Episode 72: Pentax 17, Rollei 35 AF, and Widelux-X OH MY!!!

We return with the first episode with all four hosts in nearly two months with a great show.  We had plans to discuss Fuji and Ricoh on this episode, but like our reputation as the first and only open source film photography podcast, sometimes things don't go as planned.

Recorded within a week of the release of the new half-frame Pentax 17 and a video preview of the upcoming Rollei 35 AF, the gang and I just knew we had to share our thoughts on these two new cameras.  But since none of us have actually seen either camera, we called someone who we knew would have some insight into what it is like to make a new camera in 2024, Marwan El Mozayen from Silvergrain Classics.  As you remember, in Episode 52, Marwan came on the show and talked about his project re-releasing the Widelux panoramic camera, along with the support of none other than Jeff Bridges.

Joining Marwan, Anthony, Paul, Theo, and Mike on this episode are returning callers AJ Gentile, Daniel Bemes, Patrick Casey, Patrick Rapps, Skip Williams, William Pinkham, and first time callers Antony Hands, John Frank, and Brad (we never did get Brad's last name!)

We extensively cover the Pentax 17 and the announcement of the Rollei 35 AF with some behind the scenes thoughts on the development of both cameras, but after covering those two models, Marwan shares with us what's new with the new Widelux, where in development it is at, and possible futures for the camera.

Beyond that, we discuss other swing lens cameras like the Noblex and Viscawide 16, and after that we finally manage to get into Fuji a bit, mainly with their instant film cameras, we cover models like the FP-1, the merits of Instax Wide, and even a brief mention of Fuji's Integral film, called Fuji Ace.  Antony shares with us his love for the Fuji GF670 and GF670W, and Mike promotes a new Argus book that was recently released.

This was a very fun episode chock full of great discussion and interesting information.  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!

Silvergrain Classics Discount Code: During the show, Marwan El Mozayen mentioned that listeners of this show get a discount when ordering a copy of issue #23 of their magazine.  To receive this discount, use code: CAMER24510 when ordering.

For the next episode, since we barely scratched the surface of Fuji and never got to Ricoh like we had planned, maybe we'll do that...or maybe we'll do something else.  WHO KNOWS?!  All I can tell you is that we are back to our regular 2 week cadence of recording new episodes, so whatever we end up talking about, Episode 73 will be recorded on Monday, July 8th at 7pm Central Daylight Time and 8pm Eastern Daylight Time.

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.

In This Episode

• Guess Who's Back? Marwan's Back! / A Brief Intro
• Introducing the Pentax 17 / Marwan Had an NDA Early in the Process of Making the Pentax 17
• Pentax Chose Half Frame to Appeal to Those Used to Smartphones / Many Style Cues Taken from Classic Pentaxes
• Zone Focusing is Ideal for the Type of Lens in the Pentax 17 / What Kind of Shutter Does it Have?
• The Rollei 35 AF is Made By a Company More Known for Instant Film Cameras
• The Rollei Name Today Has Nothing to do with the Original Rolleiflex Name
• Antony Had to Sell Many Cameras to Afford His Leica M7 / The Leica M7 is Awesome
• Pentax is Planning More Cameras, Possibly a Mechanical SLR
• New Electronic Cameras from Pentax and Mint Restart the Clock on Failing Electronic Cameras
• Younger Generations Are Much More Portrait Ratio Oriented
• Silver Bridges is Making the Widelux-X
• The Original Wideluxes Were Never Completely Reliable, the Widelux-X Has to be Better
• Some Parts for the Widelux-X Can Be Used as Replacements for Parts in Original Wideluxes
• Priming the Widelux Lens Before Shooting it Can Help Reduce Uneven Exposures
• Electronic Noblex vs Mechanical Widelux (and Horizont)
• There is No Release Date for the Widelux-X, It Will Be Ready When It Is Ready
• The Viscawide 16 is the Ultimate Swing Lens Camera!
• The Fuji FP-1 Was Made in the 1980s for Peel Apart Instant Pack Film and Was Awesome!
• Fuji Peel Apart Film Was Everyone's Favorite Instant Film
• The Fuji FP-100C Color Film Survives Much Better than the FP-3000B
• There is Zero Chance That Fuji or Polaroid Will Ever Bring Back Peel Apart Instant Film
• LomoGraflok Backs / Adapting 4x5 Cameras to Shoot Instax Wide / Polaroid 110 Cameras
• Fuji Ace Instant Film and Cameras Was Their Version of Integral Instant Film
• Instax Wide / What is the Future for Instax Wide? / Instax Wide 400
• Mike Wishes Fuji Had Made a Semi-Pro Instax Wide Camera
• Other Options for Shooting Instax Wide on Other Sheet Film Cameras
• Mike Promotes the new Book, Argus: Fine American Cameras by Phil Sterritt and Mike Reitsma
• Q&A From the Camerosity Discord / Ninja Star Bokeh / Konica Hexar AF
• Fuji GF670 and GF670W Folding Camera / Get the New SilverGrain Classics Issue

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.

Japan Camera Hunter's Live Preview of the Rollei 35 AF - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWz7A2e05Xc

Argus: Fine American Cameras - https://argusinfo.net/argusbook/ArgusBookMain.htm

Silvergrain Classics - https://shop.silvergrainclassics.com/detail/index/sArticle/42181/sCategory/92

The Official Camerosity Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/camerositypodcast

Camerosity Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/camerosity_podcast/

Theo Panagopoulos - https://www.photothinking.com/

Paul Rybolt - https://www.ebay.com/usr/paulkris

Anthony Rue - https://www.instagram.com/kino_pravda/