Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #53: Third Time's the Charm

In this information-packed show, we are super glad to announce our 2022 Photowalk with Wayne Setser, to be held on Saturday, October 22, at 8:30 am at the Laurel Snow State Natural Area near Dayton, Tennessee. As most of you know, this is our third attempt, having been thwarted once by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and again by dangerously stormy weather in 2021. So, as the title of the show suggests, we have a good feeling about this one.

You can get all the details by listening to the show, and you can let us know that you are coming by clicking here. We couldn't be more excited about the prospect of getting to photograph with some of our listeners in person and going to lunch together afterward. If there is anyway you can make it, please consider coming!

In our second segment, Wayne and I read an email from Billy Sanford regarding making negatives that are easier to print. Since both Wayne and I shoot film with the intention of making darkroom prints from our negatives, this question is really important to us. Wayne's helpful tips certainly caught my attention, and they may be of use to you.

Our third segment is a camera review (and yes, it's another Minolta). the Minolta Maxxum 5 wasn't even on my radar until about a year ago when I read an excellent article by James Tocchio on his fine blog, Casual Photophile, the title of which is We Should All Be Shooting Dorky AF SLRs and Here's Why. Even though the title of the post did not mention the Maxxum 5, it definitely was his dorky AF SLR "poster child," as he uses the Maxxum 5 to make his point. I recently had the opportunity to get a clean and functional Maxxum 5 with the original 28-80mm kit lens for about $20.00, and I have to say that it is one amazing camera. Even though the camera clearly is intended to be used by beginners to advanced amateurs, it feature lists goes on and on. I've never seen so many professional level features in such a small and light SLR body. When combined with my excellent Minolta AF prime lenses, could this be my "forever" 35mm camera?

We wrap of the show with a contest, and two lucky listeners will receive prints from Wayne and myself. Listen to find out how to win.

As always, we are so very thankful for each and every one of our listeners, and we would love to hear from you. You can send your questions, comments, tips, stories, and even voice memos to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. You also can follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and feel free to leave your feedback there.

Thank you for listening! We'll see you at the 2022 Photowalk!

Uncle Jonesy's Cameras Podcast #52: A Walk in the Park in Wayne

Wayne and I are back with another show that begins with a simple walk in the park. On the morning of the day that we recorded this show, the two intrepid Shutter Brothers met at the North Chickamauga Creek Gorge Trailhead near Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, and had a nice time exploring the beauty of the creek and looking for things that, in the words of Wayne, "want to be photographed." Both Wayne and I exposed two sheets of 4x5 film, and by the time we made it back to our vehicles, we were ready to head to Chattanooga to get some lunch and record a podcast show. 

Our show begins with a camera, of course, a very cool and interesting product from Kodak:  the Signet 35. The Signet 35 was the finest of all Kodak's American-made cameras, and the build quality is readily apparent. Rumors are that this camera was originally designed for military use, and the oversized knobs and ease of repair makes this seem likely. Wayne has had several of these over the years, and he brought his current example for me to try out. You can count on me for a full report.

Our second segment is a tale of two developers. First, Wayne, inspired by listener Jr. Wyatt, shares his experience with Thornton's Two-Bath Developer, a developer based on the two-ingredient D-23 that I have been using of late. A complete guide to mixing and using Thornton's Two Bath Developer can be found on the very useful website, Pictorial Planet, which is the work of John Finch.Next, Kevin shares his experience with an environmentally friendly version of his beloved D-76, know as D-76H. Kevin learned of D-76H from a very helpful article by Tim Layton on his website, Tim Layton Fine Art.

In our third segment, we read (and listen to) some great listener feedback while sharing our tips on keeping dust off our negatives. Finally, we make an important announcement about our forthcoming third attempt at the UJC/Safelight District Photowalk. 

We can never fully express to you our gratitude for our listeners, and we want you to know that you are are a necessary part of the UJC Team. Therefore, we invite you to take an active role in the content of the show by giving us your feedback. You can send your questions, comments, tips, stories, and even voice memos to unclejonesyscameras@gmail.com. You also can follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and feel free to leave your feedback there.

Thank you for listening! Now let’s go get some pitchas!