Paxette was a line of 35mm film viewfinder and rangefinder cameras made by the Braun company in Nuremberg, Germany in the middle part of the 20th century. These cameras were of high quality, with excellent optics. Some of the models in this line had interchangeable lenses, something that was notable since these cameras all used Prontor leaf shutters, rather than the focal plane shutters typically used on such cameras (like the Leica). The interchangeable-lens models, which offered several different lines of lenses made by different noted lens manufacturers, included sizes from 35mm (moderate wide angle) to 135mm (telephoto). The Paxette lenses had a M39 screw mount mechanically compatible to the Leica M39 screw mount (Leica thread mount, LTM), but the flange focal distance differs, because the leaf shutter needs more space than a focal plane shutter, so the Paxette lenses are not interchangeable with the Leica lenses. There were also Paxette SLR models, the Paxette Reflex. Later models of the interchangeable-lens cameras, the Super Paxettes, included a coupled rangefinder, some even a coupled selenium meter.
Paxette Electromatic is a series of 35mm film viewfinder cameras made by Braun and produced between 1959-64. They have electric automatic exposure system.
The Electromatic II still had a single shutter speed at 1/40 sec, but with an improved lens. It was fitted with an Ultralit 1:2.8/40mm, focussed with a twist/screw action. Markings on the lens show that it can focus down to 1m (3.3 feet), although with only a simple viewfinder the photographer must use a guess focusing technique. At around 2m there is a symbol of a person to indicate portraiture, and at around 4m there is a symbol of a building. As with the Electromatic, the selenium meter gave a red/green light sufficiency signal.
Also called ALDIS RANGER 35 or MAMIYA RANGER 35.
It is in fact a MAMIYA 4B renamed under the trademark RANK, for the British market.
It belongs to a line of medium range small rengefinder cameras, whose precursor was the MAMIYA RUBIS in 1959.
The manufacture is neat, but much lighter than for the previous ranges.
MAMIYA RUBY
In September 1959, Mamiya introduced another leaf shutter 35mm camera, the Mamiya Ruby. It was a front-lens focusing linked rangefinder with a point matching exposure meter, read in a dial on top of the camera, not through the lens (see picture at right). It had a 48mm f/2.8 Mamiya-Sekor lens. A more advanced version, featuring lens and aperture control, with an f/1.9 Mamiya-Sekor lens, was introduced in May 1960. The Ruby was to become the style basis for several Mamiya rangefinders.
Building on the Ruby line was the Mamiya M3, a less expensive cousin, introduced in May 1961. It featured a fully synchro flash contact, shutter speeds from 1 to 1/500, and came with a fixed 48mm Mamiya-Kominar f/2.0 lens. Yet another related camera, the Mamiya 4B, released in 1963, came with a selenium-cell meter, a fixed 40mm Mamiya-Kominar f/2.8 lens and a much more limited shutter (1/4 - 1/250). Similar Mamiya rangefinders were often rebranded as Rank Mamiya cameras when sold in the U.K.
Specifications
35mm rangefinder for 24 x 36 images. Fully mechanical with selenium cell.
Quick-cocking lever, with mechanical counter, at its base.
Knob with rewind crank, accessory shoe; Cell dial scaled in IL (1 to 11).
40 mm collimated frame viewfinder with parallax correction marks.
Rectangular rangefinder image of comfortable size and well contrasted yellow.
Selenium cell on the front.
Adjusting of the film sensitivity on the shutter.
MAMIYA lens SEKOR 1: 2,8-22 / 40mm
SEIKOSHA shutter from ¼ second to 1 / 250th + B
Front-mounted flash sync.
A 1970 compact rangefinder camera from Canon, similar to the Canonet series but with an early date-imprinting function.
It uses a 40mm f/2.8 (5 elements in 4 groups) lens. The shutteris the electronically controlled Seiko ESF. The exposure meter uses a CdS cell for electronic exposure. Metering range of 1 to 17 EV (at ISO 100). Film speed can range from ISO 25 to 400. The finder has 0.6x magnification with 84% coverage which also contains parallax correction marks. It is powered by 2x 1.3V mercury cells batteries.
