Pen FCanon DemiPolaroid Polacolor film for Land camerasGabe promised a purge! there was no purgeWhich cameras did Jeff bring to New York in anticipation of a month of travel?Jeff’s Pentax ES II misadventureGabe shot with the Nikon 28Ti, verdict to comeGabe’s take on the new Polaroid I-2Jeff and Gabe boldly reveal the contents of their eBay watch lists — feel free to skunk us!If a magical genie offered you one thing from your watch list, what would you pick?The Prodigious Mailbag™ will be the bulk of our next episode, so please write to us at eye dream of cam rahs at gee male dot calmGabe recommends an excellent YouTube series: Wrong Side of the LensFred Coury’s beloved Amy Motta is a Canon film shooter nowDon’t praise us in an email — leave us a review on iTunes!
01:04:5228/09/2023
Episode 59 • Friends Was a Fun Job
“So no one told you life was gonna be this way / Your Nikon’s in the shop, your XPan’s D.O.A....” Join Jeff and Gabe in Noo Yawk Cit-tay for a very special episode, featuring a schmear and a Dr. Brown’s and the most underrated Canon SLR of the modern era. We’ll be there for you! Cameras of 1964:the O.G. Leicaflexthe elusive Canon FXthe wildly undervalued Pentax SVthe freakish Nikkorex Auto 35the large and unwieldy Koni-Omega RapidGabe’s NYC photo walk with the great Sissi LuThe team’s visit to B&H Photo (and Russ & Daughters) with Chris ChuJeff bought a Canon F-1 Lake Placid Olympics edition, the only classic-era Canon SLR he’s never ownedComparing the XPan with the Minolta P’s: field of view and aspect ratio are quite similar!Another roll-the-dice segment! Adapting this lens for that camera, and the worst camera we’ve ever used — fight us!Plus a dip halfway down our prodigious mailbag!
01:05:0426/08/2023
Episode 58 • Tumbling Dice
There's fever in the funkhouse now for Episode № 58 of I Dream of Cameras, in which we introduce a startling new segment: we ROLL THE DICE to choose from a bumper crop of listener-suggested topics. Tune in ‘cause the deuce is still wild!Cameras of 1965:Leicaflex MK2Minolta Autopak 700Hasselblad EL/MOlympus Pen EMNikkormat FTand something else that came out in 1965Jeff saw the Terry O’Neill show at Fotografiska……went to Overland Photo Supply in Overland Park, Kansas……and bought a Pentax Spotmatic F for cheap! you K1000 devotees are crazy!Gabe did a nighttime photo shoot at Mel’s Diner on Sunset with his beloved Nikon D700, experimenting with flashJeff got the first roll back from his Minolta P’s, and likes the results… though he misses having backlight compensationRecommended documentary: All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, about photographer Nan Goldin, streaming on Kanopy (free with your public library card)It’s been a year — how’s Polaroid Music going?A new segment where we roll the dice and pull from our list of undiscussed topics!Celebs with film camerasOur oddest cameras:Contarex BullseyeVoigtländer Vitessa LAlpa 11siWerraMinoxNikonosPentax Auto 110Ricoh Mirai ZoomMinolta 110 ZoomScale-focus cameras - Gabe can’t stand them!the prodigious mailbag!and finally: Chloe Kissner has a photography business, and her mom is buying a film camera
01:06:5512/08/2023
Episode 57 • P’s and Q’s
In Episode № 57 of I Dream of Cameras, we mind our P’s — Minolta’s little-known pocket XPan killer — and Q’s — diving into a particularly prodigious mailbag. Also, Gabe’s gone digicam kray-zee, and Jeff’s still obsessed with that Nikon Year of the Dog camera. Tune in for all the chitter-chatter!Cameras of 1966:The troublesome but alluring Rolleiflex SL66The unreleased yet tantalizing Pentax 220The well-named Petri RacerGabe’s recent acquisitions — he’s a digicam hipster!Nikon Coolpix S1000pj with built-in projectorNikon D700Nikon Coolpix P7000Jeff’s thoroughly besotted with the delightful panoramic point-and-shoot Minolta P's — it leaves the tab out when rewinding! And it comes in four other colors, red, blue, green and black — does he need 'em?Olympus Stylus, mirrored chrome edition — are these special finishes worth the premium?Revisiting the Nikon FM2/T Year of the Dog camera — the price continues to plummet, but the dog looks like the dogecoin Shiba Inu, so does that ruin it?Gabe’s recent use of the Leica M6 on the WGA picket line reminded him how nice it is to use a lighter, less bulky cameraeBay annoyances, suspicious sellers…and our super-prodigious mailbag!
