Happy birthday to our patient patron Graeme!Gabe’s COVID ordealA magical mailbag!Gabe’s recent shooting adventures: a daylong shoot with actor Brenton Thwaites, and Retta’s pink partyJeff’s been a-travelin’, so let’s talk about the travel-camera conundrum. His favorite is the Olympus XA4 Macro — what's yours?Visits to two great camera shops: Unique Photo in Philadelphia and B&H in New YorkIn a stunning development, Gabe got a half-frame camera, a Canon Sure Shot Multi Tele — how does half a cookie taste?copy stands are insanely expensive, so after much searching Jeff found a Durst F30 on Craigslist — it's the enlarger he learned on, and now the world’s cheapest copy standWe regret to inform you that Polaroid is at it again, with wildly overpriced Saint Laurent cameras and film — damn you!!Clare Marie Bailey gave Jeff a print of her exquisite photo “Memories of Summer” - print and hang your stuff, swap with other photographers, physical media is nice!Looking for an inexpensive way to shoot Nikon glass? Don’t sleep on the Nikonos!

Episode 31 • Sissi Lu WhoThe centerpiece of this episode is an extended interview with film photographer Sissi Lu, known to denizens of New York City as the Lady with the Hassy. She’s a street shooter and a portraitist and a TikTokker and a YouTuber, and her passion for photography is infectious. It’s one of our best conversations yet, so TOON IN! But first…A manageable mailbag!Marie Nikondo is RUTHLESS! Check out our Instagram for some cameras Gabe is offloading, and feel free to DM him and float a trade!and then, our conversation with Sissi Lu, featuringstrategies for street photographythe allure of the Hasselblad (and how it’s different than shooting a 35mm SLR like her Nikon F3)building a community of like-minded shootersforging a connection with your subjectsthe challenge of leaving the house with only two or three camerasdesigning the ideal camera bagusing the self-timer (yes, she uses it)favorite film stocks (spoiler: she loves Lomo 800) and her second favorite New York film lab (picturehouse + thesmalldarkroom in Chelsea)Sissi Lu’s website, Instagram, TikTok, and her UNDER DVLP channel on YouTube

an extravagant mailbag, featuring talk of Canons and bulk-loading3D-printable leader-trimmers from Thingiverse:One for normal film: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4557581/filesABLON style, for Leica bottom-loaders: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1951048Gabe went to the Morrison Hotel Gallery show and met legendary rock photographers Bob Gruen and Henry DiltzJeff made a pilgrimage to the KEH brick-and-mortar store in Atlanta and came away with a Konica Auto S3 rangefinder and a 28mm Nikonos superwide lens which can only be used underwaterhe also got a lovely Canonflex R2000 on eBay, report to follow…however! the Canon Dial Rapid he bought from a guy in Portugal did not work, and the seller initially refused to pay for the return shipping. Remember, gang: eBay policy is, if a seller fails to provide means of returning the item, eBay can issue a refund without you returning the item first.finally, our interview with brilliant Toronto-based photographer Jessica Devic

Our first XXL episode features a blockbuster mailbag, a recap of our latest photographic adventures, and a sweeping survey of the perennial Avis to Nikon’s Hertz, the esteemed marque known as Canon.A voluminous mailbagGabe’s five-camera all-film shooting daystrategies for shooting expired filmGabe found four bulk loaders in his garage! As for cassettes, ask for used ones at your local one-hour lab, 'cause all the other options are BADAnd now… our Canon show!SLRs:EFFTb (big brother of TLb)PellixT90 (and the infamous E E E error)AE-1Gabe's EOS SLR experiencesEOS A2e a.k.a. EOS 5 (eye-controlled focus, lethal command dial)FD lenses, including the sublime 85mm f1.2Lthe fascinating CanonflexRangefinders:Canon P and other early rangefindersPeter Kitchingman’s bookCompacts, etc:Canon G-III QL17 - a nice compact RF, but tinny!Sure Shot Multi Tele - autofocus point-and-shoot that’s a stealth half-frame cameraSure Shot Classic 120 - point-and-shoot with classic RF stylingCanon 110 ED 20 - a rangefinder camera with aperture priority!Canon Color Demi - pocket-sized half-frame in red, white & blueCanon Dial Rapid - on the way!Canon DSLRs

