Classic Camera Revival

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Leitz Camera, or as we know it today, Leica. The Leitz Camera Co. is far older than the cameras they produce. In today's episode, Bill leads a panel of photographers, including Alex (Smith), John Roberts, and David, who all have one thing in common: their love of Leicas, from the Barnack rangefinders to the iconic M-Series of rangefinders and even the controversial SLR line of Leicaflexes! But no matter which side of the fence you land on, there is something special about Leica cameras and their lenses that makes them not only expensive but worth every penny. Also Alex (our Alex) comes in with a presentation on the Leica Freedom Train, an effort by Ernst Leitz II and Elsie Kuehn-Leitz, to move hundreds of Jewish employees and their families outside of Germany from 1935-1939 and the company's efforts to protect those enslaved under the Nazis and employed by Leitz during the war. You can read more in the Legion Magazine or the Accidental Talmudist.   CCR is ten years old this year, and to celebrate, we're hosting a Photowalk & Brewery Tour on 12 July starting at 11 am from the Great Lakes Brewpub at 11 Lower Jarvis in Toronto, Ontario. You can find more details on the event signup page on Photowalk.me!

They say that everything is bigger in Texas, and that certainly includes the personalities of the film photographers! Join Alex as he sits down with Nick LoPresti, if you haven't seen his work he certainly has a certain flare for humour, big jokes a bit of self-deprecation and a flare for not taking himself seriously. And you know, it's a refreshing take on a hobby that often takes itself way too seriously. I mean, we here at CCR can often lean into the serious side of things, but we also don't take ourselves too seriously. To find more of Nick's Work, check him out in the following places online! Web: www.madebylopro.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/loprestiproductions/ YouTube: www.youtube.com/@nicklopro CCR is ten years old this year, and to celebrate, we're hosting a Photowalk in Brewery Tour on 12 July starting at 11 am from the Great Lakes Brewpub at 11 Lower Jarvis in Toronto, Ontario. You can find more details on the event signup page on www.photowalk.me!

It's hard to believe that 2025 marks several significant anniversaries. First off, it's the 200th anniversary of photography as a whole, CCR is celebrating 10 years on the air, and we've reached episode 200! So the gang digs into a few topics on this show! If you remember, back in Episode 100, we talked about the oldest cameras in our collections, so in this episode, we talk about the newest cameras in our toolkits. We will also talk about all the latest films that have emerged in the 21st century and the developers! CCR is ten years old this year, and to celebrate, we're hosting a Photowalk in Brewery Tour on 12 July starting at 11 am from the Great Lakes Brewpub at 11 Lower Jarvis in Toronto, Ontario. You can find more details on the event signup page on Photowalk.me!

In today's hot seat is Ebi Agbeyegbe, a local GTA photographer. Ebi, originally from Nigeria, came to Canada to study chemistry but eventually went into photography and then Sociology. But it was photography that got him going, first with real estate and then into film production. He loves medium format, 35mm, and even a bit of large format work. Most importantly, he loves expired film.  You can find Ebi's work online. Website: www.filmstockreel.com Substack: filmstockreel.substack.com Instagram: instagram.com/visualsbyebi YouTube: youtube.com/@filmstockreel CCR is ten years old this year, and to celebrate, we're hosting a Photowalk in Brewery Tour on 12 July starting at 11 am from the Great Lakes Brewpub at 11 Lower Jarvis in Toronto, Ontario. You can find more details on the event signup page on Photowalk.me!

Various names, including Modern Grain, Delta Grain, or T-Grain, are known for these films. These are the newest style of black and white film emulsions that offer fine grain, added sharpness, and a distinctly different structure than traditional cubic-grained film. In this episode, the team sits down to discuss films from Ilford Delta, Kodak TMax, Fomapan 200, and the Fujifilm Neopan line, as well as the various and assorted developers designed to maximise the potential of these modern films. But we also dig into developers like Kodak TMax Developer, Ilford DD-X, and Crawley's FX-37! There is also a Canadian Federal Election taking place on April 28. We at CCR encourage all eligible Canadians to get out and vote! You can visit the Elections Canada website to find out if you're eligible, register to vote, and where to cast your ballot! And if you haven't already, make sure to cast your ballot on Election Day, April 28, 2025. CCR is ten years old this year, and to celebrate, we're hosting a Photowalk on Brewery Tour on July 12, starting at 11 am from the Great Lakes Brewpub, located at 11 Lower Jarvis in Toronto, Ontario. You can find more details on the event signup page on Photowalk.me!    

