Questions for RC owners

[lament]

Hello,
I'm seriously contemplating getting an RC. I have a few questions for those who use the camera.

1. Most of the RC features sound very nice. Locking the shutter sounds horrible. Is this a problem in practice, that is, have you lost any shots that way?
2. Is the viewfinder good, or would I be better off getting an external viewfinder? Finders on some cameras i've seen are worse than having no finder at all...
3. Is it a pain to adjust the tiny aperture ring and turn the camera on/off?
4. Is the meter reliable? Also, is it slow enough to cause exposure problems in practice when shooting quickly? Yes, I know this is where everybody tells me to just meter manually. Nevertheless, it would be nice to know


Thanks all.

[Bryce]

Lament-
I had one of these for a short time and ended up giving it away.
The size was sure nice, but I remember the meterless manual operation being a little awkward, the meter being hard to trust. The rangefinder, as I remember worked fine, and the viewfinder was certainly useable.
I ended up thinking to myself- if only this thing were built like a Pentax and had a useable meter....
Others here have been happy with the camera or other similar ones. Maybe I'm just a whiner.

[iml]

1. Most of the RC features sound very nice. Locking the shutter sounds horrible. Is this a problem in practice, that is, have you lost any shots that way?

It's not that uncommon with older compacts. You get used to it, if you're in a low-light situation use your head and meter manually. I've never lost a shot.

2. Is the viewfinder good, or would I be better off getting an external viewfinder?

It's pretty decent. It's not a Leica, but it's very useable, and the patch is visible enough for low-light focusing.

3. Is it a pain to adjust the tiny aperture ring and turn the camera on/off?

Again, you get used to it. It's small, but not too small for my fingers.

4. Is the meter reliable?

Yes. It can be fooled by very contrasty scenes, but half-depressing the shutter button locks the exposure, so you can meter off a midtone and hold the setting while you recompose. If you want to use the camera as a fully automatic P&S you just need to meter from the right part of your shot, but this is true of every camera.

For the money, you won't find a fixed lens RF with a better lens, IMO. I have a Leica M6, a Bessa R2, an Epson R-D1s, an Olympus 35 SP and an RC, and I carry the RC around with me more than any other camera, with the full expectation that it won't let me down. I've taken some of my best photographs with it, and it cost me £35 / $70.

Ian

[kellymjones]

Answers:

1.) My meter is broken, so the locking shutter release in auto mode is not a problem.
2.) The viewfinder works well.
3.) The aperture ring is not a problem for me. It's nice because the shutter speed adjustment is on top of the body and doesn't interfere with the aperture adjustment.
4.) Unknown, my meter is broken.

Other comments:

1.) I really like that it fits in my coat pocket easily.
2.) The lens is good, but not as good as the one in my Konica Auto S2.
3.) The maximum aperture is f2.8 which is fine for most purposes.
4.) I wish there were shutter speed settings slower than 1/15.

Bottom line is that it is a great little camera.

[Pablito]

what is an RC
?

[iml]

A compact Olympus fixed lens rangefinder.

http://www.cameraquest.com/olyrc.htm

Ian

[Pablito]

How cute! it even has a shutter speed DIAL!

[SteveM(PA)]

Originally Posted by iml

I carry the RC around with me more than any other camera, with the full expectation that it won't let me down. I've taken some of my best photographs with it, and it cost me £35 / $70.

Ian

Really? Hmmm..... I carry my XA everywhere. I wonder if I'd like the RC more...

[lament]

Thanks all. Just ordered an RC on ebay. We'll see how this goes.

[iml]

Originally Posted by SteveM(PA)

Really? Hmmm..... I carry my XA everywhere. I wonder if I'd like the RC more...

Both good cameras, no question. I had an XA years ago, and the RC is much cuter. They're probably as good as each other, but for the money it's worth trying an RC just for fun.

Ian

[Trius]

Having both (XA & RC), I like the XA better for its extended operational range. However, the RC has:

* manual exposure, albeit meterless
* better viewfinder, including better patch contrast for low light
* both shutter speed and aperture indicated in vf
* shutter priority in auto mode; I don't necessarily prefer one over the other, but not a lot of compact RFs use shutter priority, so it's nice to have the option
* less complicated design, making it easier for an average user to service

XA has:

* longer exposure capability
* clamshell design making it more suitable for the cas that is my jeans pocket
* 35mm FL vs. 42 -- a slight but often significant difference
* electronic shutter release enhancing handheld long exposures

I am considering getting rid of my RC as I don't use it a lot, but the shutter priority on auto makes me hesitate.

[Jeremy Z]

Originally Posted by lament

Hello,
I'm seriously contemplating getting an RC. I have a few questions for those who use the camera.

1. Most of the RC features sound very nice. Locking the shutter sounds horrible. Is this a problem in practice, that is, have you lost any shots that way?

No.

2. Is the viewfinder good, or would I be better off getting an external viewfinder? Finders on some cameras i've seen are worse than having no finder at all...

