Shutter Speed Query

Thomas Keidan · Nov 22, 2017

I've been reading the manual for my Olympus 35 RC and at the end of the booklet it says "be sure to use the shutter speed numbers only when the shutter speed dial clicks into position at the black index mark". What would happen if I shot between two 'clicks'... for example if I moved the dial between 250 and 500? Would it shoot at a speed in-between these two? Or would it just shoot either 250 or 500? Thanks

bvy · Nov 22, 2017

It will NOT shoot in fractional stop increments the way most aperture dials will -- meaning you won't get something between 1/250 and 1/500. Most likely you'll get one or the other. Worst case, something unexpected will happen, but I don't know that camera.

Thomas Keidan · Nov 22, 2017

bvy said:
It will NOT shoot in fractional stop increments the way most aperture dials will -- meaning you won't get something between 1/250 and 1/500. Most likely you'll get one or the other. Worst case, something unexpected will happen, but I don't know that camera.

Thanks for this, i'm asking as I accidentally did this whilst shooting with the camera today. I only did it for one shot but fear I may have caused some damage!

Chan Tran · Nov 22, 2017

There are a few cameras that would work with the shutter speed dial set in between the 2 speeds but few. The only one I can think of is the Nikon F2.

Arbitrarium · Nov 22, 2017

If it's a leaf shutter, I can't imagine anything breaking if you go between speeds. They probably only tell you not to so you don't balls up exposure.

MattKing · Nov 22, 2017

Thomas Keidan said:
Thanks for this, i'm asking as I accidentally did this whilst shooting with the camera today. I only did it for one shot but fear I may have caused some damage!

I'd suggest some mindful meditation . Along with more fun!
More seriously, your camera was designed to withstand the rigours of amateur photography. It wouldn't still be around for you to use if it had broken every time someone handled it slightly wrongly.
Treat it with reasonable care and it should work well. It isn't particularly new, so there might be some worn bits in it, but otherwise you should have some confidence in it because it was designed with people like you in mind!
I actually worked at retail selling those Olympus rangefinder cameras (including I think that very model) when they were new and current. You probably are more careful with it than many of my customers, and a lot of my customers ended up very, very happy with the photos they took with it.

shutterfinger · Nov 22, 2017

Mechanically released shutters use a cam to set speeds/release points, electronically controlled shutters use a timing circuit and solenoids to release the shutter curtains/blades.
In between settings are unreliable and will not give a correct exposure. At the mid point of 250 to 500 you might get either of those speeds, 1/300, 1/350, 1/400, 1/450 or a much slower speed than 1/250. You might even get 1/275.
Unlikely it will cause damage to the camera unless repeated continually.

Arklatexian · Nov 22, 2017

Thomas Keidan said:
I've been reading the manual for my Olympus 35 RC and at the end of the booklet it says "be sure to use the shutter speed numbers only when the shutter speed dial clicks into position at the black index mark". What would happen if I shot between two 'clicks'... for example if I moved the dial between 250 and 500? Would it shoot at a speed in-between these two? Or would it just shoot either 250 or 500? Thanks

I have always been told that the shutter speed will be the one closest to whichever shutter speed mark you have set it nearest to. As the people who always told me that made their livings with photography, either taking pictures or repairing cameras, I believe them,,,,,,,,, Regards!

shutterfinger · Nov 22, 2017

This shutter speed tolerance chart from http://www.flutotscamerarepair.com/ shows there are a lot of speeds between 250 and 500 if you don't round or truncate to the nearest whole stop.

albada · Nov 23, 2017

I have repaired many leaf-shutter cameras, so I know how they work. There is a cam that moves a follower that determines speed, and the RC is basic enough that it will not have "slow speeds" wherein a second follower makes a pallet engage a starwheel. In any case, shooting at a speed between marked speeds is harmless. On the RC, you will probably get one of the two marked speeds, unless you happen to hit mid-slope on the cam, in which case you will get an intermediate speed.

Mark Overton

rpavich · Nov 23, 2017

MattKing said:
I'd suggest some mindful meditation . Along with more fun!
More seriously, your camera was designed to withstand the rigours of amateur photography. It wouldn't still be around for you to use if it had broken every time someone handled it slightly wrongly.
Treat it with reasonable care and it should work well. It isn't particularly new, so there might be some worn bits in it, but otherwise you should have some confidence in it because it was designed with people like you in mind!
I actually worked at retail selling those Olympus rangefinder cameras (including I think that very model) when they were new and current. You probably are more careful with it than many of my customers, and a lot of my customers ended up very, very happy with the photos they took with it.

I second this statement. I have several of these and they are built like little tanks. If you are reasonably careful and your camera has been refurbished, then it will out last you. I just sent one off for refurbishment that I dropped and completely dented in the corner at the top plate and kept using it for months with no ill effects. It takes a lot to kill one of these Olympus Trip/Pen/RC type cameras.

Just out of curiosity; which seller did you get it from?

Sirius Glass · Nov 26, 2017

While one can set the aperture between the setting marks and get what is expected, doing the same with shutter speed will give inconsistent results and may damage some shutters.

Poisson Du Jour · Nov 26, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
While one can set the aperture between the setting marks and get what is expected,

Except that a great many photographers have no idea of what the intermediate aperture (or Av) is on lenses, and many I encounter insist that "...there is nothing there!". But there is. And no amount of cajolling will convince these poor folk. Goodness, what comes after f5.6? f11? Or before f16??

Shutter Speed Query

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency