Camerosity

Episode 61: Pointing and Shooting

It took us a couple of tries. but the Camerosity crew finally managed to put together an episode dedicated to the best selling, widely used, and most accessible type of camera ever, the point and shoot.

The great thing about the point and shoot segment, is that apart from being easy enough to literally "point and shoot", there was a lot of flexibility in design, features, ergonomics, and usability, with many camera makers free to do something different from established norms, adding things like solar panels, dedicated panoramic modes, and even speech capability to otherwise mundane cameras.

In Episode 61, Paul, Theo, and Mike chatted with Andrew Smith. Matt Murray, Tim Peters, Kyle Lu, AJ Gentile, and first time caller Rafael Espinosa to share with us their favorite point and shoot models, how they like to use them, and their own tips and tricks to getting the most from these cameras.

Addressing the biggest debate right at the top of the show, we discuss what exactly is a point a shoot.  Not everyone agrees where this era exactly begins and ends as something as simple as the 1888 Kodak could technically be considered a point and shoot as you literally press the button and Kodak does the rest, but we decide to cap it to simple auto exposure models from the 1960s and on.

We talk about replacing rotted light seals, battery compatibility, which models are more likely to fail than others, underwater point and shoots, disposable point and shoots, and some premium point and shoots.  Will this episode give you GAS like some of our others?  I guess that depends on what style of photography you prefer, but you'll never know for sure if you don't listen in!

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you!  Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show.  We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, the Camerosity Discord server, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

This will be our last episode of 2023 as the guys and I will take a short break before coming back in January.  We may have something special planned for the week after Christmas, but as always, we need to flesh out ideas and make sure that if we do record something it is worth listening to, but even if we don't manage to get something out, we will be sure to return in January with Episode 62.  As always, stay tuned and keep a look out for the show announcement!

In This Episode

• We define what a Point and Shoot is / Theo suggests it might be a box camera
• Kodak made simple cameras to sell more film / Point and Shoots are perfect for the zoo
• Andrew’s first was a Ricoh TF500 / Canon QL17 GIII
• Old P&S cameras often need foam replacement
• Yashica Electros are also a good option / Olympus XA
• The Mamiya 7 is the best camera in the world, even as a P&S
• The Fuji GA645 is a true medium format P&S
• Fuji has a DX type coding for medium format films
• Matt Loves Cameras loves the Contax T3, his has only one tooth!
• Canon SureShot/Autoshot P&S are a great range of cameras / Canon A1 / Aqua Snappy 6 / Prima / Nikon Action Touch
• Matt’s Fuji Natura has a fast lens but only with fast film
• The Canon SureShot Series Are All Great
• Fuji TW-3 / Solar Powered Canon del Sol / Nikon Lite Touch Zoom 140
• Autofocus technology was important for zoom lens advancement
• Mike Raves About the Olympus IS Range / Canon MC Inspired by the Olympus XA
• Paul loves the Samsung AF Slim / Samsung made the Rollei Prego
• Konica Hexar / Konica Genba Kantoku Rugged Cameras
• Everyone likes the Nikon L35AF / The Kodak Ektar 35 is surprisingly good / GOKO Macromax is Fantastic for Macro Photography
• Paul finds an Agfa Optima Flash / Tim’s first compact was a Konica MR70, But Enjoys the Olympus Pen S
• Tim also believes the Nikon EM SLR is a P&S / Backlight button on a camera is a great feature
• Theo has been using the Pentax PC35AF / Mike played the Minolta Talker/AFS-V / Minolta Vista/Ps is a Panoramic Compact
• Premium Nikon P&S are the 35Ti and 28Ti / Premium Compacts are Starting to Fail / Kyle has found repairers in China that can fix them
• Pentax Espio Range are Great Value / Olympus mju / Ricoh FF series / Chinon Auto 3001 / Kodak VR35 K12 and K14
• Disposables have always been popular / The Cat Camera is a weird camera / Mamiya U and U AF / Hand Sam
• mikeeckman.com is 9 years old!

Links

The Camerosity Podcast is now on Discord!  Join Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike on our very own Discord Server.  Share your GAS and photography with other listeners in the Lounge or in our dedicated forums.  If you have questions for myself or the other guys, we have an “Ask the Hosts” section as well where you can get your question answered on a future show!  Check it out!  https://discord.gg/PZVN2VBJvm.

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Matt Murray - Matt Loves Cameras - https://mattlovescameras.com/

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Episode 60: The Listener’s Choice Episode

As we begin episodes numbered in the sixties, the Camerosity crew decided we haven't heard enough from our listeners, so rather than devote Episode 60 to one specific brand, style, or region of cameras, we decided to put out the call for a Listener's Choice episode!

Messages were plastered all over social media, Facebook, our new Discord server asking you all to join us, share with us what you've been shooting lately, any recent GAS you've picked up or are thinking of picking up, ask any questions of the hosts or other guests, whatever you wanted.

And boy, did you all respond!  With a total of 18 participants on this show, Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike were joined by returning callers Patrick Rapps, Andrew Smith, Mario and Julienne Piper, Greg McCreash, Marcy Merrill, Marc Gordon, Kyle Liu, and first time callers, AJ Gentile, Bill Chou, Bill Vitiello, Joseph Schallmo, Sam Kellett, and Tim Peters!

We went around the room and asked each caller what they've been up to, and if you were to have asked me and the other hosts what types of cameras would be discussed, none of us would have predicted the number of early 20th century box cameras, large Graflex SLRs, military cameras, and other oddball stuff that camera geeks like us love!  Of course, there was plenty of love for Rolleis, the Nikon S2, the Minolta X-700, Argus C3, Voigtländer Bessa, Yashica 44 and many more.  In addition to camera GAS, Julienne Piper shares with us her method for making 122 size roll film out of computer paper, shooting dry plates, making your own bellows, how Mike once used a garbage bag to keep light out of a camera, and much, MUCH more!

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you!  Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show.  We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, the Camerosity Discord server, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

For the next episode of the show, we would like to focus on a subset of cameras that get mentioned often, but we rarely spend more than a short passing moment on them, compact point and shoots.  For many, point and shoot cameras represent the cheapest and simplest entry into film photography, but therein lies their strengths.  With a good number of point and shoots featuring a high quality lens, a point and shoot offers a level of convenience and spontaneity that larger, more feature rich cameras can't match.  If you've ever tried capturing a fleeting moment of a child playing with a puppy using a falling plate camera or an early roll film camera you'll know that perhaps that Nikon L35AF is just what the doctor ordered!  We will record Episode 61 on Monday, December 11th so be sure to look out for the show announcement 2-3 days before then!

