Classic Camera Revival

We're back on the topic of Infrared, this time with James, Alex, John and Bill! Infrared light is part of the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes the visible light spectrum, ranging from 380nm to 700nm, or violet to red. Most infrared photography uses specialised film and filters to capture light in the 700-900nm range. 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 reach 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 with a deep red (092/89b) or a true IR filter, such as a 093, RM90, or R72, will produce results typical of a traditional infrared film. Just make sure to spend the money and get a good quality one. The team also talks about working with colour IR film, such as Kodak EIR/Aerochrome and FPP Infrachrome, and how it uses standard coloured filters rather than specialised ones. Plus a bit of discussion about using IR techniques with digital cameras.

Alex is back for one last solo episode before getting back to our regular episodes, and this time he's live on location at Brock University. Alex recounts photographing the Collective2026 youth event hosted by the Presbyterian and United Churches of Canada back in August. During the event, Alex used a hybrid approach, combining his Nikon F5 and Rolleiflex 2.8F with the D750. He brought and used the gear, the films, and even shared some highlights from the photography workshop he ran at the event. You can find all of Alex's photos over on Flickr!

We love our advanced, top-of-the-line, high-quality cameras here on CCR. The Nikon F5 and F6, Rolleiflex, Hasselblad, and large-format cameras with multi-element lenses. But recently Alex has been digging into cameras that often are not what he typically uses and is loving the experience of keeping things simple and a bit of a juxtaposition from his usual kit. In today's episode, Alex sits down to talk about all the cameras that he's been using of late and how maybe if you're getting started in film photography, these cameras might be a better bang for your buck than the ones that everyone else is using and can be a bit of a pain on the wallet. The cameras include the Canon Demi EE17, Hanimex 35ES, RETO Snapic A1, Minolta Maxxum 5, Nikon F65, Ricoh XR10, RETO Ektar H35N, RETO Ultra-Wide & Slim, and whatever else comes to his mind.

Jess Beaudin first came to our attention when CBC posted an article about her use of natural materials to develop and print her photographs. So, of course, we wanted to get her on the show to talk about her work! Jess agreed and sat down with Alex to talk about anything and everything!

You can find more of Jess' work online:

And we've made it to the end of the tetralogy, and we're going beyond the portrait length to talk about telephotos, which, for our purposes, are lenses that are 200mm and longer. These might not always be the first lens you reach for in your regular photography, but they are still powerful tools for events, nature, and even getting close when you can't do so safely. The lenses featured in today's show include the AI Nikkor 300mm f/4.5, AI-S Nikkor 200mm f/4, Leitz 180mm f/3.4 APO, Canon FD 300mm f/5.6, AI-S Nikkor 80-200mm f/4, Olympus 75-150mm f/4, AF Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/4, Vivtar 135mm f/2.8.

Before we get to long lenses, we're going into lenses that are designed for portraits, it doesn't matter if you're talking headshots, couples, quarter length, these are amazing lenses that are far more versatile than what they're called. Today's criteria are focal lengths between 70mm and 200mm, although 200mm is pushing it for some photographers, but it's our show, and we set the rules. The lenses featured in today's episode include the DC-Nikkor 105mm f/2D, AI-S Nikkor 85mm f/2, AI-S Nikkor 105mm f/2.5, Zuiko 100mm f/2.8, Takumar 85mm f/1.9, Canon 100mm f/2, AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.4G and AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G.

While everyone always associates the term "normal lens" with the 50mm focal length, here at CCR, we're going with more of a range between 28mm and 60mm. In reality, normal human vision ranges from 31mm to 43mm, which can be difficult to replicate with readily available lenses. So on today's episode, we're featuring the Pentax-M 40mm, AF Nikkor 35mm, Leica Summicron 50mm, AI-S Nikkor 28mm, Zuiko 35mm, Biotar 58mm, Yashinon 50mm, Takumar 55mm, Pentax-FA 31mm, Pentax-FA 43mm, and Voigtländer 58mm.

We're finally doing it, a full set of four episodes, a "tetralogy" all about lenses. In this first part, we're covering ultra-wide lenses. To help keep things ultra-wide, we're using the same criteria as Matt (from Matt Loves Cameras) and going with lenses that are 25mm or wider. Each host picked three ultra-wide lenses from their own kit. And we ended up with a fantastic set of optics, including the AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm, AI-s Nikkor 20mm, AI-s Nikkor 15mm, AF Nikkor 14mm f/2.8D, Maxxum AF 20mm, Auto-Miranda 25mm, Rokkor 24mm, Olympus Zuiko Auto-W 21mm, Leitz Super-Angulon 21mm, Voigtländer 12mm, Tamron 17mm and Carl Zeiss 21mm.

In today's episode, Alex sits down with Kevin Ealaín, the founder of Darkroast Arts, a name he chose after discovering the joys of working with Caffenol. Since then, he's expanded into photographing local events and protests, and into promoting the art of working in the traditional darkroom. The conversation goes from camera gear, darkroom practices, coffee, some politics, and a little bit of subject matter! 

Web: https://www.darkroastarts.com/

We love hearing from members of the community as a whole, especially when they reach out to us to talk about life, photography, film and more. So in today's episode, join Alex as he sits down with Raf to talk about his journey from starting with photography to developing his own film at home. From Brazil to New York City, it's a couple of nerds just enjoying life, the process and more. And almost everything is covered, from music to scanning, gear, film stocks, halation and even film simulations!

If you want to check out more of Raf's work, you can find him online here.