01:08:1729/07/2023
Episode 56 • A Night at the Opera
“On Wednesday evening, at the start of the opera in the St. Margarethen quarry, the unbelievable happened: Carmen survived.” And this is just the start of Episode № 56 of I Dream of Cameras, which features a harrowing escape from certain death, an enigmatic Central European supermodel, exotic cameras from East Germany and Czechoslovakia, and Jeff Bridges! Tune in for all the intrigue.On the final night of his Central European trip, Jeff was almost killed at an outdoor performance of CarmenCameras of 1967:Olympus Trip 35Hanimex Praktica Novo I BZenit EMore on Jeff’s recent observation of fashion shoots, including two different professionals’ use of the Olympus StylusLook for many behind-the-scenes XPan shots on Jeff’s InstagramGabe finally found his long-lost Leica R6.2… he’d sold it to LA Film Camera!Our composer Fred Coury went to an LA Photography Club meetup and got hookedThe Argus C3 is terrible — fight us on this!On Alan Peres's recommendation, Jeff visited FotoŠkoda in Prague and it was incrediblePicked up a Zeiss Pentacon FM and a Carl Zeiss Jena 35mm f2.4 Flektogon lensIn Český Krumlov, Jeff visited the fascinating Museum Fotoatelier Seidel……and found a Czech-made Meopta Stereo-Mikroma at a local antique storeGabe got a black Olympus OM-2……and a Nikon D700……and is seeking a waist-level finder for his Contax 645The challenges of shooting film abroad: do you wrestle with unsympathetic airport security personnel? Ship your film home and risk it getting x-rayed along the way? Process it locally? After equivocating for days, Jeff rolled the dice and took 18 rolls to the lab at FotoŠkoda… and it was a smashing success!Also: Portra 400 is totally worth it, and the XPan is a great travel cameraExciting news: a new Widelux is inbound from Jeff and Susan Bridges and the team at Silvergrain ClassicsWhile the Widelux has a 126° field of view, the XPan with 45mm lens covers 71° — is that panoramic?What do we think of the Minolta P’s and other “fake” panoramic 35mm cameras which merely mask the frame?Finally, a dip into our prodigious mailbag!
01:03:3115/07/2023
Episode 55 • Vienna Calling
Hello, oh-oh, Vienna calling! Jeff’s in the City of Dreams for Episode № 55 of I Dream of Cameras, featuring talk of travel, model shoots and being trailed by paparazzi. Do they swoon for the XPan? Find out in this globe-spanning dispatch!Jeff’s in Vienna, Austria for this one!Cameras of 1968:Petri Color 35Fed MikronKonica Autoreflex TPraktica Super TLGabe’s been going to a lot of camera meetups ‘cause Jeff has abandoned himJeff talks about the nature of his globetrotting adventure: Bratislava, Brno, Vienna, Prague, Karlovy Vary…Photographing picturesque cities, being trailed by paparazziThe cameras he brought: the Hasselblad XPan and the Olympus XA4 MacroThe XPan opens doors! photographers notice it — it’s not a dilettante’s camera — and this has led to some fascinating conversationsGabe’s had a similar experience with Rollei TLRsThe XPan is a surprisingly great travel camera — between behind-the-scenes stuff and exotic Central European cities, Jeff’s burning through two or three rolls of Kodak Portra 400 a dayKodak Ultramax 400 was cheaper but a bit disappointingalso in the queue: Portra 160 and FPP Color 125 (a.k.a. Svema)Jeff’s getting an extraordinary insight into the collaboration between model and photographer on a fashion shootyesterday’s photo shoot was with Leica Ambassador Pat Domingo, who used a Leica SL2 Reporter and a custom black chrome Hermes edition Leica M10-D with red leather and a 35mm Summicron that belonged to his fatherGabe had some struggles to get back in sync with his black-paint Leica M4Jeff’s pretty good at judging exposure — are you?Gabe’s also been out shooting with the Mamiya RZ67, the Hasselblad 501cm and the Rolleiflex 2.8E2And he’s fascinated by the work of Saul LeiterAnd he’s still enjoying the black Canonflex RM and Pentacon Six TLJeff’s favorite black-and-white film is Double-X 250, a GREAT stock which for some reason isn’t commercially available (except through Cinestill) — buy a 100-foot roll from Ultrafine Online and start bulk-loading!Jeff’s East Coast lab of choice: picturehouse + smalldarkroom in Chelsea, NYCand finally, a dip into Das Prodigious Mailbag!
01:03:5925/06/2023
Episode 54 • Imogen Cunningham Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle
We’re Feckless in Seattle for Episode № 54 of I Dream of Cameras, which features a visit to an amazing local camera shop, Gabe’s adventures at Los Angeles photography meetups, a dip into our perpetually prodigious mailbag, talk of Mamiyas and Pentacons and Pentaxes, and more!Gabe reviews a few key cameras of 1969:Pentax 6x7Olympus 35SPHasselblad 500 EL Apollo editionA dip into the prodigious mailbagGabe’s visit to a recent Los Angeles Photography Club meetupAlso, check out your local Beers and Cameras photowalkGabe's preferred shooters these days: the black Canonflex RM and Pentacon Six TLJeff's results from shooting the Heavenly concert in London: could pushed HP5 be better than Kodak or Ilford 3200?Jeff’s Mamiya 35mm SLR saga: the 2000 DTL improbably works perfectly, the 1000 DTL’s meter is dead, the 55mm f1.4 lens is radioactiveA Lacquer-Stik (black or white) is a very useful tool for restoring camera logosJeff's visit to the amazing Shot on Film Store in north Seattle, and what he bought there:a gorgeous black Pentax H3Konica 40mm f1.8 pancakeOlympus A16 flash for the Olympus XA seriesKodak Ultramax 400Preparations for upcoming Central European trip incl. fear of taking a loaded camera through airport security ‘cause they won’t hand-check ithow does Jeff post swipeable panoramas to Instagram? the Swipestagram appFred Coury got a Leica Q2!
