bmattock
Veteran
The Olympus-35 EC/EC2/ECR series cameras are larger than the super-tiny Olympus XA series cameras, and larger (correction - SMALLER) than the small Olympus 35 RC cameras. They are tiny, but solid - they feel heavy in the hand, and having had the tops off several of these now, I can say that they are well-constructed.
The body of the camera resembles the Olympus 35 RC. It is smaller and much thinner. The ECR is a tiny bit (very tiny bit) thicker than the EC/EC2 in order to accomodate the rangefinder mechanism. Both cameras are matte silver with black leatherette covering, they have an interesting rewind lever on the bottom of the camera, and they wind film backwards from most 35's - the roll is on the right and winds to the left. Since the rewind is on the bottom, that also means that the frames are 'upside down' for scanning purposes when you load them with the frame numbers
right-side up (assuming you scan your negs).
The top of the cameras are bit different. Both sport a hotshoe and a PC socket on the left side of the top, but the EC/EC2 has a thumbwheel for adjusting the ASA (now known as ISO). It goes from 25 to 800. The ECR sets the ASA via a wheel on the front of the lens itself, just like the Olympus 35 RC. Both cameras sport the Olympus E. Zuiko 42mm f2.8 lens - a real firecracker, as we shall see.
Both cameras have a standard shutter release and a thumbwheel wind-on for the film winding. However, in all cases, the winding wheel does not cock the shutter - this is done by the up-and-down action of the shutter release itself. In other words, when you fire the shutter, you are cocking the shutter for the next shot. This makes wind-on very easy and very quiet. This could be a stealthy camera if used that way.
Both cameras sport a lever that resembles a self-timer, but it is a trigger lock. Up to fire, down to lock the shutter release. Both cameras have a light on top to indicate exposure, which is the same light seen in the viewfinder. Sorry, but I'm color blind and have no idea what colors show or what they mean. I ignore them.
The EC and EC2 are zone-focus cameras; the ECR is a true rangefinder. They do not offer any manual controls - shutter speed and aperture are set automatically. This means, of course, that the batteries must be installed and the meter must be functioning - no meter, no photos. With the EC, if the meter is not powered or not functioning, you lose a frame - the shutter clicks but does not open and must be wound on to the next frame. With the ECR, the shutter is locked, so at least you do not lose a frame if you try to take a photo when the meter is kaput.
The EC has a VERY big bright viewfinder - one of the best I've seen, on any zone-focus camera, aside from perhaps the Zeiss Ikon series. Super brightline framing, which does not change to adjust for parallax, but an indicator across the bottom which shows icons of a mountain, people, a person, and a tight head-n-shoulders shot to indicated which distance you've selected. Strange, since the zone focus controls are in feet on the lens itself. Click stops at 3.5 feet, 5 feet, 10 feet, and infinity. There is a 'closer than 3.5 feet' click stop, but that shows up to the right of the head-n-shoulders icon in the viewfinder - odd.
The ECR has a less than perfect viewfinder, even when nice and clean. Oh, it's ok, nothing horrible, but after looking through the EC (I don't have an EC2 to compare), you're spoiled. The framelines are not as brightly lit, they are also non-moving for parallax, but they have crop marks to mentally crop. Both viewfinders have lights in the top to indicate when the shutter speed is ok and when flash is recommended.
Both cameras offer the type of 'flashmatic' setting seen on many compact 35's of that era - you set the GN of the flash you're using on a ring on the lens barrel - it takes care of the shutter speed/f-stop for that output. I haven't tested it on these cameras, but on similar cameras it has worked well - I would suspect it would here as well.
Both cameras have a double-battery well at the bottom of the camera, which was meant to hold two of those awful mercury PX640 batteries. What I did was to make two small tubes of cardboard, like a mini toilet paper roll. I stuff these in the holes, then fill up one bay with crumpled aluminum foil. The other bay gets two zinc-air hearing aid batteries, size 675. That gets me the voltage I want, but I notice that the lights just flicker - they were probably meant to light more brightly and for longer. However, my test shots with both cameras indicate to me that the shutters are working properly.