In This Episode

• Patrick Rapps has Panoramic GAS and Figured Out How to Repair a No. 1 Panoram-Kodak
• Everyone Has a Panoram-Kodak / 105 Roll Film Compared to 120
• Marcy Bought a Novelty Yashica MF-1 in Japan and Then Ruined An Entire Roll of Film
• Anthony Only Found the Super Expensive Camera Stores in Japan / Mamiya U Repair / Bill Rogers
• Andrew Smith is Trying Not to Buy New Stuff / Chinese Light Lens Labs ELCAN 50/2 Collapsible Lens
• Ricoh 500 and Bottom Trigger Cameras / Leicavit / Canon VT Rangefinders / Riken Lenses
• Mario Piper Gets a Beautiful Spotmatic SP / Spotmatic ES and ESII / Nikon EL2
• No 3A ANSCO Postcard Camera /  Julienne Makes Her Own 122 Size Photographic Paper / Kodak Bullseye Falling Plate Camera / Empire State No. 2 Studio Camera
• Printer Paper is Not Light Tight / Shooting Cameras in Garbage Bags / Making Your Own Bellows
• Bill Loves the Bronica ETRC / Bronicas Are Very Sensitive to Degraded Foam Light Seals / Bronica S2
• More Love for the Chinese ELCAM Lens
• Tim Shows Off His Kodak No.2 Bullseye Special / Folmer & Schwing Home Portrait Graflex
• Other Companies Made Zeiss Lenses in the Early 20th Century / Nikon S2 / UsedPhotoPro in Indianapolis / Nikon F with Selenium Meter
• Bill Vitiello Loves Every TLR / What is the Difference Between a Rolleiflex and Rolleicord? / Rolleiflex T
• The Camerosity Podcast Saves Lives! / Minolta X-700 / Argus C3 with Sandmar 35mm Lens
• Adapting DKL Mount Lenses / Most DKL Adapters Suck / A Brief History of the Deckel Mount
• Wet Plate Collodion Process / AJ's Nagaoka 5x7 Field Camera / Where to Get 2x3 Sheet Film
• Voigtländer Bessa I / Ilford's Special Order Film / Leica IIIF
• Shooting Dry Plates / Some Guy Built a Camera Into His Van / Making Positives from Negatives
• Yashica 44 / 127 Film / Adapting to 35mm
• Rerapan and Shanghai 127 Film / Cutting Bulk 46mm Film to 127 / Imperial 127 Delta
• Paul Loves his Polaroid Snap Touch Instant Camera / Paul Sends Greg a Box o' Stuff
• Greg McCreash Loves Military Cameras / Combat Graflex / The US Military Often Used Bronica Cameras
• Mike's Recent GAS / National Graflex / Yashica YF

Links

The Camerosity Podcast is now on Discord!  Join Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike on our very own Discord Server.  Share your GAS and photography with other listeners in the Lounge or in our dedicated forums.  If you have questions for myself or the other guys, we have an “Ask the Hosts” section as well where you can get your question answered on a future show!  Check it out!  https://discord.gg/PZVN2VBJvm.

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Mario and Julienne Piper - https://www.instagram.com/genxphotogpod/

Marcy Merrill - https://junkstorecameras.com/

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Episode 59: Cameras of East Germany

A couple episodes ago, the gang discussed cameras of the Soviet Union to give some attention to lesser known Soviet cameras, and the histories behind them, so for episode 59, we devoted the entire show to the East German camera industries, primarily those around the Dresden area.

There were perhaps more companies making cameras in this area than anywhere else in the world, so making a single episode that could cover them all would be impossible, but we certainly tried.  In the end, we discussed the fascinating histories of Ihagee and how Dutchman Johan Steenbergen split up the assets of his company into two to protect it from the Germans, how two Jewish businessmen formed KW in the early 20th century to become one of Germany's most successful camera makers, and how an eventual American entrepreneur took over the company and created the world's first modern 35mm SLR.

We devote some time to the Carl Zeiss Jena Werras, the Praktina, the battery driven Prakti, East German TLRs, and because we can't control ourselves, we even crossed international borders and discussed Japanese cameras with Exakta lens mounts.

It was a crazy episode that started out with some technical difficulties resulting in Paul losing power, Anthony's keyboard dying, and Theo needing to find a new job, but we persisted and delivered what I think is a fascinating, albeit abbreviated look at one of the most elaborate camera histories out there.

This episode also marks the official debut of the Camerosity Discord server, which is where Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike are ready and waiting to share in all of our tomfoolery, GAS, and a place for you to share what you've been shooting lately.  Be sure to check it out!

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you!  Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show.  We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

Our next episode will be number 60, and I am extremely excited to invite a special guest who I've been yearning to speak to for years.  My desire to speak to this person goes back even farther than the start of this show, and they are someone I REALLY think you will all enjoy talking to.  I can't say their name yet, but I can say they are one of the most well known Camera Collectors, and that before they became Popular, in their early career, they were very Modern.  So stay tuned for the recording of Episode 60 on Monday, November 27th!

In This Episode

• Dresden Was a Central Manufacturing Hub for All German Industry, Including Cameras / The Feb 1945 Bombing of Dresden
• Carl Zeiss Jena Werras / Differences Between the Various Werras
• KW Praktiflex and the M40 Lens Mount / Paul Loves Biotars of Every Size and Lens Mount
• Kamera-Werkstätten Has a Very Sad But Interesting History
• KW Patent-Etui / KW Pilot Reflex / The Story of Paul Guthe and Benno Thorsch
• The KW Praktina Was the First Modem Professional SLR / The Nikon F Was Influenced by the Praktina
• Praktina Spring Wound and Electric Motor Drives / 50 Foot Film Back / Angled Shutter Releases
• Why Were There So Many Different Camera Designs Coming Out of Dresden / Germans Didn't Like to Copy Themselves
• Ihagee and Johan Steenbergern's Story / Ihagee Was Split Into Two Halves So the Germans Couldn't Own it All
• East German TLRs / Weltaflex / Peerflekta / Mentorette
• Anthony Once Found East German Linen Photo Paper
• The East German Government Encouraged Photography for Propaganda
• Pentacon Six SLR with CZJ Biometar Lens
• Johan Steenbergen Was Successful in Getting the Rights to Ihagee Back, and Produced the Exakta Real in 1966
• Vest Pocket Exaktas and the Night Exakta / Every Different Exakta Used a Different Lens Mount
• Nippon Kogaku and Canon Both Made a Single Lens in Exakta Mount / Firstflex 35 SLR
• Why Did Tokyo Kogaku Use the Exakta Mount on Topcon SLRs? / Mimosa II
• Ihagee Exas / System Exa Rheinmetall
• Everyone Loves the Looks of the Exakta / 12 Second Exposures and Razor Blades
• Jimmy Stewart and the Exakta in Rear Window / Kilfitt Fern-Kilar 400mm f/5.6 Lens
• What is the Proper Spelling of Exakta? / Exacta Cameras
• Topcon RE 300 and Japanese Made Exaktas / Exakta Twin TL / Pentacon Prakti Sounds
• Camerosity is Now on Discord! / Listener Question About Good Books Covering the German Camera Industry

