Anyone Shooting an Olympus 35RC?

[charjohncarter]

I love the flash GN setting on the lens. The only camera I know of that compensates for flash that way. I always carry mine loaded with color film. It takes up very little space in any camera bag.

Here is a little thing I've worked out for using the Flashmatic feature on the 35RC, I got some of it from here:

http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/misc/35RC.html

But you don't have to use the Flashmatic feature but I feel it is much more consistent than the Auto settings. Anyway this is my 3 favorite flash styles using the Flashmatic feature:

Olympus 35RC Flashmatic techniques:

Fill Flash: flash on manual, set GN
Set ring to Flashmatic, adjust distance by RF, half depress the shutter, read the aperture (say f5.6).
Set ring to ‘A,’ adjust shutter to give f stop plus two stops (f11).

This gives a proper background and subject ambient light reading while filling in the shadows slightly.

Beating the sun: flash on manual, set GN
Set ring to Flashmatic, adjust distance by RF, half depress the shutter, read the aperture (say f8).
Set ring to ‘A,’ adjust shutter to give the flash f stop (f8), now the tricky part set the manual f/stop to f/8 and remembering the ‘A’ shutter then up shutter speed two stops (say 1/125 to 1/500).

You are giving proper exposure to the subject with your flash while darkening the background.

Indoor flash with some ambient light: set flash on manual, set GN

Before setting the camera on Flashmatic, take an ambient light reading of the room using ‘A’ setting.
Now use your Flashmatic setting and try to get as close to the ambient light reading; shutter and f/stop, as possible without overexposing the background.

This gives your flash shots with some ambient light, your flash shots are not black in the background. When I do this I do it once say shutter speed of 1/30 and the leave it for the duration.

In more simple term: set to Flashmatic, set your shutter to a slower setting to bring up the ambient.

 

[farlymac]

Just got a 35RC in the mail yesterday, and can't wait to try it out. But I'll have to until I get the seals replaced. Already have a step-up to 46mm ordered, so I won't have to buy anymore filters/hoods. I was told by the previous owner to not use the self timer, as he has two others that broke, and now he can't use them.

PF

What the previous owner neglected to tell me, was he had ruined the film transport. Besides the bad seals. And the frame counter dial that was loose in the top. But the self timer works fine. I'm so disgusted, I'ts just going to sit there like a rock. Was going to gift it to a friend of mine who was wanting an Oly, but now that plan is shot.

PF

 

[farlymac]

What the previous owner neglected to tell me, was he had ruined the film transport. Besides the bad seals. And the frame counter dial that was loose in the top. But the self timer works fine. I'm so disgusted, I'ts just going to sit there like a rock. Was going to gift it to a friend of mine who was wanting an Oly, but now that plan is shot.

PF

Ahem...What this owner forgot was that these little cameras need a bit of a push when getting the film from the cannister to the take-up spool. Which means that the film has to be on the sprocket wheel, or it just doesn't go. :bang:

Once I got over that (after taking the spool out to check for damage and finding none), I took the camera out for a spin today. Only got half the roll shot, so maybe tomorrow I'll finish it. I don't know. Maybe my buddy in PA will have to settle for some other camera. Other than the smallish rangefinder patch, I really like this camera. And getting the 43.5-46mm step-up ring will come in handy when I'm shooting B&W. Having the shutter speed dial on the top is a big improvement over the tiny, over-crowded rings on the Ricoh 500G.

PF

 

[farlymac]

Got the first roll back from the RC, and I am quite pleased. I'll post some examples tomorrow, as it's getting kind of late here.

PF

 

[farlymac]

Here are some samples from my repaired 35 RC.


Rt 785 Farmhouse #5 by br1078phot, on Flickr


In The Light Of Winter by br1078phot, on Flickr


Silo #1 by br1078phot, on Flickr


In The Open by br1078phot, on Flickr


Industrial Still Life by br1078phot, on Flickr


803 Dock by br1078phot, on Flickr


8th And Norfolk Bus by br1078phot, on Flickr


Skidder by br1078phot, on Flickr


Forgotten by br1078phot, on Flickr

Taken on Kodak BW400CN unfiltered.
Click on any one of them to see the whole set.

PF

 

[River Dog]

Great little camera with a fantastic lens. Found one in vgc for £25 GBP ($38 USD). Need to use it more though.

 

[petronius]

Great lens for B&W film (here Polypan F):

 

[Deafgrip]

I love my 35 RC, it definetly got me into street photography. It is much smaller and lighter than an Canonet QL17 (which I also own). You can easily shoot one handed all day without getting tired. Make sure you tighten the shutter speed dial if it feels loose. (the 2 hole screw turns counterclockwise, 2 pointy screwdrivers will do the job).
Those were shot on HP5 at 800 ISO.

 

[Russ]

Great lil' rangefinder. It and my Viv ES are my favorites.

 

[Archlich]

I've been interested for a while. Anyone has insight on the build quality? Small it is, does it wobble like contemporary compact rangefinders usually do? Thanks.

 

[boomguy57]

Great shots...I just gave my 35 RC to my buddy who is getting into film photography, but I got some great shots from it!

I loved my QL17 too, maybe a bit more than the RC...not sure, that's a dead heat.

 

[rovnguy]

A very good camera. Its on the small side, but still solid and heavy enough to let you know its in your coat pocket. Great lens and good metering system. I seem to get my best color results with ISO 100 C-41 films.

 

[Bingley]

I've just joined the RC club. Results from a test roll look promising. Plus-X at iso 320 in Diafine:


Driveway Moment by bingley0522, on Flickr



Hoops by bingley0522, on Flickr


Redbud by bingley0522, on Flickr