This episode starts out great, then gets better and better. It’s informative and witty, talking about the real joys of film. There are distinctive gear reviews, as Jeff raves about his new Pentax MX, possibly triggering the IDOC effect on eBay. And of course, there’s plenty of vapid gladhanding, as Gabe hits one LA camera show after another. Plenty to hear here, so tune in!

well looky here! Bad Review Guy updated his bad review on iTunes! guess he's still listening! as for the rest of you, leave us a good one, OK?

Busy Gabe went to his first camera meetup since the Palisades fire: Beers & Cameras in Venice…

saw a pristine Widelux F7 with the coveted filter set, purchased from Blue Moon Camera…

got gifted the beat-up black-paint Nikon F of his dreams…

went to the LA Camera Expo in Burbank…

also received from spider_dude two Walker Evans books, incl. Walker Evans & Company…

and met up with Claire Hinkley to shoot with the Mamiya C33, the Leicaflex SL and the Nikon FE

Jeff's yearning for a Pentax MX took him from MX to ME SE to (courtesy of the good folks at K&M Camera) the Nikon FG…

but then back to the MX, which is lovely - it's a K1000, only better and smaller!

podpal Ollie grabbed a groovy Kiev 10 at Unique Photo in Philadelphia

Jeff took in the excellent Weegee and American Job shows at ICP…

and had coffee with Sissi Lu, discussing the triumph of her Do Not X-Ray bag and her love of the Pentax One Seven

now Jeff's Eurotrip is imminent... and ChatGPT’s camera recommendations were uncanny!

finally, we tackle as much of the Prodigious Mailbag™ as we can handle till it’s time for Jeff to have burritos with his girlfriend

Jeff’s back from the Caribbean island of St. Barth’s with a report on his new favorite beach camera, while out in the West, Gabe’s renewed camera collection continues to burgeon... as does the enmity of one listener each time Jeff mentions the Pentax 17. Find out why in the latest un-dour, un-flaccid episode of I Dream of Cameras, because provocation is our forte!

Gabe shot his Kiev 60 and the Bronica ETR-Si

and is eyeing:

black Leicaflex SL

35mm f4 Schneider lens for Leicaflex

and Mamiya Universal

meanwhile, Jeff is eyeing:

Pentax MX

Weltron 2007

Atari 4-Player Football

Alpa Si 3000

Nikkor F

Jeff's St. Barth's report: the Ona Union Street camera bag was ideal

of course he brought the Hasselblad XPan, but at the last minute subbed in the Canon EOS Rebel 2000 for the Olympus XA4, and it was the perfect beach-party nighttime-flash trash camera

he shot mostly Portra 160 and 400, but also tried some Santacolor 100 and Film Washi X, which it turns out are the same thing! Kodak Aerocolor IV

no hand-check madness on this trip - Sint Maarten, Saint Barthélemy, all security personnel were totally obliging - once again we credit the Sissi Lu DO NOT X-RAY bag, now available at a camera store near you

good travel buddies: Zeiss lens wipes and a rocket air blower

let’s help Lina Bessonova and handcheckfilm.com! when you travel, send a report to her contact page so she can keep this valuable resource up to date

Gabe recommends Graination in Toronto, a coffee shop and film lab

we stick our snouts deep into the Prodigious Mailbag™, where a listener savagely upbraids Jeff for calling the Pentax 17 by its proper name (here’s proof)

finally, look for our appearance on an obscure podcast called Camerosity, talkin’ Alpas

Gabe spills the tea — about the cameras he’s hunting for as he rapidly rebuilds his collection — while Jeff spills the coffee. That’s it. He spills it. Then recounts a whirlwind European trip featuring a phantasmagoria of phenomenal photographica. New York, London, Paris, dry-dock — everybody talk about pop IDOC!

Jeff bought a camera bag! okay, he found a used Ona Union Street at B&H, but whaaaaat????

