Who Likes Olympus Half-Frame SLRs?
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A while back I bought a broken used one and got a full CLA on it. It was cheaper to do it that way. Sadly I don't think the fellow who repaired it does Oly Pens anymore.
Yeah, that's the problem now, finding anyone who can repair them properly. I lucked out a few years back, I got one that was mechanically okay, just had a screwed up Flange Focal Distance. I used to service motion picture cameras so I had the tools and knowledge to fix that. But I wouldn't begin to know how to service the shutter and other mechanics on one of those.
Best,
-Tim
Best,
-Tim
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Do you know how to calibrate an RF on a Crown Graphic? Just wondering...
I like my Pen F, I should use it more but scanning 80+ frames becomes a pain.
I got the Pen F a few months ago and it's been my daily camera since then. It's been really cost effective when paired up with bulk loading.
this is 500T processed in C41:
this is 500T processed in C41:
Sorry, don't have the tools and set up to do those.
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That's ok. I don't have either, or the skill.
I haven't shot any half-frame in a while, but this thread is making me think I should try some more! Have always wanted a Pen F or FT, or a Konica Autorex. All I have is the Olympus Pen EED, but it's a fun little camera. Here are some scans:
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Got a new half-frame and ran a test roll through it. Quite sharp, I was surprised by it.
Canon Shure Shot Multi Tele, Orwo UN54.
Fun loud camera to use. Quite snappy and responsive too.
Canon Shure Shot Multi Tele, Orwo UN54.
Fun loud camera to use. Quite snappy and responsive too.
I haven't tried it out yet, but I've discovered a great use for a Pen F -- or any half-frame camera with enough manual exposure control.
The "great use" is in determining the correct ASA/ISO for any film with any developer. The BIG advantage is that you test a film with very little film, very little chemicals, and very little paper. And the testing can be for a film that will be eventually used in a larger or smaller camera than a half-frame!
First, make 12 exposures of a gray card using the ISO/ASA that you want, but starting at six stops under-exposed, up to six stops over-exposed -- +/- 6f-stops. One of the shots, in the middle, should be exactly what your "meter" says is correct. You are artificially creating shadows and highlights.
Develop however you want.
Set your enlarger at the height for an 8x10" print, and using the negative that your meter says should be the "correct" exposure, determine an exposure time that creates a print that matches the gray card. You can do this with a 1x10" strip of paper.
Since you can get 12 half-frame contact images across a 1x10" strip on an 8x10" sheet of paper, make a contact sheet of the 12 exposure strip at the time you have determined above. This will show you what your contrast range is with the ISO & developer used.
Examining the results, you may want to increase or decrease the ISO or development time or both to change the contrast range to your liking.
Rinse and repeat as necessary.
Finally, you can get finer detail with half f-stop adjustments simply by using TWO narrow strips of paper instead of one -- assuming your camera &/or lens allows that degree of adjustment.
Like I said, I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds like a quick & easy approach.
The "great use" is in determining the correct ASA/ISO for any film with any developer. The BIG advantage is that you test a film with very little film, very little chemicals, and very little paper. And the testing can be for a film that will be eventually used in a larger or smaller camera than a half-frame!
First, make 12 exposures of a gray card using the ISO/ASA that you want, but starting at six stops under-exposed, up to six stops over-exposed -- +/- 6f-stops. One of the shots, in the middle, should be exactly what your "meter" says is correct. You are artificially creating shadows and highlights.
Develop however you want.
Set your enlarger at the height for an 8x10" print, and using the negative that your meter says should be the "correct" exposure, determine an exposure time that creates a print that matches the gray card. You can do this with a 1x10" strip of paper.
Since you can get 12 half-frame contact images across a 1x10" strip on an 8x10" sheet of paper, make a contact sheet of the 12 exposure strip at the time you have determined above. This will show you what your contrast range is with the ISO & developer used.
Examining the results, you may want to increase or decrease the ISO or development time or both to change the contrast range to your liking.
Rinse and repeat as necessary.
Finally, you can get finer detail with half f-stop adjustments simply by using TWO narrow strips of paper instead of one -- assuming your camera &/or lens allows that degree of adjustment.
Like I said, I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds like a quick & easy approach.
Not an SLR, but...
I recently got a near-mint Olympus Pen S, the second Pen model that was made from 1960 to 1964. It's a gorgeous, tiny little thing, completely manual, and in perfect working conditon. (And it wasn't expensive: $100 including shipping from Japan, via a BIN on eBay.)
It's got a 30mm/f2.8 lens (Tessar-style, equivalent to 45mm on a full-frame camera), speeds 1/8 to 1/250, f-stops down to f/22, and close focus to 2 feet.
Some images from my short test roll. Tri-X developed in D-76 1:1, 2400dpi scans.
Note that any softness is from the scans, all the negs are dead sharp under a loupe. I sometimes have difficulty getting negatives positioned at the exact focus plane, which is a tiny fraction above the scanner glass - correct for mounted slides - and hard to hit precisely, though I've made a bunch of different-thickness cardboard masks attempting to reach that exact position.