Links

The Camerosity Podcast is now on Discord!  Join Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike on our very own Discord Server.  Share your GAS and photography with other listeners in the Lounge or in our dedicated forums.  If you have questions for myself or the other guys, we have an “Ask the Hosts” section as well where you can get your question answered on a future show!  Check it out!  https://discord.gg/u7DvZEz6

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Episode 58: Yashicas Niccas and More!

We've done a lot of deep dives into specific camera brands here on the Camerosity Podcast, but one brand I've been the most excited to do was Yashica.  Some of my earliest acquisitions of film cameras right when I first started collecting were Yashicas, from the wonderful Yashica Electro 35 to the Yashica-Mat TLR, to the Yashica TL-Super, there was probably a time when nearly 20% of my collection was a Yashica.

More than that, if you were to break down the entire Japanese camera industry into A, B, and C-List manufacturers with Nikon and Canon at the top, and the hordes of "one and done" Japanese makers from the 1950s in the C-List, Yashica seems to be one company that exists somewhere between A and B.

So for this podcast, I really wanted to bring out the big guns and invite not one, but two people who love Yashica more than I do.  The first guest is someone who I've interviewed before on my "One Hour Photo" series, is Paul Sokk.  Hailing from about 90 minutes away from Theo, Paul is THE authority on Yashica TLRs, fixed lens Yashicas, and early Yashica SLRs.  He also has a huge amount of info on Nicca, Leotax, and Canon rangefinders too making his site a very worthwhile read for many collectors.

In addition is Chris Whelan who has frequently collaborated with Paul, providing him with information and photographs that Paul has used on his site.  Chris has bought, owned, and sold a huge number of rare Yashicas, even to people you probably know.  Mike personally owns a few cameras that Chris has previously sold to other people, completing some form of Camerosity/Yashica Cycle of Life.

In this episode, we focus on the early days of Yashima, their TLRs, early SLRs, the company's acquisition of Nicca and Nicca rangefinders, and touch upon some of Yashica's great fixed lens rangefinders, plus some of their stranger cameras like the Sequelle and Samurai.

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you!  Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show.  We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

We don't yet know what we will be doing for our next show, but we are definitely mulling on some topics suggested to us from other listeners, plus the many different areas in which we interact with you on social medial.  Whatever we decide to do, I am sure it will be interesting and a lot of fun, so be sure to join us on Monday, November 13th for the recording of Episode 59!

In This Episode

• Paul Sokk and His Blogs, yashicatlr.com and leica-copies-japan.com / Chris Introduces yashicasailorboy.com
• We work out Anthony and Chris / Theo and Paul live close to each other
• Chris has sold to Kurt / Paul found the same camera when looking it up
• The Yashicaflex S and A3 found their way to Mike / Kurt wanted his collection to go to people that would appreciate them / Minolta Super A to Theo
• Chris’s first camera was a Yashica Electro TL X and a Nikonos II
• He went to Canon F1 but returned to Yashica because of Paul’s site / Chris turned Paul onto the Pentamatic
• Theo has been using the Electro TL X recently and the Yashinon 50 f/2 is one of his favourite lenses
• The Yashica FFT was the last M42 mount camera
• Anthony has a Contax S2 and ST with more Yashica lenses than Zeiss lenses
• Tomioka was responsible for the high quality Yashica glass
• Chris loves the Yashicamat EM / Mike Loves the Yashica D
• Yashica provided military goods to making cameras / Pigeonflex then Yashimaflex Was Next
• The Yashicamat Was One of the Best Selling TLRs
• Yashica was trying to sell volume by having the right quality for the right price
• Was 1956 when Yashica started to sell in US and Europe?
• In 1957 Yashima started to also make other cameras other than TLRs, first the Yashica 8 movie camera
• Yashima's First 35mm camera Was the Yashica-35 in 1958
• Brian Wants a TLR / Yashica 124G are as modern a TLR you will find / Kyle collects Contax SLRs
• Nicca was a Canon service company / Paul and Theo will fight over a Snider 35 / Niccas Were Sold by Sears as Towers
• Niccas are well built, so were the Leotax / Nicca introduced some innovations but Only Made Rangefinders
• Nippon Kogaku made the Rigid Body 5cm f/3.5 Nikkor-QC Exclusively for Nicca
• Yashica bought Nicca before they went bankrupt / Yashica Pentamatic / Auto frame counters can be problematic
• Who made lenses for the Yashica SLRs? / Yashica's First M42 Camera was the Penta J / J is for Jaguar / Yashica J-3
• TL Series when started with TTL metering / Fixed Lens Rangefinder Yashicas / Yashica Lynx / Yashica Minister
• Unique Yashica Cameras / Yashica Rapide / Yashica Sequelle / Yashica Samurai
• Yashica Electro 35 was hugely popular in the USA, and they have fantastic lenses
• The Contax/Yashica C/Y mount cameras and the Point and Shoots will be covered in a future episode

Links

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

One Hour Photo 2 - Paul Sokk: https://mikeeckman.com/2019/05/one-hour-photo-2-paul-sokk/

Paul Sokk - http://yashicatlr.com/ and http://leica-copies-japan.com/

Chris Whelan - https://yashicasailorboy.com/ and https://www.ccstudio2380.com/

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Episode 57: Robert Shanebrook’s Kodak Moments

Looking back at past episodes of the show, there are a few memorable ones, not necessarily for anything myself or the other hosts contributed, but rather from some of our esteemed guests.  Of those esteemed guests, one that consistently piles on great information and awesome anecdotes about our hobby is Robert Shanebrook.  A former employee of Eastman Kodak who while working there did everything from build cameras that went to the moon, to helping create some of the company's best film emulsions ever made, even some like TMax which are still being made today.