It should come as no surprise that the core team at CCR are Nikon fans. Between Alex, James, and Bill, we have a ton of Nikon kit, from cameras to lenses. So, in this episode, we're running through each of our five favourite Nikkor lenses from our auto and manual focus kits, pre-AI to modern Type-G. Thanks to Joss Hollingworth for putting forward this idea! It was a lot of fun to decide which lenses to include! Lenses in this episode include: Bill: Nikkor 105/2.5, Nikkor 50/2 (K), Nikkor 35/2, Nikkor 28-105/3.5-4.5D, Nikkor 50/1.8 James: Micro-Nikkor 200/4D, Nikkor 50/1.4D, Nikkor 35/2D, DC-Nikkor 105/2D, Nikkor 85/1.4G Alex: AF Nikkor 14mm f/2.8D, AI Nikkor 28mm f/3.5, AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D, AI-S Nikkor 85mm f/2, AF DC-Nikkor 105mm f/2D CCR is ten years old this year, and to celebrate, we're hosting a Photowalk in Brewery Tour on 12 July starting at 11 am from the Great Lakes Brewpub at 11 Lower Jarvis in Toronto, Ontario. You can find more details on the event signup page on photowalk.me!    

From strange cameras to films and developers! Join Alex, James, and Bill as they sit down for a quick roundtable on some of the stranger things they've encountered in their film photography: a Miranda and Rollei 35 to an Exacta, expired films, and oddball developers. It isn't that any of these things are bad; they just happen to be a bit odd when compared to modern cameras, films, and developers that are pretty similar to similar offerings.

The whole team is together again and in person with a special darkroom episode. We generally talk about gear, films, paper and other technical things. In this episode, we're talking about our photography, what makes a good photo and the images we brought into print using a traditional darkroom! While we are all gearheads, we all have passions for different types and styles of photography. We apologise for the audio quality of this one. We were recording in the darkroom, and there were some pops and interference where the mic cables crossed with electrical ones. Community Darkrooms Mentioned: Gallery44 Toronto Camera Club Obscura Darkroom NJ Safelight District

We sit down with another talented Photographer, Clayton Sharp! If the name rings a bell, Clayton is the second half of the latest podcast to hit the Film Photography sphere, Joe & Clayton Start A Film Photography Podcast. Join Bill and Alex as they sit down with Clayton to discuss Nikon, large format, large-scale development, and a love of Chicago and Winter. Plus, all the interesting things are done in a large format using direct positive paper. In 2024 and more recently in January, Hurricanes and Wildfires directly affected tens of thousands of Americans; among them, we're sure are listeners of this podcast and members of the film podcasting community—the floods in North Carolina and, more recently, the fires in California. The fires and floods have destroyed thousands of homes, including that of Gabe Sachs, one of the hosts of the smash-hit podcast I Dream of Cameras. And displaced the guys behind Joe & Clayton Start and Film Photography Podcast. If you can, please consider donating to the American Red Cross and under "I Want to Support" select Disaster Relief. If you want to follow along with the Joe & Clayton Start a Film Photography Podcast You can: Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joe-and-clayton-make-a-film-photography-podcast/id1761165698 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j_and_c_start_a_podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claytonsharpphoto/

It's hard to be creative, especially with everything happening. Inspiration isn't there; there is a strange balance between staying informed and sane. Well, even for people who love photography, it can be challenging. But Alex sits down in this episode to talk about his creative rut, how to resist, and some tips on staying creative even in dark times. These things include revisiting a favourite location, trying a new film or camera, learning a new technique, or trying a new form of creativity. If you can't leave the house, maybe you can make a 'zine or a book, finish an old project or plan a new one. But above all, don't abandon your creativity let it be a form of resistance and keep your light on, it's okay for it to dim every so often, give you a chance to regroup, but never let anyone put it out. Resistance is not futile. In 2024 and more recently in January, Hurricanes and Wildfires directly affected tens of thousands of Americans; among them, we're sure are listeners of this podcast and members of the film podcasting community—the floods in North Carolina and, more recently, the fires in California. The fires and floods have destroyed thousands of homes, including that of Gabe Sachs, one of the smash-hit podcasts I Dream of Cameras hosts and displaced the guys behind Joe & Clayton Start and Film Photography Podcast. If you can, please consider donating to the American Red Cross and under "I Want to Support", select Disaster Relief.

In today's episode, Alex sits down with Joe Pollock, one half of Joe & Clayton Start a Film Photography Podcast, to talk about everything photography, starting a film podcast today and much more! The pair talk about cameras (Leica & Nikon), the joys of being dads, choices in film, and love of photography. Surprisingly, not a single dad joke was shared during the entire episode! Last year and this month, two natural disasters directly affected tens of thousands of Americans; among them, we're sure are listeners of this podcast and members of the film podcasting community—the floods in North Carolina and, more recently, the fires in California. The fires and floods have destroyed thousands of homes, including that of Gabe Sachs, one of the hosts of the smash-hit podcast I Dream of Cameras, and displaced the guys behind Joe & Clayton Start and Film Photography Podcast. If you can, please consider donating to the American Red Cross and under "I Want to Support", select Disaster Relief. If you want to follow along with the Joe & Clayton Start a Film Photography Podcast, You can: Subscribe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joe-and-clayton-make-a-film-photography-podcast/id1761165698 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j_and_c_start_a_podcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joepollockphotos/ Website: https://joepollockphotography.com/

