Bought an Olympus SP

Chuck A

Chuck A

Chuck A
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I found an Olympus SP at a good price so I bought it. I won't have it until this weekend. It is supposed to be in great shape. Anyway I am kinda excited and am interested in any info that owners can give me on its operation and idiosyncracies. 😀 I went to Cameraquest and some other websites but I would like your take.

It appears to be about the same size as a Leica M or Bessa R. Is this correct? Also, is the weight similar? What battery are you folks using? I guess the meter is not accurate if you don't have the correct battery. I was really interested in the RC but I got the SP at such a good price that I went for it. Hopefully it will be in the shape it was listed at. I have heard that the SP has one of the sharpest lenses of the fixed lens rangefinders.

I am excited to have a rangefinder again. Haven't had one since I sold my M2 around 1992. 🙂
 
Chuck,
Congrats, if it's in good working order you've got a truly great little RF. It's shorter than my Bessa R, but wieghs a little more being metal. Luckily a have about a dozen PX625's (real ones) left before they ran out, so batteries aren't a problem. I've heard that a good tech can change them to use 1.5 volt batteries..
Best of luck.
 
I have one, it has a really great lens, it is super sharp. It's my current favourite RF.

It came with a PX625A Alkaline battery, but I thought it underexposed a bit with this with the ISO set to film speed.
I have found the best battery I have used is the 1.4V Zinc Air hearing aid batteries (675 type, come in cheap blister packs) Exposure has always been perfect with this battery using negative film (rated at the film speed)
These 675 batteries fit fine in the chamber without modification (you may wish to put a collar or band around the battery to make it bigger, but I have not found that to be necessary)

It is not the easiest camera to use in metered manual mode as the meter displays EV values so you have to meter, check EV setting on barrel then shoot. Auto exposure mode works fine, just focus and shoot.

Nick
 
You'll need a PX-625 or a Weincell. In AE pressing the shutter button around halfway physically clamps the meter needle..and locks the exposure setting..that's not mentioned in the docs. Flash synch is all speeds. Mighty nice lens.
 
Chuck A said:
How much battery drain do you get because you can't turn the meter off?
Click to expand...
I found a like new original leather case for mine, so the meter is not getting light when not in use. An inexpensive Zing case will also do.
 
Hello Chuck, even if you never put a battery into the 35SP, you still have a great fixed-lens rangefinder.

With regards to a separate forum, there are enough of us here who own a fixed-lens rangefinder like the Olympus in addtion to our other gear. If it was me I would post Oly 35SP questions and images under the "Other" forum in the 35mm forums.
 
The Oly SP is also my favourite rangefinder. I find the EV meter ok and spot metering is useful - it is quite responsive and you get used to working in EV rather shutter speed/aperture settings. I hope you receive an excellent camera.
 
Chuck: Congratulations! I predict you will love this camera. The only quibbles I have are lack of closer focus distance and lack of aperture/shutter speed display in the viewfinder. As mentioned above, the EV system is a little different, but once I apply myself I'm sure I'll find it as easy as someting like match needle, etc.

I have two SPs, one just came bck from a CLA (and it was returned with a genuine 625 battery!) and I shot a roll of Ilford XP2 through it. The negatives looked fine even though the lab that processed the film BUTCHERED the negs with scratches! I know it wasn't the film, me, or the camera, since the camera had just come back from CLA and was super clean, and I didn't mishandle the film in any way. I haven't done any prints, especially since the negs were scratched up. But examining them under a loupe, everything looks sharp, good tonal range, and decent flare performance. The only fault I can find is that perhaps I need to rate that film a little higher (ISO 500 or 640 instead of 400,) as some of the negs had blocked high values and I was pretty careful with metering.

Did you buy your SP off eBay? I saw a couple go at good prices in the last few days.

Trius
 
I got it off Ebay. It is always a gamble buying things like this on Ebay but I got it for a nice price. Even if it needs a CLA the price was good. It is supposed to be working and in good shape. I will know this weekend I hope. It is one of the larger old rangefinders but the lens is supposed to be superb. It is supposed to rival some interchangeable rangefinder lenses. Whether this is true, we will see. What are your experiences?

May I ask where you had your CLA done?
 
I have two of these - one too many? They are just great, particularly the spot metering feature and the lens is sooo sharp!

I use SR44 batteries with my own make of battery adapter - meter works fine and agrees with my Master V and MP.

You will have great fun with this - I'm sure of that!
 
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