With an incredible wealth of knowledge about Kodak's past and present, Robert still has his fingers on the pulse of the company and the industry and can often give insightful comments on where the industry is headed, so any time Robert agrees to join us, you know you're in for a ton of great information!

Joining him on this show is returning guest Mina Saleeb and first time caller Jesse Wisdom.  Of course, joining Robert, Mina, and Jesse are the four horsemen of the world's first and only open source film photography podcast, Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike!

In this episode, Robert shares his insights into Kodak's recent announcement of their intent to keep making film for as long as there is demand, and what exactly that means for the film community.  Robert reminisces on his days torture testing film and all of the great lengths Eastman Kodak went to making sure only the best film made it to your cameras, he talks about regional films, and a few more memorable film emulsions like Verichrome III and Supra.

In addition, Jesse shares his passion for instant film photography and we learn of some history behind Polaroid's lawsuit against Kodak in the 1980s, and how if it weren't for Kodak, Polaroid might have never existed.

Mike brings up his Kodak Aero-Ektar surveillance lens, and two recent pickups, a LOMO LC-Wide and W-Nikkor 2.5cm f/4 rangefinder lens.  Anthony shares his experience going to a recent KEH film event in Atlanta and how there is a clear disconnect between younger film enthusiasts and the older generation.  Jesse takes a stand and says that we need to connect the two groups of people as each can benefit from talking to another, but young people don't go on Facebook and old farts don't go on Discord.

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you!  Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show.  We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

For our next episode, we are devoting the entire show to Yashica.  From the earliest Yashica TLRs to Nicca rangefinders to screw mount Yashica SLRs to the final Contax/Kyocera/Yashica SLRs, we plan on covering the entire output of this once great Japanese camera maker.  To help us traverse Yashica's long history, we will be joined by not one, but two Yashica experts who are certain to share with us a great deal of Yashica history and GAS!  If you've ever had any questions about your Yashica Electro or Samurai, this is the episode you won't want to miss, so be sure to join us on Monday, October 30th for the recording of Episode 58!

In This Episode

• The Ultimate Debate: Tim Tam Biscuits vs Mint Slices (aka Girl Scout Thin Mints)
• Kodak's Statement That They'll Stay in the Film Business As Long As There's Demand
• Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Has Increased Interest in Film / 65mm Kodak Double XX Film
• How Kodak Scaled Down Their Production While Keeping Quality High
• Kodak Built in Different Tolerances for Consumer and Professional Films / Kodak Torture Tested Film
• Does Film Need to be as Consistent Today As It Used To Be?
• You Can Make a Lot of Stuff and Throw Away What's Bad, Or You Can Just Make Only Good Stuff
• Did Kodak Ever Resell or Give Away Their Film That Failed Quality Checks?
• Is Expired Film Stored at a Consistent Temp More Stable than Film Stored in Varying Temperatures?
• 120 Degrees Seems to be the Breaking Point for Film / Humidity is More Detrimental than Temperatures Are
• Were There Differences in the Same Film Produced in Different Markets? / Tropical Film and Cameras / Kodak ProImage 100
• The HBO Series Euphoria Was Shot on Ektachrome / Why Aren't There More Ektachrome Films?
• Differences in E2, E3, E4, and E6 Processes / Chemical vs Light Reversal
• How Similar are 1990s Pro Film to Today's Portra? / Iridium Doping Gets Rid of Reciprocity
• There Was Supposed to Be a Film Before Portra / Vericolor III
• When Portra Came Out Kodak Couldn't Sell Their Vericolor III Anymore So It Had to be Destroyed
• What Happened to Kodak Professional Supra Film?
• Instant Film / At Kodak the People Working on Instant Film Were in Silos
• Kodak Initially Helped Make Polaroid Film / Edwin Land Would Have Failed Without Kodak's Help
• Kodak Made the Negative for Polaroid Type 55 Peel Apart Film
• How Kodak Would Work With Fuji / Advanced Photo System
• Kodak Had an Earlier Attempt to Make a New 35mm Film in 1979
• Aero Ektar Military Lenses / Lenses with Thorium / Don't Lick Radioactive Lenses
• Ice Station Zebra / 30 Mile Long Rolls of Film in Satellites
• Dental X-Ray Film / Minilabs in Dentist Offices / Yashica Dental-Eye
• Anthony Goes to KEH and Sees a Bunch of Youtube Influencers with Very Expensive Cameras / Film Discord Servers
• Younger People are Enthusiastic About Film and Older People Are Enthusiastic, But the Two Groups Aren't Talking to Each Other
• Shooting Expired Film Means Something Different Depending on Who You Ask
• Mike Has a Cat Camera In a Can Made in Japan by Holga (WTF?!) / Film Photography Echo Chambers
• Mina Bought a KMZ Horizont After the Soviet Episode / Mike Gets a LOMO LC-Wide / W-Nikkor 2.5cm f/4 Rangefinder Lens
• Robert Shanebrook's "Making Kodak Film" Book is Back In Print, So Order Now if You Want One

Links

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Keppler’s Vault 56: Kodak 35mm Film Prototype - https://mikeeckman.com/2020/02/kepplers-vault-56-kodak-35mm-prototype/

Robert Shanebrook - http://www.makingkodakfilm.com/

Mina Saleeb - https://www.instagram.com/crookandflail

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Episode 56: Советские Фотоаппараты

Very few episodes of the Camerosity Podcast are recorded without mentioning at least one Soviet camera, or something about the Soviet photo industry.  When deciding what we should discuss in future episodes, it was quite a surprise to the gang and I when we realized we had never devoted an entire episode to the subject, so for Episode 56, we put out the call for all our Soviet comrades, poured a large glass of водка, and loaded some film into our favorite Советские Фотоаппараты.

Joining us on our tour of camera factories in Moscow, Kyiv, Leningrad, and Minsk are esteemed Soviet camera collector and blogger, Vladislav Kern and all around Soviet enthusiast Mark Beadle.  In addition to Vlad and Mark, regular callers Mark Faulkner, Ray Nason, and Ira Cohen came along for the ride as well.

As we often do, Episode 56 starts off with some history and a quick summary of Soviet factories and how their photo industry differed from those in Germany, Japan, and elsewhere.  A whole lot of Soviet GAS was discussed including recommendations for first Soviet cameras for someone whose never shot one, Mike raves repeatedly about Soviet triplets, Paul shares with us his incredibly rare Soviet Leica Summicron lens, and Anthony gets into a discussion about the Soviet motion picture industry.

