olympus rd

[infinitydreams]

No worries, was just intrigued.

Hopefully the camera should arrive this week, I'm going to run a test film though and then send it to Luton Repairers for a full service.

Thanks for all the help already, I know I'll have several questions over the next few months!

 

[John Hermanson]

The SP has a more reliable shutter, though there are SPs where the blades don't move when fired. Turns out it's caused by oil on the blades. There is no quick fix for an RD with oily blades. Just unscrewing the front lens group (a problem right there) and cleaning the blades will not do it. It will jam again in the very near future. I'd say about 80% of the RDs I see have jammed front lens group, impossible to unscrew, so shutter has to be disassembled around that. John

 

[infinitydreams]

I've had 2 quotes back and they are both around £60 + VAT which isn't that bad.

Really looking to see what it can do!

 

[-Nash-]

I had a 35RD repaired by Luton too, came back in fantastic working order. While my quote was slightly more (the self timer needed a new part) you'll be looking at £80-90 in total.

My first rangefinder was the 35RC, which I prefer as my main RF. Lens is not as fast but size wise it beats the RD.

 

[infinitydreams]

Also do I need a lens hood for my RD? I've seen many post where people say a lens hood is critical to quality photography.

 

[dreilly]

The RD or SP will both be great cameras to start with. For the price, you simply can't get that quality in a interchangable lens camera, period. It's a great camera to start with...simple, inexpensive and powerful. If you decide you like the RF focusing, then you can always move into interchangeable lens cameras...

I still have an Olympus LC, came out before the SP with the same lens....took some of my best shots with that simple camera with match-needle metering.

doug

 

[infinitydreams]

Did you use a lens hood?

Not sure if I need one for the 35RD and if so where I get one?

 

[infinitydreams]

Also are there specific filters that I should get?

I keep finding rubber hoods with a 49mm thread but can't seem to find metal ones that are 49mm and are square (believe this is needed so the viewfinder doesn't get blocked?)

 

[Brian Legge]

I wouldn't stress about either one for now. Once you've been shooting with the camera for a bit, you'll know what you need.

Having flare problems? Pick up a hood. The lens coating is nice so you might not need it. Have too much light? Pick up an ND, etc.

Anything purchased before you know what will be useful will just get in your way and distract you from the image making side of things.

 

[dreilly]

Agree with Brian. I often have hoods and then never end up using them. I do this weird cuppy thing with my hand in case of glare. Sometimes it works. Ditto with filters. Wait and see how it handles first.

 

[kchong]

Just wondering, how much did you pay for your RD? I've seen a few on that auction site but the price always seems a bit ridiculous (almost $300).

 

[-Nash-]

A faulty RD would get around £50 tops. £150 max if it is in working order.

 

[infinitydreams]

Well I was originally after a Canonet QL17 GIII but the RD came up and I read a few things and then got bait carried away in the bidding and ended up paying £100 which is about $180 I believe.

The reason I went for it was the seller had great feedback and is a kind of online photography equipment seller. The photos looked good and also they claim that it's not suffering from the sticky RD shutter.

It should arrive tomorrow and got film coming as well, it's my first manual camera so I'm ever so excited!

 

[FrankS]

Anticipation is a great feeling!

Actually, I think it is addictive. When I haven't bought anything in a while, I miss having that feeling. Waiting for/anticipating something in the mail is a pleasant distraction from the "daily grind".

I put daily grind in parenthesis because it isn't really, it's just sort of the same old, same old, if you know what I mean.

(I just wanted to explain my use of punctuation, because I know how sensitive we are to that sort of thing here.)

 

[Trius]

Buying an RD requires the purchase of an SP not long thereafter. Just sayin ...😀

 

[infinitydreams]

It better not! lol

My next purchase will be a Bessa R or X100

 

[infinitydreams]

Ok well camera has arrived and it visually look ok but I've got a question...

What exactly should I be seeing in the viewfinder?

I'm not entirely sure if the battery is working, it's a PX625A.

I've also noticed that if I press the shutter release then wind it won't instantly let me press the shutter release again, I have to press it a few time sometimes???

 

[-Nash-]

The 35RD is a shutter priority camera in automatic mode with full manual override. If the shutter locks, then there is too little light available to take an exposure with the selected shutter speed. Try selecting a lower (or higher if there is too much light) shutter speed and then take a exposure. Also, don't forget to select the correct ISO on the focus ring

Luton repair guys should have supplied you with a new 1.5v battery, already loaded, into the camera.

 

[infinitydreams]

It hasn't been for a repair yet as I was hoping it wouldn't need a service straight away.

I guess the battery is dead? The rangefinder area is very dull, is that battery related?

 

[FrankS]

Unfortunately no, it isn't.

But that might improve with a cleaning of the rangefinder/viewfinder optics. Hopefully the RF mirror and or prism has not deteriorated.

Just as an aside, are you able to return the camera for a refund? It sounds like you are going to have a lot of money into this camera, beyond it's marketplace value.