The barbarian hordes return fire with a fusillade of emails, and Jeff and Gabe recount their recent travel photography adventures.The prodigious 🎶 mailbag! Including:do you hand-check your film at airport security?lens hoods — do you use 'em?folding camera recommendationslisteners' favorite instagram feedsthe teeming masses demand pinhole coverage!a new source for The Thingy (a.k.a. the 675 hearing aid battery to PX625 adapter) — Polar Bear Camera. They also sell on Etsy!Gabe’s trip to Albuquerque, including a visit with the Bill Nye of analog photography, Cameradactyl’s Ethan Mosesthe state of vintage camera shopping in AlbuquerqueJeff’s trip to Philadelphia, where it was so cold the SX-70 battery shut down — plus his favorite travel camera, the mighty Olympus XA4Gabe’s photo shoot with the Contarex BullseyeJeff’s continuing adventures with the Voigtländer PerkeoBergger Pancro 400 does not get along with CineStill Df96 monobath!what criteria do you use in selecting which camera(s) to bring to a photowalk?in closing: 28 episodes in, what have we learned?

Mailbag — which is way too male!Thoughts on rising film pricesHUGE news: the Leica wristwatches are outGabe stumbles upon a concert by Turkish pop singer Zeynep Bastik at the end of his block and is pressed into service as event photographer — it’s the dream!Gabe goes spelunking for camera gear in the Laurel Canyon lair of legendary rock photographer Jimmy Steinfeldt…...and emerges with a Minolta XG1Jeff's newest acquisition: a Voigtländer Perkeo I — so cheap, so goodWhy don't we talk about folders?Gabe dusted off his Contarex Bullseye — gorgeous, with amazing lenses, yet expensive and time-consuming to fixPhotographers’ Instagrams we like: Mike Gray, Mike Slack, Andre Josselin, Photographers Photographed

What the heck is a Pentax MF? A Perkeo? An AE-1? Okay, the last one’s no mystery, but HOP ON your podspeeder for a freewheeling episode featuring plenty of clapbacks from listeners, a bona fide in-person visit from a Sunny 16er, and the disposition of several long-nourished camera dreams.A bumper crop of listener mailDream Team sweatshirts are now availableA recap of our visit with John-Michael Mendizza, including a trip to Cam Photo in Burbank……where Jeff bought a long-coveted Canon AE-1Our pilgrimage to Monte's Camera in Whittier, a veritable camera museum, where we learned about the mighty Voigtländer PerkeoThe Electro Spotmatic is beyond repair, so bring on the strange and wonderful half-frame Pentax MFXPan fever has passedPanatomic-X auction — 20 rolls for $405! We're 20 years into the film-camera renaissance — is the supply of everything tightening?

The mailbag!It's a New Year — once again, check your batteries and exercise your cameras!As of October 2021, Paul BG is no longer making The Thingy, so how do we replace the discontinued mercury 625 battery? The 675 hearing-aid battery plus either a #9 rubber O-ring or a #10 split lock washerTime for more controversy: do you use the self-timer?Jeff's Electro Spotmatic meter has failed, and when a camera isn’t working, he cannot have it in the houseOur thrift-store odyssey: Where are all the film cameras? They’ve been camer-raptured!Where to sell stuff, other than eBay? OfferUp, Mercari, Facebook Marketplace, ShopGoodwill, Etsy...Jeff’s hunt for an XPan / Fujifilm TXAre digicams the new film? (see this Casual Photophile article)Books: Pentti Sammallahti’s Here, Far AwayFinally: Gabe’s annual report from the IDOC corporate retreat