In this episode we talk about Smenas, the half frame Chaika and Agat, the panoramic Horizont, medium format Iskra, the Leningrad and Droug rangefinders, Soviet fakes, swirly bokeh, and a whole host of other Soviet GAS.

Later in the show we get into a round of Soviet Mythbusters in which Mike asks Vlad several commonly cited "facts" about Soviet cameras, and whether they are true.  Find out if orphaned children really built FED rangefinders, whether cameras with English logos are built with a higher quality, or whether or not you really need to wind your Soviet camera before changing shutter speeds.

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you!  Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show.  We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

For our next episode, we are coming back to a favorite topic of the show, which is film stocks and film developing.  We will be welcoming back Robert Shanebrook from Eastman Kodak to talk about all the different types of film from history and past, and hopefully get some insight into what might come in the future.  These film emulsion episodes are always fascinating, so be sure to join us on Monday, October 16th for the recording of Episode 57!

In This Episode

• Differences Between Soviet and Other Country's Camera Industries / Soviet Factories
• Camera Production Was a Cover for Military Manufacturing / Very Little Official Information About Camera Production Was Kept / Photography Was Encouraged to Aide in Soviet Propaganda
• What Soviet Camera Would a Photography Student Buy? / Smena 8 and 8M
• Home Developing and Recycling Everything / Camera Repair Manuals Were Common
• Pre-Soviet Cameras / Export Cameras Were Controlled by TOE aka the KGB
• Soviet Cameras were Distributed All Over the World as Kalimar, Global, and Many Others
• In the UK, Soviet Cameras Were Pretty Common and Seen as Good First Cameras
• A Zenit SLR Could Be Bought For Less Than a Third of a Nikon or Canon
• Soviet SLRs Came in M39, M42, Pentax K, Nikon F, and a Few Proprietary Mounts / KMZ Start
• Soviet Cameras Built for Export Were Generally of Higher Quality / Latin vs Cyrillic Lettering
• Ray's Distributor Used to Bring Him Kiev 60 and 88s for Ten Bucks Each
• After the Soviet Union Collapsed, the Arsenal Factory Attempted to Privatize and Compete on the World Market / Kiev USA
• Arax and Hartblei Also Refurbished Kiev Cameras Making them Better than New with Upgraded Features
• The Soviet Motion Picture Industry / Stalin Had to Approve Every Script That was Submitted for a Motion Picture
• French and Japanese Equipment Was Used to Make Movies
• The FED and Zorki Weren't the Only Soviet Leica Copies / VOOMP II Pioneer and Foto Apparat Geodeziya
• KMZ Started Producing Leica Copies After the War and For a Very Short Time, So Did Arsenal
• Did Orphaned Children Really Assemble FED Cameras? / American Children Worked in Coal Mines
• Are Other Eastern Bloc Cameras Made in Czechoslovakia and Hungary Part of Soviet Camera Collecting? / MOM Mometta III
• The Soviet Union Helped China Start their Camera Industry / Chinese Copies of Smenas and Zenits
• GOMZ Sport SLR / The Soviet Camera Industry Pioneered More Things Than They Often Get Credit For
• Arsenal Kiev Rangefinders Were Built Using Actual Zeiss Contax Parts and Machinery
• Paul Has Never Ever Shot a Soviet Camera / Mike Recommends the Smena 8 for Paul / Agat 18K
• Mike Thinks Soviet Cloth Shutters Hold Up Better than Other Cloth Curtains
• Soviet GAS / Lubitels / Kiev 17 and 19 / Kiev 10 and 15 / Kiev 30 Submini
• LOMO LC-A / Chaika and FED Micro Half Frame Cameras
• Panoramic Cameras / KMZ Horizont / KMZ FT-2 / Fedor Vasilievich Tokarev
• Soviet Mythbusters:
  • Some Soviet Cameras Use Animal Fat Lubricant
  • KMZ Cameras Built for Export are of Higher Quality
  • Lenses with Serial Numbers Beginning with 00 Were Made for VIPs
  • Whole Warehouses of New Soviet Lenses Are Still Being Discovered
  • Don't Change Shutter Speeds Until After Cocking the Shutter / KMZ Narciss
• Soviet Fakes / Paul Has a Summicron 50mm f/3.5 Leica Lens / British Reid Soviet Fake
• KMZ Droug Has a Rangefinder Coupling Wheel
• Is it Difficult for Vlad to Get So Many Soviet Cameras Living in the United States
• TSVVS Prototypes / Mike Raves About Vlad's Collection and Rambles Off a Bunch of Soviet Cameras We Didn't Talk About
• Where Do You Get Soviet Cameras Repaired?

Links

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Vlad Kern - http://ussrphoto.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/ussrphoto/

Mark Beadle - https://www.instagram.com/Mark_Beadle90/

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Episode 55: Travelling With Cameras and Film

In the first episode of Season 3 of the Camerosity Podcast, the guys and I opened up the call-in lines for the first time since late July and asked everyone who has travelled lately, what their ideal travel cameras are.  When deciding to take some cameras on a trip, what makes the cut or doesn't, and why.  In addition to travelling with cameras, what are your tips for getting through airport security, is it worth getting your film hand checked, or should you separate your film from your cameras into separate luggage.

Joining Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike are returning callers Mark Faulkner, Patrick Rapps, John Roberts, Howard Sandler, and first time callers Maxwell Whitaker, Mina Saleeb, and Kevin Knipp who all help us answer those questions.

In addition to our travel tips, we also stray into the world of mirror lenses and other strange lenses of the 20th century like the Voigtländer Zoomar, KMZ Rubin-1, and the Minolta Rokkor-X 40-80mm f/2.8 "Gear Box Lens".  As we often do, much praise is heaped upon Voigtländer and the Bessamatic SLR and Cosina Bessa Rangefinders, we share our opinions of Minox submini cameras, the Carl Zeiss Jena Werra, AGFA Karat 36, plus many, many others.

Later, hear Anthony admit that he's struggling with the decision of whether he needs to rebuy another Leica M3, whether or not people mix digital and film on vacations, and how many times Paul has bought the same camera more than once.

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you!  Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show.  We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

For our next episode, we are going red, for Red October.  That's right, the Camerosity Podcast is going to discuss the Soviet Photo Industry.  What are the best cameras to pick up for someone new to the hobby, which ones to avoid, and what are some under the radar models.  So for those of you looking to expand on your Soviet GAS, be sure to join us on Monday, October 2nd for the recording of Episode 56!

