Topics on today’s show include the FPP Plastic 35mm Camera, Bessa Rangefinders, Canon Scoopic, 16mm film, listener letters, and more! In the studio with Michael Raso, today are Leslie Lazenby, Mark Dalzell, Mark O’Brien, John Fedele, and Mat Marrash!
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November 1st, 2017 Podcast 171 Chapters
0:03:05 Introductions Michael Raso, Leslie Lazenby, John Fedele, Mark Dalzell, Mark O’Brien, and Mat Marrash
0:04:58 Listener Letter (with Treats)
0:07:42 Mat Marrash arrives
0:11:24 Michael declares free form nature of this podcast
0:13:23 Letters – baby named Velvia, Minolta talking camera
0:19:38 Topic – Cutting a Leica Leader for cameras that are bottom loaders.
0:27:21 FPP Plastic 35mm camera – the MVP – at the store $20 with a roll of film
0:32:58 Break
0:34:10 Letters – http://www.buhla.de/Foto/batt-adapt-US.pdf (battery conversion instructions); Japanese KitKats
0:38:04 Topic – The Voitlander Bessa rangefinder
0:49:25 Way back machine Joe Besser as Stinky on Abbott & Costello
0:51:16 Break
0:52:30 Canon Scoopic 16mm film movie camera
0:57:13 Michael lets us know that the Smooth Sailors have broken up. Whaaa.
0:57:42 Pink Delicates described.
0:58:43 16mm film available at the FPP store
1:04:48 Michael loads and shoots with the Scoopic. (Use imagination here as this is a sound only podcast)
1:07:38 Black tape at the FPP store
1:09:40 Beasterday on Hulu?
1:14:040 Pizza call attempt oops Times Square oops and oops.
1:19:15 Signoff and Music to close. Be back in two weeks.
Film Photography Podcast – Episode 171 – November 1st, 2017
Show Notes by Alex Luyckx
It’s the Film Photography Podcast, the Internet Radio show for people who love film! Topics on today’s show include the FPP Plastic 35mm Camera, Bessa Rangefinders, Canon Scoopic, 16mm film, listener letters, and more! In the studio with Michael Raso, today are Leslie Lazenby, Mark Dalzell, Mark O’Brien, John Fedele, and Mat Marrash! Stay Tuned!
The Leica Leader
If you have a Leica camera or similar camera that loads the film through the bottom rather than the black you may have exchanged some language when loading them up. Often they film hangs up or just doesn’t load. Well it’s been sitting on Mark O’Brien’s mind, and he soon realised the cause, it’s because the leader hasn’t been cut down properly. Yes, if you’ve read your manual or looked at the camera itself it does say to re-cut the leader. Now there was a template produced by Leica, but these are rare and expensive. But there are much more ways to get it done! If you’re like Mark, you can probably eyeball it from memory, but if you’re new to all this you might need some help! But don’t worry there are a couple of solutions to help you out! First, Lomography has a DIY solution that uses just some plastic and binder clips. Of if you want something a little better you can download and have 3D printed a template modelled after the original Leica unit.
Most Valuable Plastic – Introducing the FPP Plastic 35 Camera
There’s a strong chance you’ve seen one of these cameras in a garage sale, thrift store, or flea market. There’s an equally strong chance that you picked it up, laughed, put it down and walked on. Well, guess what, the FPP has acquired a pile of these cameras. While they’ve been used as cameras given away by different companies who can slap their brand on them but underneath all that we have the MVP Camera, or as the gang has taken to calling it, the Most Valuable Plastic Camera. Made in Taiwan the camera is made completely of moulded plastic, except for a metal plate that adds the weight to the camera. A fixed focus, 50mm f/6 Color Optical lens with apertures ranging from f/6 to f/16 and a fixed 1/100” shutter speed and takes standard 35mm film. Where did the FPP find these cameras, why in a warehouse out in the suburbs around Detroit, Michigan and they’re now up for sale! The package includes the re branded MVP camera in a faux leather case and Ford Motor Company box and a roll of film! The best part is that these toy cameras are only 20$ and make for a great stocking stuffer. Want to read more, check out Mark’s blog on the camera and then head over to our store to pick one up for yourself!
The Bessa…NOT Joe Besser (in a shot as Stinky on the Abbott and Costello TV Show)
The Bessa – The Best Thing since the Leica
Mark Dalzell has with him a beautiful pair of cameras to show off and his favourites currently. The Voitlander Bessa rangefinder. Now before we go further, it should be noted that these cameras, though they carry the Voigtlander name, they’re made by Cosina who acquired the name and began producing cameras. And what cameras they produced, as Mark says, it’s like Kia building a car that can outstrip a Ferrari. These cameras are 35mm rangefinders that were built with various lens mounts including M39 (Leica Thread Mount/LTM), Leica M-Mount, Nikon S, and Contax RF mounts. Making them incredibly valuable to those who own and shoot with them. Now onto the cameras, the first camera is one that Mark doesn’t use that often, released in 2001 the Bessa T features a Leica-M mount and an integrated rangefinder but not a viewfinder, so you need to use an auxiliary viewfinder mounted on the camera’s hot shoe. It’s for this reason that Mark doesn’t take it out that often as he’s afraid of breaking the finder. Mat chimes in and say that many photographers have the camera set up just to do their ultrawide work, so framing is much more easily guessed. Despite no viewfinder, the camera still features full TTL metering. But Mark’s real user camera is the Bessa R, released a year before the T this is a great camera he goes on. With an LTM lens mount he uses his Russian lenses without any trouble, again it has TTL metering and adjustable framing lines in the integrated view/rangefinder that can be adjusted by flipping a switch on the camera body. And one of the best parts is that the camera uses standard backloading. On the used market these cameras are rare, Mat explains because those who own them tend to hold onto them. But if you do come across one, you’ll be looking at between 200-300$ for the R and 100-200$ for the T. There are newer models available as well but most new uses stick to the Leica M-Mount.
The Mighty Canon Scoopic 16mm motion picture camera. Photo by Mike – https://www.flickr.com/photos/ebanator/
16mm Motion Picture – The Canon Scoopic
As many fans of the FPP knows, Michael and John got their start in the motion picture industry and still have a strong connection there. We have a whole section of our store dedicated to motion picture films and even shooting it in still cameras like Eastman Double-X and Vision3 films. So today Michael has with him one of his most recent movie cameras, the Canon Scoopic, released in the 1970s this is a 16mm camera with a beautiful lens and full auto-exposure. It sounds smooth but loud enough to make it hard to use as a single camera as the noise made by the shutter would make recording difficult. Which explains why it was mostly used to capture B-Roll and vehicle shots (cars/helicopter). The 16mm format was used by many amateur filmmakers as well as filmmakers on a tight budget and still has a healthy following today with Kodak manufacturing it in their Vision3 and Tri-X stocks as well as Lomography Turquois and Purple. Fomapan 100R and even Film Ferrania! The one trouble is that the camera only has room for 100 feet of film that gives about 3 minutes of run time, unlike the standard 400 feet (11 minutes). But with some creative work, it’s easy to work with. Of course, you do have to watch out with these cameras they’re often beaten up so look out for light leaks and keep that gaffer tape handy. Looking to stock up? Our store carries 16mm film!
And that’s it for this show! While the gang is going to get some pizza, why not check out our awesome community over on our FPP Flickr group. Also if you want to write us you can send us an email, podcast@filmphotographyproject.com or write us an actual letter to Film Photography Podcast PO Box 264 Fair Lawn, NJ 07410. You can also send donations to our school donation program here or your favourite snacks!