Who Likes Olympus Half-Frame SLRs?

drmoss_ca · Oct 29, 2021

Talking of zone focusing and small Olympus cameras, I made a card for the Trip 35:

It does two jobs, reminds me of the hyperfocal distances for the apertures of the fixed lens, and turned on its side, I can hold it at arm's length in my right hand, and looking with my left eye alone I place the top corner where zero should be on the scale on my subject. Close left and open right eye, read the distance off the scale. Obviously it needs to be designed with your arm length and your interpupillary distance in mind, but it works surprisingly well. It wasn't my idea, but I can't recall where I found it or who should be credited.

Back to the Pen F! This, BTW, was XP2 Super before I quite figured out the processing for minimal grain:

Huss · Oct 29, 2021

Patrick Robert James said:
Good to know Huss. I replaced the mirror in mine with a 50/50. I wonder if I should have used an 80/20 instead.

I might just throw a regular mirror in there just to see. I'd love it if the viewfinder was bright. I'd really love it if I could put some Leica lenses on it. Lol. Can't have everything I guess.

I only have the 40 1.4 lens, but that thing is stunning. I've never felt wanting, or the desire to put my Leica glass on it!

Huss · Oct 29, 2021

Helge said:
The good F is the first one without meter.

.

My FT's meter works perfectly, as does the rest of the camera. So it is the "good F" for me!

But if the meter was broken that would bug me, and I'd then prefer a non metered version.

Cholentpot · Oct 29, 2021

Huss said:
My FT's meter works perfectly, as does the rest of the camera. So it is the "good F" for me!

But if the meter was broken that would bug me, and I'd then prefer a non metered version.

But the original one has the classy F on it.

removed account4 · Oct 29, 2021

Huss said:
My FT's meter works perfectly, as does the rest of the camera. So it is the "good F" for me!

But if the meter was broken that would bug me, and I'd then prefer a non metered version.

My ft's meter works perfectly too, but I took the battery out and just sunny 11 with it

Patrick Robert James · Oct 29, 2021

The meter on my FT also works perfectly. Nice juicy negs! Not a fan of the number thing but you get used to it.

Lee Rust · Oct 29, 2021

In order to to get the most bang per buck whenever I'm shooting Ektachrome, it gets loaded into one of my Olympus or Mercury half-frames.

removed account4 · Oct 29, 2021

Lee Rust said:
or Mercury half-frames

man. that is a cool camera is all I gotta say. talk bout the anti-brick!

Swordman · Oct 29, 2021

The Pen F is one of my favourite cameras. The 42mm f1.2 is particularly stunning.

drmoss_ca · Oct 29, 2021

Here's another Kodachrome 64:

Helge · Oct 29, 2021

Cholentpot said:
But the original one has the classy F on it.

Not only that, but a brighter finder, which is important when it's so relatively small.

Cholentpot · Oct 29, 2021

Helge said:
Not only that, but a brighter finder, which is important when it's so relatively small.

And a double stroke. Don't forget that.

Helge · Oct 29, 2021

Cholentpot said:
And a double stroke. Don't forget that.

DS potentially means less stress and wear.
The first F is a big improvement on its successors.

Huss · Oct 30, 2021

Helge said:
DS potentially means less stress and wear.
The first F is a big improvement on its successors.

Less stress and wear... until they realized they were worrying about nothing! See Leica DS -> SS. Any Nikon F etc.
I do wish the Pen F series had a much smoother wind action though. It is weirdly ratchety.
But man the shutter action is amazing!

Lee Rust · Oct 30, 2021

jnantz said:
man. that is a cool camera is all I gotta say. talk bout the anti-brick!

The rotary shutter mechanism is one-of-a-kind and simple enough for anybody to repair and maintain... 1/20 to 1/1000 and the Tricor lens is excellent even though zone focus.

Bronson Dugnutt · Oct 30, 2021

As others have said, half-frame is what I generally opt for when shooting 135 color positives. The single-stroke advance on my Pen FV is what can best be described as 'super crunchy' compared to something like the FM2. I don't have any native glass for it, but most of my nikkor outfit adapts as well to the FV as it does to other bodies.

Provia 100F, through the loupe

Cholentpot · Oct 30, 2021

Bronson Dugnutt said:
As others have said, half-frame is what I generally opt for when shooting 135 color positives. The single-stroke advance on my Pen FV is what can best be described as 'super crunchy' compared to something like the FM2. I don't have any native glass for it, but most of my nikkor outfit adapts as well to the FV as it does to other bodies.

View attachment 289566

Provia 100F, through the loupe
View attachment 289567

I forgot about adapting lenses! What adapter do you use?

Bronson Dugnutt · Oct 30, 2021

Cholentpot said:
I forgot about adapting lenses! What adapter do you use?

Brand Z, may be OEM.

Some color negative:

Huss · Oct 30, 2021

Huss · Oct 30, 2021

Huss · Oct 30, 2021

Cholentpot · Oct 30, 2021

Bronson Dugnutt said:
Brand Z, may be OEM.

View attachment 289586

Some color negative:

View attachment 289587

Gotta get me one of those...

Huss said:

Nice work Huss

Cholentpot · Oct 31, 2021

Negative Lab Pro sent out a massive update as did Adobe for LR and PS. The update seems to jive better with my scanning setup.

My last roll of Kodacolor 200.

Huss · Oct 31, 2021

Cholentpot said:
Gotta get me one of those...

Nice work Huss

Thanks!

Huss · Oct 31, 2021

Cholentpot said:
Negative Lab Pro sent out a massive update as did Adobe for LR and PS. The update seems to jive better with my scanning setup.

My last roll of Kodacolor 200.

Nice! Yeah I updated my NLP yesterday. It took me a moment to find where to change the file export settings (it is under Advanced).

Who Likes Olympus Half-Frame SLRs?

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