01:00:3011/06/2023
Episode 53 • Can I Get a Witness
New York, London, Paris, Munich… there’s nowhere I Dream of Cameras won’t go in pursuit of our elusive dream camera. In Episode № 53, Jeff is off to London and the Photographica ’23 photo fair, while Gabe treks to Ventura, California in search of one of the last great camera shops. Also, one of us actually handles the rare and nose-bleedingly expensive Ilford Witness! Tune in for all the Pop Muzik!A week after returning from Paris, Jeff impulsively jetted off to London for the reunion of his friend Cathy's band HeavenlyBrought a small Peak Design bag, the Everyday Sling 5L, a birthday gift from GabeDid some concert photography with the XPan, using both Ilford Delta 3200 and Kodak TMax P3200, plus HP5 pushed to 1600Fortuitously this was the same weekend as Photographica 2023, an incredible camera show! Met Chroma Steve and Kosmo Stephen and Jimmy Hickford and Richard, saw an Alpa 9f, an XPan II... and an Ilford Witness!What'd Jeff buy? A really good gift: a Rollei 35 B plus some Kosmo Foto Agent Shadow 400. Listeners: what’s a good $100 camera for the 25-year-old son of a friend?Meanwhile, he failed to land his white whale, which nobody even bothered to guess at: an Alpa 10sMore travel travails: Heathrow airport security refused to hand-check any film below ISO 400, and carped about the number of rollsGabe ordered a new lens: the Canon 50mm f1.4 Leica screw-mount…and visited the mighty Dexter’s Camera in Ventura, CaliforniaJeff impulsively snagged two Mamiyas: the rare and desirable 2000 DTL and the plentiful and unloved 1000 DTLGabe is fascinated by photographer Dominique IssermannFinally, a dip into our prodigious mailbag!
01:04:2326/05/2023
Episode 52 • Liberté, Égalité, Photographie
Bonjour nos amis! Play The Marseillaise, play it, because your letter of transit is here: Episode № 52 of I Dream of Cameras, “Liberté, Égalité, Photographie.” Jeff’s back from Paris with tales of the XPan and exotic camera shops, plus his abrupt conversion to the cult of the camera bag, while back in the States, Gabe splurged on a sexy black Canonflex. Connectez-vous pour une conversation amusante!Gabe got a sexy new black Canonflex RMJeff’s continuing XPan saga:The XPan II had problems, so back it went to the dealer… who put it right back on the site without fixing it!what Jeff learned from his brief time with the XPan II: the O.G. is better!however, even after repair it kept squeaking and locking up, prompting the impulsive purchase of a backup XPan at K&M Camera in NYC (love those guys!)Other Paris trip preparation:the backup camera: a Leitz Minolta CL with the 40mm SummicronA camera bag (Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L V2) from REI — now he’s a convert!Portra 400, which is pricey!at Paris airport security, they refused to hand-check the cameras, so Jeff had to force-rewind the XPan and waste half a rollParis camera shops:Aux Vieux FormatOdéon Occasions Photo, where Jeff met Christopher Nisperosinstead of toting eleven rolls of film back to LA, Jeff took it to a local lab, picturehouse + smalldarkroom, Sissi Lu’s favorite — no extra charge for pano! watch Jeff’s Instagram for the remarkable results!high-end compact autofocus camera prices are skyrocketing!A Mamiya MSX 500 at B&H Photo prompted memories of the 500DTL and 1000DTL
01:03:2512/05/2023
Episode 51 • Photo Walk, Photo Sit, Photo Play Dead
It’s back to the coalface for Episode № 51 of I Dream of Cameras, featuring notable cameras of 1973 (uh, the early ’70s), amnesty for the prodigious mailbag, a recap of Gabe’s recent portrait shoot and a photowalk at the Getty Center, and the strange and terrible saga of Jeff’s XPan. Topics discussed include:A recap of our banner 50th episode and the chaotic events of past three monthsGabe presents… the cameras of 1972, which bear a striking resemblance to the cameras of 1973: the Olympus OM-1, the Polaroid SX-70, the Nikon F2 and the Rollei A26Despite the rapturous response to the 50th — all credit to Chris Chu — a lot was left on the cutting-room floor, including the prodigious mailbag, so… amnesty!Gabe did a portrait shoot at iHeartRadio for a couple of friends — how do you learn about lighting setups?Do you guys apply firmware updates to your digital cameras?Gabe loves his Canon EOS 3 and Hasselblad 501cm; Jeff’s EOS 5 experience soured him on autofocus cameras forever (and maybe Canon, too)Victoria of Tiny Camera Store fame turned Gabe on to the Chinon Auto 3001 Multifocus and the Voigtländer Bessa II with the Heliar lensThe new Los Angeles Photography Club had a photo walk at the Getty Center — what makes a good photo walk? would you prefer a “photo sit”? — also, Jeff loathes both the Getty’s architecture and its architectHowever, we saw a great photography exhibit by Carrie Mae Weems and Dawoud BeyAnd now… a SAGA! Jeff’s beloved Hasselblad XPan froze up mere days before a trip to Paris, and even though it unfroze, his confidence is shattered. His deranged solution? Order the incrementally improved XPan II as a backup!A rundown of the differences between the XPan and XPan II (pro tip: they didn’t fix the bad paint)A discussion of the concept of the “backup camera”Other panoramic cameras are nice, but don’t kid yourselves, the XPan reigns supreme. Fight me on this!Any photographic advice for a first-time visitor to Paris? Email us, you know where!Gabe has begun processing his own film, and can’t load the reels in the changing bags without closing his eyes to make it “extra dark”The eBay “startTime” hack doesn’t work anymore, so what to do? Sort by Time: newly listed, and it’ll show the date the auction was postedGabe vows to shoot with the Graflex Super D — send him your tips!
55:5118/04/2023
Episode 50 • And I Can Kick
It’s here, folks — the long (and we do mean long) awaited Episode № 50 of I Dream of Cameras! And courtesy of the filmmaking talents of our friend Chris Chu, it’s our very first video show! Listen to it wherever you pluck your pods, or watch at https://tinyurl.com/IDOC50.Topics include:notable cameras of '73when Jeff hit a bump on the LA River bike path, his XPan flew into the air... and the accursed strap saved his baconthe rare and exotic Alpa Surgical 81 - one shutter speed, no finder or meter, only 102 units madeGabe's Graflex and Exakta, and his doomed pursuit of the Olympus OM-4Gabe's quest for the sharpest lens... as opposed to the lovely softness of the RectaflexWe regret to inform you that Polaroid is at it again: David Bowie i-Type film50 episodes in, what have we learned?
