Happy birthday to our patient patron Graeme ! Gabe’s COVID ordeal A magical mailbag! Gabe’s recent shooting adventures: a daylong shoot with actor Brenton Thwaites , and Retta ’s pink party Jeff’s been a-travelin’, so let’s talk about the travel-camera conundrum. His favorite is the Olympus XA4 Macro — what's yours? Visits to two great camera shops: Unique Photo in Philadelphia and B&H in New York In a stunning development, Gabe got a half-frame camera, a Canon Sure Shot Multi Tele — how doe...
May 16, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 32
Episode 31 • Sissi Lu Who The centerpiece of this episode is an extended interview with film photographer Sissi Lu, known to denizens of New York City as the Lady with the Hassy. She’s a street shooter and a portraitist and a TikTokker and a YouTuber, and her passion for photography is infectious. It’s one of our best conversations yet, so TOON IN! But first… A manageable mailbag! Marie Nikondo is RUTHLESS! Check out our Instagram for some cameras Gabe is offloading, and feel free to DM him and ...
Apr 22, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 31
an extravagant mailbag, featuring talk of Canons and bulk-loading 3D-printable leader-trimmers from Thingiverse : One for normal film: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4557581/files ABLON style, for Leica bottom-loaders: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1951048 Gabe went to the Morrison Hotel Gallery show and met legendary rock photographers Bob Gruen and Henry Diltz Jeff made a pilgrimage to the KEH brick-and-mortar store in Atlanta and came away with a Konica Auto S3 rangefinder and a 28mm N...
Apr 07, 2022•1 hr 3 min
Our first XXL episode features a blockbuster mailbag, a recap of our latest photographic adventures, and a sweeping survey of the perennial Avis to Nikon’s Hertz, the esteemed marque known as Canon. A voluminous mailbag Gabe’s five-camera all-film shooting day strategies for shooting expired film Gabe found four bulk loaders in his garage! As for cassettes, ask for used ones at your local one-hour lab, 'cause all the other options are BAD And now… our Canon show! SLRs: EF FTb (big brother of TLb...
Mar 20, 2022•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 29
The barbarian hordes return fire with a fusillade of emails, and Jeff and Gabe recount their recent travel photography adventures. The prodigious 🎶 mailbag! Including: do you hand-check your film at airport security? lens hoods — do you use 'em? folding camera recommendations listeners' favorite instagram feeds the teeming masses demand pinhole coverage! a new source for The Thingy (a.k.a. the 675 hearing aid battery to PX625 adapter) — Polar Bear Camera . They also sell on Etsy ! Gabe’s trip t...
Mar 02, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 28
Mailbag — which is way too male! Thoughts on rising film prices HUGE news: the Leica wristwatches are out Gabe stumbles upon a concert by Turkish pop singer Zeynep Bastik at the end of his block and is pressed into service as event photographer — it’s the dream! Gabe goes spelunking for camera gear in the Laurel Canyon lair of legendary rock photographer Jimmy Steinfeldt … ...and emerges with a Minolta XG1 Jeff's newest acquisition: a Voigtländer Perkeo I — so cheap, so good Why don't we talk ab...
Feb 13, 2022•59 min•Ep. 27
What the heck is a Pentax MF? A Perkeo? An AE-1? Okay, the last one’s no mystery, but HOP ON your podspeeder for a freewheeling episode featuring plenty of clapbacks from listeners, a bona fide in-person visit from a Sunny 16er, and the disposition of several long-nourished camera dreams. A bumper crop of listener mail Dream Team sweatshirts are now available A recap of our visit with John-Michael Mendizza , including a trip to Cam Photo in Burbank… …where Jeff bought a long-coveted Canon AE-1 O...
Jan 25, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 26
The mailbag! It's a New Year — once again, check your batteries and exercise your cameras! As of October 2021, Paul BG is no longer making The Thingy, so how do we replace the discontinued mercury 625 battery? The 675 hearing-aid battery plus either a #9 rubber O-ring or a #10 split lock washer Time for more controversy: do you use the self-timer? Jeff's Electro Spotmatic meter has failed, and when a camera isn’t working, he cannot have it in the house Our thrift-store odyssey: Where are all the...
Jan 10, 2022•57 min•Ep. 25
If loving Kai is Wong, we don't wanna be right! The centerpiece of this episode is our interview with Kai Wong , a YouTube mainstay for 15 years and author of the excellent new book Old School Photography . But first! the bulging mailbag , featuring listener feedback about depth-of-field preview, keeping the other eye open, soft releases, macro vs. telephoto... lucky limerick-contest winner David Van Sluis got a $150 gift card (instead of $50) from The Darkroom! check out Ethan Moses's Kickstart...
