Got my first roll back (Vivitar 35ES)

[Nobuya]

Hi everyone,
I just finished scanning the very first roll of film from my brand-new (for me) Vivitar 35ES. Using this camera was a wonderfully refreshing experience. This is my first 35mm film photography in three years. The camera body is very compact yet easy to operate. The light meter is not only functioning but amazingly accurate. (I used a slide film so that I could test the light meter.)

Onto the results. I was fully anticipating to see a "70s look" in the results but what I saw was fairly vibrant colors and perfectly acceptable contrast, at least on the light table. But I was disappointed after close inspection of the scanned photos. Lots of blurred images! I just can't steadily handhold this small camera. I sometimes use 1/15 sec with another much bigger RF camera with good results, but with this Vivitar, all 1/15 shots turned unusable, and many of 1/30 sec shots were blurred. Also, I found that it's extremely difficult to focus the lens wide open. Most of my wide open shots (f1.7) missed focus. I'm curious if other owners of this camera (or similar RF camera from the 70s with fast glasses) found this to be the case.

Anyway, I'm enjoying this new toy. I like it so much that I already cleaned the finder inside out, refreshed light seals, resoldered the synch terminal cable, and adjusted the light meter. I just need to learn how to use it! Anyway, here are some of reasonably sharp pictures from the first roll.

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=263583278&size=o
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=263583280&size=o
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=263583281&size=o

Nobuya

 

[burninfilm]

I'd hate to ask what might be a stupid question, but are you sure the rangefinder is properly adjusted? If your wide open shots are the ones most consistently out of focus, than an inaccurate rangefinder would be a very probable cause.

I'm surprised that you are having trouble with slower shutter speeds, as I've never had a problem with any RF or SLR around 1/30th. In fact, the Vivitar should give you a slight slow shutter speed advantage since it has a leaf shutter. Just be sure to brace more carefully, hold your breath, and press the shutter release easily. Sometimes with these smaller cameras, you just need to concentrate harder on preventing camera movement.

 

[Nobuya]

I'd hate to ask what might be a stupid question, but are you sure the rangefinder is properly adjusted?

This is a valid point, and I admit that I haven't tested the accuracy of the rangefinder. The inifinity focus looks ok when focusing on the moon. Thanks for pointing this out. I'll check it.

As for the hand shake issue, i'm surprised, too! With lens shutter cameras, I've been having luck with 1/30 sec and many times at 1/15. Even with an SLR, I can usually trust my ability to hold steady at 1/30 for 35mm or 50mm lenses.

Because of the bad results from slow shutter speed (and wide open) shots, I haven't been able to really see what this lens can actually deliver in a low light condition.

 

[Kat]

I bought one a while back, but still waiting for the camera to make its way to my part of the world. I hope the lens in mine can give me results as sweet as yours.🙂

 

[lubitel]

I really like this camera too. I haven't had focusing issues, accept its a bit hard to focus in the dark, but I get good results at 1/30 with it.

 

[JoeFriday]

my Viv 35ES has always been one of my favorite cameras.. perhaps just because it was so much better than the low expectations I had for it

I've never had problems focusing mine and I rarely have even remotely blurry images.. here are some of mine...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joefriday/tags/vivitar35es/

 

[Nobuya]

I bought one a while back, but still waiting for the camera to make its way to my part of the world. I hope the lens in mine can give me results as sweet as yours.🙂

I hope you get it soon. It's a sweet little camera that strikes a good balance between modern functionarities and the simplicity of old cameras.

I really like this camera too. I haven't had focusing issues, accept its a bit hard to focus in the dark, but I get good results at 1/30 with it.

I guess it's time to practice my hand holding skill. Do you have any pictures taken with this camera in your gallery?

 

[Nobuya]

my Viv 35ES has always been one of my favorite cameras.. perhaps just because it was so much better than the low expectations I had for it

I've never had problems focusing mine and I rarely have even remotely blurry images.. here are some of mine...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joefriday/tags/vivitar35es/

Sweet pictures! I actually read your comments here on the Vivitar before buying mine, and your favorable comments played a big part in my decision.🙂 So thank you.

I agree, my expectation was low, too. I was recently scanning old negatives taken with an old P&S camera, and the quality was totally underwhelming. Looking at the results from the Vivitar was a revelation.

 

[cbass]

Hi Nobuya,

Cooool...another 35ES user! One thing I really like about this camera that often goes unmentioned is the high eyepoint. I wear glasses and I can easily see the entire brightline and f/stop scale in the VF.

I've attached a few samples from my 35ES. The first is a poorly-scanned shot of my father-in-law taken wide open at 1/15, illuminated by faint window light (you can see it's a bit blurry). The second is an outdoor shot of a local park taken in heavy fog at roughly f/5.6 and 1/125. The third is a grab shot of two neighborhood kids; I can't remember the settings I used. The last shot is the actual camera.

I brought my 35ES to France and Holland last April and it made an excellent travel camera. Pefect for all the museums and cathederals in which flash photography was prohibited. One of these days I will buy a scanner and post some of my better photos from the trip 😱 .

PS - your photo #2 is great. Is that your daughter? Is she mugging for the camera; I love it 🙂 .

 

[agi]

I've been using my Viv 35Es for a few months now and I'm loving it as well.

Here's some of the shots I've taken with it: http://www.alapan.com/blog/?cat=32

 

[DMG]

Joe where is that building about on your flickr page you linked up?

 

[Silva Lining]

Heh, All the Viv 35ES users come out of the woodwork!

I too am a user and a fan of this camera - it is great

Some of my 35ES shots can be found Here

 

[JoeFriday]

Joe where is that building about on your flickr page you linked up?

are you referring to this shot?

it's in Madison, Wisconsin.. about a block away from the Capital Building

 

[DMG]

yeah that's the one, cool shot of a weird building, it's almost like a giant puzzle box

 

[Nobuya]

Nice pictures everyone. I noticed that this camera is pretty unobtrusive when shooting streets. No beeps, no AF motor noise, no lamps and flash, no countless buttons to fiddle. Just a tiny metal box. With larger cameras I sometimes get a look that says "what the hell is this guy doing? let's keep an eye on him for a while." But with this little Vivitar, people's attention gets lost in seconds, probably thinking that they just saw a weird but harmless guy. Nice.

 

[Trius]

IIRC the ES is the same size as the Konica C35 (and equivalents) but with 1.7 lens instead of 2.8, right? And just when I sold my C35. I love the 42/1.7 on the Oly 35SP, but an ever-so-slightly wider lens on the ES' smaller chassis would also please me. Hmmpf.