… then he went to London …

got an odd little book at The Photographer's Gallery on Analog Photography

visited Camera City, said hi to Pany, did not buy a Bronica RF645

visited Aperture Photographic, gaped at the amazing inventory, talked with Simon about photography with a Pentax Stereo Adapter, did not buy an absurd Contax Preview

visited Mr Cad, kibitzed with the legendary Alex Falk, did not buy a rare and tantalizing Wrayflex, once again got the book instead

… then on to Paris …

visited Photo-Vincent, met the man himself, drooled over a black Alpa 6c and the 30mm lens for the XPan

there was zero hand-check madness on this trip! we credit the Sissi Lu DO NOT X-RAY bag

the sainted John-Michael Mendizza sent Gabe a Rolleiflex 2.8c and Jeff a Zeiss Taxona

how’s Gabe getting on with his half-a-cookie Olympus Pen FT? he’s on frame 56…

the viewfinder’s a bit dim, so Jeff unfortunately altered him to the existence of the Pen FV

Gabe’s up to twenty cameras of his planned thirty-camera collection, and here are the items on his hit list:

Mamiya RZ67

Kiev 60 with Volna-3 lens

Mamiya C330

black Leicaflex SL

Pentax MX (he’s already got the 40mm pancake!)

a brassed black Nikon F

and the 35mm Sigma art lens for the Canon EOS 3

Gabe got a Yashicamat LM and a Minolta SRT-101 from Maria Elena Rodriguez

opened the time capsule camera bag, went back to the Palisades house with Brandon, and unearthed more cameras

Jeff has a final book recommendation: Tight Heads by Candy Clark

we finally voyage to the very bottom of our Prodigious Mailbag™ 

and end with a challenge: write lyrics for our theme song! you could win fabulous prizes!

A long-awaited catch-up in which Gabe reviews the events of the past month. The biggest news: he bought a half-frame camera! WHAT IS UP WITH THIS DUDE? Tune in for the rollicking debrief!

how’s Gabe doing? well, he:

took some trips to the Palisades house with Brandon

found the remains of many cameras, including Rolleiflexes

was interviewed by National Geographic reporter Gideon Mendel, who documents such things

and has returned to shooting! with the Rolleiflex 3.5E, Nikon FE, Leica M6…

...but not the cameras in the bag he grabbed on the day of the fire 

Trev Lee thoughtfully returned the Rolleiflex Gabe had traded him for his Leica M5

Gabe went to the LA Camera Expo, which is shaping up great

while in LA, Jeff shot with:

Rolleiflex SL350 — sublime!

Canon F-1 Lake Placid Olympics edition — underrated!

Rollei C35 — ridiculous!

FujiFilm GA645 — confounding!

upon departure, he removed all batteries from idle cameras ‘cause he’s compulsive

and he swapped Alpas! the 11si and 50mm Kern-Macro-Switar came east, while the 10s and 24mm Angenieux stayed west!

shocking half-a-cookie news! Gabe bought an Olympus Pen FT!

while Jeff failed to snag a Zeiss Tenax II, so he bought the book by Wes Loder instead

and he received a cool Lego Retro Camera as a gift from Todd and Mistie

may we draw your attention to Andy Gray’s amazing IDOC-inspired Pentax MF mod page

a rare treat! Jeff dined with Sunny 16’s Clare Marie Bailey and her brilliant musician friend Gwenno at the storied Chelsea Hotel

we take an emotional dip into our Prodigious Mailbag™

and finally, we urge you to see Bob Trevino Likes It, starring our friends Barbie Ferreira and French Stewart

Wednesday, January 8, 2025, 8:11 a.m. PST. Text from Gabe Sachs:

“Well, all I can say is… I bet I have culled my camera collection faster than anyone else in history.”

In this episode, Gabe recounts his experience during the Palisades Fire, which destroyed over a hundred Rolleiflex TLRs.

Tune in for all the details.

I Dream of Cameras kicks off the new year with another blockbuster XL episode! Jeff chillingly limns the hundred-degree delta between Jamaica and Iceland, and how the Fuji GA645 and Hasselblad XPan fared in each. Gabe exhumes some old warhorses from the back of the camera cabinet. And they top it all off with some STRONG OPINIONS about a new film-camera book. Tune in for all the fireworks!

a scant 13 days after returning from a beach vacation in Jamaica, Jeff jetted off to Iceland for New Year’s, toting along the Fujifilm GA645 Professional and the Hasselblad XPan — how did they fare?