In This Episode

• How Do You Decide Which Cameras Will Go With You on a Trip / Theo and Anthony Are Going to Asia
• Bringing At Least One Digital Camera on a Trip / Panasonic Lumix LX Series
• John Roberts Took a Canon F1 and Nikon Z5 and Used the Same Lenses Using an Adapter / Mike Loves the Z5
• Mina Took a Nikon F-801 with Two AF Lenses
• Inspecting Film Through Airport Security / Put Film in Clear Bags, Be Polite, and Make the Inspection as Easy as Possible
• Some Airports Have a No Hand Check Policy / If You Are Eligible for TSA Pre-Check, Do It / ISO 800 Film And Up / CT Scanners
• Film Shield Bags Are Lined with Lead / Paul Once Lost an Entire Pelican Case of Film in Airport Security
• Anthony Is Going to Japan / Voigtänder Perkeo II / Olympus XA4 / Minox 35
• Howard Brings Cheap Cameras On Trips / Rollei 35 B / Mike Gets Stressed Out If He Brings Too Many Cameras
• Paul Travels Specifically for Photography and Food / His Wife Traveled with an RB67 One Year
• If Your Cameras Are Stolen While Travelling, A Tip Is To Also Lose Your Passport So You'll Stop Thinking About the Cameras
• Getting Film Stolen is Worse Than Cameras Stolen / Travel With Your Cameras and Film Separately
• Good Compact Digitals for Travel / Ricoh GR / Panasonic Lumix LX100
• Olympus Pen F Digital and Film Cameras / Half Frame vs APS-C
• Micro 4/3 Cameras Are Quite Good / Olympus OM-D EM1X / Olympus Pen Digitals
• Maxwell's Ideal Travel Camera is a Minox B He Bought from Paul / Getting and Developing Minox Film
• Slitting Film / 3D Printing Slitters / Using a TLR to Slit Film
• Anthony is Going to Attempt to Barter His Way to a Good Camera in Japan By Selling Argus C3s
• Theo and Anthony Love the Zeiss-Ikon Contessa 35 / Mike Not So Much / Voigtländer Vito III
• Carl Zeiss Jena Werra Series / The Werra is the Only Carl Zeiss Jena Camera
• Leaf Shutters That Go Faster than 1/500 / Kodak Tourist and Chevron / Minolta V2, V3, and Others
• Rudi Made Anthony Take a Bunch of 110 Cameras and 110 Film from Him / Minolta and Pentax 110 SLRs
• Mike Didn't Like the Canon 110ED / Anthony Loved his Minox 110 and the Vitoret 110
• Voigtländer Was Owned by Zeiss, Then Rollei, then Licensed to Cosina for the Bessa Rangefinders
• Voigländer Vitessa, Vito C, Bessamatic, Ultramatic / Voigtländer Zoomar Lenses
• Russian MTO 500 and 1000mm Mirror Lenses / Maksutov Invented the Catadioptric Lenses for Telescopes
• Soviet Rubin-1 Is Not a Copy of the Zoomar But is Similar / The Zoomar Originally Came on the KMZ Zenit 6
• Mike Attempts to Explain How a Mirror Lens Works / Mirror Lenses Are Almost Always Found in Mint Condition
• Nikon and Minolta Mirror Lenses / The Rokkor 250mm f/5.6 Mirror Lens is Very Good
• Minolta Rokkor-X 40-80mm f/2.8 Gearbox Lens
• Show Suggestions for Season 3 / Yashica / TLRs / Subminis
• Viscawide 16mm Swing Lens Camera / Large Format / Robert Shanebrook / Another Euro Episode
• Leicaflex SL Mirror Locks Just like the Nikon F
• How Many Cameras Have You Bought More Than Once?
• Anthony Is Starting to Miss His Leica M3 / Voigtländer Cosina Made Bessas / Contax RTS II and RTS III
• The Earlier AGFA Karat is the Rangefinder for People Who Don't Like Rangefinders
• We Have Lots Planned for Season 3, Stay Tuned!

Links

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Chuck Rubin Photographics - https://www.facebook.com/p/Chuck-Rubin-Photographics-100054624692201/

Mina Saleeb - https://www.instagram.com/crookandflail

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Episode 54: Camerosity Unplugged

We're back....sorta!

For the month of August, the Camerosity Gang has been on vacation, traveling all over the United States Southwest and Northern Dairylands, battling Florida storms and insect borne illnesses, and handling the stress of a new job and shopping for a new home.

In a moment of spontaneous availability, the guys and I jumped on a Zoom call, hit record and just started talking.  If you've ever wanted to know what it would be like to be in a room (virtual or real) with Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike, this episode is what it's like, just four guys sitting around talking about whatever comes to mind.  In the spirit of Cocaine and Waffles, we put no effort into this, had no agenda, and just started talking.

As promised at the end of Episode 53, we will return soon with Season 3, featuring (slightly) more organized and thought out episodes.  We have a ton of great ideas for topics coming up, so please keep a look out for our next show announcement soon.  If you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We will record our next episode on Monday, September 18th at 7pm Central Daylight Time.  Stay tuned!

This Week's Episode

• Paul and Black Paint Leicas / Anthony is shooting the Voigtländer Perkeo, Robot Royal, and Mercury II
• Florida Storms / Disruptions to Business / Shooting in a Hurricane / Waffle House Index / Florida Man
• Konica Genba Kantoku and Other Industrial Cameras
• Minolta Weathermatic / Canon Aqua Snappy AS6 / Sureshot A1 / Nikon Nikonos
• Mike is shooting with the Rollei 35 RF with TTArtisan 50mm f/0.95 / Konica Hexar AF
• Nikon 35Ti and Other Compacts Which are in Danger of Electronics Failure
• Theo’s Tale of Leica R Woe and What He Did to Solve it
• Theo is Also Shooting a Voigtlander Vitessa L with Ultron lens and Keks 2 Meter and Kodak 2238
• Anthony’s Vitessa is from the Original Importer / Voigtländer Prominent
• Theo is Also Shooting the Zeiss Ikoflex, Voigtländer Superb and the Zeiss Super Ikonta C
• Taking Panoramas with a Nikkor PC Shift Lens
• Paul is Overloaded With Cameras But Still Buys Leicas / 650 Boxes of Cameras
• Cameras with Sequential Serial Numbers
• Digicams Are Great for Kids to Learn Photography
• Theo is the Adapter King of Australia
• Lots of Voigtländer Brillants and Kodak Vest Pockets Have Been Found
• Rolleiflex with Duct Taped Polaroid Back / Leica Accessories Made in Japan
• Paul Did the Americana Festival and Met Patrick Rapps / Ray Nasson visited Mike
• Theo Bought a Canon FTb from Peter Kitchingman Without Knowing
• Anthony talks about John Minnicks and the Aero Liberator
• Anthony had his Canon IV Sb Repaired and Loves It
• He also Had Robot Royal, Mamiya 645 Lens and Tower 22 Repaired
• We Keep the Repairers Busy / Robot Royal / Anthony is Feeding Ticks

