Toronto resident Mike Robinson is a master of the Daguerreotype process, producing images of unparalleled beauty and technical excellence. In this bonus episode, John talks with Mike about the challenges and rewards of this venerable photographic process A video of Mike at work Mike has been kind enough to supply us with some images of his recent work. All images are copyright Mike Robinson, all rights reserved.  Read More →

While many in the world are keen on March Madness and College Basketball we here at the CCR are looking at all mechanical cameras. That means that the cameras may have a battery to run the light meter but they can still work without one! Cameras Featured on Today’s Show… Nikon F2 Photomic – This is the camera you can take into the Zombie Apocalypse and document the end of the world and it won’t let you down. Make: Nikon Model: F2 Photomic Type: Single Lens Reflex Format: Miniature Format (35mm), 24x35mm Lens: Interchangeable, Nikon F Mount Year of Manufacture: 1971-1980 Nikon F2 Photomic –Read More →

Sometimes you just can’t trust a camera’s meter or you want to do something creative with how you meter your photos. And then there are times your camera just doesn’t have a trusty built in meter. So you have to do things old school and that’s use an external meter. Something that lives in almost every photographer’s bag. To give a quick review there are two types of meters based on how they measure light. The first is incident metering that measures the amount of light falling on the subject and then there’s reflective meters that measure the amount of light reflected off the subject.Read More →

Not to be outdone by the rest of the group Donna has a new camera, and she’s going big, like 8×10 big! She recently picked up a beautiful Cambo SC Monorail 8×10 camera and so far loves it! Make: Cambo Model: Legend SC Type: View Camera, Monorail Format: 8×10 or 4×5 Lens: Interchangable, Cambo SC Board Plus Donna has already taken it out and shot a few images on it with beautiful results!! Cambo Legend SC – Agfa Gevaert AG Super Intergon 1:9/305mm – Agfa RC Paper – Kodak Dektol (Stock) Cambo Legend SC – Agfa Gevaert AG Super Intergon 1:9/305mm – Agfa RC PaperRead More →

Probably one of the best things to actually invest in with your camera kit is lenses, as the title says, marry your lenses, date your cameras. Once you’ve figured out what system you want to shoot with, invest in glass, so on this the first episode of our second season the gang talks about their favourite lenses! Glass Featured on Today’s Show… In 35mm… Canon FD Lens S.S.C. 50mm 1:1.4 – While on the surface this is just another 50mm FD Canon lens which are already a fantastic lens to shoot on all your FD mount cameras what sets this camera about is the SSCRead More →

  < In this special bonus episode, an interview with Tim Gilbert of the SP-445 Kickstarter project. In this project, Tim and his team have come up with a new kind of 4×5 development tank that can develop up to 4 sheets at once, with an economical use of chemistry. This Kickstarter project closes on January 18th,  2016 so you still have time! Check it out! Looking for a good spot to get your gear and material fix…check out Burlington Camera, Downtown Camera, Film Plus, Belle Arte Camera and Camtech, if you’re in the GTA region of Ontario, if you’re on the West Coast (BritishRead More →

So we’ve come to our last episode of season one, and since it is December, we have lots of cameras on the table that hold a special value to the gang, and that is the fact they were a gift to us! Often from a parent or grandparent. Cameras featured on Today’s Show… Bronica EC This electronically controlled 6×6 SLR was a gift to Donna from Mike after she got a hankering for a Hasselblad. With the ‘blads being a bit cost prohibitive (unless you strike a deal) but she’s been very very happy with the camera! Make: Bronica Model: EC Type: Single Lens ReflexRead More →

We love our own cameras so for the most part will bring something we’re used to or have some experience with to the table for the past episodes. So for November we’re switching it up, throwing a wrench in the works…we’re doing a mystery camera challenge! That’s right each host has selected a camera from their collection (to make things fair/easy the only criteria was that it had to be a 120 camera, and we all used the same film Rollei RPX xxx) and not told anyone else, then we each pull a name from a hat and use that person’s camera. Cameras featured onRead More →

It finally happened, we’ve gone and branched into the wonderful world of large format photography! So what is large format, well for the most part we’ve been discussing cameras that take roll film, that is 35mm and medium format, large format cameras for the most part take sheet film, measured in inches rather than millimeters or centimeters. Cameras featured on Today’s Show… Speed Graphic: the classic press camera the Speed Graphic has a focal plane shutter that allows for press photographers to shoot quickly using a film magazine. Crown Graphic: the cousin of the Speed Graphic, the only real difference is that the Crowns doRead More →

It’s the home of the Greek gods and producer of several ‘cult classic’ cameras, today join Mike, Donna, and John (Alex has been captured by the French but should be back next month) as they dive into the wonderful world of Olympus cameras. Cameras featured on Today’s Show… John and The Olympus Pen F The Olympus Pen F is a classic, and unique as the only dedicated 35mm half-frame ever made. Beautiful to hold and handle, it is a joy to use! Here is a great information page on this little jewel. Here’s my Pen F, on a recent “photo outing” And here are aRead More →