Gabe recounts a recent photo shoot with the lovely Lyliana Wray, featuring the Nikon D700, Canon Sure Shot Owl and Jeff’s beloved Olympus 35 RC

in the course of reorganizing, Gabe unearthed a few long-neglected cameras he wants to shoot with:

Exakta VX IIa

Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta

Pentacon Six TL

and the mighty Graflex Super D

at Jeff’s behest, the heroes at Ausgeknipst made a PX450 adapter for the Alpa 10 series

welcome to another edition of Jeff’s deeply nerdy “Nobody Cares” Corner! this time he does a lengthy exegesis of camera serial numbers — there’s so much you can learn! some examples:

Fujifilm

Hasselblad, using the VHPICTURES code

Kodak, using the CAMEROSITY code

Konica, using the MY BEST KONICA code

Leica

Polaroid SX-70

Rollei 35

Jeff reviews Ralph Bellamy a.k.a. Bellamy Hunt a.k.a. Japan Camera Hunter's new book Film Camera Zen. shots fired!! come at me, Ralph!

and finally, we take a graceful swan-dive into our Prodigious Mailbag™

Episode № 84 is a special rush-released super-sized Christmas / Hanukkah episode — unwrap it and enjoy!

Gabe’s been shooting with the Polaroid Big Swinger, Rolleiflex 2.8E2, Nikon F2, Leica M4…

he had a lab mishap! they made it right, but it still shakes your confidence

Polaroid peel-apart camera rollers vs. blades

Gabe went to Alcove Café with Rafael Hernandez and Dave Tada, members of the elite Fuji X100VI club, and now he's lusting for one

submitted for your approval: the mighty Fujifilm GF670 Professional

when was the last time Jeff shot with the Leica M6 TTL? August 2021… so we’re both culling our collections! message us!

is there a camera that’s too perfect? that you shoot too quickly with? like the Canon EOS Rebel 2000 or Canon 5D?

Jeff didn’t shoot much in Jamaica, and here’s why: he wanted no barriers between him and the experience - do you sympathize?

the Fujifilm GA645 Professional gave Jeff a scare - as with the XPan, Fuji’s battery indicators are wildly deceptive

are CR123 and CR123a the same battery? maybe!

final reckoning: which cameras will Jeff bring to Iceland? meanwhile, Ollie’s bringing a Kodak Medalist!

expired 220 film is super-intriguing!

Gabe feels he can always count on his Rolleiflex - what are the cameras you rely on?

our Prodigious Mailbag™ is bigger than Santa’s bag of toys

next episode, Jeff reviews Bellamy Hunt a.k.a. Japan Camera Hunter's new book Film Camera Zen - tune in for the tea!

I Dream of Cameras storms into the fifth year of its five-year mission with new life and new civilization! Gabe went on a photo tear through New York City. Jeff cut an astounding deal on new gear at the Chelsea flea market. And there are imminent trips to Jamaica, Iceland and downtown LA. Will your enterprising interlocutors boldly go where no XPan has gone before? Pluck our latest pod and find out!

welcome to IDOC Year Five!

Gabe recounts his visit to B&H Photo in New York with rockstar street-shooter Sissi Lu and repair guru Shlomo

who killed Fotografiska NYC? could it be… Satan?

to find out, Jeff and P watched Finding Vivian Maier

at Sissi’s behest, Gabe will be giving the controversial Pentax 17 another half-a-shot

Jeff’s coveted 24mm Angenieux for the Alpa arrived, and it's gorgeous

he also made an impulse buy at the 25th St. flea market in Chelsea…

a Fujifilm GA645 Professional, complete with original box, papers, case and caps!

it’s a medium-format half-a-cookie autofocus point-and-shoot! 6x4.5 but not a big ugly box!

negotiation strategy: Jeff and Ollie cut a package deal with the seller for the Fuji, a Contax III and a Konica Big Mini - what a bargain!

the GA645 image size is 56×42mm = 2,352mm² (XPan is 1,560mm²), so should it replace the XPan on Jeff’s forthcoming trips to Jamaica… and Iceland?

