Chinon EE 35

[KameraKev]

Hi All,

I just picked up a Chinon EE 35 in great condition, in fact, aside from the fact that the foam is deteriorating, it appears pristine. I am wondering, since it was designed to use a px675 mercury battery, if the meter would perform up to standards using a 1.35 volt hearing aide battery. Also, I a wondering if anyone knows what filter size it uses, and if anyone has an idea of how good the lens is. I like the small size of this camera, and to me, it would make a good pocket camera.

Thanks,
Kevin

 

[zuikologist]

Hi

It is an nice little camera - the lens is quite sharp with good contrast and colour balance a little on the cool side (at least on the version I have). Filter size is 46mm so should be easy to find. Seems to work ok on hearing aid batteries - I adjust the ASA dial down by one stop.


Matt Denton is quite keen on this camera:

http://homepage.mac.com/mattdenton/photo/cameras/gaf_memo35.html

I think I have the manual somewhere if you would like a photocopy.

 

[KameraKev]

Thanks for the quick comeback, it sounds like it was a good deal (4 bucks), I may even have a 46mm uv filter at home. You are talking to the uneducated here, so if I were use 200 asa film, and a 1.35v battery, what would I set the asa setting to?
Kevin

 

[zuikologist]

You might need to experiment a little on exposure.

Hearing aid batteries are usually 1.4v, which provides slightly too much voltage to the lightmeter and fools it into thinking it is receiving more light than it is, resulting in underexposure. With 200ASA film, dial in 100ASA on the camera and see how that works. I believe the old PX675 (mercury) was 1.3v, so you may be ok anyway. Someone might like to confirm the last sentence (please!).

 

[cbass]

Second that -- I also believe the old PX675 was a 1.35 volt battery.

FWIW I owned a GAF Point Five which is a carbon copy of the Chinon. The 38/2.7 lens was a pretty good perfomer but I found the sharpness would fall off dramatically in the edges, noticeable even on 4x6" prints.

I used my GAF with a 1.5 volt button battery and it made good exposures with print film. As a walkaround RF it was tough to beat. Even with my worries about the AE, the GAF/Chinon was capable of very good after-dark exposures. It's a fun camera to use. Enjoy yours.

 

[Trius]

I use 1.4v zinc-air hearing aid batteries in my cameras which take PX625s. On print films it works just fine. And in an OM-1n some slides I just shot looked fine. The difference in 1.4 and 1.35 v is not enough to make a significant difference.

The hearing aid batteries are smaller in diameter, though. To compensate and hold the battery in the chamber, you can use a #9 o-ring, easily available at hardware stores. Just slip the battery into the centre of the o-ring. This won't work if the o-ring cuts off any electrical contact, of course, but usually that's not the case.

I have a Konica C35, which I think is roughly the same camera. It's a nice little camera, and I have recently acquired an auto-up (close up) adapter for it.

I'm not sure how the lenses of the two cameras compare, but the Konica lens is pretty good. Not as sharp or distortion free as my Olympus 35SP or even the Minolta 7s, but close enough for smallish prints. There are samples iin my gallery.

You can spend more than 4 budks on a single roll of film. Enjoy!

Trius

 

[Jon Goodman]

All versions of this camera were pretty neat. Hearing aid batteries and C-41 process film will be a good match for each other. If you need to replace the foam seals, please let me know...even though it takes more than its share of foam on the film door, I believe I can send you what you need to re-seal it for $6. I've used one of these for years...mucho years (maybe before Al Gore invented the internet, in fact).
Jon

 

[DougK]

I have a Konica C35 Automatic which is a pretty close cousin to the Chinon. I use the Wein replacement cells in mine and it's been bang-on with exposures on T-Max 100 and Kodak 400 C41 film at the rated speed. They are a little pricier than hearing aid batteries and slightly more difficult to find but I think it's worth it to get a closer replacement for the original cell.

Definitely a fun camera to shoot with and the only thing I'm lacking to make it a solid travel camera is an X-14 flash unit (if anyone knows where I can get one, has one they don't want or need, or can recommend a similar unit which will work, please PM me and let me know).

 

[KameraKev]

Thanks for the offer of the foam kit John, however I replaced the foam myself this afternoon using an exacto knife, and craft foam. It seems to be something I do regularly with my growing collection of 1960's/70's cheap rangefinders. I like that idea of using C41/hearing aide batteries, I'm wondering if the lens is indeed soft around the edges if this will result in a bokeh effect?
Kevin

 

[Trius]

Kevin: I don't think I can comment on the bokeh of my C35, I haven't really studied it. And your Chinon has a different (though perhaps very similar) lens. But the one "problem" with this camera is that since it is totally automatic exposure/programmed, you have no control over aperture. So it may be difficult to evaluate bokeh unless you know the aperture/shutter speed combinations and can control the shots with light level.

Trius

 

[KameraKev]

Is it possible to set the aperture using the aperture setting for the flash?

 

[zuikologist]

I have not used the 35 EE in flash mode, but I think it is possible to set the aperture. The shutter defaults to a fixed speed (1/30 sec?).