Half-Frame Cameras?

Twiggy · May 25, 2024

In my interest of keeping film photography affordable, I am interested in getting a half-frame camera.

I am aware of the Kodak (reto) Ektar H35(N) and it's Agfa Photo competitor, between the two I'd probably choose the Agfa photo.

However I am also willing to look at the used/vintage market.

So does anyone have any recommendations for one within $100-$150 Canadian dollars?

Anyone have one they can sell?

brbo · May 25, 2024

This thread gave you no pointers?

Les Sarile · May 25, 2024

In the used market, you can find prices from free to sky high. I got my Olympus Pen FT for a song . . .

Kodak Gold 100-7_30-29 by Les DMess, on Flickr

I acquired a Konica Auto Reflex for a song too and it is both a full and half frame. Can drive printers crazy . . .

Konica Auto-Reflex by Les DMess, on Flickr

Twiggy · May 25, 2024

I found this great, affordable lisitng on amazon, shipping not bad either, all under $100 included.

I assume this has half-frame ability?

Should I buy?

Konica Autoreflex T 35mm SLR film camera w/ Hexanon AR 52mm F 1.8 Len-- TESTED! | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Konica Autoreflex T 35mm SLR film camera w/ Hexanon AR 52mm F 1.8 Len-- TESTED! at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.ca

Lee Rust · May 25, 2024

The original Olympus Pen or Pen S cameras are very nice if you're OK with zone focus. They're in your price range, are extremely compact and have excellent viewfinders.

Twiggy · May 25, 2024

Lee Rust said:
The original Olympus Pen or Pen S cameras are very nice if you're OK with zone focus. They're in your price range, are extremely compact and have excellent viewfinders.

Thanks, I'll look at that.

I also asked the seller of the Knoica autorelfex T if it can do half-frame.

I'll make a choice, seems Cannon Demi EE-17 is also within price range.

Lee Rust · May 25, 2024

The Autoreflex T is only a full frame camera. The early model "Auto-Reflex" is the only one of that series with the half-frame option. The round meter knob on the front is an identifying feature.

Twiggy · May 25, 2024

Thank you, saved me from buying the wrong Camera.

Edit: From what I am seeing, the original Autorelfex's seem to cost more than I can spend, lowest cost I saw was $177.70 and thats before shipping.

I'll check the classifieds here as well though.

Lee Rust · May 25, 2024

If you have a light meter and/or don't mind estimating exposure and focus, give the 'Pen S' a look. The f2.8 lens is excellent and plenty fast, plus the ergonomics of the camera make focussing and winding very easy. The leaf shutter is practically silent, with a release that's very nicely situated. The original 'Pen' works just as well, but the lens is one stop slower.

I just looked on the auction site and there are plenty to choose from, priced between $50 and $130 USD. I got mine for about $90 several years ago and it's still one of my favorites. The biggest advantage of any half-frame 35 is that you can generally get 75 pictures out of a 36-exposure roll of film. This can actually be a disadvantage if you're in a hurry to develop your film, so I generally reserve my half-frame usage to occasions when I'll naturally be taking lots of photos, like parties or special events.

xkaes · May 25, 2024

Jump into the lake. The SUBCLUB has a complete list of all the half-frame cameras -- with details -- for the last 100+ years

www.subclub.org/shop/halframe.htm

That will keep you busy for a few minutes anyway.

Twiggy · May 25, 2024

@xkaes

Thanks, that is indeed a great list to work from.

@Lee Rust I will probably try to find an EES2 from Olympus Pens as I am still a beginner, so the light meter feature on it, is appealing.

Oren Grad · May 25, 2024

Twiggy said:
I will probably try to find an EES2 from Olympus Pens as I am still a beginner, so the light meter feature on it, is appealing.

The meters in '60s-'70s-vintage half-frame non-SLR cameras are mostly selenium-cell meters. Don't count on them still working. With the EE-S/EE-S2 you can still set the aperture manually with a fixed shutter speed of 1/40, though other models with a more complete shutter speed range are obviously a lot less limiting.

I have an EE-S that I inherited from my dad, who bought it new in the early '60s when it was a current model. I remember our sending it to Olympus back around 1974 for a CLA and meter repair - probably still have the receipt buried somewhere.

Re the Konica Auto-Reflex: I had one for a while. For my taste it was ill-suited to half-frame work - the body is big, heavy and uncomfortable in hand, the mirror/shutter action is pretty loud, and the choice of lenses at the shorter focal lengths needed for wide-to-normal work on half-frame is very limited. Looked like a great idea on paper, not so much in practice. Maybe Les feels differently about his. If you decide you really want an SLR, I think any of the Pen F series (F/FT/FV) is a better choice.

Lee Rust · May 26, 2024

Yes, the light meters on most 50+ year old cameras can be unreliable. There are plenty of new hand-held meters that are small, light and accurate. Many of them will mount on a flash shoe, although I wouldn't suggest that for a Pen since the addition of a meter would detract from the comfortable handling of the tiny camera. Besides, with ISO 100 or 200 film, "Sunny 16" will be fine for most daylight photos.