It isn't good, but it isn't bad either. It is better than the old Leicas that people love so much, but not as good as the Yashica G series

3. Is it a pain to adjust the tiny aperture ring and turn the camera on/off?

It is until you accept that you have to turn the focus ring at the same time. Turn them both together to adjust the aperture, THEN focus. (or shut power off)

4. Is the meter reliable?

Mine's bad, but I didn't notice it quickly enough to get my money back from the seller at ebay. When in automatic, mine doesn't stop down below F8, no matter what. CURSES! Now I have a $45 that needs a $100 CLA to be all it can be. Probably not going to happen; I'm more apt to get a CLA on the Rollei 35.

Also, is it slow enough to cause exposure problems in practice when shooting quickly?

No, it is mechanically linked, there is no delay at all.

Yes, I know this is where everybody tells me to just meter manually. Nevertheless, it would be nice to know

Manual metering on a camera with a built-in meter is for the birds. The whole point of this camera is to have something compact that still has a good lens. If you have to use a separate meter, it defeats the point. If you have to meter in the automatic mode, then switch to manual, you WILL miss the shot. Spend a bit of extra and make sure the meter works.

[ChrisPlatt]

Originally Posted by Jeremy Z

CURSES! Now I have a $45 that needs a $100 CLA to be all it can be.
Probably not going to happen; I'm more apt to get a CLA on the Rollei 35.

$100 to CLA a 35RC? There are a number of very good repairers
around who will do a nice job on your camera for closer to $50.

Your total for purchase and repair would then be just under $100.
That's what I would budget for a nice overhauled Olympus 35RC...

Chris

[lament]

One more question: Would using 52mm filters (with a step-up ring) obstruct the viewfinder/rangefinder windows?

[ruben]

I owned 2 of them, and now only one.

Extraordinary compact and full featured camera, including outstanding lens.

No problem with locking the shutter, no problem with lightmeter accuracy, no problem with lightmeter lag time, in comparizon to similar meters.

But two BIG problems for which your personal character will decide its fate after the purchase:

a) Very tiny yellow patch

b) Very uncomfortable aperture ring, rendering it useless and enervating for manual use, unless you have enough time between shots. You can skip this issue by using the camera in auto, altering the shutter speeds according to your needs, and fooling the camera meter by half tripping the shutter at chosen spots.

Cheers,
Ruben

PS:
You can find the meter byas, if there is at all due to no more mercury batteries, and set asa accordingly. If the camera meters asa 200 as if it was reading 400, then set the dial to asa 100 and it will meter real 200, etc.
Don't forget that most of the times the average camera auto reading, when calibrated, renders good results. Avoid manual metering mania and be happy. Some times less happy, most times quite happy.

It is a miniature camera aimed at taking you out of trouble when a full big and real camera is not pending from your neck. Remember the spirit of this type of cameras and act accordingly.

[lament]

Originally Posted by ruben

b) Very uncomfortable aperture ring, rendering it useless and enervating for manual use, unless you have enough time between shots.

Have you considered gluing a "tab" onto the ring?

[greyhoundman]

Wonder of wonders.
A tab is easy to afix to the aperture ring. But then there is the small RF patch.

[ruben]

Originally Posted by lament

Have you considered gluing a "tab" onto the ring?

Not with these cameras as my two samples happened to have that uncomfortable ring quite stiff too ! In fact at these moments I realize that if the aperture ring could be made very soft, then half of the problem will be gone.

Cheers,
Ruben

[Trius]

The patch is small, yes, but mine seems to be contrasty enough that it's easy to use. I've seen worse!

[rogerchristian]

I sold cameras when the RC, EC, etc., were NEW. Those Olympus cameras were HOT, and are still little gems. The RC was as good as it got. The Olympus 35 SP was a real winner, too, fast lens.

[ruben]

All in all it is a great camera with outstanding features, for its size and prize. And we users, are all different one from the other, some of us are conquered by certain camera features while others not but by other features. It is very much an issue of couple compatibility.

Therefore, Lament, in the worst case you will be ending by using it some times, but I dont think you will depart with it.

Cheers,
Ruben

[ruben]

Oh, I forgot to mention: perhaps the worldwide quitest shutter ever ?

Super silent shutter + very very small sized camera + autoexposure = a mighty instrument.


Cheers,
Ruben


PS
Thank you Trius for bringing me back to my senses

[jorgef2002]

Ruben, well said, theRC is a gem ,tell all those experts to stop nickpicking, I have over 50 cameras and one of my favorites is the RC, regards to jerusalen,salud.




jorgef2002

[jesse1dog]

Hi Lament

I've just got a 35RC but am having to do the seals. It will be the first camera I have done this on. However I have a Jon Goodman kit and feel happy enough to have a go. You might find that you will have to do something similar.
I love the feel of the camera.
Best of luck
j

[thorirv]

my take...

1 - locking the shutter? (in other words, never happened to mine, not in my posession at least)

2 - the vf is fine. nothing fancy, but nothing to complain about either.

3 - not a pain, but not excactly the best "aperture change handling" either.

4 - meter? oh, it has one..



jokes aside, it's a fine camera. no #1 strength is its small size, there is practically no excuse not to have it.