Links

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Episode 53: Unobtanium

We've covered a lot of gear on this podcast before.  Some cameras are ones that flew under the radar that deserved some recognition as something worth checking out, others were less common models in which a bit more effort (and cost) were required to add to a collection, but then there's a level of camera in which no amount of money or effort will result in one coming your way.  These are the Unobtanium cameras, models which are so expensive, or so hard to find, that even the most experienced of collectors don't have them.

Joining Anthony, Theo, Paul, and Mike on this episode dedicated to the hardest cameras to find are some people who have found some of the hardest cameras to find, Ira Cohen, Ray Nason, Robert Rotoloni, Patrick Rapps, Rudi Berden, and James Thorpe.  Each of these guys has at least one camera that for most people would quality as unobtanium.  How they came across each model varies, but nevertheless, represent some of the coolest and hardest to find cameras ever made.

As we did in the last episode, we start off this one with a question, asking our guests to define what exactly qualifies as unobtanium.  As you might expert, rarity and cost are definitely prerequisites, but what about functionality or provenance?  Does a camera that's very difficult to find in working order or a camera formerly owned by the Beatles still qualify as unobtanium.  In addition to rare cameras, lenses and accessories can qualify too, so we get into some extras that are really hard to find as well.

If you were to break down types of unobtanium cameras, one that would be the hardest of the hardest to find would be prototypes, so in this episode we spend time talking about some of the coolest prototypes including two interchangeable lens rangefinders made by Minolta and Konica, but also Robert Rotoloni goes DEEP into the rabbit hole of prototype Nikon rangefinder cameras and lenses.  If you thought the Nikon SP was the most advanced 35mm rangefinder the company ever made, think again as there were two others.

The rest of the episode is all over the place, discussing rare cameras by Ilford, Argus, Wica, Premier Instrument Corp, and LeCoultre.  We are quite certain that we missed some other rare and otherwise difficult to find cameras, but as always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you!  We would love to hear from more listeners, especially those who are new to shooting film or collecting cameras.  Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show.  We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

As we did last year, we're taking the entire month of August off to relax, soak in some sun, and maybe even catch up on shooting all of the cool cameras we've all picked up in the past year so we will not be back with Episode 54 until September.  The guys and I will still be active on the Camerosity Facebook page, so keep in touch with us there, and once we have an idea of when we'll record the next episode, and what possible topics we might discuss, we'll be sure to let you know!

This Week's Episode

• How Do You Define "Unobtanium" / Rarity, Expensive, or Something Else? / Unobtanium Lenses
• Cameras Not Known to Be Very Reliable: Kodak Ektra, Hasselblad XPan, Graflex 3A
• Rudi Berden Reviews the Kodak Ektra / Leaving Notes in the Film Compartment
• Cameras that Have Provenance or Were Owned by Someone Famous
• Mike is Collecting Cameras Owned by Other Collectors
• Before the Internet, Finding Rare Cameras Was Extremely Difficult / Paul Finds a Leica Luxus
• Walter Dorwin Teague No. 1A Gift Camera
• Cameras that Have Cross Appeal to Different Collectors, The Price Goes Up Dramatically / Mickey Mouse Cameras
• Paul Handled 80 Boxes with 640 Cameras in Them in One Day / Graflex Combat Graphic
• Kodak Bantam Special in Original Box / Versions with Supermatic and Compur Shutters / Using the Bantam Special
• Nippon Kogaku Almost Made a TLR, Two Prototypes Were Known to Exist
• Other Companies Made Cameras with Nikkor Lenses / Aires Flex TLR / Sawyer's Mark IV / Mamiya Six
• Minolta Sky Prototype / Konica FR Rangefinder Prototype
• Andrew Lloyd MPP Press Camera / Robot Royal 18 Half Frame Camera
• It is Very Difficult to Assign Value to Extremely Rare Cameras
• Konica IIIM with Half-Frame Mask / Unobtanium Accessories / Getting a Pax 35 To Work is Not Easy
• Patrick's Strange Okaya Lord 5D / Rudi Reviews the Super Kodak Six-20
• Digital Unobtanium / Epson R-D1 Digital Rangefinder
• Ira Cohen's Most Wanted Camera / Mike Helps Ira Buy a One of a Kind Camera / Lausar 127
• James Thorpe's Unobtanium is a Zecaflex Folding TLR / Welta Superfekta / Zeiss-Ikon Contaflex TLR
• The LeCoultre Compass is a Very Unobtanium Camera...Except for Ira
• Bob's Nikon Rarities - Follow Along The Rotoloni Report 4: Nikon Rangefinder Prototypes
  • 50mm f/1.8 Nikkor RF Lenses / 35mm f/1.4 RF Lens / Nikkor-O 50mm f/1.0
  • Nikon Screw Mount RFs / Nikon SPX / Nikon SP2 / The Original Nikon Rangefinder
• Paul and Mike Are Cornering the Market on Lens Hoods and Lens Adapters
• Ilford Witness / The Melcon II Looks like a Nikon Rangefinder / Wica Rangefinder
• Mike's Recent Unobtanium GAS / Military Kardon / Argus K
• Unobtanium Accessories / Some Unobtanium is More Difficult to Find in Other Countries
• Cameras That Are Opposite of Unobtamium
  • Argus Brick / Kodak Vest Pocket / Voigtländer Brilliant / Pentax K1000 / Canon AE-1 / Big Royal View Trashcam / Yashica Electro 35
• Anthony Shoots a Pentax Takumar 18mm f/11 Pancake Lens / Theo Won't Buy a Contax T2
• Paul and the Americana Folk Music Gathering in Scottsdale, Arizona

Links

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Americana Folk Music Gathering - https://americanafolkgathering.com/

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/

Episode 52: Panorama City

Venturing back into the early days of the Camerosity Podcast, the topic of panoramic cameras came up often on the show, so often that we jokingly referred to ourselves as the widest film photography podcast out there.  As we often do, the gang got distracted in later episodes by various other formats, brands, and special guests, but we thought it was time to revisit our love of all things panoramic and take a ride to Panorama City.  No, not that Panorama City in southern California, but the land of Hasselblad XPans, Fuji G617s, Horizonts, and Noblexes.