36:5602/04/2023
Episode 49 • IDOC Unplugged
Episode № 49 of I Dream of Cameras, “IDOC Unplugged,” is our first unedited, unsmoothed, unexpurgated episode — meaning we didn’t have time to do our usual polish before releasing it to the teeming millions. Will you notice the difference as we chat about Minox, our camera shelves, seller’s remorse, recent photographic adventures, and the contents of the moderate mailbag? Tune in and find out! Jeff has two new jobs, so this is our unplugged show - what does that mean?follow-ups to our acclaimed Minox episode:Jim Anderson makes Minox reelsJP O'Connor says the 15mm lens for Minox = 48-49mm on a 35mm cameraour Instagram pic of Jeff's camera shelf is our most-liked post ever - let’s see yours!pangs of regret after unloading lotsa cameraswhat we’re on the hunt forthe allure of tradingGabe’s experiments with motion blurGabe shot a friend’s wedding!our moderate mailbaga cool book: Album 1958-1988: The Portraits of Duane Michals
01:03:0402/02/2023
Episode 48 • Minox Idyll
Half a cookie? Try one-twelfth of a cookie! After a deep dive into our bulging mailbag, we go big on one of the smallest cameras ever made: the mighty Minox! Tune in for all the fun!OK, we’re late and here’s why: Illness, torrential rain, power outages, travel…!We won the Sunny award for Best Sunny 16 Presents Podcast!Gabe went to B&H in New York and didn’t buy anything, not even a bagMeanwhile, Jeff did not go to Antarctica - those who have been, please tell us, is it worth it?Jeff unloaded some gear (including the 90mm Summicron) with the KEH guys and is completely delighted — it paid for the XPan!Gabe’s M6 is under a doctor's careOur beyond-prodigious mailbag, including discussion of the new Pentax "film camera project"And now… the Minox idyll! That is a great pun!The Riga Minox, designed by Walter ZappA through III-sBthe Minox developing tank, enlarger — it’s a whole system!CBLLXShooting with a Minox is different!renewing our IDOC photo assignment: shoot a portrait of a friend, shoot a portrait of a stranger — post on Instagram and tag us to be amplified!Jeff is performing February 12th at the Ruskin Theatre in Santa Monica — follow this link, click on See A Show, then choose Library Girl
01:02:2418/01/2023
Episode 47 • Beyond the Valley of Marie Nikondo
Part Three of the trilogy! Marie Nikondo has lain waste to Jeff’s camera collection — now the question is, how to dispose of the booty? What’s the best way to divest yourself of camera equipment — sell online? Donate to salivating photography students? Give to a potential paramour? Find all the answers in this holiday classic.was the Shroud of Turin the first contact print?Jeff sold three lenses and one camera — thanks, listeners!with the proceeds, he bought a vintage boombox and a 28mm f2.8 LW-Nikkor, an above-water lens for the Nikonosposting panoramas to Instagram? check out the extremely useful (and free) Instagram Swipe Panorama iPhone shortcutpushing film: Gabe has, Jeff never has!our prodigious mailbag, including shots fired about the proper pronunciation of “Nikon”!and now the main event: how to divest!eBay, Craigslist, FaceBook Marketplace, and what to do when you fear peoplethe KEH option — in person at their Atlanta HQ, with their buyers when they come to your neighborhood, or shipping them gear for a quote? (there are similar protocols at Adorama, B&H and other online retailers)local camera shopsthe local film community: Beers and Cameras, meetups, etc.ever had a bad experience as a seller?the reseller’s creed: if you’re not using and enjoying an item, its value to you is not what you paid for it, nor what it might fetch on the open market… it’s zeroan alternate to selling: donating! The Film Photography Projects’s school donation program is greatGabe’s sudden brainwave: an I Dream of Cameras Garage Sale! are y’all in?another alternative: give a film camera to the new parents of a child or a puppy — or a gift for your date!your IDOC photo assignment: shoot a portrait of a friend, shoot a portrait of a stranger — post on Instagram and tag us to be amplified!’tis the season of giving, so why not check out our dazzling merch?Chris Chu is hosting a photowalk in Venice, California on Sunday, December 18Gabe got a $50 Mark O'Brien surprise package — which is another fun way to divest yourself of stuff!Still available from the Greenstein collection — email or DM if intrigued!Bell & Howell Dial 35 (with case)Bolex H16 Reflex 16mm movie camera (with case and accessories)Bolex 16mm lenses:10mm f1.6 Kern-Paillard Switar17.5mm-70mm f2.4 SOM Berthiot Pan-Cinor (with case, viewfinder and filters)25mm f1.8 SOM Berthiot Lytar75mm f2.8 Kern-Paillard YvarCanon Color Demi (red)Canon Color Demi (blue; with cap and case)Canon Color Demi (white; with case)Canon Dial Rapid (nonfunctional)Canon 110 ED 20 (with case)Canon AE-1 with 55mm f1.2 FDKodak Bantam SpecialKodak No. 2 Folding Autographic BrownieKonica Acom-1 with 50mm f1.7 Hexanon