Olympus 35SPn

Rich Silfver · 03-24-2004

Today I received a very nice addition to my Olympus collection - the Olympus 35SPn.

It was one of those eBay purchases you never really know how it will pan out as the seller was not able to produce any photos at all of the camera he was selling... As it turned out it is in near perfect condition but cosmetically and mechanically. Even the often troubled battery check works like a charm. Happy, happy.

The 35SPn is a later version of the more common 35SP.
Basically three things changed;
1. Some additional black plastic around the viewfinder (supposedly to reduce reflections and flares in the viewfinder),

2. The shutter speed, etc rings on the lens barrel are now all black (looks much nicer I must admit), and

3. A battery check button and light on the back of the camera next to the spot meter button.

Very excited and can't wait to take it for a spin this weekend.

(Only 5 cameras to go....)

taffer · 03-25-2004

Hey Richard, I'm glad you finally found one !

Mine works properly too in all modes, and it even came with a mercury 1.3 V battery (I've never seen one before). Needs some lens surface cleaning, as it came without lens cap and hence a bit dirty.

And now... hehe, I recognize I haven't tried it yet

But oth, my still "unused" cameras (Prinzflex 500, Canon G-III QL19 and the Oly SPn) will give me something to do for the next bunch of months

Oscar

rover · 03-25-2004

The risk paid off, great. I have made it a rule not to buy from a seller that can't answer questions about a product, or one that doesn't post pictures. I have been really tempted though knowing that I could be passing up some big bargains.

taffer · 04-07-2004

'incidentally', while cleaning the camera yesterday, i found that the Jupiter-12 lens cap fits PERFECTLY on the 35 SP(n) as a push-on cap.

russia meets japan

Brian Sweeney · 04-09-2004

QUICK!!

EVERYONE SHOW THIS AUCTION TO THEIR WIVES!!!

I always use the line "This camera will pay for Freshman year of Nikki's college". Of course I am pointing to the S4 that I got in a trade for an N8008.

http://cgi.msn.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI...808606289&rd=1

back alley · 04-09-2004

oh for a spare grand...

joe

taffer · 04-17-2004

Well I must recognize this one is growing on me after some days using it. BTW, do you have some trick to cover the metering cell (placed on the front of the top plate and not above the lens like on Canonets, Hi-matics, etc) ? It's a pity you can't simply turn the meter off...

Rich Silfver · 04-17-2004

I had the same question when I bought my first Oly35SP.
I searched around and there was one pretty nifty home-grown solution that involved a piece of velcro that held down a little black patch made of leather infront of the meter when it was not in use.

I ended up not pursuing any option myself since I'm using WeinCell batteries and once you've taken off that strip that covers the little holes your battery will only last 4-6 months regardless if it's in a camera with an active meter or not.

taffer · 04-18-2004

Well I've just remembered I had a set of 6 hearing aid 1.4V batteries sleeping in a drawer (found them in a paper bin, and no, you can't ask why I was looking inside the bin

). A quick manufactured O ring to add some thickness and voilà, the SPn meter is now always metering...
Thanks for clearing my mind !