Camera Talk is the primary home for video and written reviews of cameras, books and photography. While not limited to film photography, the majority of the content focuses on that genre.
The primary author and creator of the video and written reviews for this website is Mike Elek, who has been involved in photography for more than half a century.
Some thoughts from Mike:
Spartus camera
“The first camera that I ever had was given to me by my mother. It was a Spartus folding camera that used 127 film. I shot quite a bit with it – as much as you can when you’re in the sixth grade.
I processed my first roll of film when I was 12 years old. My mom took me to a photography shop in McKeesport, Pa., and bought for me a GAF film-developing tank and small packets of Kodak D-76 film developer, plus Kodak Stop Bath and Kodak Fixer. I made contact prints with a small wooden frame and Kodak Velox paper.
“I bought my first 35mm camera with Christmas tips from my paper route. After studying a number of camera ads in photography magazines, I took the bus to downtown Pittsburgh and bought a Cosmorex SE 500 from a small camera shop on Forbes Avenue.
“I’ve owned many cameras since then, and I hope to share my experiences and talk about what I’ve learned and help others become interested and passionate about photography.”
Mike Elek is a longtime journalist with many interests. He is a graduate of Duquesne University and an Air Force veteran.