ARLeica M3 (single-stroke)Leica M lenses:50mm f1.1 7Artisans (chrome)50mm f2 Dual Range Summicron (with goggles and two cases)90mm f2 APO-Summicron-M (with box, case and caps)Minox B (with case and chain)Minox BL (metric scale; with case and chain)Nikon F with Photomic T Finder, Prism Finder and Action Finder and 50mm f1.4 Nikkor-S Auto and 55mm f3.5 Micro-NikkorNikon Speed MagnyNikonos III with 35mm f2.5 NikkorOlympus MFT lenses9mm f8.0 fisheye body cap lens14-42mm f3.5-5.6 M.Zuiko EZ ED MSC (silver, with caps)Pentax Auto 110 Super with Pentax 110 flashPentax 110 lenses:18mm f2.8 Pan Focus20-40mm f2.8 Zoom24mm f2.850mm f2.870mm f2.8Pentax Electro Spotmatic with 55mm f1.8 SMC TakumarPentax 6×7 MLU (with TTL finder and wooden grip)Pentax 6x7 lenses:45mm f4 SMC Pentax-6×7 (with caps)105mm f2.4 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar/6x7 (with caps)Petri Color 35 (black; with cap and case)Polaroid Big Swinger 3000 Land CameraPolaroid i-Zone (blue) + three packs of filmPolaroid Snap (black) + several packs of Zink paperVoigtländer Perkeo I (first version, Vaskar lens, Pronto shutter, with case)
58:4516/12/2022
Episode 46 • Battle for the Planet of Marie Nikondo
Part Two! We made it halfway through Jeff's camera-cull in our last episode, so Gabe/Marie Nikondo has returned to help him through the second half — including a few shocking surprises! But first...our once again prodigious mailbag!Jeff sold his 40mm Nokton Classic to a listener in NoCal and everyone's happy!heartbreak: our composer Fred’s Leica Q was stolen, he needs a Christmas miracleIf you’re gonna praise us, praise us on iTunes! and vote for us in the Sunnies!And now, the main event: once again Gabe takes on the role of Marie Nikondo, forcing Jeff to phenotype his phenomenal photographic phantasmagoria. Among the items discussed (and feel free to make an offer):Olympus Pen F lenses: 25mm f2.8 G. Zuiko Auto-W (with caps and case) and 40mm f1.4 G. Zuiko Auto-S (with caps and case)Olympus Micro Four Thirds lenses: 9mm f8.0 fisheye body cap lens and 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 M.Zuiko EZ ED MSC (silver, with caps)Pentax Auto 110 MarronPentax Auto 110 SuperPentax Auto 110 lenses: 18mm f2.8, 18mm f2.8 Pan Focus, 20-40mm f2.8 Zoom, 24mm f2.8, 50mm f2.8, 70mm f2.8Pentax 110 flashPentax 110 belt clips (two of ‘em)Pentax Electro Spotmatic with 55mm f1.8 SMC TakumarPentax 6×7 MLU (with TTL finder and wooden grip)Pentax 6×7 lenses: 45mm f4 SMC Pentax-6×7 (with caps) and 105mm f2.4 Super-Multi-Coated Takumar/6x7 (with caps)Petri Color 35 (black; with cap and case)Polaroid Automatic 250 Land Camera (with closeup and portrait kits)Polaroid Big Swinger 3000 Land CameraPolaroid i-Zone (blue, with three packs of film)Polaroid Snap (black, with several packs of photo paper)Rectaflex Standard 1300, series 25000 with 50mm f2 Schneider-Kreuznach XenonRobot Royal 24 Model III with Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 45mm f2.8Voigtländer Perkeo I (first version, Vaskar lens, Pronto shutter, with case)Voigtländer Vitessa L (version 1)Voigtländer Vito IIa (with case and accessory rangefinder)
56:2502/12/2022
Episode 45 • The Revenge of Marie Nikondo
She's back! Everyone's favorite collection-culler returns, and this time she's out for blood! Jeff is contemplating a major purge, but those pesky ol' emotions keeps holding him back. Can Gabe/Marie help him see the righteous path and release his gear to the limitless legions of camera-craving Tessas? Tune in and find out! But first...a manageable mailbag!John-Michael Mendizza was the one who gave us the Pentax 6x7 grips - thanks, J-M!Gabe had a mishap... his cherished M6 is in the shop with a failing meter :(And now the main event: Gabe assumes the role of Marie Nikondo, cruelly coercing Jeff to cull his colossal camera caboodle. Among the items discussed (and feel free to make an offer, gang):Bell & Howell / Canon Dial 35 (with case)Bolex H16 Reflex 16mm movie camera (with case and accessories)10mm f1.6 Kern-Paillard Switar17.5mm-70mm f2.4 SOM Berthiot Pan-Cinor (with case, viewfinder and filters)25mm f1.8 SOM Berthiot Lytar75mm f2.8 Kern-Paillard YvarCanon Color Demi (red)Canon Color Demi (blue; with cap and case)Canon Color Demi (white; with case)Canon 110 ED 20 (with case)Canon AE-1 with 55mm f1.2 FD and 50mm f1.4 FDCanon Dial RapidKodak Bantam SpecialKodak No. 2 Folding Autographic BrownieKonica Acom-1 with 50mm f1.7 Hexanon ARLeica M3 (single-stroke)40mm f1.4 Voigtländer Nokton Classic (with shade)50mm f1.1 7Artisans (chrome)50mm f2 Dual Range Summicron (with goggles and two cases)90mm f2 APO-Summicron-M (with box, case and caps)Minox B (with case and chain)Minox BL (metric scale; with case and chain)Nikon F (with Photomic T Finder, Prism Finder and Action Finder)50mm f1.4 Nikkor-S Auto55mm f3.5 Micro-NikkorNikon Speed MagnyNikonos III with 28mm f3.5 UW-Nikkor (with caps)and that’s just the beginning! more to come in our next episode!
