Who Likes Olympus Half-Frame SLRs?

[drmoss_ca]

Peace at last:

 

[drmoss_ca]

Autumn leaves


Olympus Pen-FV, 42mm/f1.2, Superia 400, Argentix presskit, Nikon 9000 scan.

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

Autumn leaves
Olympus Pen-FV, 42mm/f1.2, Superia 400, Argentix presskit, Nikon 9000 scan.

Great images; the 65mm equivalent FOV is pretty unique amongst prime film lenses.

FV w/ 100mm Nikon series E @ f4 1/60s
Pyrocat-MC 1+1+100 12' 19C, V800 negative scan

From a very short (6 half-frame) cassette of Pan F. The FV film advance will easily shred sprockets; hopefully no debris made its way inside the camera.

 

[drmoss_ca]

Rose hips


Pen-FV, 42/1.2, Superia 400

 

[leicaboss]

I have shot with my grandmother's old fixed-lens Pen, but had been looking into finally picking up my own SLR half-frame. Love the photos I'm seeing in this thread!

For those of you more experienced with this system, which model/variant would you point me towards?

 

[Cholentpot]

I have shot with my grandmother's old fixed-lens Pen, but had been looking into finally picking up my own SLR half-frame. Love the photos I'm seeing in this thread!

For those of you more experienced with this system, which model/variant would you point me towards?

I went with the original Gothic F. The next models have built in meters but the viewfinders are not as bright. Also the Gothic F has a double stroke which I enjoy because I shoot these machines for the tactile feel and the double stroke hits the spot. Lack of meter is also one less thing that'll fail.

 

[leicaboss]

I went with the original Gothic F. The next models have built in meters but the viewfinders are not as bright. Also the Gothic F has a double stroke which I enjoy because I shoot these machines for the tactile feel and the double stroke hits the spot. Lack of meter is also one less thing that'll fail.

Sweet, I think having a brighter viewfinder might be the way to go. Unless there are some standout features from later models (aside from meter) I'd be happy forgoing that for longevity and simplicity's sake...

 

[Cholentpot]

Sweet, I think having a brighter viewfinder might be the way to go. Unless there are some standout features from later models (aside from meter) I'd be happy forgoing that for longevity and simplicity's sake...

No that I'm aware of. Others here have more experience than I, I'm sure they'll chime in if there is.

Original has the giant gothic F so....

 

[Huss]

Most important thing is condition. I know it's obvious to say, but buy the best shape F/FV/FT.

 

[drmoss_ca]

Or know someone confident at taking them apart and cleaning them. But if something needs a repair, you'd best have a donor body.
Just before the snow came:

FV, 42mm/f1.2, Superia 400.

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

FV w/ 50mm(?) nikkor, Kentmere 100 in Pyrocat-HD 1+1+100

and a fisheye

The FV is quickly becoming my favorite film camera but my Demi S is getting jealous

 

[Huss]

View attachment 297889
FV w/ 50mm(?) nikkor, Kentmere 100 in Pyrocat-HD 1+1+100

and a fisheye
View attachment 297891

The FV is quickly becoming my favorite film camera but my Demi S is getting jealous

Your Demi? Maybe you should shoot Moore with it.

 

[Bronson Dugnutt]

Might be more suited to the rangefinder forum, but still a great half-frame shooter.

 

[Timmyjoe]

Finally got the Olympus Pen F squared away. First one I bought had serious shutter issues, so it was returned. The second one from Japan, looks beautiful and the shutter was very good, unfortunately the FFD was off by .005" so getting accurate focus was a guessing game. Took the camera apart last week and shimmed the FFD so now it is spot on. Experimenting with different films to see how little grain I can get in an image. Also experimenting with diptych's.

Ilford Delta 100, HC-110, 119:1 @ 68ºF, 24 min

Best,
-Tim

 

[Donald Qualls]

Might check Ultrafine Online, aka PhotoWarehouse, under Kodak. They've got a couple slow Kodak duplicating films that should have exceptionally fine grain. Other options are Adox CMS 20 II (which requires a special developer -- it's effectively a microfilm) or Agfa Copex Rapid (another microfilm, needs low contrast developer). I've used Copex Rapid and the original CMS 20, I liked the latter better but the Copex Rapid is 2/3 stop faster.

 

[drmoss_ca]

Or you can go for good old XP2 Super in HC-110 or Diafine, and have grainless mini-negatives. My best FV has arrived in Québec City, and is working its way through the four week backlog. The second best FV is currently my only camera as everything else is packed up to move house. Not much good having a camera when you have no developing tanks and chemicals!

The move: it's not an Olympus Pen photo, so I won't post it here (it's taken with a Leica M2, Summiliux 35FLE, Acros 100, HC-110 and an X1 scan), but in the spring of 2016 I stopped at a pretty site at the side of the road on my way home from New Brunswick (the province!) I took a photo as it looked nice. I did not know that three years later, my wife would buy the house, woods and lake, when I agreed to move closer to her work. For the amateur detectives, it is on the edge of a town named for the first military commander to employ germ warfare (and not the one in Massachusetts). But this is where we move to in six weeks.

 

[Huss]

Fuji C200 with 100% crop of 72dpi. With lenses this good on the PenF (40mm 1.4 here) you don't need to go to super slow low grain films.

 

[Cholentpot]

Pen F Double X in HC-110. Not a big fan of how it develops in HC110. D-76 gives me a nicer look. Tack sharp though.

 

[drmoss_ca]

Nice!

 

[Cholentpot]

Nice!

I noticed in all the photos of flames there's a halo around the flame. Unsure if that's lens, film or combination of both or just the holiday holiness being captured on film.

 

[Donald Qualls]

That's halation in the film. Double-X has less antihalation than common B&W still films. Not really noticeable unless you have a light source in frame with a dark surround.

 

[Cholentpot]

That's halation in the film. Double-X has less antihalation than common B&W still films. Not really noticeable unless you have a light source in frame with a dark surround.

Good to know.

I shot some rolls of Lucky 400 last year and there was no anti halation at all on those rolls. Interesting results.

Come to think of it, I have Cine HP5+, I think this also may have less anti halation than the regular consumer stuff.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I have Cine HP5+, I think this also may have less anti halation than the regular consumer stuff.

Probably does. Much of the antihalation in B&W still films is in the form of a gray base, and cine films (especially those that might be reversed and projected directly from the camera film) that's undesirable. Wash-out dyes are still an option, but the gray base has more effect than you'd think.

 

[Huss]

 

[flavio81]

Probably does. Much of the antihalation in B&W still films is in the form of a gray base, and cine films (especially those that might be reversed and projected directly from the camera film) that's undesirable. Wash-out dyes are still an option, but the gray base has more effect than you'd think.

Is colloidal silver a kind of "wash-out" dye? As far as I know Fomapan R100 uses them for anti-halation. And of course it clears up to a transparent base.