I Dream of Cameras

Latest Episodes:

Episode 65 • Rebel Rebel Jan 08, 2024

Show notes

You want more and you want it fast? Tune in to Episode № 65 of I Dream of Cameras, “Rebel Rebel,” in which Gabe and Jeff wax rhapsodic about the trash-table treasure Canon EOS Rebel 2000. How did this grubby chunk of plastic capture the hearts of two men devoted to the cult of Leica? Pluck this pod and find out! Also, we call out great cameras NOT from the big-name brands, recount recent shooting adventures, and take a shallow dip into the deep and prodigious mailbag!

Jeff made a major math error! 64 is 2^8

Cameras of ’58:

Mamiya Elca (and from ’59, the fascinating square-format Mamiya Sketch)

Ricoh 519

Zeiss Ikon Ikonette

And now, the long-promised Minority Report (great cameras not from the big-name brands)

Alpa 11si (of course)

Pentacon Six

Petri Color 35

Plaubel Makina 67 (Gabe’s gonna get one!)

Rectaflex

Balda Baldaxette II

Voigtländer Vitessa L

Widelux

The trash-table Canon EOS Rebel 2000 is dirt cheap and packed with features — we both love ours!

There’s also an even-cheaper EOS Kiss Panorama with a stupid panorama switch!

The 40mm f2.8 pancake lens is delightful

Check out Casual Photophile's impassioned defense of “Dorky AF” SLRs of the late ‘90s

Gabe’s been shooting portraits (?!) with Leica’s 28mm Elmarit

And finally, a dip into our Prodigious Mailbag™

Episode 64 • By the Time I Get Some Phoenix Dec 20, 2023

Show notes

The big news in Episode № 64 of I Dream of Cameras is the release of Harman Phoenix, a brand-new experimental color film from the company we insist on calling Ilford ‘cause they didn’t give us free stuff. Also covered: notable cameras of 1959; fun with Lomochrome Turquoise; Gabe’s recent five-camera all-film photo shoot; the growing cult of the Minolta P’s; last-minute holiday gift ideas; and tons of blowback in the Prodigious Mailbag!

Cameras of 1959:

Leica M1

Minolta SR-1

Tele-Rolleiflex

debut of the Nikon F

the original one-lug Olympus Pen (made not by Olympus, but Sanko Shoji)

Asahi Pentax S2 / H2

Zeiss Ikon Contaflex Super

The Russian Mir (a simplified Zorki 4)

Gabe went to The Darkroom for the exciting debut of Harman Phoenix, a brand-new film from a company we insist on calling Ilford ‘cause they didn’t give us free stuff

Labs working with this film are running smack into The Scannenberg Uncertainty Principle

Jeff had a blast shooting Lomochrome Turquoise with his rare and exotic Mamiya/Sekor 2000 DTL

Meanwhile, Gabe’s been shooting with his cheap ’n’ cheerful Canon Rebel 2000 + 40mm f2.8 pancake lens — the results blew him away!

He also recently did an all-film shoot with the Contax 645, Rolleiflex 2.8E2, Yashica T4, Leica M6… and Minolta P’s! P's Mania rolls on!

Directing NBC’s new sitcom Extended Family, Jeff did some set photography with his beloved Olympus Pen EE-3. 78 shots on a roll!

Holiday gift ideas! Jeff recently acquired some excellent photo books:

Apollo VII - XVII

Hasselblad - The Camera System 50 Years 1948-1998

New York in Photobooks

Why not our new Alan Daly t-shirt, or something else from our burgeoning merch page?

Or Rachel's Brewster-Wright’s Ultimate Film & Darkroom Workbook

A dip into our Prodigious Mailbag™, featuring:

More Vivian Maier blowback from our 50th episode - as revenge, Viv will be getting a one-woman show at Fotografiska New York in May 2024

An excellent photo club, The Slow Camera Exchange

A wonderful 1942 article from The Atlantic, The Dream Camera

Episode 63 • Three Years of His Youth Nov 29, 2023

Show notes

It’s our third anniversary episode, featuring celebrations galore and talk of cameras past, present and future. Plus the return of our Prodigious Mailbag™, featuring NO PRAISE! Tune in for all the merriment!

Cameras of 1960:

Nikkorex 35

Nikon S3M

the original Canonflex

Pentax Spotmatic shown at Photokina

Rolleiflex 2.8F

Rolleiflex Rollei Magic

Zeiss Contarex Special

Yashica 35M

Leica R5

Gabe and Jeff got great birthday gifts!

the original Kodak Instamatic

Kodak Retina IIIC

Lego Rolleiflex

Leica IXMOO

A golden Minolta P’s

Gabe’s been trawling eBay for early LIFE magazines

Please tell Jeff he doesn’t need a Nicca IIIL

He’s also fascinated by the ridiculous Contax Preview

Gabe’s got some shoots coming up, and plans to use:

Contax 645

Minolta P’s

and the super-cheap Canon Rebel 2000 with the 40mm pancake

Jeff’s quasi-repaired Pentax ES II is cursed… never again!