Last year and this month, two natural disasters directly affected tens of thousands of Americans; among them, we're sure are listeners of this podcast and members of the film podcasting community—the floods in North Carolina and, more recently, the fires in California. The fires have destroyed thousands of homes, including that of Gabe Saches, one of the hosts of the smash-hit podcast I Dream of Cameras. If you are able please consider donating to the American Red Cross and under "I Want to Support" select Disaster Relief. Welcome to the new year and the new season! It's pretty darn cold here in Canada, so we're sitting around the table to talk about our favourite developers and the situations in which we use them! From general purpose to speciality, our team has no shortage of chemistry in our kits, but there is also some wisdom in taking the struggle of choosing out of the equation by having only one choice. The team also welcomes our new cohost, Jessica Kosmack, to the team and discusses our photography and podcast plans! Since it's the new season, we might reintroduce our team's Instagram accounts. CCR Main Account: https://www.instagram.com/classiccamerarevival/ Alex: https://www.instagram.com/alexluyckxphoto/ James: https://www.instagram.com/james.lee.photo/ Bill: https://www.instagram.com/wbsmith200/ Chris: https://www.instagram.com/wutography/ Jess H: https://www.instagram.com/jesshobbsphoto/ Jess K: https://www.instagram.com/jesskosphoto/

Well, we have reached the end of our 10th season, so it only makes sense to look back over some of the topics we've covered and fill in some of the gaps we left behind in the initial recording. Zoom Lenses to Leitz, Infrared to Ilford, Fast Lenses to Canon, it's time to tuck in for some holiday leftovers! And from all of our families to all of yours, a heartfelt thank you for sticking with CCR for this season with all the ups and downs and we wish you all the very best of the holiday season however you celebrate (or don't) we'll see you in 2025!

Fast lenses are everywhere these days, and they have been around for a while, with lenses having wide-open apertures of f/0.95 and f/1.2. But these days it seems everyone wants their wide-angle and standard lenses to have open apertures of f/1.4! So, the team gets around the table to discuss what makes these lenses unique and where they have saved their bacon. Shooting wide-open has some downsides, such as when you need that speed and when you don't.

When it comes to iconic films, there is no black & white film to reach that level than Kodak Tri-X. First introduced in 1940 as a 200-speed sheet film, it hit the market as a roll film in 1954, replacing Kodak Super-XX as Kodak's fast film offering. That means in 2024, it is celebrating its 70th anniversary! With that in mind, the CCR team sits down to discuss Tri-X. What they shoot with it, how they develop it, the frustrations with the film and even some alternatives to Tri-X when the iconic film stock is a little out of reach.

If you're looking for a photographer doing exciting things in the fashion field, especially with experimentation and Kodak Tri-X rolls, look no further than Ted Smith. Ted takes some time to sit down with James Lee for an interview. Together, they discuss his creative work with film, conceptual photoshoots, the creative process, his love of working with people, and portrait photography!

These days, there is a tonne of fantastic film chemistry available, but it can be hard to decide where to go next or even where to start. And while Alex has been developing his film at home for over ten years, he still hasn't touched some developers. But in today's show, he is going to break down a tonne of developers, including Kodak D-76, HC-110, Xtol, Rollei Supergrain, Rodinal, FX-39, Atomal 49, Studional/Hydrofen, Pyro developers and much more. It's a lot of information in a tiny podcast.

Joining Alex and James in the studio today is Andrew Reynolds, a fellow Canadian from the East Coast! Join the trio as they talk about the good things about limiting your camera choices, the joy of photography, Nikon, Lighthouses, and where to explore when visiting Canada's Maritime provinces. You can check out Andrew's Work on Instagram: instagram.com/randrewreynolds

With September being back-to-school for many, the usual crowd sits down for a roundtable to talk about the lessons they have learned with photography! From handling good business practices, including getting contracts, pricing, and double-checking gear. There are also discussions about chemistry foul-ups, knowing when to give up and realising that some things a deal is too good to be true.