If loving Kai is Wong, we don't wanna be right! The centerpiece of this episode is our interview with Kai Wong, a YouTube mainstay for 15 years and author of the excellent new book Old School Photography. But first!the bulging mailbag, featuring listener feedback about depth-of-field preview, keeping the other eye open, soft releases, macro vs. telephoto...lucky limerick-contest winner David Van Sluis got a $150 gift card (instead of $50) from The Darkroom!check out Ethan Moses's Kickstarter - he's bringing his homemade 20x24 instant camera to Los Angeleswhat's with Linda McCartney's weird grip on her Nikon F in Get Back?follow-up to our Olympus episode: we forgot the rare & desirable Pen W! check out Daido Moriyama’s NY 71 to see what this lovely machine can doKai Wong interview:who are your primary comedic influences?this week marks five years of your YouTube channel - how’s it going?what made you wanna write this book? and why film photography?the two halves of the book: first technical, then artistictip #94: buy flight tickets, not geartalk about your first camera, the Pentax MZ-M - what other cameras have you held onto?street photography in Hong Kong, London, Los Angeleswhat's your shooting ratio for YouTube videos?neck strap, wrist strap or no strap?do you use a camera bag?do you use depth-of-field preview?do you keep the other eye open?is it more fun reviewing a bad camera?would you pay $3,600 for a Nikon FM2/T Year of the Dog camera?end-of-year thoughtscheck out our merch page for excellent holiday gifts!thanks to Fred Coury and Keith Greenstein - the whole team will be assembling for an IDOC corporate retreat this weekendto wrap up a glorious year, Gabe suggests everyone remind Jeff how much he’s wrong

For our one-year anniversary, an XL show bursting with edification and amusement! they used the same font as the camera maker for the Olympus Has Fallen poster!a dip into the mailbagdo you use depth-of-field preview?Gabe's trip to Toronto and Downtown CameraJeff’s new 50mm f4 Macro-Takumar, a rare findis macro more exciting than tele?Gabe pits his new Nikon FM3a against his old Leicaflex, with surprising resultssoft releases are nice, but the expensive ones are ridiculous (as are hot shoe ornaments)Paul Thomas Anderson with his Nikon 28Ti - do you keep the other eye open?and now: our Olympus show!genius designer: Yoshihisa Maitani35RC (Jeff’s first camera)35RD35SP (and SPn, and DC, and UC, and…)Trip 35Pen D3Pen EFPen EEPen EE-3 (a box of 'em)Pen FT (see Billy Name’s All Tomorrow’s Parties book) and its GREAT lenses (25mm, 38mm pancake, 38mm macro, 40mm, 60mm f1.5…)OM-1: the one camera all four IDOCkers ownthe XA seriesPen F digitalthe new “OM System"our limerick contest winners! over 75 entries! some were not limericks, and some were filthy! thanks to everyone who participated!thanks to all our listeners - hey, give us a review on iTunes!check out our new character merch!

This episode is dedicated to the memory of John Whitmore.A few items from the mailbagreminder about our fabulous contest — compose a limerick whose final word is a camera brand!Gabe’s Speed Graphic + two birthday acquisitions: Nikon FM3a and Pentax 6x7Jeff’s ConSol didn’t work, so bring on the Electro Spotmatic!Our Pentax show!the mighty Pentax 6x7 and its siblingsSpotmatic… Spotmatic F… Electro SpotmaticThe K1000, basically a Spotmatic F with a bayonet mount (but no timer or DOF preview! you can do better!)The rest of the K series, including Jeff’s one-of-a-kind half-frame KXThe ME, ME Super SE... and the weird half-frame medical MFPentax Auto 110 and Auto 110 SuperKEH just opened a brick and mortar store in Atlanta!Our shooting plans for the coming weeksAnd finally! Check out the great new IDOC character shirts launching this week in the merch section of our website!

After a dip into our bulging mailbag, an introspective episode:Why do we second-guess ourselves?What keeps us from getting out and experimenting?Why are we afraid to take chances?How do we avoid becoming discouraged?Perhaps by asking a friend to shoot with us?Maybe photograph some elderly relatives?Trust two comedy writers to plumb your psyche and heal all ills.Finally, we wrap up with gear updates, and — at long last — our FABULOUS CONTEST where you can win FABULOUS PRIZES!