…but he’s loving his rare and delightful Mamiya/Sekor 2000 DTL

…and will soon be shooting on set with his beloved Olympus Pen EE-3

A deep dive into our Prodigious Mailbag™

and finally: Gabe throws out the Under $95 Camera Challenge!

Episode 62 • Austin to Austria Oct 27, 2023

Show notes

Gabe goes to a celebrity wedding; Jeff appears in Vogue Portugal. Gabe has a birthday; Jeff has a breakdown. And all the while, they scour the globe in search of the world’s finest vintage camera shops. Tune in for pulled pork and wienerschnitzel and much, much more!

Cameras of ’61:

Olympus Pen EE

Canon 7

Rolleiflex wide-angle

Pentax H1/S1

A vintage Hasselblad 500c ad: What could possibly make a camera worth $550?

Gabe had a birthday and received a photo-themed gift: Life Magazine and the Power of Photography, featuring his beloved Gordon Parks

Our corporate retreat in Austin, Texas featured visits to The Camera Exchange and Austin Camera, followed by BBQ at Rollin’ Smoke, where you get a free beer with your tip

Gabe’s verdict on the Nikon 28Ti: he agrees it’s boring and prefers the Yashica T4!

Jeff’s Pentax ES II mega-saga: if your stuff gets damaged by UPS, submit a claim! As for Electro Spotmatics of all sorts, never again!

The new I'm Back digital insert for 35mm cameras is larger than it appears - would you do it?

We were gifted a complete set of Atlanta Film Co. films from Bill Manning

Jeff returned to Vienna, which is vintage camera heaven! Notable stops included Camera 31, Westlicht, Jo Geier, United Camera and the astounding Photo Börse

More security hassles in Frankfurt - next time, lie about your ISO!

Gabe’s been shooting with his Rolleiflex and Leica M6

Jeff spent some time with Leica photographer Pat Domingo

Also a shout-out to Branislav Simoncik, who shot P for Vogue Portugal

Starting with Episode 17, the subtitles on the episode page at idreamofcameras.com became delightfully obscure references, yet nobody ever mentions them. Y’all paying attention?

Episode 61 • More of You, Less of Us Oct 14, 2023

Show notes

A rare treat: IDOC № 61 is dedicated to you, our legions of devoted listeners. In this XL episode, we take a deep, deep dive into our Prodigious Mailbag™, which as of recording ran 46 emails deep. Tune in as Gabe and Jeff respond to inquiries, sympathies, clapbacks and condemnations. It’s sixty-wonderful!

Cameras of ’62:

Minolta Hi-Matic

Nikon F Photomic

Hasselblad 500C in space! Wally Schirra aboard Mercury 8

After we revealed our eBay watch lists, people did indeed skunk us! The mint Minolta P’s, the bulk roll of Panatomic-X, the rare Pentax SB2, the Alpa 10d half-frame and one of the two Nicca IIILs are all gone!

and for the remainder of the episode, a deep dive into our Far Beyond Prodigious Mailbag!

Episode 60 • I Dream of Genie Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

In Episode № 60 of I Dream of Cameras, Gabe and Jeff stun the photography world by boldly revealing the contents of their fiercely guarded eBay watch lists. That’s right — you could go on the ‘Bay right now and steal their Precious right out from under them! What are the white whales and black beauties they’ve been eyeing hungrily? And which would they choose if a magical djinn offered them just one? Cross your arms and blink to find out now!

Cameras of 1963:

the original Kodak Instamatic

the original gothic Olympus Pen F

Canon Demi

Polaroid Polacolor film for Land cameras

Gabe promised a purge! there was no purge

Which cameras did Jeff bring to New York in anticipation of a month of travel?

Jeff’s Pentax ES II misadventure

Gabe shot with the Nikon 28Ti, verdict to come

Gabe’s take on the new Polaroid I-2

Jeff and Gabe boldly reveal the contents of their eBay watch lists — feel free to skunk us!

If a magical genie offered you one thing from your watch list, what would you pick?

The Prodigious Mailbag™ will be the bulk of our next episode, so please write to us at eye dream of cam rahs at gee male dot calm

Gabe recommends an excellent YouTube series: Wrong Side of the Lens

Fred Coury’s beloved Amy Motta is a Canon film shooter now

Don’t praise us in an email — leave us a review on iTunes!

Episode 59 • Friends Was a Fun Job Aug 26, 2023

Show notes

“So no one told you life was gonna be this way / Your Nikon’s in the shop, your XPan’s D.O.A....” Join Jeff and Gabe in Noo Yawk Cit-tay for a very special episode, featuring a schmear and a Dr. Brown’s and the most underrated Canon SLR of the modern era. We’ll be there for you!

Cameras of 1964:

the O.G. Leicaflex

the elusive Canon FX

the wildly undervalued Pentax SV

the freakish Nikkorex Auto 35

the large and unwieldy Koni-Omega Rapid

Gabe’s NYC photo walk with the great Sissi Lu

The team’s visit to B&H Photo (and Russ & Daughters) with Chris Chu

Jeff bought a Canon F-1 Lake Placid Olympics edition, the only classic-era Canon SLR he’s never owned

Comparing the XPan with the Minolta P’s: field of view and aspect ratio are quite similar!

