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We’re used to modern multi-element, multi-group lenses regarding optics. But it hasn’t always been that way; some of the earliest cameras used only a single element. But this often caused quality issues, so adding a second element limited the effects of chromatic and spherical aberration. The earliest applications of these Achromat lenses were in telescopes that trace back to the 18th Century. But Charles Chevalier’s (a noted name in early photographic optics) creation of his Daguerrotype Achromat lens changed the face of photography in those pioneering days. While Chevalier’s lenses are still sought by modern wet and dry plate photographers for us who shoot film,Read More →

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The team here digs into the cursed cameras as we get into the spooky season. Those that never worked right or had something strange going on made us want to call in a young priest and an old priest. These cameras include the Zenit 3m that John kept trying to find a working body, but at least got that sweet Helios 44 lens (in m39 mount), and even his one working body ended up having shutter issues. Bill and the Canon F-1 with a mysterious light leak due to a bad repair job. Alex and his struggles with the iconic Argus C3 and the strangeRead More →

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Established in 2013 by MainStreetHost and taken on by Alex Luyckx Photography in 2015, #photochat is a community of photography professionals and enthusiasts who congregate to talk shop and discuss anything and everything photography. To participate in our weekly chat (every Thursday at 1:00pm) search the #photochat hashtag to see the conversation, or find me at @AlexLuyckxPhoto on Twitter for more info. Include the hashtag in your tweets to answer the questions and talk with the other participants. If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in #photochat, hop onto Facebook, Twitter, or good old fashioned Email and let me know! Our Topic forRead More →

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At a glance, it might be hard to believe that the old Canadian National Station in Owen Sound looks like Grand Trunk had built in the early 20th Century, but this station is the second one built in 1931. It is also one of the most complex stations to find accurate detail online. The first successful railway line to arrive in Owen Sound was the Toronto, Grey & Bruce line from Fraxa Junction in 1873, north of the town core and on the eastern side of the harbour. After the takeover by Canadian Pacific in 1884, after Grand Trunk dismissed their chance to take overRead More →

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Here I go again, sticking my nose into a speciality film. Copex Rapid, as the name on the tin says, is a high-contrast copy film that requires a special developer. Copex Rapid is a faster version of the original Copex. So a stop faster can be helpful in the right conditions. The trouble is that the special developer is not readily available in North America and is even harder to get in Europe. But that hasn’t stopped me before, so I took a chance. You’ll notice that I decided to drop one of my usual developers, Ilfotec HC, as it stated it was high-contrast, andRead More →

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When photographing animals, one of the best ways to get close and personal is to visit a zoo. And we’re lucky here in Ontario to have the fantastic Toronto Zoo. Which is more than just a zoo; it also acts as a leader in conservation both in Canada and around the World. This past weekend Heather and I took our son to the Toronto Zoo for the first time, and while he enjoyed just being at the zoo and sleeping, I decided to take out a lens I haven’t taken out since 2019. The Tamron 100-300mm is one that isn’t the best lens in myRead More →

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Established in 2013 by MainStreetHost and taken on by Alex Luyckx Photography in 2015, #photochat is a community of photography professionals and enthusiasts who congregate to talk shop and discuss anything and everything photography. To participate in our weekly chat (every Thursday at 1:00pm) search the #photochat hashtag to see the conversation, or find me at @AlexLuyckxPhoto on Twitter for more info. Include the hashtag in your tweets to answer the questions and talk with the other participants. If there’s a topic you’d like to see covered in #photochat, hop onto Facebook, Twitter, or good old fashioned Email and let me know! Our Topic forRead More →

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In: A Faded Glory
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The placement of the former Canadian Pacific station in Owen Sound was the first thing that struck me as odd; the second was the station’s design. Given the overall architecture of the surrounding city dated to the 19th Century, this station was clearly from the post-war era. Owen Sound’s history with the railroad is one of constant disappointment. None of the big three from the early colonial railways made their way out to the community on the Upper Great Lakes. In 1869, Scottish investor, George Laidlaw, chartered a pair of narrow-gauge railways, Toronto & Nipissing and Toronto, Grey & Bruce. For Toronto, Grey & Bruce,Read More →

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The first thing you’re going to think when you take a look at a C220f is that this is going to be a heavy camera, and then you’re going to pick it up and notice that it is relatively light for its size and form factor. I love a good system camera, but outside of the SLR world, there isn’t much in the way of system cameras in the medium format realm. At least until you look up Mamiya’s rather interesting C-Series of TLRs, they are proper TLRs in every way, but it’s also a complete system camera with interchangeable lenses, grips, and finders; theRead More →

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In today’s episode, the team sets about discussing their favourite single malt scotches and whiskeys, well, not really. We consume some fine single-malt during our lively discussion about developing tanks and different systems for home processing, from the simple to the complex, steel, plastic, and constant rotation. Steel When it comes to a classic system, look no further than steel tanks and reels. These come in fixed sizes, and you must buy different reels for different formats. But the bonus is that you can use them wet. But not all reels are made equal; Hewes is the best brand for quality and ease of loading.Read More →