Gabe’s planning a night shoot with Leicas M10, Monochrom and M4.. and flash!

and of course, we close with an exceptionally informative and Prodigious Mailbag™

• • go to our merch page for all your holiday gift-giving!

“Four more years! Four more years!” Could you have ever imagined, when these two miscreants launched I Dream of Cameras on 11/20/20, that four years later the show would be an unstoppable juggernaut and the toast of seven continents? Neither could we! In this epic-sode, Gabe dons a dopey hat and Jeff a dopey visage to reflect upon IDOC’s journey from to zygote to Smash Hit. There’s a quiz! A truce! A song! A rundown of panoramic aspect ratios! Tune in for all the persiflage and badinage, which is NEVER, EVER BORING!

It’s our fourth anniversary show, and Gabe wore a stupid hat! Celebrate four years of our Smash Hit Podcast™ by giving us notes!

Gabe went to a Beers and Cameras meetup at Canyon Coffee in Echo Park…

… and William Piper let him try his Plaubel Makina 67 - but Gabe has an issue with it!

Gabe quizzes Jeff about how well he knows his podpartner

Jeff bought himself a birthday present, the rare and coveted 24mm Angenieux for the Alpa… waited all day for it to arrive… and the mailman passed him by! We invite you to share your own maddening “waiting for new equipment” stories

Jeff embarks on an ill-advised and deeply nerdy rundown of panoramic aspect ratios (XPan, Minolta P’s, Widelux) vs. various cinema formats

No more animosity with Camerosity! we love those guys, and not just ‘cause they wanna collaborate on an Alpa episode

Gabe went to a Catalina wine mixer, POW! - USC’s Distinguished Leaders Program - and led the participating CEOs through a cool photography exercise

finally, we take a relaxing dip in our prestigious and Prodigious Mailbag™, perhaps our best yet! prepare to be moved!

Like “Man in Black” Johnny Cash, Gabe Sachs is never seen without his signature ebon apparel. So what could coax him into donning a white dress shirt? And while we’re asking questions: who’s shooting 220 film, what’s a Zunow, and can Jeff actually perform Tom Lehrer’s “The Elements” on command? Find out in the latest obsidian-dark episode of I Dream of Cameras!

Gabe was plied with birthday gifts!

a camera-print shirt from a Paris boutique

Eyes Wide Open! 100 Years of Leica Photography

a Polaroid Big Swinger and three precious packs of Fujifilm FP-3000b

Jeff made a world-wind trip to LA, where he and Gabe dined with Jeff’s friend and Renaissance-woman Cathy Rogers of indiepop legends Heavenly and Junkyard Wars a.k.a. Scrapheap Challenge

Today is Jeff’s 12th Alpaversary, yet his cherished 11si does not exist!

to celebrate, he replaced the mirror foam in his Alpa 10s, and has a sexy how-to tip!

Gabe bought a thrashed Rolleicord with Rolleinar close-up attachment and is wracked with regret

Jeff shot the Heavenly show with a Pentax 6x7 and 45mm lens and does not recommend

yet he was quite pleased with his wedding shots from the XPan and Olympus XA4

Gabe loved the documentary Uncropped, produced by Wes Anderson, about photographer James Hamilton

also take note of Glen E. Friedman, seminal skateboard, punk and hip-hop shooter whose work is all over Dogtown and Z-Boys

now some questions! ever tried Shanghai 220 film?

ever heard of the fascinating and ultra-rare Zunow SLR?

did you know Tom Lehrer did a version of “The Elements” for a Polaroid sales meeting?

and finally, our Prodigious Mailbag™, featuring a truly devastating missive from John Kelly, late of the Washington Post, in which he compares IDOC to the obscure and little-heard Camerosity podcast