A newer minor revision of the Canodate E was released three years later in 1973. Canon refers to this as the Canodate E-N, but was just sold as the same Canodate E. This is mostly just a cosmetic change with the name plate's E in red. The date dials text with the Year in Blue, Month in Orange and Day in Red. The focusing ring is black coloured. The shutter also no longer functions when the battery is flat.
A databack to imprint the date on the picture is a standard feature today. The Canodate E pioneered this feature and realized the dreams of users.
With ISO 100 film, the camera’s Seiko ESF electronically-controlled program shutter could handle a wide exposure range from EV 1 (4 sec. at f/2.8) to EV 17 (1/500 sec. at f/16). With the dedicated Canolite D, the flash could fire automatically at EV 8 or lower.
For focusing, the camera had a double-image superimposing rangefinder. The viewfinder frame lines indicated the position of the imprinted date. The viewfinder also had a combination battery check and camera shake warning indicator, and flash indicator.
Type: 35mm Lens-Shutter rangefinder camera with program EE and date imprinting (year, month, day).
Picture Size: 24 x 36 mm
Lens: 40mm f/2.8 (5 elements in 4 groups)
Shutter: Seiko ESF (electronically controlled), EV 1 (f/2.8 at 4 sec.) – 17 (f/16 at 1/500 sec.), X-sync, hot shoe and German socket for automatic flash. No self-timer.
Viewfinder: Coincidence rangefinder integrated with reversed Galilean viewfinder. Parallax correction with projected frames and correction marks. Date imprinting indicated on projected frame. Same lamp used for battery check, camera shake warning, and flash-required indicator. 0.6x magnification, 84% coverage.
EE: CdS cell for full-auto program EE. Metering range of EV 1 – 17 (at ISO 100). Film speed range of ISO 25 – 400.
Power Source: Two 1.3 V HM-N mercury cells
Film Loading & Advance: Slotted take-up spool. Advances with camera-top lever’s 130° single stroke (possible to wind with several short strokes).
Frame Counter: Counts up. Resets automatically when camera back is opened.
Film Rewind: Camera-top crank
Dimensions & Weight: 133 x 76 x 59 mm, 580 g
The Canonet Junior is a 35mm viewfinder camera with programmed automatic exposure controlling the shutter and aperture. It was made in Japan by Canon, from 1963. For compactness, a sprocketless advance mechanism was used. The Reverse Galilean viewfinder shows the programmed shutter speed and focus zone.
A sibling of the Canonet, this camera was conceived for compactness and operation ease. The shutter speed and aperture were set automatically, making it easy to use by anybody. The zone focusing system divided subject distances into close, medium, and far with icons. Exposure was set automatically by the EE (Electric Eye) program. The film advance used a sprocketless spool. This made the camera 10 mm less wide and 60 g lighter than the Canonet.
Manufacturer: Canon
Introduced: 1963
Lens: Canon SE 40mm/f2.8 (4 elements, 3 groups), zone focusing
Shutter: Seikosha-L programmed, 1/30 to 1/250 sec. and B. X-sync flash with PC socket
Metering: Selenium cell; EV 7-17 (100ASA);
Film Speed range: 10-200 ISO
Type: 35mm Lens Shutter, zone-focusing camera with program EE
Picture Size: 24 × 36mm
Lens: Canon SE40mm f/2.8 (4 elements in 3 groups)
Shutter: Seiko-sha L with program. 1/30 to 1/250 sec. and B. X-sync flash. German socket on camera front.
Viewfinder: Reversed Galilean viewfinder with projected frames. 0.55x magnification. Shutter speed scale and match needle window (coupled to external window and flash mark) at viewfinder bottom. Right of viewfinder has three zone focusing marks and moving needle coupled to lens draw.
Exposure Meter and EE: Selenium photocell coupled to program. Metering range of EV 7 – 17, f/2.8 & 1/30 sec. to f/22 & 1/250 sec. (at ISO 100). Film speed range of ISO 10 – 200.
Film Loading & Advance: After opening camera back, insertion onto spool. Advances with camera-top lever (210° single stroke).