Anyway, this camera is a great little casual shooter if you can estimate exposure and focus (in metric). It would be perfect as a "glovebox camera"... though I drive so little these days that keeping a camera in my car is pointless. It won't replace my Pen F, though it's smaller/lighter/simpler and won't need to be handled as carefully - it's more of a knockaround camera, just throw it in a pocket or bag and go.
I really dig these half-frames! I've got Double-X loaded in both my Pen F and Pen S now...
I recently got a near-mint Olympus Pen S, the second Pen model that was made from 1960 to 1964. It's a gorgeous, tiny little thing, completely manual, and in perfect working conditon. (And it wasn't expensive: $100 including shipping from Japan, via a BIN on eBay.)
It's got a 30mm/f2.8 lens (Tessar-style, equivalent to 45mm on a full-frame camera), speeds 1/8 to 1/250, f-stops down to f/22, and close focus to 2 feet.
Some images from my short test roll. Tri-X developed in D-76 1:1, 2400dpi scans.
Note that any softness is from the scans, all the negs are dead sharp under a loupe. I sometimes have difficulty getting negatives positioned at the exact focus plane, which is a tiny fraction above the scanner glass - correct for mounted slides - and hard to hit precisely, though I've made a bunch of different-thickness cardboard masks attempting to reach that exact position.
Anyway, this camera is a great little casual shooter if you can estimate exposure and focus (in metric). It would be perfect as a "glovebox camera"... though I drive so little these days that keeping a camera in my car is pointless. It won't replace my Pen F, though it's smaller/lighter/simpler and won't need to be handled as carefully - it's more of a knockaround camera, just throw it in a pocket or bag and go.
I really dig these half-frames! I've got Double-X loaded in both my Pen F and Pen S now...
Ah, the Pen S. My first camera, bought used probably in ‘66 with paper route money. Wonderfully small, mine had a beautiful soft leather pouch it lived in. Took great pictures, a lot of slides I still have. I got pretty good at scale focusing. Of course I never should have sold it!
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If you can find a Canon Demi EE-17 the lens is quite good. I get better results from it than my Pen FT, though I think the FT is off. It doesn't match what I see others doing with it. If the Canon had been made with a rangefinder it would have been spectacular. I had to go through mine when I bought it, but since I was forced to take it apart, it works great now. I also tweaked the meter so I can shoot faster film. Of course I never do. I mainly shoot color with it every now and then just for fun. This is Fuji Superia 400.
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I think that might be the problem with mine. Just never seems to be in focus.
I'm impressed by my Demi EE-17 as well. I've adjusted my Pen F and FT (they were quit off) so I don't consider them as less sharp than EE-17. EE-17 with a rangefinder would be the ultimate HF camera. I never quite understood the point of putting f1.7 lens on a camera without precise focusing.
There were several half-frame cameras with f1.7 lenses, in addition to f1.8 & f1.9. And then there is the Yashica Half 14:
(1966) One of the few, true, "speed-demons" of the half-frame world, this camera's claim to fame is its "super-fast", Yashinon-DX, 32mm (six elements in four groups), manually-focusing, f1.4 lens. It's basically a deluxe version of the earlier (1964) Yashica Half 17 -- with the same body design. Besides the faster, maximum f-stop, the camera now has a CDS meter for extra sensitivity. The shutter speed is set from (1/15 - 1/500) when the film speed (12 - 400) is dialed in. Then the aperture is selected (f1.4-16) by the meter. The automatically-selected shutter speed and f-stop, along with distance, over/under exposure and parallax information are visible in the viewfinder. For flash purposes, the aperture can be set manually, while the shutter is fixed at 1/30. A "B" setting can also be selected, which fixes the aperture at f1.4 -- great for low-light shooting. The camera included a cold shoe with PC contact, self-timer; cable release connection, and tripod socket. To top it off, the film advance is different from most 35mm cameras. In this model, the film is loaded "upside down" and a film-advance wheel under the left thumb quickly advances the film. Focusing is from infinity to 2.5 feet, and a 55mm filter. Takes one 625 battery.
http://www.subclub.org/library/speed.htm
(1966) One of the few, true, "speed-demons" of the half-frame world, this camera's claim to fame is its "super-fast", Yashinon-DX, 32mm (six elements in four groups), manually-focusing, f1.4 lens. It's basically a deluxe version of the earlier (1964) Yashica Half 17 -- with the same body design. Besides the faster, maximum f-stop, the camera now has a CDS meter for extra sensitivity. The shutter speed is set from (1/15 - 1/500) when the film speed (12 - 400) is dialed in. Then the aperture is selected (f1.4-16) by the meter. The automatically-selected shutter speed and f-stop, along with distance, over/under exposure and parallax information are visible in the viewfinder. For flash purposes, the aperture can be set manually, while the shutter is fixed at 1/30. A "B" setting can also be selected, which fixes the aperture at f1.4 -- great for low-light shooting. The camera included a cold shoe with PC contact, self-timer; cable release connection, and tripod socket. To top it off, the film advance is different from most 35mm cameras. In this model, the film is loaded "upside down" and a film-advance wheel under the left thumb quickly advances the film. Focusing is from infinity to 2.5 feet, and a 55mm filter. Takes one 625 battery.
http://www.subclub.org/library/speed.htm
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Olympus made 40mm f1.4 and 42mm f1.2 lenses for the Pen F series.
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