Another freewheeling episode spanning a wide range of topics:thank-yous from Gabe for his NYFW adventurethe mailbagrecapping this week's Beers & Cameras eventswe miss the Pasadena camera show! how are y’all coping?we've tried hitting the thrift stores — where are the film cameras?Gabe makes good on his Marie Nikondo vow — use your underused cameras, or get rid of ‘em! think of that 22-year-old graduate student at UT Austin!Jeff’s new acquisition: the Canon 50mm 1.4 for Leica screwmountJeff is not doing color processing anymorePolaroid Color SX-70 film is not very sharpfollow-up to our previous discussion of Vivian Maiersince Facebook & Instagram were down this week, let’s talk social media: is it net positive or net negative?camera spotlight: our favorite point and shootscoming soon: our camera giveaway!

An XL episode boasting two blockbuster features: Gabe’s recap of his adventures covering New York Fashion Week, followed by our survey of the esteemed camera marque known as Nikon.Gabe recounts shooting NYFW and the Met GalaJeff’s new acquisitions: a Canon P rangefinder… and (on the way) the Canon RF 50mm f1.4, the Japanese SummiluxAnd now: our Nikon show!when did you become aware of Nikon, and what was your first?Nikon rangefinders: the SP and its siblingsthe Nikon/Canon wars of the '70s/‘80sevolution of the F: F2, F3…why no more rangefinders? (till the S3 2000 and SP 2005 commemorative editions)spurred by the OM-1, Nikon goes compact: the FM and FE seriesthe Nikkormat / Nikomatthe FM3a — their best ever? 1/4000 with no battery!the coveted FM2/T Year of the Dog editionconsider the Nikonos — they’re so cheap!countless point & shoot Nikons, APS cameras…the 35Ti, which is not good!favorite lenses (e.g. the 105mm f2.5)one Nikon to rule them all: which would you choose?

It’s a pulse-pounding thrill-ride (but really, the theme is family) as Jeff and Gabe attempt to cover 18 topics in 60 minutes. Among the items discussed:our week in acquisitions and repairsemails from the teeming masses, including a masterpiece by James Thorpewho made that film? check out tinyurl.com/whatisthatfilmresearch and acquisition - Jeff throws a camera at Gabe and he researches it on the spotbulk-loading cassettes are a problem!Robert Capa and Vivian Maier and mythmakingour recommended cameras in the $300 rangepatience and willingness to learn something newdoing your own printing (darkroom or inkjet)focus pointshomemade cameras, 3D printing… the failure of the Reflex, the success of Cameradactylwhat famous photographer used my camera?what’s the sexiest shutter sound? what analog camera provided the shutter sound of the iPhone?sprocket holes and fake rebatesthe Leica/Hasselblad mystique - what other cameras have an “aura”?pricey new films - Open That Film Night!love to Mike Gutterman and Rachel + Constance Mallory Brewster-Wrightour upcoming camera giveaway! and our banner and stickers!

As long threatened, it’s our all-Leica show! Fear not if you’ve yet to be inducted into the sacred cult (pro tip: the password is MOOLY), because in this rollicking episode, Jeff (three Leicas) and Gabe (at least sixteen) will recount their journeys into the haunted forests of Wetzlar. Does the camera live up to the hype? Does the glass? Do the empty boxes which go for hundreds of dollars on eBay? Tune in and find out.how'd you first become aware of Leica?when did you handle your first one?how long between then and buying one?what took getting used to? - rangefinder vs. SLRwhich lens did you get first? and which after that?the mystery of MOOLY and other accessorieswhat was your second Leica?screw mount, M series, R series…The cult and the culture - Leica ephemera - books and pins and bags and vintage posters and anything that says Leica on it, even the ugliest red golf shirt you’d never wear - the toy bear, commemorative editions…would you buy another?which do you have your eye on?

We asked for emails and DMs, and y’all reciprocated! In this freewheeling episode, Jeff and Gabe react to suggestions, corrections and emendations from our legions of faithful listeners. What are our cinematic influences? Is Ansel Adams a terrible writer? How nice is Dave Grohl? What is the nature of reality? You won’t wanna miss this one.