Joining James & Bill on today's show is noted long-time photographer and camera seller Paul RyBolt. Paul is one of several hosts on the Camerosity Podcast and is a wealth of knowledge from the camera retail world, collecting and using all sorts of cameras and film stocks. The conversation covers everything from the vast collections, including Kurt Igram's that Paul has helped sort through to shooting slide film, 6x9, Cibachrome, Corn Sweat, Stereo gear, Ansel Adams as a piano player, and single-malt scotch. Listen to Camerosity (and even join in): mikeeckman.com/category/camerosity-podcast Check Out Paul's eBay Store: ebay.com/str/paulkris Instagram: instagram.com/ryboltcox

You will have to pry these cameras from our cold, dead hands! Yes, back in May, a group of bloggers released another coordinated set of blog posts outlining the five cameras you'll pry from our cold, dead hands! We thought that would be an excellent topic for CCR, so here we are! But we aren't just letting this stay in our hands; we also invited the Toronto Film Shooters Meetup group to join! And it's only fair that our first 'open source' episode includes the TFS, as that is the group that formed the foundation of this podcast!  The cameras in today's episode all seem to represent the personalities of the people who shoot them!

It's been a while since we've done an entire episode dedicated to Canon cameras, and today, we have some real treats! We're discussing the earliest Canon cameras, those LTM rangefinders that put Canon on the map and, more importantly, Canon LTM glass; some talk about the AE-1 and AE-1 Programs and a little about choosing the right EOS camera for you. And if you are looking at getting into Canon's rangefinder line, Bill cannot recommend enough the wonderful book Canon Rangefinder Cameras 1933-68 by Peter Dechert! We're also welcoming a special guest who is no stranger to CCR; Alex Smith is back with his extensive collection of Canon LTM glass.

No shade on Polaroid.... Today, we have a pair of Chrises on the show; Chris Erickson is joining Chrissie! If that name isn't familiar, he's Just Another Chris who loves his instant film! He went from producing and being behind the scenes of various other YouTube channels to putting out his own content focused on instant film. He shoots everything from Instax to modern Polaroid. He produces many amazing videos and isn't afraid to present his reviews, warts and all, making his channel one of the best sources for reviews of Polaroid and other Instant products. You can find Chris' work on the following social channels. Instagram: instagram.com/just_anotherchris/ YouTube: youtube.com/@JustAnotherChris

Infrared photography is one of the more unique niches of the hobby and can produce some amazing and wild images using light beyond our visible spectrum. In this episode, Alex digs into black-and-white infrared photography specifically. Infrared light is part of the overall electromagnetic spectrum, which includes our human visible light spectrum, which ranges from 380nm to 700nm or violet to red. Most infrared photography uses specialised film and filters to capture light between 700nm and 900nm. Today, we don't have dedicated IR films being newly produced like Kodak HIE, Efke IR820 or Konica Infrared 750, but we do have extended red sensitive films that can get into the near IR range. These films include Rollei Retro 80s, Rollei Superpan 200, Rollei Infrared, Rollei Retro 400s and FPP Black & White Infrared. These films have sensitivities beyond 700nm and between 740 to 750nm. Pairing these films behind a deep red (092/89b) or a true IR filter like a 093, RM90, or R72 filter will produce results typical of a traditional infrared film. You will have to consider the filter factory and over-expose your metering. You can use this website: www.fineart-photography.com to get started. Be prepared to spend a bit extra on the filters as a quality filter, which is an IR filter, will run at least 200 minimum for a quality unit.

We see a little silhouetto of a roll film, and for this episode, we're a little high, a little low because Ilford matters! Yes, this episode is a rhapsody of Ilford films, and we're going from Pan F+ to Delta 3200 and everything in between to discuss what we love about Ilford films, how we use them, development, and shooting them! But why are we focusing on Ilford? Well, that's simple! Ilford has made a constant effort to support the photography community in being able to produce film at scale for the modern market and is often less likely to increase costs. They have options that cover everyone's preferences and needs with a wide range of film speeds and styles and even two amazing budget films that punch well above their weight.

There's a whole lot of nerding out happening in this episode; join Bill and special guest Dan Tamarkin of Tamarkin Camera. Dan is the second-generation owner of Tamarkin Camera. America's premiere Leica Specialist. Started by his father with a roll-top desk, the shop is now in Windy City, Chicago, Illinois. Dan is the go-to guy in the Midwest if you want an honest and real experience buying Leica. But that's not all; Dan also buys and sells a tonne of other camera gear.   Find Tamarkin Camera Online At: Web: www.tamarkin.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarkin_camera/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamarkin.camera https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt657edYjtaKtvtOQazmA8g

The topic of box cameras hasn't been discussed in a great deal since our first season, so Alex is back with a solo episode about his box camera collection, both his historic cameras and a few modern cameras that may not look like those simple box cameras but are in the same theme. Cameras include several Agfa cameras (Box 50, Click II, Clack and Isoly Jr), a 1915 Kodak Hawk-Eye Model C and modern options like Holga, RETO, and Lomography cameras, from the cameras themselves to having fun and choosing films.

