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shadowfox
03-08-2007, 08:56
Hiy'all

After anticipating another wreck coming through the mail, I finally got my hands on the Tower 19 (or for obvious reasons I'd like to refer to it by it's name in the Japan market, Olympus Ace E) that I won from the bay last week.

So, is it a wreck?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/147/414577858_3585ad923a.jpg

I wrote a short review on my blogspot here (http://zuikography.blogspot.com/2007/03/meet-ace.html).

In summary, I'm not thrilled by the cosmetic appearance, but I'm thrilled that it still working, and the camera is a fun one to use, and I like the results.


http://farm1.static.flickr.com/124/414568488_39bec0a338.jpg
shadowfox
03-09-2007, 09:14
21 views and no comments, wow! I know that the RFF world is run by Leicas, FSU, VCs, and Nikons, but ... come on :)
peot
03-09-2007, 09:35
I´m in the low budget spread of RF:s myself. And I like the picture! It´s crisp and the colors are great. These old cameras we are using never stops to surprise me in the picture quality they deliver.
zuikologist
03-09-2007, 09:45
Cosmetically it looks good. I like the results too - especially the b&w shots on our flickr set. Interchangeable lenses on such small camera is very cool.
rogue_designer
03-09-2007, 10:17
21 views and no comments, wow! I know that the RFF world is run by Leicas, FSU, VCs, and Nikons, but ... come on :)

meh - all flikr images are blocked by the firewall, so I can't see anything to comment for a while yet. Otherwise... Thumbsup!
Nikon Bob
03-09-2007, 10:23
Always nice to get good results from a RF model outside the mainstream. Looks like you got a winner there.

Bob
filmgoerjuan
03-09-2007, 10:24
I love using older cameras. And while that camera is rough looking, the photos from it are sharp, sharp, sharp. Congratulations!
shadowfox
03-09-2007, 10:27
meh - all flikr images are blocked by the firewall, so I can't see anything to comment for a while yet. Otherwise... Thumbsup!
Really? wow, that's a new low for those IT goons (I'm one myself :))
rogue_designer
03-09-2007, 10:54
Yup. No Flikr, no photobucket or similar. So for images not actually uploaded to RFF, or hosted on a server (other than the image hosts), I get lots of blank spaces in the image posts here. Very frustrating.
Trius
03-09-2007, 11:24
Shadow: I don't know how I missed this yesterday ... oh yeah, I came home and was so tired that didn't get on the computer. :rolleyes:

Anyway ... yowza! I really, REALLY, REALLY like the results. Now you've done it to me. I was on the fence about the Ace because I didn't know how the lenses would perform. They are, after all, "vintage". But man, that looks sweet ... the contrast is neither too low nor too high, at least for that type of scene.

Damn, you've ruined me! :D :bang:

Edit: BTW, is the meter active/accurate? That would be amazing.
shadowfox
03-09-2007, 12:47
Trius: What? you didn't come to the "altar" yesterday? :)

It's YOU and your "magic" that got my attention on this camera :D.

I'm really glad I got this one, a Leica it is not, but it's smooooth! The meter actually works, it can be used to shoot with shutter priority OR aperture priority.

The only weird thing is the ASA selector knob is detached from the shutter-speed ring, so when I change the shutter speed, the ASA selector is no longer indicating the correct ASA anymore. It doesn't look like it's broken, but what a weird design...?
Xmas
03-09-2007, 12:55
Shad

Hey the GAS is bad enough already, and I had been resisting an Ace in a showcase for weeks and weeks and weeks. It is like being a (real) Trooll I can only look at your post when it is dark and the shops are shut.

Stoppit......

Noel

P.S. How many were made?
Todd.Hanz
03-09-2007, 13:00
21 views and no comments, wow! I know that the RFF world is run by Leicas, FSU, VCs, and Nikons, but ... come on :)


Great camera and results, gotta love any pic with "Blue Bell" and "Starbucks" ;)

Todd
Xmas
03-09-2007, 13:08
Shadow

I think that is how the meter works, see

http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/instructionmanuals.html

Noel
leica M2 fan
03-09-2007, 13:13
Wonderful example of lens sharpness and the color is beautiful. No wonder we love Zuiko's and Xenars and Xenons and Tessars and...........
shadowfox
03-09-2007, 13:33
Shad

Hey the GAS is bad enough already, and I had been resisting an Ace in a showcase for weeks and weeks and weeks. It is like being a (real) Trooll I can only look at your post when it is dark and the shops are shut.

Stoppit......

Noel

P.S. How many were made?
GAS is really bad, so far I manage to contain it within Olympus.

God knows if the Leica GAS returned, or the Nikon SP GAS which I feel brewing now (...ewww) may make me keel over ...

As for the number made, my research indicates that it was in production from 58 - 61, not even John Foster (biofos.com) knew how many were made.

Here's another picture with the lens removed, the lens is tiny!
wintoid
03-10-2007, 04:10
If anyone cares, there's an Ace available here http://www.peterloy.com/Stocklist.htm