01:00:1018/11/2022
Episode 44 • Eyerolls and Rolleis
After a dive into our prodigious mailbag, bulging with talk of the newly reissued Leica M6, we essay a sweeping survey of the mighty marque known as Rollei. Gabe has nine Rolleiflex TLRs; Jeff has a Rollei 35 and a Rolleiflex SL350. Tune in — it's a gas, gas, gas!we skipped Episode № 43, deal with itquite a prodigious mailbag! featuring:much talk of the newly reissued 2022 Leica M6, which is NOT a limited edition - worth noting: there’s a center dot between the two LED arrows in the viewfinder (à la the M6 TTL); no plastic shields under the strap lugs (‘cause the paint is hardier); the red dot says "Leitz" not "Leica"; it doesn't come in chrome; the only available finder is the .72; and the cost is $5,700. Who is this for?how ‘bout those high-end metal cassettes for bulk loading (e.g. FILCA and IXMOO, Shirley-Wellard, etc.) - are they any good?Jim Melcher made a video about stainless-steel reelsGabe’s Leica assignment / adventure, courtesy of the Leica Store Los AngelesOur Rollei show! Gabe has a slew of Rollei TLRs:1938 Rolleicord 2b with Zeiss 3.5 lens1939 Rolleicord 2c with Zeiss Triotar lens1945 Rolleiflex Automat Model 2 which used to belong to renowned photographer Phil Stern1954 Rolleicord 5 with Schneider-Kreuznach Xenar 3.51958 Rolleiflex 3.5C Planar1958 Rolleiflex 3.5F Planar (his favorite)1959 Rolleiflex 2.8E2 with Zeiss Triotar lens (his other favorite)... Jeff has a 1959 Rolleiflex 3.5E … and Gabe also has:1959 Rolleiflex 3.5C1960 Rolleiflex 2.8F…and they all have different personalities! - they handle differently, and the hand-ground lenses render differentlyhow TLRs change your relationship to the subject when shooting portraitsnext! in non-TLR news, Jeff loves his little Rollei 35 SEworth checking out: Zeno Felkl's Rollei 35 Project bookand the mighty (and mighty hard to find) Rolleiflex SL350 is one of Jeff's favorite SLRs - the 50mm Planar is sublimeThe other Jeff Greenstein stole a quarter billion in a tax fraud scheme, so we will henceforth refer to him as "tax fraud felon"
01:02:0304/11/2022
Episode 42½ • Cheap Camera Challenge (A Bonus Episode)
Gabe has a cold, so we’re bringing you this unaired Sunny 16 segment from April 2021: Jeff and Gabe suggest excellent cameras you can find for under $30… in April 2021. Discussed:Minolta SRT seriesMinolta Maxxum seriesMinolta AL-F rangefinderKonica Autoreflex TC a.k.a. Acom-1 (which Jeff has actually purchased since this segment was recorded!)Smena 8MMamiya/Sekor 500TL, 1000TL, 528TLOlympus Trip SYashica TL Electro-XYashica Electro 35Pentax ME, MX, ME SuperCanon FT, TL, and the very strange EX EEUnsexy SLRs: Miranda Sensorex, Chinon, RicohOlympus Pen EE-3 - the ultimate half-a-cookie cameraPentax Auto 110Canon 110 ED 20
20:0027/10/2022
Episode 42 • In a World
Find the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything in I Dream of Cameras 42. New cameras, old cameras, new old cameras, old new cameras, and ways to hack eBay — it’s all here!best wishes to Graeme, who’s stepping away from Sunny 16 for a bitour prodigious mailbagJeff’s 90mm Summicron ASPH is still available - message him and snap it up!The new CubePan from Chroma Camera looks intriguingGabe’s trying to leave the house with only one camera… and a spare in the carthe rumored Leica M6 reissue is for real… but only 500 pieces?Gabe wants to trade his chrome Leica M6TTL for a black M6 - hit him up!the late John Foster literally wrote the book on Olympus half-frame cameras, and on October 20 his personal collection is up for auction - stock up on those half-a-cookies!Film prices are too high, but now Kodak’s seeking more film technicians - will it help?What’s more interesting to you, a brand-new 2022 film camera or a good vintage one? and what does this bode for the future of new film cameras?Gabe recounts his visit in San Clemente with Trev and Phil from The Darkroom and Juan from Beers and Cameras……which spurred a fixation with high-end compact point-and-shoots like the Minolta TC-1 - compare and contrast with the Yashica T4Jeff’s recent developing mishaps with CineStill Df96 - it drops stone dead after 16 rollsalso, his frustration with bulk loading has reached a fever pitch: even with cassettes salvaged from a one-hour-lab, the felt light traps can be leaky! rescue us, Ethan Moses!Differences between the Hasselblad XPan and the XPan IIfantastic eBay tip! here’s how to find the start date of a Buy It Now auction, to assess how open the seller might be to an offer: tinyurl.com/auctionstarttimewe encourage people to contribute to the Sunny 16 Presents channel - if we can do it, so can you!now go out with one camera and one roll of film and just shoot! or use a half-frame camera so you don’t censor yourself so much - allow yourself to play and experiment…and print your stuff! give prints as gifts! ’tis the season!
