Electro 35 MC. A couple of questions

[wupdigoj]

I have been given this camera in a pretty bad shape, After fixing a desoldered wire and cleaning the contacts, it works. but It seems to underexpose about 1 point. Could it be due to the battery not being a mercury cell (I have used 4 LR44)?.

It has a sort of scale in the barrel with a GN indication. I suppose it has something to do with the use of a flash (GN = guide number?), but I can not guess its function. Finally, the camera seems to "know" that a flash is attached (the shutter speed does not seem to change with the light intensity), but the camera does not have a dial with a flash position like her cousing the electro 35 GSN. Does anybody know how it work?.

I have tried the camera with film, and the lens looks very sharp, even wide open. Is the lens a tessar?. If this is the case, I would have expected it to be softer wide open. I like this camera, it is cute, small and it has a useful focal length.

Thank you.

Javier
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[wupdigoj]

>It has a sort of scale in the barrel with a GN indication. I
>suppose it has something to do with the use of a flash (GN = >guide number?), but I can not guess its function.

I have figured out this: you align the GN of you flash with an index, and this close the iris to the correct position.
Clever, but it relies in the guessestimation of the distance.

>I have tried the camera with film, and the lens looks very sharp, even wide open. Is the lens a tessar?.

I think it is: seven reflections.

It could be nice to have a manual, but the only link I found was broken.

Javier

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[btgc]

Hi Javier, 35 MC is one of my most used cameras. It should be Tessar, at least it has 4/4 configuration. You need 6V silver oxide battery, 4SR44 or stack together 4 SR44 buttons. Don't cheap out on alkalines, this isn't real saving. Now I'm using 4SR44 from GP which costs nothing, so far I'm through 3-4 rolls. Hope it lasts.

You are right - focus (so camera "knows" distance to object), set GN lever to value matching flash output and get aperture adjusted that way. With flash attached speed is 1/30, so forget fill flash but I find it quite useful flashless.

 

[wupdigoj]

Thank you, btgc. After my first try, I have cleaned the viewfinder, cleaned and lubed the helical (it was full of grit), changed the light seals and repaired the frame counter (broken plastic wheel). I think this is a kind of "cheap" camera compared with my other electro 35: some plastic pieces, the iris and the shutter at the rear of the lens... but it is tiny, the lens seems stellar, and you can focus it, choose the aperture and attach it a flash. It is a pity they don't make cameras like this anymore. I have a fresh film in it now and will check the exposure.

Javier

 

[btgc]

I agree, early full-sized 35 G-model cameras were built more substantial, and 35MC is late model. Though I find it solid, at least 35 FC has plastic top/bottom covers and plastic aperture and focus rings.

Aperture and shutter blades are next to body, I think, because of construction - this lens is focused by moving front element, not whole lens barrel. I can't argue, even paired shutter-aperture leasf on 35 FC (so it works also on 35 CC) are fine for this class of cameras.

This camera is SMALL! Small....smal....and works great...GREAT!! 🙂

 

[wupdigoj]

I have developed the film, and it underexpose just 1 point. The exposition is also a bit erratic, so no slide film for it, I am afraid. I can confirm that the focussing is by moving the whole lens and not the frontal element (I disassembled it for cleaning). The sharpness of the lens is amazing!. I think this camera is going to relegate my retina as a carry everywhere camera.

Javier