andrealimphotography
Member
Hi, I'm new to the forums, I've been reading for a few weeks now and decided to finally join after obtaining a Vivitar35ES, this will be my first rangefinder camera, I've never really used film as well. I've only been using an entry level canon 600D. So this will be pretty interesting. Wondering if there's any guides I can read?
I have not tested it yet as I'm looking for the manual.
I have not tested it yet as I'm looking for the manual.
btgc
Veteran
This is almost same as Revue 400SE...can't remember names of other clones. Basically find a battery and check if exposures seem top be in a ballpark, if they do, load film and put it htough under various light levels to see hot it exposes. Note this is an electric camera - if something is bust in circuit it will not revert to any default settings, as far as I know. You set ISO and speed, camera adjusts aperture. No more, no less - have fun with it and show pictures 
NeeZee
Well-known
Ok, bought the same one on a flea market for 5€ or so years ago and used it quite a lot before getting my leica IIIf. Don't have a manual either, but just ask if you have a question. What might be interesting and not that obvious:
1. As you probably know it's shutter priority, just select your shutter speed on the ring around the lens and let the camera do the rest (in the viewfinder you'll see the chosen aperture - just make sure that it is in the f1-7-f16 range)
2. it takes mercury batteries, using alkalines might work, on mine it does well enough, so i never bothered.
3. make sure the ring closest to the body is set to "auto" (red letters) unless you are using flash. if you do, select the guide number of the flash at the film speed you're using and use ur flash on full power manual. the camera will then automatically choose the correct aperture based on the distance to the subject.
3. The camera will lock the measured exposure when half pressing the shutter button until you release it again. a handy feature.
4. Without a battery the camera will shoot wide open at f1.7 at all speeds.
The rest should be easy to figure out.
1. As you probably know it's shutter priority, just select your shutter speed on the ring around the lens and let the camera do the rest (in the viewfinder you'll see the chosen aperture - just make sure that it is in the f1-7-f16 range)
2. it takes mercury batteries, using alkalines might work, on mine it does well enough, so i never bothered.
3. make sure the ring closest to the body is set to "auto" (red letters) unless you are using flash. if you do, select the guide number of the flash at the film speed you're using and use ur flash on full power manual. the camera will then automatically choose the correct aperture based on the distance to the subject.
3. The camera will lock the measured exposure when half pressing the shutter button until you release it again. a handy feature.
4. Without a battery the camera will shoot wide open at f1.7 at all speeds.
The rest should be easy to figure out.
NeeZee
Well-known
by, the way, if you can read German, French, Dutch or Italian, here's the manual of the Revue 400SE in these languages: http://www.cameramanuals.org/pdf_files/revue_400se.pdf
It's identical to your Vivitar (I have both).
It's identical to your Vivitar (I have both).
andrealimphotography
Member
Thank you for the responses and advice! I'll be messing around with it very soon, everything seems to be in working order, it's also pretty mint. Possibly post some photos from the test roll next week.
Mine came with batteries, and it seems to take an alkaline coin as well neezee, so I guess that's really a plus Thanks for the guide, unfortunately I can't read those languages
However, to anyone that wants a guide for the vivitar35ES, I've actually found one for free online! Somebody of flickr scanned it in.
https://rapidshare.com/files/1432191970/Vivitar_35ES.pdf
Here's a photo of the cam i just bought
Mine came with batteries, and it seems to take an alkaline coin as well neezee, so I guess that's really a plus
Thanks for the guide, unfortunately I can't read those languages However, to anyone that wants a guide for the vivitar35ES, I've actually found one for free online! Somebody of flickr scanned it in.
https://rapidshare.com/files/1432191970/Vivitar_35ES.pdf
Here's a photo of the cam i just bought
f16sunshine
Moderator
Oh ... It's a Konica auto S3! At least it looks the same. There is a manual online just google it.
Nice rig!
Nice rig!
daniel~
Established
Congratulations. Actually it's like twin bro of Minolta Hi-matic 7SII as well...
By the way, my first RF was a Konica Auto S3. Very similar but the top deck is flat on S3, and S3 appears to be the first of the bunch.
I wonder if your Vivitar has the same "tight" shutter release like that on Konica Auto S3. If so, I'd recommend the use of a soft release.
By the way, my first RF was a Konica Auto S3.
Very similar but the top deck is flat on S3, and S3 appears to be the first of the bunch.I wonder if your Vivitar has the same "tight" shutter release like that on Konica Auto S3. If so, I'd recommend the use of a soft release.
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
This is an excellent camera. Enjoy!
ColSebastianMoran
( IRL Richard Karash )
Thanks for the link the manual. It's not long on detail, but nice to have.
konicaman
konicaman
Congrats and welcome on board. Very nice camera indeed. Like the Konica S3 it is build by Cosina and has an excellent image quality. You can use hearing aid batteries 675 - they have the right voltage and are dirt cheap.
teamsc10190
Established
Cosina Co., Ltd. is an original design manufacturer (ODM) of cameras and lenses in Nakano Japan. While I understand that popular and often repeated street lore holds that Cosina origins became the common basis for the Konica Auto S3, Minolta Hi-Matic 7sII, Vivitar 35ES, Revue 400 SE and Prinz 35 ER; there are enough unique attributes for the Konica to speculate otherwise.
Difficult to know definitively as ODM’s rarely divulge who their OE clients are, but the camera chassis’ are similar enough that they could have originated from a single ODM and the final product differentiated with top cap and lens barrel finished independently. This could arguably have been the case with the Minolta, but clearly Vivitar, Revue, and Prinz cameras were wholly built by an ODM as these marketing companies didn’t have the wherewithal to have built their own cameras.
More credible in the case of Konica was that the 1973 Auto S3 was an upgrade to its popular C35 (1968) fitted with a more capable Hexanon lens and advanced daylight Synchro/Flash system. This speculation is supported by the product ID nomenclature in the Japanese home market where the Auto S3 was identified as 'C35 FD' (Flashmatic & Deluxe).