Frame Counter: Counts up. Resets automatically when camera back is opened.
Film Rewind: Camera-top crank
Dimensions & Weight: 130 x 79 x 36 mm, 640 g
Une publicité pour cet appareil apparaît dans un Tintin de 1968, ce qui permet de dire qu'il date de 1968 ou de peu de temps auparavant.
Nous sommes clairement en face d'un concurrent déclaré des Instamatic 25 de Kodak.
This VF-101 is a lot younger, dating from somewhere between 1972 and 1976, and was made not in Braunschweig, but Singapore. It’s from a time when Voigtländer was no longer an independent company, having passed through Carl Zeiss (those makers of fine microscopes) and into the hands of photographic heavyweight Rollei. To add further confusion, the camera is badged on the bottom as a Rollei, and is cosmetically nearly identical to the contemporary Zeiss Ikon Contessa S 312. It also came in a very attractive all-black version.
The camera is a lovely little thing – compact, seeming hardly big enough to accept a roll of 35mm film, but reassuringly solid. It has a built-in light meter that couples to the exposure settings, and miraculously uses regular 1.5-volt batteries, rather than the impossible-to-find and environmentally unfriendly 1.35-volt mercury cells of older cameras. It’s dead simple to use, too – a meter needle in the viewfinder tells you if you’re in the right exposure range, and a single dial on the lens barrel chooses an aperture, with the camera selecting a shutter speed to go with it. Focusing is by the old rangefinder technique of twisting a dial around the lens barrel, and lining up two images in the viewfinder – the “real” scene, and a ghost image from the little, round rangefinder window next to it. Easy.
Clone of the Zeiss Ikon S-312. I really don't know if this was already planned by Zeiss Ikon (who owned Voigtlander at the time) or if it was part of the deal to get Rollei to buy Voigtlander from the the ruins of the Zeiss Ikon collapse. Anyway, a ver handsome camera in black, that in my opinion looks better than the original. Aperture priority, very rare in the wave of shutter priority Japanese cameras. Extremelly well built and finish, opposite to all the Rollei/Voigtlanders that came after.
Here we have another compact rangefinder from the early 70s, similar in size to the Konica C35, and similar in features to the Olympus 35RC or Canonet QL28. In other words it has the advantage over the C35 of having full manual override in addition to the aperture priority settings, and the disadvantage of having no ‘Flashmatic’ setting for automatically relating GN to aperture. You have to manually set the aperture for flash photos. The Ricoh 500G is almost the exact same size as the C35 and like it a black model is also available. But for a change I think the silver one looks cooler. And as with many Ricoh cameras a Sears-branded equivalent can be found, called (I believe) the Sears 35|rf.
It is full manual or shutter-priority automatic, you set the shutter speed and either set the aperture to A for auto or manually select the shutter speed. It’s a perfect size for compact rangefinder, and rather full-featured, the lens isn’t as fast as the Canonet QL17 or Vivitar 35ES but it’s definitely a good performer and if you wanted a full-featured compact rangefinder on a budget you wouldn’t have to look any farther than this. I think the performance of even the 2.8 Hexanon on the C35 is slightly better and more contrasty but then, as everyone who has followed my advice and picked up a C35 finds out for themselves, that little Hexanon is in a class by itself. (This one might be better at wider apertures though.) I should point out that though I keep comparing the two, the 500G is its own design and not a copy or rebranding of the C35 as cameras like the GAF Memo appear to be.
Very ugly light seals, fixed with creatively placed strips of Foamies (see your local craft store) attached with Pliobond. CAREFUL with this – I thought I had it all set and found it was still leaking light. I had to go back and put in additional strips of felt at the back latch area. (If I were to do it over I might just use all Presto-felt.) Also cleaned up the glass and metal with Windex and the leatherette with Lexol.
he focus ring is on the very edge of the lens barrel, opposite of what I’m used to with these little rangefinders; usually it’s close to the camera body with a lever or thumbrests to help you focus, here that job is given to the aperture ring and also to the shutter speed selector so practice practice or it gets a little confusing. By the way, the camera does a nice job on the auto aperture setting ‘A’, shutter speed is still manually set.