Dec 21, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 24
For our one-year anniversary, an XL show bursting with edification and amusement! they used the same font as the camera maker for the Olympus Has Fallen poster ! a dip into the mailbag do you use depth-of-field preview ? Gabe's trip to Toronto and Downtown Camera Jeff’s new 50mm f4 Macro-Takumar , a rare find is macro more exciting than tele ? Gabe pits his new Nikon FM3a against his old Leicaflex , with surprising results soft releases are nice, but the expensive ones are ridiculous (as are hot...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 23
This episode is dedicated to the memory of John Whi tmore . A few items from the mailbag reminder about our fabulous contest — compose a limerick whose final word is a camera brand! Gabe’s Speed Graphic + two birthday acquisitions: Nikon FM3a and Pentax 6x7 Jeff’s ConSol didn’t work, so bring on the Electro Spotmatic ! Our Pentax show ! the mighty Pentax 6x7 and its siblings Spotmatic … Spotmatic F … Electro Spotmatic The K1000 , basically a Spotmatic F with a bayonet mount (but no timer or DOF ...
Nov 11, 2021•57 min•Ep. 22
After a dip into our bulging mailbag , an introspective episode : Why do we second-guess ourselves? What keeps us from getting out and experimenting ? Why are we afraid to take chances ? How do we avoid becoming discouraged ? Perhaps by asking a friend to shoot with us? Maybe photograph some elderly relatives ? Trust two comedy writers to plumb your psyche and heal all ills. Finally, we wrap up with gear updates , and — at long last — our FABULOUS CONTEST where you can win FABULOUS PRIZES !...
Oct 26, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 21
Another freewheeling episode spanning a wide range of topics: thank-yous from Gabe for his NYFW adventure the mailbag recapping this week's Beers & Cameras events we miss the Pasadena camera show ! how are y’all coping? we've tried hitting the thrift stores — where are the film cameras ? Gabe makes good on his Marie Nikondo vow — use your underused cameras, or get rid of ‘em! think of that 22-year-old graduate student at UT Austin! Jeff’s new acquisition: the Canon 50mm 1.4 for Leica screwmo...
Oct 12, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 20
An XL episode boasting two blockbuster features: Gabe’s recap of his adventures covering New York Fashion Week, followed by our survey of the esteemed camera marque known as Nikon. Gabe recounts shooting NYFW and the Met Gala Jeff’s new acquisitions: a Canon P rangefinder … and (on the way) the Canon RF 50mm f1.4 , the Japanese Summilux And now: our Nikon show ! when did you become aware of Nikon, and what was your first? Nikon rangefinders : the SP and its siblings the Nikon/Canon wars of the '...
Sep 22, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 19
It’s a pulse-pounding thrill-ride (but really, the theme is family) as Jeff and Gabe attempt to cover 18 topics in 60 minutes. Among the items discussed: our week in acquisitions and repairs emails from the teeming masses, including a masterpiece by James Thorpe who made that film ? check out tinyurl.com/whatisthatfilm research and acquisition - Jeff throws a camera at Gabe and he researches it on the spot bulk-loading cassettes are a problem! Robert Capa and Vivian Maier and mythmaking our reco...
Sep 01, 2021•58 min•Ep. 18
As long threatened, it’s our all- Leica show! Fear not if you’ve yet to be inducted into the sacred cult (pro tip: the password is MOOLY ), because in this rollicking episode, Jeff ( three Leicas) and Gabe (at least sixteen ) will recount their journeys into the haunted forests of Wetzlar. Does the camera live up to the hype? Does the glass ? Do the empty boxes which go for hundreds of dollars on eBay? Tune in and find out. how'd you first become aware of Leica? when did you handle your first on...
Aug 11, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 17
We asked for emails and DMs, and y’all reciprocated! In this freewheeling episode, Jeff and Gabe react to suggestions, corrections and emendations from our legions of faithful listeners. What are our cinematic influences ? Is Ansel Adams a terrible writer? How nice is Dave Grohl ? What is the nature of reality ? You won’t wanna miss this one.
Jul 27, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 16
Another episode of strong opinions! Gabe’s saga : reacquiring a Konica Hexar AF after letting one go many years ago Jeff’s saga : trying to find an inexpensive 35mm lens for the Leica M6 Bokeh : the pronunciation and fetishization thereof The scourge of slow-shutter-speed water shots Pre-flashed films and deliberate light leaks Leaving dust specks on film scans ‘cause it’s “more authentic” Photographic authenticity , Errol Morris’s book Believing Is Seeing The Crop Snobs Who actually manufacture...
Jul 13, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 15
In this episode, the hosts turn the lens on themselves, examining their shooting styles , methods and subject matter . Jeff asks Gabe about his portraiture work: How did you get started doing portraiture work? Seems to be your favorite mode of photography - is it? How did the word get out? - models now tag you when they're coming to town How do you prepare? - choosing cameras, film stocks, location, wardrobe, looks Model releases - do you get 'em? What are the terms of your agreement with them? ...