Another episode of strong opinions!Gabe’s saga: reacquiring a Konica Hexar AF after letting one go many years agoJeff’s saga: trying to find an inexpensive 35mm lens for the Leica M6Bokeh: the pronunciation and fetishization thereofThe scourge of slow-shutter-speed water shotsPre-flashed films and deliberate light leaksLeaving dust specks on film scans ‘cause it’s “more authentic”Photographic authenticity, Errol Morris’s book Believing Is SeeingThe Crop SnobsWho actually manufactures your film?What’s cooler, LCDs or LEDs?The Scannenberg Uncertainty PrincipleMeter shunnersYou should be bulk-loading, yeahCheers for the return of Polaroid Duochrome Black and BlueCome see us at the SoCal Camera Show!

In this episode, the hosts turn the lens on themselves, examining their shooting styles, methods and subject matter.Jeff asks Gabe about his portraiture work:How did you get started doing portraiture work? Seems to be your favorite mode of photography - is it?How did the word get out? - models now tag you when they're coming to townHow do you prepare? - choosing cameras, film stocks, location, wardrobe, looksModel releases - do you get 'em? What are the terms of your agreement with them? Do you charge for them to use your stuff, pay them for the session, or is it a favor by you/them?Do you shoot mostly men, women or a mix? Do you have a preference?How do you direct and work with your subject?Does mom or dad or manager or publicist ever attend the shoot?How long is a session? What's the ideal length?How do you cull, how many images do you show them?If a shot is published, what do you get? What's the best placement you've ever gotten?You don't have to name names, but talk about your best session ever... and your worstGabe asks Jeff about his photos of "plants and buildings":What’s your favorite subject to shoot?How often do you think about shooting?Is there a camera you take with you more than others?How do you make the decision of what camera to bring?Will you approach people to shoot?What camera do you bring that’s always been a conversation starter?How do you decide what film stock to use?How often do you shoot and then go home right away and process?Where are your favorite places to go take pictures?What is your favorite travel camera?How many rolls of film will you bring to shoot?Do friends ever ask you to take pictures?Has anyone asked you to do a wedding?What are you thinking about when you’re shooting? Framing? Exposure? Bokeh?

You’ve heard of Marie Kondo — meet Marie Nikondo! In this wildly entertaining episode, Jeff forces Gabe to remorselessly cull his camera collection by posing the following questions:What purpose does the camera fulfill?Do I have a set home for this camera?Am I showing enough gratitude toward the camera?Does the camera spark joy?After Guy With Too Many Cameras, we speak to the Girl With Too Many Cameras, Danielle Wrobleski, a Milwaukee-based photographer who spotlights female shooters with the hashtag #WomenWithFilmWednesday.Danielle Wrobleski on Instagram: @girlwithtoomanycameras

In this episode, we interview Fred Coury (composer of our theme song) and Keith Greenstein (designer of our logos, website and merch) about the vintage analog cameras we gave them a few months ago — a Rolleiflex 3.5 for Fred, and an Olympus OM-1 for Keith. It’s both enlightening and hilarious to hear these two bright, creative guys describe their very first excursions into the world of analog photography.

State of instant photography 2021 - how much do you shoot instant?Favorite peel-apart cameras and films - scanning the negs using the bleach-gel trickOddities: Polaroid backs (Forscher Proback, Speed Magny, etc.)Favorite integral film camerasLet us now praise the Impossible Project; let us now shame Polaroid as it exists todayEver used Instax?favorite Polaroid books and docsInterview with Emily Earl, author of Late Night Polaroids:background as a photographerdiscovery of Polaroid ProPackeffect it had on shooting style……and subjects — people respond differently to the Polaroid vs. a DSLRhow did eight years of shooting eventually coalesce into a gallery show, and a book — and how did you know when you were done?with the demise of FP-3000b, what's your current feeling about Polaroid and the future of instant photography?Emily Earl on Instagram: @emilyearlphotoEmily’s website: Emily Earl Photography

To celebrate an extraordinary milestone — how many podcasts make it to ten episodes? — Jeff and Gabe run down a carefully curated selection of their camera-collecting and photographic quirks. You’re sure to identify with a few of these, ya weirdo.

