Episode 90 of the Camerosity Podcast arrives after an unplanned six-week hiatus caused by scheduling conflicts, forcing the hosts to swap their originally intended "Cameras of the 90s" theme (now pushed to Episode 91) in order to first record a special crossover session with Jeff Greenstein and Gabe Sachs of the I Dream of Cameras podcast. Since Jeff is known for his love of Alpa cameras, this episode effectively becomes the show's first (and likely only) deep dive into that brand, alongside general banter and camera talk between the two podcasting crews.
The conversation ranges widely: the hosts react to a listener-submitted comparison of the two podcasts, swap stories about favorite cameras, and Jeff explains at length why he's so fond of the Alpa 11si. Gabe shares the sobering story of losing his entire camera collection when his home burned down in the Palisades wildfires earlier in the year and how he's had to start rebuilding from scratch. The group also discusses why the Hasselblad XPan has become difficult to repair and speculates on other cameras at risk of becoming unrepairable. Mike walks through three different Alpas in his own collection, comparing their strengths and weaknesses, while Anthony discusses a Fuji camera he recently picked up (the Fuji GS645W Professional) and Fuji's barcode film system. Other topics include Alpa's possible heritage ties to Bolex cameras, Kern and Kilfitt Makro Kilar lenses, a shared appreciation for 40mm lenses (with praise for the Konica AR 40mm f/1.8 as a great value), and recaps of recent camera shows in Cincinnati and Sydney. Various hosts also mention recent acquisitions, including a Pentax 110 Auto, a Zeiss Taxona, a Mamiya Sketch, a Minolta 35 Model IIB, and an original Argus C with an F/S switch.
The episode functions less as a single-camera review and more as a freewheeling, community-driven conversation blending nostalgia, collecting stories, and gear talk between two podcasts with overlapping audiences. The hosts close by reiterating that the show remains open to listeners of all experience levels and preview Episode 91, the rescheduled "Cameras of the 90s" episode, set to cover cameras like the Mamiya 7, Nikon N90s, Contax AX, Olympus mju-II, and early digital models such as the Minolta RD-175 and Nikon D1.
AI-generated summary. May not capture every detail — read the full article below for the complete picture.
As sometimes happens in the wonderful world of social media content creation, “the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray” we had plans to record Episode 90 back in March, but a variety of unfortunate and unrelated happenstances occurred which resulted in a short hiatus for recording. We had planned on making Episode 90 a show all about Cameras of the 90s, but we had also wanted Episode 91 to be recorded with two special guests, so we were forced to do things out of order.
Thankfully, the obstacles which caused our six week break didn’t interfere with us sitting down with Jeff Greenstein and Gabe Sachs from the I Dream of Cameras podcast. For those of you who are familiar with their show, you’ll know that Jeff has a fondness for Alpa cameras, so this unofficially doubles as our first and probably only Alpa episode.
After some short introductions, we refer back to a fun comparison between the two podcasts written by listener John Kelly and both hosts give our reactions to some of his funny answers. We cover a variety of cameras that we all love and shoot, along with Jeff’s deep dive into why he loves the Alpa 11si so much.
Gabe shares a story of how he’s had to rebuild his camera collection from scratch after losing it when his home burned down in the Palisades wild fires that ravaged Los Angeles earlier this year. We ponder why the Hasselblad XPan can’t get repaired anymore and what other cameras are on the verge of being unrepairable. Mike shares three very different Alpas in his collection and shares what he likes and doesn’t like about all three, Anthony shares his thoughts on a new (to him) Fuji camera he recently bought, and Paul talks about his plans for traveling to Ireland later this spring.
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 into shooting or collecting cameras, no matter how long you’ve been doing it, 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, the Camerosity Discord server, 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.
As promised two episodes ago, we still want to do a Cameras of the 90s episode, but this time it will have to be Episode 91. Finally, Theo will get a chance to talk about his beloved Mamiya 7, but in addition to that there were many other terrific cameras from that decade like the Nikon N90s and the premium 28Ti and 35Ti point and shoots, the Contax AX, and the Olympus µ[mju:]-II. In addition to terrific film cameras, the 1990s was the first decade with a large number of digital cameras like the Minolta RD-175 and Nikon D1. We will record Episode 91 on Monday, May 5th at 7pm Central Daylight Time and 8pm Eastern Daylight Time.
In This Episode
Jeff Greenstein and Gabe Sachs from I Dream of Cameras / Episode Numbers- John Kelly Compares Camerosity and IDOC Podcasts: A Rebuttal
- Rich Coastal Elites vs Salt of the Earth Midwesterners / So Good
- Camerosity Yellow and Red is the Same as Kodak Yellow and Red
- Mamiya 7, Alpa 10s, Pentax 17, and Hasselblad 500
- Why Can’t Anyone Repair the Hasselblad XPan? / Unrepairable Cameras
- Paul Doesn’t Know what Neon Genesis Evangelion Is
- Anthony and Paul Trade a Leica M2 for a Rolleiflex 3.5F
- Gabe Talks About Losing His House and Entire Camera Collection in the LA Wild Fires
- Limiting a Collection to 30 Cameras / Olympus Pen FT
Jeff Handles an Ilford Witness / Anthony Much Prefers the Bell & Howell Foton- Is there any Alpa Heritage in Bolex Cameras? / Kern Lenses / Kilfitt Makro Kilar Lenses
- Mike and Jeff Both See the World in 40mm / The Konica AR 40mm f/1.8 Lens is the Best Value in 40mm
- The Original Alpa Reflex is a Hybrid SLR and a Rangefinder
- Mike Had an M42 Alpa Lens with No Body So He Bought an Alpa Si2000 / Chinon CE-II Memotron
- Jeff’s Rhapsody for the Alpa 11si / The Weirdest Motor Drive Ever / Engraved Cameras
- Jeff Goes to Paris Fashion Shows / Cincinnati Camera Show Update / Sydney Show Update
- Anthony Picks Up a Fuji GS645W Professional / Fuji’s Barcode Film System
- More Recap of the Cincinnati Show
Stephen Gets a Pentax 110 Auto / Theo Gets a Light Meter that Measures in Foot Lamberts- Jeff Wants to Get a Pentax MX / He Has a Medical Camera Called the Pentax MF
- Jeff Also Got a Zeiss Taxona and a Mamiya Sketch
- Mike Picks Up a Minolta 35 Model IIB and an Original Argus C with the F/S Switch
Links
The Camerosity Podcast is now on Discord! Join Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike on our very own Discord Server. Share your GAS and photography with other listeners in the Lounge or in our dedicated forums. If you have questions for myself or the other guys, we have an “Ask the Hosts” section as well where you can get your question answered on a future show! Check it out! https://discord.gg/PZVN2VBJvm.
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, Instagram page, or Discord server.
The Official Camerosity Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast
Camerosity Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/
Jeff Greenstein and Gabe Sachs – I Dream of Cameras – https://www.idreamofcameras.com/
Theo Panagopoulos – https://www.photothinking.com/
Paul Rybolt – https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris – https://thisoldcamera.net/
Anthony Rue – https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/
Camerosity can also be heard on the following services:
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@camerositypodcast
Google – https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL2NhbWVyb3NpdHkvZmVlZC54bWw
Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/camerosity/id1583252688
Amazon Music – https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9d316c9e-5461-4fa5-9e04-24fd27fffc3f/camerosity
Podchaser – https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/camerosity-1985806
Listen Notes – https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/camerosity-mike-eckman-3BShwKyvbO0/
Podcast Addict – https://podcastaddict.com/podcast/camerosity/3600607