The manual states explicitly that for flash pictures you need to manually calculate the aperture according to the standard formula ‘flash guide number’ / ‘distance to subject’ = ‘aperture’. I intend to verify this but in the meantime I’d take its word for it. No ‘Flashmatic’ setting here.
Replacements for obsolete batteries such as the once-common PX675 (this one) and PX625 can be got at www.photobattery.com or Radio Shack. In this case, the shutter works using a 1.4v zinc air hearing aid battery, $5 for a pack of 8 at Radio Shack
Produced 1972 Taiwan Ricoh Co., Ltd (mfg. subsidary of Ricoh Co., Ltd., Japan)
Film type 135 (35mm)
Picture size 24mm x 36mm
Weight 14.8oz (420g)
Lens Ricoh Rikenon 40mm 1:2.8-16
Filter size 46mm
Focal range .9m to infinity
Shutter mechanical shutter
Shutter speeds 1/8-1/500
ASA 25-800
Viewfinder coupled rangefinder
Exposure meter lens mounted CdS with viewfinder needle (aperture)
Battery originally 1.3v PX675 mercury
Hotshoe and PC Sync (syncs at any speed but 1/125-1/500 recommended)
Self-timer
Fast-action wind lever
he later Canonet 28 35mm rangefinder camera is a cheaper consumer version of the famous Canonet QL17. The lens is a fixed 40mm f/2.8 Canon lens. It has fully programmed auto exposure with shutter speeds from 1/30 to 1/600 (shown by the meter's needle in the viewfinder), and manual control of f-stops for flash (f2.8-f16). The film speed range for auto exposure is from 25 to 400 ASA. It uses a Copal leaf shutter and has a coupled rangefinder. It was made in Taiwan.
The Canonet 28 was featured in the 2011 film, 'I Am Number Four'. This instantly made the camera a lot more desirable. It is described as having 'cool light leaks' that affects the photo in an interesting way.
This Canonet was marketed from 1971 to 1976, and was one of the latest heavyweight compact cameras. By the late '70s, camera construction had begun a rapid change from metals to plastics.
Shutter: programmed shutter with speed/aperture combination 1/30 sec./1:2.8 to 1/620 sec./1:14.5
Aperture: automatically or manually, 1:2.8 to 1:16
Viewfinder: bright frame finder with 0.6× magnification, superimposed coupled rangefinder, shutter speed control meter scale and parallax marks
Metering: CdS photo cell above the lens within the filter ring (EV 8 to 17 at film speed ASA 100). The shutter is locked when the meter indicates over- or under-exposure
Battery: 1.35 V battery type PX625
Film advance: Lever, exposure counter, rewind unlock button, and rewind crank
Flash: hot shoe with second contact allows usage of Canolite D flash in automatic exposure mode. Other types of flashes may need an adapter and can be used only with 1/30 sec. shutter speed with manual aperture setting
Esta fotografia é do exemplar que possuo. Características
Vintage 126 Agfa film cassette viewfinder camera made by Agfa in Munich (Germany) in 1972.
The Agfamatic 50 is part of the extended Agfamatic family and floated on the same popularity wave as the famous Kodak Instamatic. It has a very simple, plastic body and is fitted with a fixed aperture lens (f11) and exposure time of 1/40 or 1/80 when using flash. The focal range is an almost-standard 40mm.
It came with a plastic carying case which features a handy hand strap on the top (11 x 7 x 4,5 cm – 4,3 x 2,6 x 1,8 inch).
Vilia is a 35mm film viewfinder camera made by BelOMO and produced between 1973-86 with quantity of about 2.000.000 units. Вилия = Vilia is a river flowing through Belorussia and Lithuania.
Vilia is an elegant simple camera, looking a little bit like an improved Smena Symbol, but is in fact a completely independend design. The shutter is of leaf type, while the four leaf diaphragm has a nearly square opening – both are located just behind the lens. The lens is focused manually from 0.8 m to infinity, while symbols on the distance scale help to assess correct distance for given subjects (portrait, group portrait, group, landscape). Film is advanced with a lever located on camera's back, coupled with shutter cocking. The camera is equipped with a hot shoe for synchronizing a flash, as well as with a synch cable socket. The excellent viewfinder has bright lines with parallax marks as well weather symbols connected with aperture setting.