Photography is driven by nostalgia. Photos can take you back to places where you have been; you can see people as they were or even stare into the faces of those who have passed once again. But what about places, cameras and films? Well, that is what the gang sits down to talk about in this episode, as we talk about the powerful memories connected with past cameras, film stocks, and places. Plus, there are some excellent old-fashioned discussions surrounding them.

That's right, we're doing it again with another episode about zoom lenses. While many of us are prime lens sort of people, a zoom lens can offer up a lot of versatility when we either don't want to or cannot, due to space constraints, bring a selection of prime lenses. So with this episode, each of our team members brings up a trio of zoom lenses with the following criteria, one that surprised them with how good it worked, one that they will always reach for, and finally, one that sucked so hard they wanted to toss it in the Hudson River. Please note we had some audio issues with this episode due to equipment issues.

From Plus-X to Panatomic-X and Fujifilm colour stocks, join Alex, Bill and James as they discuss their favourite discontinued film stocks and what they try and do to recreate the magic. While far from perfect, there is a lot you can do with modern emulsions to recreate those looks you enjoyed in the past. Plus, a discussion around how Alex can get that Panatomic look without paying for TMax 100 and retain a classic grain structure. Plus, there was a bit of discussion around what film we'd want to bring back, the new Ferrania P33, and some developer discussion. It's a classic CCR roundtable episode.

While we're still far from summer vacation, many people are already starting to figure out where they're going on holidays this year. As photographers, especially film photographers, it can be challenging to choose what camera(s) to bring and how to keep things to a minimum! There is a temptation to bring everything plus the kitchen sink along for the ride, and if any member of the CCR team knows this full well, it's Alex. But when space is limited, and extra bags cost airlines money, we may need to rethink and start packing a little lighter. This is a follow-up to the original episode recorded in 2015, where Alex discusses his travels in Europe from Europe. But this time around, with another ten years of experience and often some back-breaking loadout, he sits down for a solo show and discusses some ideas on how to travel lighter and get the most bang from a slimmed-down kit.

Family albums, photo projects, books and double exposures. Jess, Chrissie, and Alex all sit down with the talented local Toronto photographer Tawnya Mahoney for our ongoing interview series. If you haven't had the chance to check out Tawnya's feed, you're in for a treat, as her work is intentional, ethereal, and inspired, not to mention her inspired captions that go along with her images. There are lots of double exposures, experimental and wild. And yes, there is a lot of fanning from our host team! And, of course, the usual chat about gear, first cameras, home development, scanning and film choices. Check out Tawnya on Socials: Instagram: instagram.com/phototee83 Threads: threads.net/@phototee83

When it comes to Nikon, tons of cameras and lenses are available, and you might feel a bit frozen when making that choice and where to jump in. Well, we aren't going to hide that we're a bunch of Nikon fanboys, so Bill and Alex sit down for a bit of a meandering episode talking about some good places to start when buying Nikon cameras. From the original rangefinders to the mechanical and hybrid SLRs of the 1950s to 1980s. And, of course, the brilliant AF models of the 1990s and 2000s. There's something here for everyone.

Even though this year's winter has not exactly been the best so far, with the lack of snow and almost a continuation of the weather we expect through  November, the CCR gang isn't letting that stop them from getting out and enjoying the weather put also preparing for when we finally do get some wonderful winter days with sun and snow. From film to cameras, clothing to best practices, James, Alex and Bill break it all down for when it's cold outside.

As part of revisiting some of our classic episode topics, this episode traces itself back to Season 2, Episode 13. The idea is that it is more important to invest in a lens system for your interchangeable lens systems; camera bodies are often cross-compatible once you're in the mount. Camera bodies come, and camera bodies go, but lenses are forever. In today's episode, each host will discuss a lens system they invested heavily in for their 35mm and 120 systems. While many of us have multiple systems, it would be an incredibly long episode if we all discussed every system. Today, we're talking about two Nikon systems, the autofocus and manual focus (mainly AI(-S)), Canon FD system, Olympus OM-System (manual focus), and in medium format, Pentax 67, Mamiya RB, Mamiya C-Series (TLR), and Mamiya m645!

We're kicking off season ten with a little game, which is much harder than it sounds! Join Alex as he sits down with Daren from Learn Film Photography, Dmitri from Analog Cafe, and Yvonne Hanson, a fashion photographer and YouTuber who are the force behind the online game "What the Film", a game that pits your knowledge of film stocks against the images created by members of the online community. The conversation also spills over into discussing everyone's plans for 2024, what got them into photography and a little tasty camera made from Gingerbread. You can play the game at https://www.analog.cafe/app/what-the-film and see how you stack up. You can also find a couple of demos online: YouTube (Learn Film Photography): youtube.com/watch?v=4yVNyTqXerQ YouTube (Yvonne): youtube.com/watch?v=VBjHHT9dI5k Darren Web: www.learnfilm.photography Instagram: instagram.com/learnfilm.photography YouTube: youtube.com/@LearnFilmPhotography Yvonne Hanson Web: yhansonphotography.ca/blog Instagram: instagram.com/yhanson_photography YouTube: youtube.com/@YvonneHansonPhotography Dmitri  Web: www.analog.cafe Instagram: instagram.com/analog_cafe YouTube: youtube.com/@analog_cafe

