casual photophile

Our Favorite Posts, Thanks, and Happy New Year
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Hi everyone. James here. As you all surely know, the last few pages are being written and soon we’ll close the book on 2016. For us at Casual Photophile, it’s been a great and challenging…

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Canon AE-1 Program vs AE-1 – Camera Review
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If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. A good philosophy, and one that Canon kept in mind when designing the follow-up to their massively successful AE-1 SLR. After five years of that machine’s unprecedented sales…

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Leica Minilux – Camera Review
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There are few cameras that elicit the kind of lustful ogling as those made by Leica. For many photophiles, Leica’s machines are the holy grail of cameras. And for many devoted followers, Leica is a…

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Kodak BW400CN – Film Profile
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We’re back with another film profile to help you decide which film is right for you. In the past we’ve profiled two Kodak films that are still being produced today; the smooth-as-silk Kodak Ektar 100, and the invitingly…

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Minolta X-700 – Camera Review
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I’ve long been a fan of Minolta’s cameras and lenses. The boys and girls working in Osaka were always among the most innovative, forward-thinking, and truly exceptional camera-makers. And while they had their share of…

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Should We Photograph the Homeless?
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It’s my belief that a writer’s job is to ask questions. As the owner of a camera shop and the founder of CP, I spend a lot of time thinking about photography, cameras, and what it…

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Kodak Portra 400 – Film Profile
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There’s no such thing as a “perfect” film. Let’s just get that out of the way. Every shooter has different tastes regarding tone, color, grain, etc., but if ever a film could manage to be…

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Exploded Views – Canon AF35M
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It seems we’ve been on something of a Canon binge lately. We’ve reviewed the classic A-1, put a wide FD lens through its paces, and just wrapped up our AE-1 springtime giveaway! Yes, the past few…

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4 Reasons Why the Leica M2 is Better Than the M3
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[Editor’s Note : Someone read this article and sent me a message that, in part, told me to kill myself. Pretty ridiculous, but I wanted to clarify that this tongue-in-cheek article is more of a silly…

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Five Great Point and Shoot Film Cameras Organized by Budget and Capability
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Here are five excellent point and shoot film cameras organized by price and capability. Find your best fit and have fun shooting!

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Exploded Views – Minolta MC Rokkor 50mm F/2
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Here’s another installment in our Exploded Views feature. Last time we featured the Canon AE-1, and this week we’re showcasing something that’s admittedly simpler, less jaw-dropping, and easier on our bleeding fingertips. It’s Minolta’s MC…

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Leica M2 Vulcanite / Leather Replacement (How To Video)
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I’ve had a Leica M2 with cracked and missing vulcanite sitting on a shelf for over two months. It was sad, ugly, and wasting away. So this weekend I decided to do something about it. Replacing the…

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Exploded Views – Canon AE-1
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Casual Photophile was born from an appreciation that cameras are amazing, tiny machines. What better way to illustrate the intricacy and wonder of these little devices than to tear them apart and splay their innards across a…

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Olympus OM2 (OM2n) – Camera Review
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The Olympus OM system has a long history of both exceptional and under appreciated machines. While the OM1 was received by professional photogs, the press, and industry insiders as a marvel of miniaturization, design, and…

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