My photos from tonights journey after work with my ECR (arrived yesterday, restored it last night - the battery well was well corroded and the rangefinder was filthy) are here:
http://www.cameramentor.com/olympus_ecr/
I have found additional resources on the Oly EC/EC2/ECR here:
http://www.geocities.com/heidoscop/olympus_35_ecr.htm
http://www.star.ucl.ac.uk/~rwesson/esif/om-sif/camhistory/camhistory.htm
http://mcfaddenphoto.com/35ecr.htm
http://35mm-compact.com/compact/olympus35ecr.htm (in French)
I have to say that I am well pleased with both cameras. I prefer the viewfinder of the zone-focus EC, and for your typical outdoor shots, I cannot see why I would want to bother with the rangefinder version. However, one cannot do DOF effects well on close-in subjects with zone focus - not like you can with a well-adjusted rangefinder, so I prefer the ECR for that. Both are quite handy.
If you choose to get one off eBoy, you should be advised - although they are easy to work on, I have three - two work and one is dead. All were DOA when they first arrived, all had corrosion in the battery wells. One never recovered. Don't pay a lot for these, is what I'm saying. I paid (as I recall) $4.99, $9.99, and $7.00. The $9.99 camera is the one that still doesn't work.
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
The body of the camera resembles the Olympus 35 RC. It is smaller and much thinner. The ECR is a tiny bit (very tiny bit) thicker than the EC/EC2 in order to accomodate the rangefinder mechanism. Both cameras are matte silver with black leatherette covering, they have an interesting rewind lever on the bottom of the camera, and they wind film backwards from most 35's - the roll is on the right and winds to the left. Since the rewind is on the bottom, that also means that the frames are 'upside down' for scanning purposes when you load them with the frame numbers
right-side up (assuming you scan your negs).
The top of the cameras are bit different. Both sport a hotshoe and a PC socket on the left side of the top, but the EC/EC2 has a thumbwheel for adjusting the ASA (now known as ISO). It goes from 25 to 800. The ECR sets the ASA via a wheel on the front of the lens itself, just like the Olympus 35 RC. Both cameras sport the Olympus E. Zuiko 42mm f2.8 lens - a real firecracker, as we shall see.
Both cameras have a standard shutter release and a thumbwheel wind-on for the film winding. However, in all cases, the winding wheel does not cock the shutter - this is done by the up-and-down action of the shutter release itself. In other words, when you fire the shutter, you are cocking the shutter for the next shot. This makes wind-on very easy and very quiet. This could be a stealthy camera if used that way.
Both cameras sport a lever that resembles a self-timer, but it is a trigger lock. Up to fire, down to lock the shutter release. Both cameras have a light on top to indicate exposure, which is the same light seen in the viewfinder. Sorry, but I'm color blind and have no idea what colors show or what they mean. I ignore them.
The EC and EC2 are zone-focus cameras; the ECR is a true rangefinder. They do not offer any manual controls - shutter speed and aperture are set automatically. This means, of course, that the batteries must be installed and the meter must be functioning - no meter, no photos. With the EC, if the meter is not powered or not functioning, you lose a frame - the shutter clicks but does not open and must be wound on to the next frame. With the ECR, the shutter is locked, so at least you do not lose a frame if you try to take a photo when the meter is kaput.
The EC has a VERY big bright viewfinder - one of the best I've seen, on any zone-focus camera, aside from perhaps the Zeiss Ikon series. Super brightline framing, which does not change to adjust for parallax, but an indicator across the bottom which shows icons of a mountain, people, a person, and a tight head-n-shoulders shot to indicated which distance you've selected. Strange, since the zone focus controls are in feet on the lens itself. Click stops at 3.5 feet, 5 feet, 10 feet, and infinity. There is a 'closer than 3.5 feet' click stop, but that shows up to the right of the head-n-shoulders icon in the viewfinder - odd.