Well, we made it to the end of another year, and the whole team is back around the table for one final episode, including a special guest, John Meadows. If you remember, at the start of the year, we all shared some of our photographic and personal goals, so we're coming back around and sharing how we all did. Not to feel guilty if we didn't make it but rather to be encouraging. The team also discusses the joy of photography and what photography can bring during the holiday season. Here are some handy links for those new to the show this season! CCR Episode Archive: alexluyckx.com/blog/classic-camera-revival-episode-list CCR Facebook Page: facebook.com/classiccamerarevival CCR Instagram: instagram.com/classiccamerarevival Our host's Instagram Accounts John Meadows (Emeritus): instagram.com/johngmeadows James Lee: instagram.com/james.lee.photo Bill Smith: instagram.com/wbsmith200 Jess Hobbs: instagram.com/jesshobbsphoto Alex Luyckx: instagram.com/alexluyckxphoto Chris Wu: instagram.com/wutography  

The Frugal Film Project is a collective photography challenge to help reign in the cost of photography. Starting in 2018, it encourages using budget cameras, lenses, and film over a year. The framework in which those participating work includes a camera/lens that costs no more than 75$ (USD) and a relatively inexpensive film (no Portra). And shooting one roll of film a month. Bill has been participating in this for several years now. This year marked the first time Alex joined in, so we're bringing in a small cross-section of those who participated in a couple of chats on today's episode. This is the first time CCR has done a round-table 'open source' style episode, so it is split into two parts recorded on two separate days. If you want to join in on next year's FFP, you can head over to the Facebook group and join in the fun! To Find the Frugal Film Project... Facebook: Official FFP Facebook Group Instagram: instagram.com/frugalfilmproject Web: rr1photography.com The Original 'Zine: magcloud.com

It's always good to have a bit of competition in the market, and in Toronto, we have a lot of film labs that are processing a wide variety of film stocks. But there is a new lab opening in a short one week time! Bill and Alex are sitting down in today's episode with Neil Guo, half of a new high-quality precision film lab in Toronto, Ontario. Grain Nation aims to bring a new full-service film processing lab to the Spadina & Queen area of the city. Armed with a passion for photography, precision, and some brand new film processors. Offering up B&W, C-41, E-6, and ECN-2 processing. But also high-resolution, industry-standard scanning, fine art scanning...and coffee. Website: http://graination.ca/ Instagram: GrainNationCollective Neil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neilguoo/ Visit in Person: 204 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, ON

Throughout its history, Nikon cameras have been primarily aimed at the professional market, from their stunning rangefinders in the S-Range to the original Nikon F and beyond. However, the mid-century and post-war economic boom brought a new group of photographers, the advanced consumer. Now, hobbyist photographers have always been around. These new photographers want access to the same quality cameras and optics as the professionals. And while Canon and Minolta were certainly starting to fill that gap, Nikon wanted a piece of the action. While their initial offerings under the Nikkorex line fell flat, save the Nikkorex F, it was their second attempt, the Nikkormat or Nikkomat line of SLRs, that proved to be successful. And these lovely cameras make for an excellent addition to any Nikon photographer. What set these cameras apart is that Nikon went with the Copal Square shutter for each camera, starting with the Nikkorex F rather than building in-house shutters. Also, the Nikkormat EL is the first Nikon camera with a semi-automatic exposure system. Overall, the Nikkormat line was replaced by the small-form-factor SLRs of the FM and the FE. Nikkormat FT (1965) - The Original Nikkormat body that featured a full F-Mount (Pre-AI) and a metered prisim using the same metering technology as the Nikon Photomic T metering head. Nikkormat FS (1965) - An unmetered version of the Nikkormat FT. Nikkormat FTn (1967) - An improved version of the Nikkormat FT, it now uses a classic 60/40 center-weighted metering. An improved match needle display in the viewfinder. The FTn underwent a number of changes over the course of the camera's production that lasted for nearly a decade. Nikkormat EL (1972) - Uses a CdS meter cell and provides semi-automatic aperture priority auto-exposure. Nikkormat FT2 (1975) - Rolled all the improvements of the FTn into a single camera, and changed the power source from a mercury cell to a silver oxide cell. Nikkormat ELW (1975) - Basically the same camera as the EL, but added the contacts for the AW-1 autowinder. Nikkormat FT3 (1977) - Basically took everything from the FT2, but updated the mount to accept the new AI lenses natively. Nikon EL2 (1977) - An improved ELW, with a SPD metering cell, AI lens support (native).

