Classic Camera Revival

We're at the end of summer, and, like you, we don't know how it went by so quickly. Also, the constant heat warnings here in Southern Ontario limited when and how long we could get out and practice photography. However, James, Alex, and Bill all had the opportunity to get out or at least intended to practice photography. And today, they sit down to discuss mostly film stocks, such as Phoenix II and Kentmere 200, which were used by the team's cameras. But also when things go sideways and the best intentions to get out and shoot end up with leaving the camera (accidentally) behind.

Photography is a journey, and sometimes that journey intersects with another, and that's what today's episode is all about. For those who don't know, the Camino de Santiago or Way of St. James is a network of pilgrim ways all leading to the Shrine of the Apostle James at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain. And a couple of months ago, it was completed by a friend of the podcast, James McFarlane. James and Alex sit down to talk about the journey, the photography, and how it changed him. It's something a little different for the podcast, but something that needed to be done. You can see more of James' work online Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cigarandbar/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cigarandbar Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/theworldttl

When it comes to photography, there's always going to be the popular items. The ones that everyone wants to have and use, we're talking the Leica M3, Canon AE-1, fast prime lenses, trending film stocks like Portra, and all the normal developers out there. But what about those things that are often overlooked, underrated and underappreciated? Well, that's exactly what James, Bill and Alex sit down to talk about in today's episode. From the Leica M5 to the Olympus OM series, 28mm f/3.5 lenses, slow films, and different developers, nothing is off the table.

This episode is another live show from the streets of Toronto during our 10th Anniversary Photo Walk & Brewery Tour. The tour took the gang from Sugar Beach and the Great Lake Brew Pub on Lower Jarvis, through Old Town Toronto and into the Distillery District for Old Flame Brewing Co., and then into Riverside for Eastbound Brewing. There were other breweries planned, but due to the weather, we stopped at Eastbound. Despite the weather (which was not pleasant), about twenty people attended the event, and everyone enjoyed the shorter but safer walk. Alex took the time to record short interviews with twelve attendees and asked them a series of questions. What Camera(s) do you have with you, what is your favourite subject matter, what is your favourite film stock and what in your mind makes for a good photo? You can view all of Alex's photos on Flickr.

It's hard to believe that CCR has been on the air for ten years and produced more than 200 episodes, so Alex sits down and thinks back on how CCR got started and some of the favourite episodes from the past. Including the mysterious Episode 0 and the far better Episode 1, which was recorded. Some good interviews, some of the more nerdy episodes, and the ones that certainly got CCR a tonne of attention. Plus a little bit of encouragement for those thinking of starting up a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel. 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!

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.