01:03:3914/10/2022
Episode 41 • Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fashion
See? 41! The centerpiece of this episode is Gabe’s recap of his adventures at New York Fashion Week, but there’s also our newly engorged mailbag, Jeff’s latest impulse buy, new products from Leica and Polaroid, and an epic rant about the latter. We are the goon squad and we're coming to town, beep-beep!the newly engorged mailbagA blockbuster recap of Gabe’s New York Fashion Week adventures: shooting the Canon R5, the Leica Q and the Widelux F7 portrait sessions with Raven-Symoné and Kal Penn and many, many trips to B&HJeff’s Atlanta recap: snagged a 35mm f2.8 PC-Nikkor tilt-shift lens at KEH rediscovered old negatives from childhood and found some old pamphlets from Kodak: Recovering Silver from Photographic Materials, how to make pinhole camerasJeff’s impulse buy: the Canon Sure Shot Owl DateLooks like Leica is reissuing and maybe updating the original M6!we regret to inform you that Polaroid is at it again: Polaroid Music - in the An Impossible Project documentary, Florian Kaps asks, "what is the smell of Facebook?" - these are crazy people!!we are feeble on Twitter - do you care?new listeners: check out our dazzling array of merch, the best of any podcast on the planetshoot us a review on iTunes, babies - it helps people find usthank-yous and goodnights
01:04:0501/10/2022
Episode 40 • This Is 40
A signal show in which we finally step out of the shadow of Sunny 16 Presents and get our own podcast feed! Now you can search for I Dream of Cameras wherever you pluck your podcasts. In addition, we empty the mailbag at light speed, discuss Gabe’s preparations to shoot New York Fashion Week, talk of recent impulse buys, compare the Widelux and the XPan, carp at absurd public photography restrictions, muse upon the mystery of camera serial numbers, praise the babyish plastic developing reels, and reflect on what if anything we have learned after 40 episodes.thanks to the lords of Sunny 16, we now have our own podcast feed!a lightning round to empty our prodigious mailbag - limit one sentence per email!Gabe’s about to leave for New York Fashion Week - here's the final list of cameras he's bringing: Leica Q Canon R5 Leica M10 Widelux F7 Rolleiflex 2.8F Yashica T4Gabe's kit for a portrait shoot with Kal Penn: the R5, the Q and the M10to fund Gabe’s recent impulse buy of the Canon R5, he actually sold some stuff: a Contax T2 to Eoin Macken and a bunch of other gear (Hasselblad 503cx, Minolta Autocord, Leica R6.2) to our friends at LA Film Cameraon the same trip, Jeff failed to unload a mint-in-box 90mm f2 Summicron ASPH with caps, case and original papers - any takers?Jeff’s about to make another trip to Atlanta and KEH — last time, he looked at a ton of cool stuff (thanks Sam) and came away with a 35mm Nikkor for his SP rangefinderthis time he has his eye on a 35mm f2.8 PC-Nikkor tilt-shift lens to use with the XPanJeff’s recent impulse buy: a Konica Acom-1 a.k.a. Autoreflex TC - what is “automatic” exposure, and why do we judge those who use it?the difference between shooting the Widelux (serendipitous) and the XPan (deliberate)no cameras allowed at the Malibu Chili Cookoff, and no cameras on tripods in LA's public parks! wtf?serial numbers - do you find them interesting? Jeff sure does!Jeff used the Paterson System 4 with its babyish plastic developing reels.. and he loved it!forty episodes in, what have we learned?
01:01:0215/09/2022
Episode 39 • Laverne & Shirley Go to Fashion Week
A blockbuster XL episode in which our friends Chris Chu and Rafael Hernandez help Gabe decide which cameras to bring to New York Fashion Week. Also, yet another dive into our prodigious mailbag, and HUGE NEWS about the podcast — and we don’t just mean our signature yogurt flavor at Menchie’s!announcing the launch of our own podcast feed for Episode 40the prodigious mailbag re-grew like a sliced planarian! topics include:the film shortagethe photographer’s Proust QuestionnaireIf you had to cut your collection down to ten cameras…?dreams of I Dream of Camerasa great camera-bag storya new thriller featuring a film photographer: Exposure 36the Nikonos in the Vietnam Wardo you insure your cameras?moving film from camera to cameraChris and Rafael give Gabe sage advice, then Jeff chimes in like a moronas you get psyched for our 40th episode, why not try our signature Menchie’s frozen yogurt flavor, I Dream of Cookies and Cream?
01:09:4631/08/2022
Episode 38 • A Prodigious…!
We always encourage the teeming millions to converse with us via eye dream of cam rahs at gee male dot calm, and in this episode, we attempt to empty our long-ignored and prodigious… mailbag! Topics include:travel camerasbackup camerashow many cameras do you have loaded simultaneously? (and how to keep track of same)budget alternatives to the gold-plated cameras we all covetexercising your camerasCameras Londonthe Hasselblad 500 seriesthe Minolta Weathermatic 35the Nikonos Vthe Olympus OM-1 and OM-2 seriesMcKeown’s Price Guidethe sublime beauty of Kodak Panatomic-Xand our delightful new “half a cookie” swag
01:03:1913/08/2022
Episode 37 • This Is the Day of the XPanding Man
A VERY SPECIAL EPISODE recapping Jeff’s absurd acquisition of a Hasselblad XPan, and more importantly, his trip to England and Wales to meet all four hosts of the Sunny 16 Podcast!In our last episode, Chris Chu talked Jeff out of getting a Hasselblad XPan, so how did he end up impulsively buying one on his first day in London?A magical trip to Camera City, the very same place where Jeff found his sacred Alpa 11si ten years ago... and what should be on the shelf but an XPan?And now, the circuit of the Sunnies…Drinks with Ade at the Camera Museum in LondonA side trip to the Photographer’s Gallery and their incredible film wallDarkroom work with Rachel at her studio at Northern Lights in LiverpoolTouring Anglesey and Portmeirion, Wales with ClareBrowsing vintage cameras with Graeme at the Cameras London stall at Portobello RoadAn underdiscussed aspect of the XPan: the standard 45mm f/4 lens is incredible!In other news… where’s all the film? And why’s the film we have so expensive?Gabe has set up an on-deck circle of underused cameras……and has been snapping up photography booksThought experiment: if the boys had to cut their collections down to only ten cameras, which would they choose?Next episode, we tackle the prodigious mailbag!