It's been a while since we've interviewed a fellow film photographer, and today, joining Bill and Alex, is Suzanne Pedersen, a Colorado-based photographer who loves film! And you may have heard her on the Gen-X Photography Podcast! In the episode, we talk about Suzanne's journey as a photographer, a little Nikon GAS and some talk about going to a large format camera. You can find more of Suzanne's Work Online Web: https://www.suzannepedersen.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/b.roll.backup/ Gen-X Photography Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gen-x-photography/id1494585131

In my experience, there's no such thing as luck - Obi Wan Kenobi From an RB67 purchased behind a Tim Horton's Dumpster, a sketchy FM, endless Polaroid Cameras, and an over-engineered German Camera, the team at CCR have had some bad luck. So today, for our Friday the 13th Episode, we're digging into our unlucky cameras, films, and developers. But we're also discussing ways to make our luck through careful planning, strategic retreats and experimentation.

Everyone knows and loves the various cameras: FM, FE, FM2, FM2n, and FE2. But there are a series of cameras that are part of the minor F's that make some significant technological splashes and some belly flops that are generally not as well known or are out of reach of the average photographers. These cameras were used to experiment with new technologies before they hit the big times with professional cameras. First is the Nikon FG, produced from 1982 to 1984; it was the first camera from Nikon to have full auto-exposure and semi-automatic and metered-manual modes. The Nikon FA, released in 1983, had a new matrix-metering system that used an internal CPU to determine the exposure based on multi-pattern detection. Produced from 2001 to 2006, the FM3a is the perfect hybrid of the FE2 and FM2n; it is a fully electro-mechanical camera with semi-automatic aperture priority metering and functions as a manual camera when no battery is present. And then there is the FM10, a camera in Nikon name and mount only, aimed as back-to-basic student cameras that were contract builds from Cosina and based on the Cosina CT1 Super but with several customizations not available on the stock model. These included the Nikon F-Mount, depth-of-field preview, meter activation button, and multi-exposure override. Released in 1995, they remained on the market until 2015.

The world of SLRs changed with the release of the OM-System from Olympus. It proved you could have a professional, high-end SLR in a small package. Nikon, at the time, was producing high-end but large cameras. While the F and F2 were solid performers in the professional market, their Nikkormat line of cameras proved popular. It would make the perfect camera to scale down to produce the next generation of advanced consumer SLRs. It also helped the Nikon recently did their first update on the iconic F-Mount, introducing Automatic Indexing or AI. This mount was first introduced in the final two models of the Nikkormat line, the FT3 and EL2. Nikon released the Nikon FM in 1977, an all-mechanical, metered manual camera, and the FE, a semi-automatic aperture priority camera 1978. These were followed up by improved models, the FM2 in 1982 that upped the shutter speed to 1/4000s but retained full mechanical metered-manual operation. It was superseded in mid-1983 by the FM2n that made some minor adjustments, notably changing the sync speed from 1/200s to 1/250s. The FE2 in 1983 carried over similar specs to the FM2n but maintained the aperture-priority metering. While the FE2 ceased production in 1987, it remained on sale until 2001. The FM2n, however, did change to an aluminium shutter in the early 1990s and remained in production until 2001. Cameras In Today's Show Nikon FM (1977-1982) Nikon FE (1978-1983) Nikon FM2 (1982-1983) Nikon FM2n (1983-2001) Nikon FE2 (1983-1987)  

The whole team is on board for this one! Together we have enough kit to open up a small camera shop or a museum at least, but one of the hardest things many photographers face is when faced with all that gear; what do you bring along? Well, it does all depend on the situation at hand. So in today's episode, join Bill, James, Jess, Chris, and Alex as they hash out what they would bring into some familiar, strange and downright weird photographic situations. The team discusses their choices for the following conditions: cameras to lenses and film to developers.   Photo Walks Landscape Camping Portraits Music Festivals Urban Exploration/Trespassing Combat