Another roll-the-dice segment! Adapting this lens for that camera, and the worst camera we’ve ever used — fight us!

Plus a dip halfway down our prodigious mailbag!

Episode 58 • Tumbling Dice Aug 12, 2023

Show notes

There's fever in the funkhouse now for Episode № 58 of I Dream of Cameras, in which we introduce a startling new segment: we ROLL THE DICE to choose from a bumper crop of listener-suggested topics. Tune in ‘cause the deuce is still wild!

Cameras of 1965:

and something else that came out in 1965

Jeff saw the Terry O’Neill show at Fotografiska…

…went to Overland Photo Supply in Overland Park, Kansas…

…and bought a Pentax Spotmatic F for cheap! you K1000 devotees are crazy!

Gabe did a nighttime photo shoot at Mel’s Diner on Sunset with his beloved Nikon D700, experimenting with flash

Jeff got the first roll back from his Minolta P’s, and likes the results… though he misses having backlight compensation

Recommended documentary: All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, about photographer Nan Goldin, streaming on Kanopy (free with your public library card)

It’s been a year — how’s Polaroid Music going?

A new segment where we roll the dice and pull from our list of undiscussed topics!

Celebs with film cameras

Our oddest cameras:

Contarex Bullseye

Voigtländer Vitessa L

Scale-focus cameras - Gabe can’t stand them!

the prodigious mailbag!

and finally: Chloe Kissner has a photography business, and her mom is buying a film camera

Episode 57 • P’s and Q’s Jul 29, 2023

Show notes

In Episode № 57 of I Dream of Cameras, we mind our P’s — Minolta’s little-known pocket XPan killer — and Q’s — diving into a particularly prodigious mailbag. Also, Gabe’s gone digicam kray-zee, and Jeff’s still obsessed with that Nikon Year of the Dog camera. Tune in for all the chitter-chatter!

Cameras of 1966:

The troublesome but alluring Rolleiflex SL66

The unreleased yet tantalizing Pentax 220

The well-named Petri Racer

Gabe’s recent acquisitions — he’s a digicam hipster!

Nikon Coolpix S1000pj with built-in projector

Nikon D700

Nikon Coolpix P7000

Jeff’s thoroughly besotted with the delightful panoramic point-and-shoot Minolta P's — it leaves the tab out when rewinding! And it comes in four other colors, red, blue, green and black — does he need 'em?

Olympus Stylus, mirrored chrome edition — are these special finishes worth the premium?

Revisiting the Nikon FM2/T Year of the Dog camera — the price continues to plummet, but the dog looks like the dogecoin Shiba Inu, so does that ruin it?

Gabe’s recent use of the Leica M6 on the WGA picket line reminded him how nice it is to use a lighter, less bulky camera

eBay annoyances, suspicious sellers…

and our super-prodigious mailbag!

Episode 56 • A Night at the Opera Jul 15, 2023

Show notes

“On Wednesday evening, at the start of the opera in the St. Margarethen quarry, the unbelievable happened: Carmen survived.” And this is just the start of Episode № 56 of I Dream of Cameras, which features a harrowing escape from certain death, an enigmatic Central European supermodel, exotic cameras from East Germany and Czechoslovakia, and Jeff Bridges! Tune in for all the intrigue.

On the final night of his Central European trip, Jeff was almost killed at an outdoor performance of Carmen

Cameras of 1967:

Olympus Trip 35

Hanimex Praktica Novo I B

Zenit E

More on Jeff’s recent observation of fashion shoots, including two different professionals’ use of the Olympus Stylus

Look for many behind-the-scenes XPan shots on Jeff’s Instagram

Gabe finally found his long-lost Leica R6.2… he’d sold it to LA Film Camera!

Our composer Fred Coury went to an LA Photography Club meetup and got hooked

The Argus C3 is terrible — fight us on this!

On Alan Peres's recommendation, Jeff visited FotoŠkoda in Prague and it was incredible

Picked up a Zeiss Pentacon FM and a Carl Zeiss Jena 35mm f2.4 Flektogon lens

In Český Krumlov, Jeff visited the fascinating Museum Fotoatelier Seidel…

…and found a Czech-made Meopta Stereo-Mikroma at a local antique store

Gabe got a black Olympus OM-2…

…and a Nikon D700…

…and is seeking a waist-level finder for his Contax 645

The challenges of shooting film abroad: do you wrestle with unsympathetic airport security personnel? Ship your film home and risk it getting x-rayed along the way? Process it locally? After equivocating for days, Jeff rolled the dice and took 18 rolls to the lab at FotoŠkoda… and it was a smashing success!

Also: Portra 400 is totally worth it, and the XPan is a great travel camera

Exciting news: a new Widelux is inbound from Jeff and Susan Bridges and the team at Silvergrain Classics

While the Widelux has a 126° field of view, the XPan with 45mm lens covers 71° — is that panoramic?

What do we think of the Minolta P’s and other “fake” panoramic 35mm cameras which merely mask the frame?

Finally, a dip into our prodigious mailbag!