Episode 55 kicks off Season 3 of the Camerosity Podcast with hosts Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike welcoming back callers Mark Faulkner, Patrick Rapps, John Roberts, and Howard Sandler, along with first-timers Maxwell Whitaker, Mina Saleeb, and Kevin Knipp. The episode's central theme is travel photography: how people choose which cameras to bring on trips, whether to mix film and digital, and how to navigate airport security with film and gear. Callers share strategies like packing film in clear bags, being polite with TSA agents, seeking hand-checks when possible (noting some airports have no-hand-check policies), using TSA Pre-Check, and being cautious of CT scanners with higher ISO film. There's discussion of lead-lined film shield bags, Paul's story of losing an entire Pelican case of film in airport security, and the general consensus that losing film is worse than losing a camera, with several advocating for packing film and cameras separately.
Specific gear discussed for travel includes the Panasonic Lumix LX series, Canon F1 paired with a Nikon Z5 via adapter, Nikon F-801, Voigtländer Perkeo II, Olympus XA4, Minox 35, Rollei 35 B, Ricoh GR, Panasonic Lumix LX100, Olympus Pen F (both film and digital), and Micro 4/3 cameras like the Olympus OM-D EM1X. Maxwell discusses his Minox B as an ideal travel camera and the process of getting and developing Minox film, including DIY film-slitting methods. The conversation broadens into a wide-ranging discussion of unusual and niche cameras and lenses, including mirror/catadioptric lenses (Voigtländer Zoomar, Soviet KMZ Rubin-1, Russian MTO 500/1000mm lenses, Rokkor 250mm f/5.6), the Minolta Rokkor-X 40-80mm f/2.8 "Gear Box Lens," 110-format cameras (Minolta, Pentax, Canon 110ED, Minox 110, Vitoret 110), the Carl Zeiss Jena Werra, Zeiss-Ikon Contessa 35, Voigtländer Vito III, AGFA Karat 36, and Leicaflex SL's mirror lock mechanism.
The episode closes on a lighter, personal note, with Anthony admitting he's tempted to rebuy a Leica M3, plans to travel to Japan with cameras like the Perkeo II and Olympus XA4 (and even barter Argus C3s while there), and a running discussion of how many times Paul has bought the same camera more than once. The hosts also take listener suggestions for Season 3 topics, including Yashica, TLRs, subminiature cameras, and large format. The episode ends with a teaser for Episode 56, which will focus on Soviet-era cameras for "Red October," covering beginner-friendly picks, models to avoid, and underrated options.
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In the first episode of Season 3 of the Camerosity Podcast, the guys and I opened up the call-in lines for the first time since late July and asked everyone who has travelled lately, what their ideal travel cameras are. When deciding to take some cameras on a trip, what makes the cut or doesn’t, and why. In addition to travelling with cameras, what are your tips for getting through airport security, is it worth getting your film hand checked, or should you separate your film from your cameras into separate luggage.
Joining Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike are returning callers Mark Faulkner, Patrick Rapps, John Roberts, Howard Sandler, and first time callers Maxwell Whitaker, Mina Saleeb, and Kevin Knipp who all help us answer those questions.
In addition to our travel tips, we also stray into the world of mirror lenses and other strange lenses of the 20th century like the Voigtländer Zoomar, KMZ Rubin-1, and the Minolta Rokkor-X 40-80mm f/2.8 “Gear Box Lens”. As we often do, much praise is heaped upon Voigtländer and the Bessamatic SLR and Cosina Bessa Rangefinders, we share our opinions of Minox submini cameras, the Carl Zeiss Jena Werra, AGFA Karat 36, plus many, many others.
Later, hear Anthony admit that he’s struggling with the decision of whether he needs to rebuy another Leica M3, whether or not people mix digital and film on vacations, and how many times Paul has bought the same camera more than once.
As always, the topics we discuss on the Camerosity Podcast are influenced by you! Please don’t feel like you have to be an expert on a specific type of camera, or have the level of knowledge on par with other people on the show. We LOVE people who are new to shooting and are interested in having an episode dedicated to people new to the hobby, so please don’t consider your knowledge level to be a prerequisite for joining!
The guys and I rarely know where each episode is going to go until it happens, so if you’d like to join us on a future episode, be sure to look out for our show announcements on our Camerosity Podcast Facebook page, and right here on mikeeckman.com. We usually record every other Monday and announcements, along with the Zoom link are typically shared 2-3 days in advance.
For our next episode, we are going red, for Red October. That’s right, the Camerosity Podcast is going to discuss the Soviet Photo Industry. What are the best cameras to pick up for someone new to the hobby, which ones to avoid, and what are some under the radar models. So for those of you looking to expand on your Soviet GAS, be sure to join us on Monday, October 2nd for the recording of Episode 56!