While we have given cameras like the F, F2, and F3 their own separate episodes, the final three "Big F's" in Nikon's lineup were more evolutions of each other and were a radical departure from the previous manual cameras of the group. So on today's episode, we dig into the F4, F5, and the F6 to wrap this series up (finally). Like the original F, the F4 did not come out of a vacuum but rather from a combination of other cameras that acted as proof of concepts. The first is the Nikon FG which gave Nikon their first complete AE SLR, then the Nikon FA, which offered Matrix metering, and finally, the F-501, which introduced the original form of autofocus. These all culminated in 1988's Nikon F4. Again turning to the design first of Giroetto Giugiaro, the new design was big, bulky, and retained much of the manual control surfaces that many photographers were used to during this period. The camera won a design award that year, and despite being polarising, it proved that professional cameras could have full AE, integrated motor drives and, more importantly, autofocus. The F4 also has matrix metering; you could add a 250-shot magazine, use pre-AI lenses, and swap out the battery grips to add specific features and increase the frame rate in burst mode. The main weak point in the camera is the autofocus; it's far from perfect and often described as slow in a modern context. But already looking forward, in the early 1990s, Nikon was again improving their cameras. Using things like the F90(x) to move to more buttons, menus and dial-style interface and building a single unibody camera, the F5 arrived in 1998. The F5 proved to be the ultimate culmination of all the previous cameras. An improved 3D Colour Matrix Metering, limited support for manual focus lenses, but full autofocus support even for the new G-Type lenses. Plus, support for AF-S and VR-equipped lenses. The unibody design housed the 8 AA batteries. But unlike previous cameras, there were limited abilities to modify the camera. You could swap out the prism heads and add a databack (the MF-28 is the one you want), but that was about it. But the F5 left a lasting impression as the unibody design was carried over to the first pro digital SLR, the D1 and continued well into the last pro-SLR, the D5. But most pros had gone digital when the F5 ended production in 2004. But there was still a market segment that wanted to shoot 35mm. Meet the F6, a film camera born out of the digital age. With a look and feel similar to the digital SLRs of the era, the D2x and D200, this camera is chock-full of the best metering, autofocus, and other features. Plus, you could add or remove the battery grip to ensure the best use of space. And you had far better support for manual focus lenses (just not pre-AI), with full 3D Colour Matrix Metering. These days all three cameras are excellent performers; it's a matter of figuring out what you want.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Toronto Film Shooters Meetup. Our co-founder Alex started the initiative and noticed a post on the old APUG Toronto subforum wanting more film photography-centred meetups in the GTA. Having co-hosted an APUG/FPP meetup in May 2011, attended another APUG event later in the month. And also having attended Photostock in 2012 along with a 2013 APUG events in North-East Ohio. He felt ready to start organizing a large-scale regional event four times a year. So in July 2013, the very first TFS event took place at Toronto's Evergreen Brick Works. And while the group has grown and changed and even survived a global pandemic, it is still a driving force within the film photography community through the GTA and beyond! You can check out Alex's photos from the event on Flickr. Looking to join a future walk, or just like the idea of the TFS, you can join our group on Facebook! Or make sure to check out Toronto Analog Friends over on Instagram and join their Discord for meetup details.

In today's episode, we are happy to welcome Kelsey Smith to the podcast. If you haven't been paying attention to Social Media, Kelsey is a relative newcomer to the Internet and is busy outputting a tonne of online and physical content. Kelsey's work is beautiful, bordering on nostalgia, and he even recently released a new book on his hometown. So please tune in and hear about Kelsey's journey and his application of Psychology & Sociology in their photography. You can pick up a copy their book through the website! Web: kelseysmithphotography.net Instagram: instagram.com/kelseysmithphotography Facebook: facebook.com/KelseySmithPhotos YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UChw7eVEUtSgLaL0VpXR_niA Twitter: twitter.com/NotKelseySmith

Joining Bill, James, and Alex is the dynamic duo, Jeff and Gabe, the folks behind the I Dream of Cameras podcast. Together they talk about all things gear, from the X-Pan to the rare Ilford Witness. Other head-turning cameras, even the simple Canon EF-Mount, and Nikon F-Mount. And a rant against electronic cameras. Life in Northern Ontario from Muskoka to the far north. You can follow along IDC at the following spots. Web: idreamofcameras.com Instagram: instagram.com/idreamofcameras YouTube: youtube.com/@IDreamofCameras Twitter: twitter.com/idreamofcameras

It has been a while since we last visited the topic of film developers. So in today's episode Alex sits down to talk about some of the more exoctic developers that have poured their way through his chemistry kit recently. These include a lovely elevated general purpose developer in Fotospeed FD10, a couple of high-contrast developers with Kodak D-19 and Fomadon LQR. Then Rodinal's cousin, R09 Spezial, and even a colour developing kit, the FPP Super Colour Negative ECN-2 kit. Alex also digs into how he tests and reviews film developers, and it isn't that scientific, and you know that's okay! FPP Super Color Negative ECN-2 Kit Compard R09 Spezial Purchase R09 Spezial or Hydrofen Purchase FPP Super Color Negative ECN-2 Purchase Formulary D-19 Purchase Fomadon LQR

When it comes to photography, there's always something extra you can get, and often these accessories are also the key to getting you things from here to there, getting the shot how you visualise it, nailing that exposure, keeping camera shake down, and all that other jazz. So the whole gang is here today to discuss everything from filters to camera bags, backpacks, straps, light meters and cable releases. Today's show discusses Think Tank, Peak Design, Domke, Lowepro, MEC, Sekonic, Tiffen, Reveni Labs, Lasolite, and many more.