The Leica M2 is a very special camera to me because when we started our journey of starting a family, I made the conscious decision to use solely the Leica M2 to document the whole way. Now it has become a very special family heirloom that I hope will be passed down after me. Don't… Continue reading The Leica M2 – My Family Heirloom
Tag: vintage camera review
One Camera One Month: 6 Months In
2025 started out rough for me. I have been in the middle of a full blown flare-up with my Crohn's disease, so everything in my life has been turned upside down. One thing I didn't want to have to worry about was losing my love for taking photos in the midst of all the craziness.… Continue reading One Camera One Month: 6 Months In
The Leica IIIF – Worth the Frustration?
Now I hate to start a review off with negativity about a camera, but the Leica IIIF is probably one of the most frustrating cameras I have ever used! With its tiny viewfinder, delicate shutter, and absolutely frustrating way of loading film among the list of cons, it can be hard to say if the… Continue reading The Leica IIIF – Worth the Frustration?
The Voigtländer Bessa R2C and 2 Lenses
What do you get when you take a reasonably well made camera body (some variants are better than others) and slap some really nice lenses on it? A great idea and way to sell a camera. The Voigtländer Bessa R2C and its siblings set out to revitalize the Voigtländer name, but not through the original… Continue reading The Voigtländer Bessa R2C and 2 Lenses
The Imperial Satellite II
You may remember from a previous article where I received an Imperial Satellite II from my uncle along with the Satellite I27. With that first review, I said using it was a labor of love, and this experience has been no different. Let me explain. The Improved Satellite 127 While the II was marketed as… Continue reading The Imperial Satellite II
Silberra Color 100 – My 1st Thoughts
Originally I had decided not to post this article when the war against Ukraine first started out. It just didn’t feel right to me to promote a Russian film at the time. Years later, however, I doubt my thoughts on this film will have any effect on the turmoil going on. So here is my… Continue reading Silberra Color 100 – My 1st Thoughts
Family Fun with the Olympus Pen FT
I’ve owned the Olympus Pen FT for years now but have only ran a few rolls through it. I just haven’t found the patience for double the amount of frames at half the resolution. However, on a family outing earlier this year, I decided to bring it along for snaps because I figured with the… Continue reading Family Fun with the Olympus Pen FT
First Thoughts: the Minolta XE-7
I am blessed enough to have a nice size collection of cameras, and even further blessed that most of my collection came from friends and family. One of those cameras is my Minolta XE-7 that was given to me by my friend Alex Luyckx. If you are an active member of the film community I’m… Continue reading First Thoughts: the Minolta XE-7
Kiev 4A – A Contax Clone
The Kiev 4A is the third Soviet camera that I have gotten to try. It is another camera from the extensive collection of Mike Eckman, who was nice enough to lend me this one along with the FED-2 that I previously reviewed. I don't call this camera the Contax copy. I like to call it… Continue reading Kiev 4A – A Contax Clone
The Fed-2 – A Soviet Leica
The FED factory, located in the Soviet Ukraine, started creating Leica copies in the 1930's. This was after the Soviet Union stopped importation of photographic equipment. The history of the factory leaves you with a bit of goose bumps, and not just for the poor orphans that worked there. FED was named for the initials… Continue reading The Fed-2 – A Soviet Leica