Joining Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike on our wide journey was a motley crew of panoramic enthusiasts, fans, and just passers by.  Returning guests, all the way from Cape Town, South Africa, Dean Blumberg, Ray Nason, Skip Williams, Richard Driver, Andrew Smith, and Mark Faulkner.  Also, first time callers Patrick Rapps, Rudi Berden, and Paul's ex-Fuji rep, Bob Grzesiak were in attendance.

Not content with only talking to people who like to use existing panoramic cameras, also joining us from Silvergrain Classics is Marwan El Mozayen who most people in the film community know as helping to bring back a new version of the Widelux F8 swing lens panoramic camera.  With the support of Hollywood A-lister and renowned Widelux fan, Jeff Bridges and his wife Susan, Marwan shares the back story of how he became involved in resurrecting this panoramic classic.  Marwan isn't just some PR guy helping to spread word about his company's project however, as he has extensive knowledge of other panoramic cameras like the Noblex, Soviet Horizonts and many others.

We started the show off with what we thought would be a pretty straightforward question, but the topic of what exactly defines an image or camera as panoramic elicited a pretty interesting discussion, relating panoramic still photography to that of cinematography and that angle of view should be considered in addition to physical size.

Differences between wide angle panoramic cameras like the Hasselblad XPan and swing lens cameras like the Panoram-Kodak were discussed, along with cropped panoramic, 3D printed masks, how to use a perspective control lens to shoot panoramic digitals, and even some panoramic developing and scanning hacks that make like easier for the hobbyist.  With Marwan on the show bringing back the Widelux, we did a lighting round asking every participant what other cameras you would like to see someone make an attempt at bringing back (who wants to guess what Theo's was?).

[label type="warning"]Silvergrain Classics Discount Code: [/label]During the show, Marwan El Mozayen mentioned that listeners of this show get a discount when ordering a copy of issue #19 of their magazine, which features a ton of information about the upcoming re-release of the Widelux.  To receive this discount, use code: WLX10 when ordering.

Like all other episodes of the Camerosity Podcast, we were excited to go down the panoramic rabbit hole but had no idea of how deep it would be.  We ventured into some discussions that I could have never imagined, sharing the love and passion for this subset of  photography with a fascinating and very experienced panel of callers.

As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you!  We would love to hear from more listeners, especially those who are new to shooting film or collecting cameras.  Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show.  We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!

The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com.  We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.

Our next episode of the Camerosity Podcast will be all about "unobtanium cameras", those cameras you never thought you'd get a chance to see, let alone use.  Maybe it's a rare one of a kind prototype, or a common, but REALLY expensive camera that is beyond your budget.  If you can't find or afford it, come on the show and join us for Episode 53, which will be recorded on Monday, July 24th!

This next episode will be our Season 2 finale before the gang goes on vacation.  As we did last year, we're taking the entire month of August off to relax, soak in some sun, and maybe even catch up on shooting all of the cool cameras we've all picked up in the past year.  We will return in September!

This Week's Episode

• What Do We Mean When We Say “Panoramic”? / Widescreen in Cinematography
• Banquet Cameras in the 1900s / Banquet vs Kodak Cirkut Cameras
• Aspect Ratio as a Starting Point for Panorama / Aspect Ratio vs Field of View as a Way of Defining Panorama
• Is the Fuji G617 Panoramic or Wide View?
• Can a Cropped Image be Panoramic? / Cropping Before and After Taking the Image / The Hasselblad XPan and the Noblex 135 S
• What Makes the Widelux Special? / The Mechanics and Simplicity of a Swing Lens Camera
• The Original Kodak Panoram / Kodak 3A Using 122 and 616 film in Old Folders for Wider Aspect Ratios
• Zeiss Super Ikonta 616 and Zeiss Cocarette / 3A Graflex
• Camera Hack and 3D Printed Adapters for Older Film Types
• Silvergrain Classics and the Project to Resurrect the Widelux F8
• The KMZ Horizont Was the First “Modern” Swing Lens Camera
• The Shift from Medium Format to 35mm Swing Lens Cameras Under the Widelux Brand
• Jeff and Susan Bridges and their Love of the Widelux
• How to Visualize Shooting with a Widelux / Looking to Cinematography Instead of Still Photography for Panoramic Compositional Ideas
• Depth of Field in Panorama / Using Contact Lenses to Modify Swing Lens Properties
• The Best and Worst About the Noblex / Every Released Noblex was Really a “Mostly” Working Prototype
• The Mechanics of Reproducing the Widelux / Swing Lens Camera Repair
• Horizont 202 The Affordable Swing Lens Alternative
• Pulling Back the Curtain on the Hasselblad XPan’s Reliability Issues
• Skip’s Mamiya Pro S 220 Back with a Mercury 3D Printed Film Gate Adapter
• Dean’s Bronica ETRS Kludge / Skip’s Cameradactyl Homunculus 69
• Turning to 3D Printing for Wide Aspect Ratio Adapters
• The Virtues of the Fuji G617 / The G617 goes to the North Pole
• Paul’s Sony A7 RII with a Nikkor Perspective Control Lens for Digital Panoramas
• Rudi’s Zone Image Pinhole 617 / Patrick’s Sinhao Wide Aspect Hack
• Back to Silvergrain Classic and Details on the Release of the New Widelux
• Lightning round: Pick One Camera you Want to see Brought Back!
  • Minolta XM Motor / Hasselblad XPan / Plaubel 67 / Fuji GW690 / A Miranda That Works / Mamiya 7 / Fuji GX617 / Nikon FM3a / Panon 120 swing-lens / Kodak Medalist / Mamiya 6
• Theo’s Panora Wide Pic / Minolta P's and Masked 35mm Point and Shoots / Viscawide 16
• Lightroom and Photoshop for Panoramic Merging / Flatbed Panoramic Scanning Hacks
• Panoramic Chromes and AGX Imaging for Pro Level E6 Developing and Scanning

Links

If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at camerosity.podcast@gmail.com.

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Silvergrain Classics Widelux Revivial - https://silvergrainclassics.com/en/2023/07/the-widelux-revival-project/

Andrew Smith – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClXrAlbnU3gvdRrJ5gAR4mw

Mark Faulkner – https://thegashaus.com/

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/