Vilia is equipped with symbolic system of exposure setting, similar in its idea to that used by Smena 8M or Smena Symbol. When the system is used, the shutter speed is preset according to film speed scale on its ring – from 1/30 s for 25 or 32 GOST/ASA to 1/250 s for 200 or 250 GOST/ASA[1], while the exposure is adjusted by changing the aperture from 4 (heavy clouds/rain) to 16 (bright sun). Weather symbols are visible at the bottom of the viewfinder only and are pointed by a small bright dot, depending of aperture setting.
A further developments of the Vilia, using the same body and lens, were the Vilia-Auto, this time equipped with automatic exposure setting based on a selenium meter, as well as Orion EE and Siluet Elektro with a CdS meter.
Back cover: hinged, opens by a sliding latch on the left side of the camera
Tripod socket: ¼"
Strap lugs : none
Body: plastic; Weight: 357g
Serial no. on the bottom plate
Fonte: Camerapedia
Meet the BeLomo Vilia, a cheap, sweet looking camera with a surprisingly good lens.
The Vilia is a camera very similar to the Russian Smenas, but it was built in Belarus and it’s actually an individual design. It looks somewhat bulky and it’s certainly not the most compact or light weight camera out there, but still I find that it holds a charm of its own.
They must have made quite a few of these cameras because they’re still readily available – for little money! In my case shipping was more expensive than the actual camera.
The Vilia takes regular 35mm film. It’s equipped with a hot shoe for flash use. Unfortunately shutter cocking and film advance are coupled, so it doesn’t allow for multiple exposures.
Let’s now have a look at the camera’s heart – its lens. The Vilia uses a Triplet 4/40mm lens, and this lens is much better than expected. Actually, I’m surprised that such a crappy looking camera would come with such a nice lens. At 40mm it isn’t particularly wide and I find myself using the viewfinder more frequently than with my other cameras. Even at F4 the Triplet shows almost no vignetting and it’s exceedingly sharp. This only gets better as you stop down! So if you’re into dark corners and mysteriously blurred images, the Vilia is probably not the camera for you.
Choose a shutter speed of 1/30, 1/60, 1/125, or 1/250, and an aperture of F4, F5.6, F8, F11, or F16, and you’re good for almost any lighting situation. Aditionally, the Vilia offers a ‘B’ bulb setting for those looooong exposures.
here’s one more thing I’d like to mention: the viewfinder. As you look through, you’ll notice a series of weather symbols at the bottom. Each weather symbol stands for an aperture value and as you set your aperture, a white dot underneath the weather symbols indicates where you’re at accordingly. So if you set the aperture at F16, the dot will appear underneath the “very sunny” symbol in the viewfinder. This is not only cute, but actually quite handy in practical use.
So overall the BeLomo Vilia is a very capable camera at a very low price, and a true alternative to a Smena.
LensTriplet 69-3
minimum found number6065320
maximum found number6066282
Produced piecesUnknown
RarityR1
Distinctive features of type
Without Quality label
Não tem o logotipo (quality label) no canto superior direito, vista de frente e possui o n.º de série 5265300, o que parece não coincidir com a descrição.
A minha pertence ao modelo PK4310.
Blue line emphasizing the white logo. Black lens faceplate. Very common to find nowadays. Seems to be released by Lomo since 1991.
Smena-8 is a viewfinder 35mm film camera made by GOMZ, LOOMP and LOMO and produced between 1963-71. Doubtless one of the most popular Smena cameras. Smena-8 was the camera USSR tried to enter the international market.
