Which Olympus RF to look for?

[John Hermanson]

35SP has a (large square) cds cell which is unique only to that model. New cells not available. Good news : it is rare to see an SP with a shutter jammed due to oily blades. 35RD uses a cell that can be substituted from other cameras. Bad news lots of RDs suffer from jammed shutters due to oily blades. 35RC, common cds cell, no oily blades. John, www.zuiko.com

 

[Trius]

I agree that it is odd that the slowest speed for the RC is 1/15, but really, on a pocket rangefinder, do you need anything slower?

Yes, I do. Shooting in dark places like bars (I GO FOR THE LIVE MUSIC!), I need 1/8 or even 1/4. Ultimate sharpness is not the ultimate requirement for such photos.

Oh, and when John speaks about Oly, you also listen, in addition to Will. 😀

 

[Pompiere]

I also have an ECR. While the full automation doesn't allow as much creativity, I have never had a picture that wasn't properly exposed and sharp. It is a great little pocket camera. Some will be turned off by the thumbwheel winding. The comments about the battery corrosion are true, mine is currently out of service for that reason. I have other cameras, so I just haven't taken time to clean it.

 

[bmattock]

Yes, I do. Shooting in dark places like bars (I GO FOR THE LIVE MUSIC!), I need 1/8 or even 1/4. Ultimate sharpness is not the ultimate requirement for such photos.

Oh, and when John speaks about Oly, you also listen, in addition to Will. 😀

When I shoot in such places, I depend on speed (film/sensor) to save me. The combination of a wide-open aperture and a slow shutter speed usually nets me ugliness - I realize that others' results may be better than mine, but I try to keep a faster shutter speed, knowing my own limitations.

 

[bmattock]

I also have an ECR. While the full automation doesn't allow as much creativity, I have never had a picture that wasn't properly exposed and sharp. It is a great little pocket camera. Some will be turned off by the thumbwheel winding. The comments about the battery corrosion are true, mine is currently out of service for that reason. I have other cameras, so I just haven't taken time to clean it.

For what it may be worth, the EC has a dandy viewfinder compared to the ECR, the same lens, and a slightly slimmer profile. Same problem with corrosion in the battery chamber, etc.

 

[nitrogen28]

Hi,

I want to get into the Rangefinder thing and I m looking for a reasonable cheap entry. I already looked up the XD and it looks like i could get it for reasonable money. But it look very much like a toy and the SD is very tempting. I would love to shoot with 40 mm. How much should I spend to get a good one? (I don t find any on eBay in Europe, Austria )
Maybe you can recommend me some other RF that gives good value for the money?

 

[jmc56]

Buy the 35SP. It isn't just the quality of lens or picture, it's also an ethereal feeling of connecting, not unlike what you get in the Barnacks, of which I own 10, not counting the myriad Soviet copies.

The XA is a very sweet camera in a small package. But it's more appropriate to the "if you don't carry a camera you won't have one to shoot with today. It's done wel at everything I asked. BUT, if I had to choose, the 35SP would be on top including the myriad Canonets (I own aa bunch of these).

 

[nitrogen28]

Since my budget was cut recently I had to go for the XA. I waiting for it to arrive.
I ll post my first roll pic here.

 

[XicoS]

After this thread, I eventually bought an Olympus 35 RC on e-bay; it never arrived, so I had to buy another one, that arrived safely.

Unfortunately, the photometer is not working. I'll try to have it repaired in a few days. Anyway, last saturday I tried my first roll, using the sunny 16 rule. These were my first shots with the camera and also my first fully manual shots, using the sunny 16.

I was at Brasilia (Brazil's modernist capital), and the sun was very hot. I had never been there before, and took very 'tourist-like' pictures.

I am not satisfied because they look like the sky was cloudy - and it wasn't. Perhaps I should look for some filters, or my exposures were just bad.

Here are some indoor shots, but with lots of light:

Here is the link if anyone want to see another shots:

http://picasaweb.google.com/xsimoes/Brasilia7DeMarcoDe2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCIDjwfjqxcmP0gE&feat=directlink

 

[Krosya]

About RD

About RD

Yes, I do. Shooting in dark places like bars (I GO FOR THE LIVE MUSIC!), I need 1/8 or even 1/4. Ultimate sharpness is not the ultimate requirement for such photos.

Oh, and when John speaks about Oly, you also listen, in addition to Will. 😀

My Rd is currently being fixed by John. Hope to see it back soon. And I wonder, after the fix of the "oily blades" - how likely for this to happen again? I understand that old type grease would leak onto shutter blades to cause a problem. With current ones will problem be fixed for good, or do i have to keep sending it in every 6 months or so? 😉

 

[XicoS]

My Rd is currently being fixed by John. Hope to see it back soon. And I wonder, after the fix of the "oily blades" - how likely for this to happen again? I understand that old type grease would leak onto shutter blades to cause a problem. With current ones will problem be fixed for good, or do i have to keep sending it in every 6 months or so? 😉

According to Andrew Yue (http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/misc/rangfndr.html):

Bottom line: there is a 99% chance your Oly 35RD's will eventually need the shutter/aperture assembly to be serviced and be sure to have the helical grease replaced with a modern silicone grease that doesn't migrate.

(Underlines were mine)

 

[Mablo]

I think your pics are fine. RC is a small lion for a camera as someone wrote here recently.

 

[Krosya]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Krosya
My Rd is currently being fixed by John. Hope to see it back soon. And I wonder, after the fix of the "oily blades" - how likely for this to happen again? I understand that old type grease would leak onto shutter blades to cause a problem. With current ones will problem be fixed for good, or do i have to keep sending it in every 6 months or so?


According to Andrew Yue (http://www.ph.utexas.edu/~yue/misc/rangfndr.html):


Quote:
Bottom line: there is a 99% chance your Oly 35RD's will eventually need the shutter/aperture assembly to be serviced and be sure to have the helical grease replaced with a modern silicone grease that doesn't migrate.

(Underlines were mine)

So, does anyone know what kind of grease John uses for the RD repair? Anyone had their RD serviced and than it still caused problems?
Maybe I should ask John himself?

 

[Pompiere]

I am sure there are better things to use, but I have a small tube of grease for fishing reels that I use on lens helical threads. The tube has a small tip that makes it easy to apply without making a mess. Also, the small tube fits easily in my camera tool kit.

 

[hipTrip]

My RD is with John as well. I read an endorsement somewhere else that a CLA from him promises many years of trouble-free service.

 

[Trius]

IIRC John uses a newer/better lubricant that will not migrate and you will not have the problem again. The oily blades issue was a result of the lube used at the time for the RD.

 

[John Hermanson]

Consider the age of the RD , Olympus ended production in 1979. That's 29 years for a shutter problem to develop. Oily blades is not a thing that you will have to have constantly repaired if it is done properly the first time. John, www.zuiko.com

 

[Krosya]

Thanks for clarifying, John. I was not sure if it was a Oly design flaw, or just poor/old quality grease that caused the problem. Now I really cant wait for my RD to come back home from you! Thanks again.