57:4929/07/2022
Episode 36 • Make It Wit Chu
Jeff is on location! Gabe’s just back from the frozen north! And they still manage to find time for a rollicking conversation with photographer and YouTuber Chris Chu. Tune in for the fascinating result — we did indeed rollick!Gabe’s adventure at Downtown Camera in Toronto with Jessica Devicwhich camera(s!) Jeff decided to bring on his trip to Atlanta and the UK: Rollei 35 SE and Minox LXPolaroid’s new Green Duochrome is great!a moderate dip into our moldering mailbag, with more talk of travel cameras and bulk-loading EktachromeOur rollicking interview with Chris Chu:his abrupt decision to abandon a computer science degree in San Francisco to pursue his crazy dream of a photography career in Los Angeleshis journey into film photography, starting with the Canon Pand then into medium format with the Pentax 645, the Mamiya RB67 Pro SD and the Mamiya RZ67Chris tries to convince Jeff to get a Big Ugly Box medium-format camerahis favorite film stocks Portra 160 and Ektar 100shooting color when you're color-blindwhat fueled his growing camera-collecting addiction...but why no 35mm SLRs?what he likes about the rangefinder shooting experiencezone focusing: setting a hyperfocal distance and training yourself to use itcamera bags — and how many cameras do you carry at once?half-frame cameras: the half-a-cookie debate is reignited!why own the same camera (Leica M6) in both chrome and black?he's flirting with the Leica M-A - Jeff tries to save him by pitching the M3, M2 and CLhow do you refrain from getting that next camera? — he doesn’t! he just bought a Hasselblad 501CM!Gabe shows off his 500ELM, an impulse buy at B&H Photo — it’s the Leica M5 of the Hasselblad lineJeff implores Chris to talk him out of the Hasselblad XPan… and he does! whaddya need it for? you have the Widelux!if you have to give away all but one of your cameras, which would you keep? the RZ67!Chris on YouTube and Instagram and his website
01:03:0013/07/2022
Episode 35 • mm (feat. Talya Adams)
The centerpiece of this episode is a delightful interview with motorcycle-ridin’ L.A. photographer Talya Adams. But first!Gabe’s bare-bones kit for his upcoming Canada trip: Leica M4 and M10The Nikonos V is nice-konos! - let’s hear from Nikonos shooters!the mailbag, featuring:more talk of travel geardo you have cute names for your cameras?homebrew copystandsthe mysterious allure of the 40mm focal length (Summicron, Hexanon, Pentax, Zuiko, Ultron, etc.)Talya Adams interview:how she got into film photographyher thrift-store Rollei 35 S and the Rollei B 35 that replaced ither LA shop of choice: Walter’s Camera Repairslearning her way around the exposure trianglelearning to develop her own filmher love for TMax 400capturing personality in portraiture workher next camera: the Canon AE-1 Programhow her admiration for Jane Bown led her to the Olympus OM-1and then the OM-4 and the OM-10what led her into medium-format?her experiences with the Mamiya RB67, Mamiya 645, Pentax 645… before getting her own Pentax 6x7her first rangefinder cameras: the Olympus 35RC and Canon QL17not much love for the Canon P - she prefers the 7s“buying the dip” on eBayhow many cameras is excessive?her key shooters: Leica M3, Hasselblad 500C, Pentax 6x7 and Yashica Awhy should Jeff want a Big Ugly Box camera like the 500C? because it will make him a better personthe philosophy which underlies her YouTube channel: develop your eyeTalya’s Instagram, YouTube, Medium and website
01:03:0228/06/2022
Episode 34 • Call Mr. Lee
The jewel of this episode is our interview with Trev Lee, an excellent photographer and the social media voice of The Darkroom lab in San Clemente. But first!Oskar Barnack’s 1923 0-series Leica sold at auction for $12 millionGabe sold two Bronicas at LA Film Camera in Studio Citythe return of The Thingy, a adapter which lets you replace the obsolete PX675 mercury battery with a cheap 675 zinc-air hearing-aid batteryhow many cameras do you have loaded simultaneously?an abbreviated mailbag!our interview with Trev Lee:trading his beloved Leica M5 for a Rolleiflex TLR from Gabe’s collectionwhich of his 20 cameras does he bring on a shoot?the allure of the Nikon FM3a - how did he acquire one, how did it vault to the top of his list, and why is it so great?black vs. chrome camerashis favorite lens for the Nikon: the 40mm Voigtlander Ultronthe rest of his Nikon lens arsenal are all by Voigtländer! the 28mm Skopar, the 58mm Nokton, and the 90mm APO-Lantharare rising costs changing the hobby?the Canon Rebel and Elan as good affordable starter camerasare people printing more? what’s the value of a print?and furthermore, what’s the emotional component of photography for him?does working at a photography business siphon off some of the joy? how do you balance the demands of the job with your personal work?the culture of The Darkroom, their dedication to customer service and his role as their social media managerTrev’s website
59:4614/06/2022
Episode 33 • Valentine’s Day
The mailbag features talk of travel cameras, copy stands, and the allure of the Nikonos system. But the jewel of this episode is an interview with France-born, Dublin-based street shooter Valentine de Villemeur. Tune in for insights into her favorite cameras, her shooting style, and her development as a photographer.John-Michael Mendizza’s copy stand solution: a koolehaoda railLooking for an inexpensive way to shoot Nikon glass? Check out the oft-neglected Nikonos system — you can score a body and two lenses for under $150!Valentine de Villemeur interview — her website and InstagramFinally: what’s up with Portra 400? We can’t find it anywhere!
01:03:2003/06/2022