There are 7 types and 3 sub-types of the Smena-35. The export types were named as Cosmic-35 and Global-35
This model is similar with Smena-6 , but added film rewind, possible to use just one cassette with take-up spool and blocking system
Pop-up rewind knob
Shutter: speeds 1/15-1/250 +B w/synchronizer
Lens: T-43 (Triplet) 40mm f/4
Aperture: f/4-f/16
Hot-shoe
Self-timer
Body: plastic
Doubtless one of the most popular smena cameras. Smena-8 was the camera USSR tried to enter the international market. Camera indentical to Smena-6 with a special device for reverse taking-up from cassette to cassette, possible to use just one cassette with take-up spool. Pop-up rewind knob. In the back of camera imprinted either old Gomz logo (as well as on the lens faceplate), either blank circle.
The Lomo Compact Automat (or LC-A for short), is a small Russian-made 35mm camera that has become very cult and popular. Smena is also produced by "Lomo" and my opinion is that it is also suitable for "Lomography". I am not completely aware of what that term actually keeps inside but one rule is that you should never know what kind of photos you'll get when you shoot a picture with a "Lomo".
Smena 8 is not like Lomo LCA a fully automatic (exept focusing) 35mm camera. You have to "do" something to get the picture. It is against a rule "Shoot before you think" but the rule could be bypassed by thinking "not too much". Like mthis you maintain the creativity and the randomness.
First camera in the Smena 35mm Series was introduced in 1953. Smena 8 was made in 1963 -1971. It is fitted with T-43, f4,0 coated lens. Shutter speeds are B, - 1/15, 1/30,1/60, 1/125, 1/250sec. It has a self-timer and a cocking is not integrated to film advance wheel. Camera material is plastic.
LOMO factory is situated in the city of St. Petersburg. Since 90 years LOMO has designed and manufactured optical devices for various applications. Beginning with its foundation in 1914 LOMO was largest optical device manufacturer for Russian Army. Times have changed and now LOMO works not only for military and space programs but also for science and industry and for t he consumer products market.
A minha parece ser do 3.º modelo, ou seja, uma PK2680: The most common version of the particular camera. New "Lomo" logotype on the lens already. The blank circle imprinted on camera's rear door. No more "No." prefix in serial number. An early sample still comes with tripod thread - 3/8'' yet, though the big majority of type-3 cameras have tripod thread 1/4'' already. "Sdelano B CCCP" or "Made in USSR" markings on shutter housing, near the serial number. No more black arrow, engraved on film rewind knob on late cameras. A lot of variations in this group, indeed.
Esta fotografia é do exemplar que possuo. Características
The Optima Electronic Sensor is a 35mm film viewfinder camera made by Agfa and introduced in 1982. The camera is the last of the range of long lasting Agfa Optima Sensor series.
The Optima Sensor is technically identical with the earlier Optima 535 Sensor. It has a Solitar 40mm f/2.8 in Paratronic shutter with speeds 1/30-1/1000, a simplified focusing by three symbols, and a red signal in the viewfinder in the event of under-exposure.
Electronic sensor series replaced Optima 200 and 500 Sensor cameras. Their features are black body with large bright-frame viewfinder and automatic exposure control with electronic shutter.
Fonte: Camerapedia Brand: Agfa Name: Optima sensor eletronic Format: 35mm Focus: manual Flash Types: no flash (but hotshoe) Exposure: 1/30 – 15 s ISO Speeds: 25-500 Cable Release: yes Tripod Screw Mount: yes The Agfa Optima sensor electronic is a 35mm compact view-finder camera with manual focus. On the top of the lens you can adjust the focus by three symbols (mountains, two people and one people) and on the rear side in Meters and Feet. But it’s not the big problem if you don’t get the right distance it has a wide depth of field. On the front of the camera you can set up the film speed and there is the built in light meter. It got a fast lens and if there is a flash inserted you can manually choose the aperture. I love the red release button on the lever which is also used for rewinding. The body is made out of metal with a plastic coating. And if you open the back unintended, you don’t destroy the whole film cause it is covered in a sealed chamber. (I’m very happy of this feature.) Fonte: Lomography Modelo Só existe um modelo desta câmara Baterias Funciona com três baterias PX625
Esta fotografia é do modelo que possuo Características
The Trip 35 is a 35mm compact camera, manufactured by Olympus. It was introduced in 1967 and discontinued, after a lengthy production run, in 1984. The Trip name was a reference to its intended market – people who wanted a compact, functional camera for holidays. During the 1970s it was the subject of an advertising campaign that featured popular British photographer David Bailey. Over ten million units were sold.[1]
The Trip 35 was a point and shoot model with a 40mm f2.8 lens, solar-powered selenium light meter, and just two shutter speeds. In 'A' mode, the camera operated as a Program automatic, choosing either 1/40th sec or 1/200th sec. The camera could also sync with flash, and had a range of aperture settings, from f2.8 to f22. In flash sync mode the shutter was set at 1/40. Apart from a simple four-position zone focus system, and an ISO setting from 25–400,[2] the camera had no other photographic controls. The camera had a Prontor-Compur sync connector and a hot shoe. Its lens was a coated Zuiko 40mm f/2.8, with four elements in three groups.