In This Episode
How Do You Decide Which Cameras Will Go With You on a Trip / Theo and Anthony Are Going to Asia- Bringing At Least One Digital Camera on a Trip / Panasonic Lumix LX Series
- John Roberts Took a Canon F1 and Nikon Z5 and Used the Same Lenses Using an Adapter / Mike Loves the Z5
- Mina Took a Nikon F-801 with Two AF Lenses
- Inspecting Film Through Airport Security / Put Film in Clear Bags, Be Polite, and Make the Inspection as Easy as Possible
- Some Airports Have a No Hand Check Policy / If You Are Eligible for TSA Pre-Check, Do It / ISO 800 Film And Up / CT Scanners
Film Shield Bags Are Lined with Lead / Paul Once Lost an Entire Pelican Case of Film in Airport Security- Anthony Is Going to Japan / Voigtänder Perkeo II / Olympus XA4 / Minox 35
- Howard Brings Cheap Cameras On Trips / Rollei 35 B / Mike Gets Stressed Out If He Brings Too Many Cameras
- Paul Travels Specifically for Photography and Food / His Wife Traveled with an RB67 One Year
- If Your Cameras Are Stolen While Travelling, A Tip Is To Also Lose Your Passport So You’ll Stop Thinking About the Cameras
- Getting Film Stolen is Worse Than Cameras Stolen / Travel With Your Cameras and Film Separately
Good Compact Digitals for Travel / Ricoh GR / Panasonic Lumix LX100- Olympus Pen F Digital and Film Cameras / Half Frame vs APS-C
- Micro 4/3 Cameras Are Quite Good / Olympus OM-D EM1X / Olympus Pen Digitals
- Maxwell’s Ideal Travel Camera is a Minox B He Bought from Paul / Getting and Developing Minox Film
- Slitting Film / 3D Printing Slitters / Using a TLR to Slit Film
- Anthony is Going to Attempt to Barter His Way to a Good Camera in Japan By Selling Argus C3s
- Theo and Anthony Love the Zeiss-Ikon Contessa 35 / Mike Not So Much / Voigtländer Vito III
- Carl Zeiss Jena Werra Series / The Werra is the Only Carl Zeiss Jena Camera
- Leaf Shutters That Go Faster than 1/500 / Kodak Tourist and Chevron / Minolta V2, V3, and Others
Rudi Made Anthony Take a Bunch of 110 Cameras and 110 Film from Him / Minolta and Pentax 110 SLRs- Mike Didn’t Like the Canon 110ED / Anthony Loved his Minox 110 and the Vitoret 110
- Voigtländer Was Owned by Zeiss, Then Rollei, then Licensed to Cosina for the Bessa Rangefinders
- Voigländer Vitessa, Vito C, Bessamatic, Ultramatic / Voigtländer Zoomar Lenses
- Russian MTO 500 and 1000mm Mirror Lenses / Maksutov Invented the Catadioptric Lenses for Telescopes
- Soviet Rubin-1 Is Not a Copy of the Zoomar But is Similar / The Zoomar Originally Came on the KMZ Zenit 6
Mike Attempts to Explain How a Mirror Lens Works / Mirror Lenses Are Almost Always Found in Mint Condition- Nikon and Minolta Mirror Lenses / The Rokkor 250mm f/5.6 Mirror Lens is Very Good
- Minolta Rokkor-X 40-80mm f/2.8 Gearbox Lens
- Show Suggestions for Season 3 / Yashica / TLRs / Subminis
- Viscawide 16mm Swing Lens Camera / Large Format / Robert Shanebrook / Another Euro Episode
- Leicaflex SL Mirror Locks Just like the Nikon F
- How Many Cameras Have You Bought More Than Once?
- Anthony Is Starting to Miss His Leica M3 / Voigtländer Cosina Made Bessas / Contax RTS II and RTS III
- The Earlier AGFA Karat is the Rangefinder for People Who Don’t Like Rangefinders
- We Have Lots Planned for Season 3, Stay Tuned!
Links
If you would like to offer feedback or contact us with questions or ideas for future episodes, please contact us in the Comments Section below, our Camerosity Facebook Group or Instagram page, or email us at [email protected].
The Official Camerosity Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast
Camerosity Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/
Chuck Rubin Photographics – https://www.facebook.com/p/Chuck-Rubin-Photographics-100054624692201/
Mina Saleeb – https://www.instagram.com/crookandflail
Theo Panagopoulos – https://www.photothinking.com/
Paul Rybolt – https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris and https://www.etsy.com/shop/Camerasandpictures
Anthony Rue – https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/ and https://www.facebook.com/VoltaGNV/
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