I have several other half-frame 35 cameras, each with their own strengths and weaknesses...

--Mercury II - mechanically unique & rugged, good optical quality, zone focus, quite awkward to operate
--Canon Dial 35 - oddball design, noisy spring-wound film advance, zone focus, auto exposure with manual option, excellent optics
--BeLomo Chaika II - made in Belarus, simple design, zone focus, focus and aperture controls similar to Pen S, finder & optics OK
--Olympus Pen F/FT - compact SLR with uncoupled meter (FT), great lenses, very loud shutter, relatively expensive to buy or repair

I still think a Pen or Pen S would be a good choice to get started, and may well be the only half-frame you'll ever need.

Lee Rust · May 26, 2024

Another half-frame Olympus to consider would be the Pen D. It has a built-in uncoupled meter that might still work, full manual exposure control with a 1/500 top shutter speed and a fast 1.9 lens. Almost all the Pens I see on the auction site are from Japan, but don't let that discourage you. Most Japanese sellers are very upstanding and the shipping times to North America can be surprisingly quick.

Oren Grad · May 26, 2024

Lee Rust said:
I still think a Pen or Pen S would be a good choice to get started, and may well be the only half-frame you'll ever need.

I agree with this. In general, I'd look at the early-'60s window-finder models that have manual wind and scale focus along with a decent range of manual shutter speeds - they're small, quiet, easy to carry, and well-suited to nimble, unobtrusive walkaround snapshooting in a wide range of lighting conditions.

Also agree about not sweating the meter. Either use a compact hand-held meter, or just learn to wing it - working free and easy without having to futz with a meter is a pleasure once you get the hang of it. But it doesn't have to be all-or-nothing - you can always keep a meter in your pocket in case you find yourself in unusual lighting that's difficult to judge.

Oren Grad · May 26, 2024

Lee Rust said:
Another half-frame Olympus to consider would be the Pen D. It has a built-in uncoupled meter that might still work, full manual exposure control with a 1/500 top shutter speed and a fast 1.9 lens.

Another +1. I have a Pen D among my other half-frame cameras. A very fun, versatile little camera - the combination of shutter speeds from 1/8 with the fast lens gives extra margin for work in low light. The last version, D3, has an f/1.7 lens, but will likely be harder to find.

GregY · May 26, 2024

Olympus pen ef. personally i'd prefer a small full-frame.... the bigger the negative....... the better the print

Twiggy · May 26, 2024

I'm considering this

looks good to me, but I figure it'll be best to ask you guys, should I pull the trigger, or not?

Lee Rust · May 26, 2024

A D3 will need a proper modern substitute for the original mercury battery, but that's not a big problem. On this particular one the front lens element is pretty messed up and those extra holes drilled in the lens ring look suspicious. You might look further... there are lots of these cameras on the Bay and you might pay $10-30 more for a better example. Look for detailed closeups through the lens from front and back (shiny & clear is always a good thing), overall cleanliness, fresh light-seal foam on the inside of the bottom cover and some kind of definitive statement about how well the camera works in general and the meter in particular. It's always nice if the seller accepts returns.

Lee Rust · May 26, 2024

Upon closer inspection of other D3 examples on offer, it looks like the holes in the lens ring are normal, but look for a nice clear lens in any case. At this moment there are 37 of this particular model camera to choose from on the Bay, so take your time. Don't overlook the D2 model... there is only a slight difference in lens speed...f1.9 vs 1.7.

The more reputable and knowledgeable the seller is, the more thorough and detailed their photos and descriptions will be.

Twiggy · May 26, 2024

Thanks.

This one looks slightly dirty on the outside, but the lens looks much better, and there is a photo through the view finder, which looks pretty good as well.

I can probably clean up the outside myself with some alcohol, and maybe some metal polish.

or this

Don_ih · May 26, 2024

@Twiggy - note that, when you buy on ebay from outside the country, unless it's included in the price via ebay's global shipping program, you will pay hst and a brokerage fee when the item arrives. So, if you pay $75 plus $25 shipping, expect to pay another $25 in when the thing arrives.

Twiggy · May 26, 2024

Oh yes, I've had experience with that type of thing.

I am considering buying this one though, because 1) I like how it looks, it's clean and in good condition including the lense, and 3) I like soviet era stuff.

Does anyone know what the quote engraved on the top says though? I can't read that type of writing, I can't even tell if it's english or russian.

Don_ih · May 26, 2024

No idea what the quote is. I have a Chaika like that. It works fine - it's certainly no Olympus camera, though. There's no meter, so you'll have to figure out exposure on your own.

Twiggy · May 26, 2024

I just hope it's nothing religious, because keep religion away from my atheistic communist things lol, and also that it's not something personal.

Anything generic or otherwise inspiring is fine.

As for the meters, with cameras of this age, many wont work, or won't work properly, so I'd rather have no meter, than one that doesn't work, as a personal preference.

Half-Frame Cameras?

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