Jun 29, 2021•59 min•Ep. 14
You’ve heard of Marie Kondo — meet Marie Nikondo ! In this wildly entertaining episode, Jeff forces Gabe to remorselessly cull his camera collection by posing the following questions: What purpose does the camera fulfill? Do I have a set home for this camera? Am I showing enough gratitude toward the camera? Does the camera spark joy? After Guy With Too Many Cameras, we speak to the Girl With Too Many Cameras, Danielle Wrobleski , a Milwaukee-based photographer who spotlights female shooters with...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 13
In this episode, we interview Fred Coury (composer of our theme song) and Keith Greenstein (designer of our logos, website and merch) about the vintage analog cameras we gave them a few months ago — a Rolleiflex 3.5 for Fred, and an Olympus OM-1 for Keith. It’s both enlightening and hilarious to hear these two bright, creative guys describe their very first excursions into the world of analog photography.
Jun 01, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 12
State of instant photography 2021 - how much do you shoot instant? Favorite peel-apart cameras and films - scanning the negs using the bleach-gel trick Oddities: Polaroid backs (Forscher Proback, Speed Magny, etc.) Favorite integral film cameras Let us now praise the Impossible Project ; let us now shame Polaroid as it exists today Ever used Instax ? favorite Polaroid books and docs Interview with Emily Earl , author of Late Night Polaroids : background as a photographer discovery of Polaroid Pr...
May 18, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 11
To celebrate an extraordinary milestone — how many podcasts make it to ten episodes ? — Jeff and Gabe run down a carefully curated selection of their camera-collecting and photographic quirks . You’re sure to identify with a few of these, ya weirdo.
May 03, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 10
we had a whole episode planned, but then my girlfriend and I broke up, so now we’re gonna talk about disasters (and perhaps how they could have been avoided) dropping your camera (or slamming it into a wall) opening a camera, forgetting film is inside (but some say it’s no big deal!) razoring film stuck in the Robot dropping a lens ... ugh, awful story camera falling off the tripod losing a camera, forgetting a camera camera theft trying to fix a camera thinking you know how to fix it leaving th...
Apr 19, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 9
our new email address ! recapping an eventful week: new acquisitions , road trip , etc. lab anxiety , choosing a lab, making friends with a lab why you should have a home processing setup what you’ll need: basic hardware, chemicals the Massive Dev chart, app and website don't be scared to do color ! however: color scanning is a challenge film-scanning snobs on Facebook the Cameradactyl Mongoose and what it means for labs and enthusiasts Some YouTubers we like the film community on Clubhouse...
Apr 02, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 8
pride : showing off, bringing an exotic camera to a photo walk or camera show, etc. - the antidote: extending a hand to new photographers (as opposed to snarking “go Google it” in Facebook groups) envy : camera envy - where does it get you? has it ever resulted in a good acquisition? lust : what’s your Grail Camera? sloth : letting cameras languish on the shelf - are pure shelf queens OK? wrath : getting angry at your gear - have you ever hit a camera? greed and gluttony : accumulating for the s...
Mar 14, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 7
buying from Japan, pros and cons — the cameras look perfect, but… (Jeff's recent Pen W, Widelux and M-1 experiences) how to suss out a seller eBay and sales tax Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist - where to meet, how you know you’re not getting screwed, etc. user vs. mint condition - how many dents and scuffs can you tolerate? brassing, engraving, other sorts of wear (real and fake) painted cameras? customized cameras? yay or nay? what’s your perfect walkaround camera? what’s your travel kit? “one...
Feb 27, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 6
it’s a new year, check your batteries! How to replace the obsolete PX625: the MR-9 adapter, the Weincell, the 675 + paulbg ring, etc. wrongly valued cameras (Minoltas, Konicas and Mirandas are treated like trash; Mamiya/Sekor is garbage while Mamiya is a treasure; Pentax K1000 overvalued while ME Super is undervalued; Canon AE-1 over, EF and A-1 under; Olympus OM-1 way under, etc.) autofocus / point and shoot - is it real photography? does handheld metering make you more of a photographer? plast...
Feb 13, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 5
Thank-yous: Fred Coury for the music, Keith Greenstein for the logos, mention launch of website and associated IDOC swag Do you lend? Cameras you borrowed, then bought? Cameras others love but you're just not interested in Highly hyped, tried, didn't like Fear of a large format Falling in and out of love with cameras - it's like a romcom, how do you decide when to ditch? The most beautiful but horrible/unusable cameras (Pentacon Six, Kodak Medalist II, Kodak Bantam Special) Spotlight: your most ...
Jan 29, 2021•58 min•Ep. 4
Lens collecting: is it exciting? Flashes, pro and con Camera bags, pro and con Caps and straps and such - Jeff is anti neck straps and lens caps, pro wrist straps, belt clips and skylight filters Ephemera: manuals, brochures, magazines, books What are the best books on cameras? Cameras in TV and movies: people hold them wrong, they make the wrong noises, there’s a flash when there’s no flash on the camera, etc. Camera spotlight: Gabe’s choice (Zeiss Contarex Bullseye) Camera spotlight: Jeff’s ch...
Jan 13, 2021•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 3