The ECR has a less than perfect viewfinder, even when nice and clean. Oh, it's ok, nothing horrible, but after looking through the EC (I don't have an EC2 to compare), you're spoiled. The framelines are not as brightly lit, they are also non-moving for parallax, but they have crop marks to mentally crop. Both viewfinders have lights in the top to indicate when the shutter speed is ok and when flash is recommended.
Both cameras offer the type of 'flashmatic' setting seen on many compact 35's of that era - you set the GN of the flash you're using on a ring on the lens barrel - it takes care of the shutter speed/f-stop for that output. I haven't tested it on these cameras, but on similar cameras it has worked well - I would suspect it would here as well.
Both cameras have a double-battery well at the bottom of the camera, which was meant to hold two of those awful mercury PX640 batteries. What I did was to make two small tubes of cardboard, like a mini toilet paper roll. I stuff these in the holes, then fill up one bay with crumpled aluminum foil. The other bay gets two zinc-air hearing aid batteries, size 675. That gets me the voltage I want, but I notice that the lights just flicker - they were probably meant to light more brightly and for longer. However, my test shots with both cameras indicate to me that the shutters are working properly.
My photos from tonights journey after work with my ECR (arrived yesterday, restored it last night - the battery well was well corroded and the rangefinder was filthy) are here:
http://www.cameramentor.com/olympus_ecr/
I have found additional resources on the Oly EC/EC2/ECR here:
http://www.geocities.com/heidoscop/olympus_35_ecr.htm
http://www.star.ucl.ac.uk/~rwesson/esif/om-sif/camhistory/camhistory.htm
http://mcfaddenphoto.com/35ecr.htm
http://35mm-compact.com/compact/olympus35ecr.htm (in French)
I have to say that I am well pleased with both cameras. I prefer the viewfinder of the zone-focus EC, and for your typical outdoor shots, I cannot see why I would want to bother with the rangefinder version. However, one cannot do DOF effects well on close-in subjects with zone focus - not like you can with a well-adjusted rangefinder, so I prefer the ECR for that. Both are quite handy.
If you choose to get one off eBoy, you should be advised - although they are easy to work on, I have three - two work and one is dead. All were DOA when they first arrived, all had corrosion in the battery wells. One never recovered. Don't pay a lot for these, is what I'm saying. I paid (as I recall) $4.99, $9.99, and $7.00. The $9.99 camera is the one that still doesn't work.
Best Regards,
Bill Mattocks
Last edited:
DougK
This space left blank
Nicely done review, Bill. I've always been curious about these cameras so it's nice to have another source of information on them.
Rodchenko
Olympian
I received my 35ECR this evening. Somehow, I hadn't expected it to be smaller than my Trip, but it's right dinky. Viewfinder's decently bright, though I understand it's not as good as the EC and, tbf, the Trip & SP are brighter, I suppose. The rangefinder is much better defined than I'd expected for such a short base.
I've spent a baffling evening trying to work out what to do for batteries, but I think the Duracell 675 option is probably the way to go.
Can't wait to get it loaded up and shooting.
I've spent a baffling evening trying to work out what to do for batteries, but I think the Duracell 675 option is probably the way to go.
Can't wait to get it loaded up and shooting.
Rodchenko
Olympian
Arse! I've probably got a duffer.
I bought two LR44s and a roll of kitchen foil on my way into work this morning.
Shutter fires, but it doesn't seem responsive to light/ASA settings. Just a fast shutter speed, which may vary a bit, but even putting the lens cap on the shutter fires on a fast setting.
I don't want to have to spend more on a CLA than I spent on the camera, but nor am I keen to start delving when i have no repair experience (or dexterity). I hope it's something simple I can work out.
Mind you, it is reminiscent of what my Minox is doing, so I wonder if it's an overvoltage problem.
I bought two LR44s and a roll of kitchen foil on my way into work this morning.