we had a whole episode planned, but then my girlfriend and I broke up, so now we’re gonna talk about disasters (and perhaps how they could have been avoided)dropping your camera (or slamming it into a wall)opening a camera, forgetting film is inside (but some say it’s no big deal!)razoring film stuck in the Robotdropping a lens... ugh, awful storycamera falling off the tripodlosing a camera, forgetting a cameracamera thefttrying to fix a camera thinking you know how to fix itleaving the lens cap onSLR vs. rangefinderchanging cameras midrollend on an up note: excitement about our new shooters (Olympus OM-1, Rolleiflex SL350)

our new email address!recapping an eventful week: new acquisitions, road trip, etc.lab anxiety, choosing a lab, making friends with a labwhy you should have a home processing setupwhat you’ll need: basic hardware, chemicalsthe Massive Dev chart, app and websitedon't be scared to do color!however: color scanning is a challengefilm-scanning snobs on Facebookthe Cameradactyl Mongoose and what it means for labs and enthusiastsSome YouTubers we likethe film community on Clubhouse

pride: showing off, bringing an exotic camera to a photo walk or camera show, etc. - the antidote: extending a hand to new photographers (as opposed to snarking “go Google it” in Facebook groups)envy: camera envy - where does it get you? has it ever resulted in a good acquisition?lust: what’s your Grail Camera?sloth: letting cameras languish on the shelf - are pure shelf queens OK?wrath: getting angry at your gear - have you ever hit a camera?greed and gluttony: accumulating for the sake of same, and how to step away from it - the need for instant gratification - how to donate cameras (FPP school donation program), giving analog cameras to new parents, etc.finally: what we need isn’t new film cameras, but guys and gals who can repair the ones we have - scholarship?

buying from Japan, pros and cons — the cameras look perfect, but… (Jeff's recent Pen W, Widelux and M-1 experiences)how to suss out a sellereBay and sales taxFacebook Marketplace, Craigslist - where to meet, how you know you’re not getting screwed, etc.user vs. mint condition - how many dents and scuffs can you tolerate?brassing, engraving, other sorts of wear (real and fake)painted cameras? customized cameras? yay or nay?what’s your perfect walkaround camera? what’s your travel kit?“one camera, one lens, one film stock” - what would you choose?Gabe brings three cameras to the grocery storecamera repair - local? send it off? who’s your most trusted and why?originalism: is it uncool to use third-party lenses or accessories on your exotic vintage camera?Spotlight: the camera you feel the strongest emotional connection to (Leica M4, Olympus 35RC)

it’s a new year, check your batteries! How to replace the obsolete PX625: the MR-9 adapter, the Weincell, the 675 + paulbg ring, etc.wrongly valued cameras (Minoltas, Konicas and Mirandas are treated like trash; Mamiya/Sekor is garbage while Mamiya is a treasure; Pentax K1000 overvalued while ME Super is undervalued; Canon AE-1 over, EF and A-1 under; Olympus OM-1 way under, etc.)autofocus / point and shoot - is it real photography?does handheld metering make you more of a photographer?plastic / toy / Lomo camerasPolaroid, Instax, One Instant (a disaster), Polaroid Chocolateexpired film - what’s so great?bulk loadingSpotlight: the cameras we each irrationally and indefensibly love (Hasselblad 553ELX, Canon EF)

Thank-yous: Fred Coury for the music, Keith Greenstein for the logos, mention launch of website and associated IDOC swagDo you lend? Cameras you borrowed, then bought?Cameras others love but you're just not interested inHighly hyped, tried, didn't likeFear of a large formatFalling in and out of love with cameras - it's like a romcom, how do you decide when to ditch?The most beautiful but horrible/unusable cameras (Pentacon Six, Kodak Medalist II, Kodak Bantam Special)Spotlight: your most despised camera you’ll never get rid of… or one you’re about to unload (Polaroid 195, Bronica SQ, Kodak Bantam Special, Robot Royal 24)

Lens collecting: is it exciting?Flashes, pro and conCamera bags, pro and conCaps and straps and such - Jeff is anti neck straps and lens caps, pro wrist straps, belt clips and skylight filtersEphemera: manuals, brochures, magazines, booksWhat are the best books on cameras?Cameras in TV and movies: people hold them wrong, they make the wrong noises, there’s a flash when there’s no flash on the camera, etc.Camera spotlight: Gabe’s choice (Zeiss Contarex Bullseye)Camera spotlight: Jeff’s choice (Alpa 11si)