Shutter fires, but it doesn't seem responsive to light/ASA settings. Just a fast shutter speed, which may vary a bit, but even putting the lens cap on the shutter fires on a fast setting.
I don't want to have to spend more on a CLA than I spent on the camera, but nor am I keen to start delving when i have no repair experience (or dexterity). I hope it's something simple I can work out.
Mind you, it is reminiscent of what my Minox is doing, so I wonder if it's an overvoltage problem.
zuikologist
.........................
Try a couple of 1.4v hearing aid batteries.
Rodchenko
Olympian
That's what I was after, really. I'd decided to get a pair of Duracell 675s, but the shop only had the LR44s. Some people seem to have had success with 1.5v batteries, but that may not always be the case. I will have a look for the hearing aid batteries to try before I give up.
Edit: I've improved the contact, which helps, and the aperture seems to be opening better, but there are no lights, and, when I've let it stand, the shutter isn't firing. Maybe I need to look for a short.
Edit: I've improved the contact, which helps, and the aperture seems to be opening better, but there are no lights, and, when I've let it stand, the shutter isn't firing. Maybe I need to look for a short.
Rodchenko
Olympian
I note that some of the links above are no longer there, which I suppose is unsurprising, as Bill provided his review some time ago. So here are some others:
http://www.camerasandfilm.com/archives/336
http://silfver.blogspot.co.uk/2006/11/olympus-35-ecr-abandon-all-control.html
http://kevinthephotographer.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/equipment-olympus-35-ecr-rangefinder/
http://classicameras.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/i-bought-35ecr-in-2009-shot-two-rolls.html
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Olympus_35_EC/ECR/EC2
And the link to the excellent Butkus site for the manual:
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/olympus/olympus_35ecr/olympus_35ecr.htm
http://www.camerasandfilm.com/archives/336
http://silfver.blogspot.co.uk/2006/11/olympus-35-ecr-abandon-all-control.html
http://kevinthephotographer.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/equipment-olympus-35-ecr-rangefinder/
http://classicameras.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/i-bought-35ecr-in-2009-shot-two-rolls.html
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Olympus_35_EC/ECR/EC2
And the link to the excellent Butkus site for the manual:
http://www.butkus.org/chinon/olympus/olympus_35ecr/olympus_35ecr.htm
Rodchenko
Olympian
Update: I've cleaned the contacts, and tried the silver oxides again, plugging the silver foil differently. I think the aperture was just sticky. It was tripping, but not opening. Last night, I sat at my desk and pressed the release over and over again, winding on till my thumb hurt, hundreds of exposures. The aperture was slow to open, but did, more and more, and more reliably. It's still not 100%, but with low ASA and dark conditions, the aperture and timing are feeling pretty consistent. However, at 400 (I almost always shoot at 400), and more normal light conditions, it is a bit less reliable. I hope that getting the shutter working again after years of neglect is all it needs, but it's not there yet.
And, er, I bought another one on ebay last night.
And, er, I bought another one on ebay last night.
Rodchenko
Olympian
Turned out that one of the terminals was corroded, and came away, so I sold it spares or repair. Posted this morning, I expect.
I do still have the other one, and it is a cracker.
I do still have the other one, and it is a cracker.
Shafovaloff1
Well-known
For the ECR remove the battery tub and underneath will see a tape insulator which often is deteriorated causing a short in the system. I used electrical tape to replace and this resulted in nicely operating camera with LR 44 batteries stacked on one side and rolled metal strip in other side of battery compartment. If not replaced the insulator will cause what appears to be low voltage and draining. Be brave, remove the tub and get your electrical tape out!
Greyscale
Veteran
If you already have the battery tub out, you can re-wire it to use only one side of the chamber. You can then use a single 160 mAh lithium battery like this
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/391086886879
to power the camera. The LR44 battery is probably not the best solution, an SR44 silver oxide battery or a lithium battery would be better than an alkaline because of their shallow discharge curve.