The camera had an ISO range of "only" 25–400, but this was acceptable, as films faster than 400 were uncommon and not of high image quality. 25 speed allowed the use of Kodachrome, while 400 speed allowed use of Tri-X and similar fast materials under low light.
Earlier models, from the first few years of production, had a maximum ISO speed of 200.
The four-element Tessar lens, still impressive today, gave high-quality images. If used with modern film emulsions, the results can be very good.
The use of a selenium photocell to select the shutter speeds and aperture let novices use the camera as a "point & shoot", with good results obtained most of the time. And no battery was needed to power the camera, an important consideration when travelling where batteries might not be available.
The lack of more than two shutter speeds was not a problem. At 1/200 and f:22 with 400-speed film, the camera could deliver correct exposure in full sunlight, while at 1/40 and f:2.8, correct exposure could be obtained under bright fluorescent light, without a flash.
The aperture could also be adjusted to cope with sunny/dull conditions etc., so again this allowed for better results, but in low light conditions, with perhaps a smallish aperture (for long depth of field), the camera would probably set itself to the lower speed of 1/40th, so camera shake was a possibility if higher-speed film was not used.
The Olympus TRIP 35 is a full-sized compact EE camera based on the Pen EES. It first went on sale in 1968. The name reflects its suitability as a convenient camera to take on trips. The TRIP 35 became very popular as a camera that combined ease of use, reliability and a low price with superb photographic performance. It remained a best-seller for many years, and over the next 20 years over 10 million were produced.
This is a fully automatic exposure 35mm film camera introduced in 1968. Olympus made over 10,000,000 of them through 1988. It was, and still is, an inexpensive, lightweight camera with few adjustments.
I bought this particular sample at a thrift shop for $5 on 7/7/7 with a dented filter ring. This one's date code says it was made in 1974.
The Olympus Trip 35 operates completely without batteries. Its light meter and programmed automatic exposure system is solar powered! This makes it one of the world's most advanced cameras which provides fully automatic exposure completely without batteries or external electrical power.
Viewfinder: Standard Albada, with parallax marks. Red indication for too little light. Trick peephole to see exposure and focus settings as set on lens. The ridged window to the right of the finder window is fake, mimicking a rangefinder.
Focus: Manual by scale, visible through viewfinder. Top scale, visible through finder, shows icons or headshot (1m/3'), twoshot (1.5m/5'), group shot (3m/10') and infinity. Bottom scale calibrated in meters and feet.
Lens: 40mm f/2.8 Olympus D. Zuiko, 4 elements, three groups. Appears to be a front-element focusing Tessar.
Close Focus: 2.9' (0.9m).
Diaphragm: two bladed, diamond-shaped, stopping down to about f/22.
Shutter: 1/40 or 1/200, automatically selected. No bulb setting.
Cable Release: Standard socket in shutter release button.
Meter: Selenium cell around lens. (automatically incorporates any filter factors.)
Exposure: Program automatic (A) and fixed-aperture for flash. Note: if you chose a large aperture for flash and work in bright light, it stops down accordingly but keeps the shutter speed at 1/40.
Exposure range: EV 8-1/3 (1/40 at f/2.8) to EV 17-1/6 (1/200 at f/27).
Film Speed: Third stops from ASA 25 - 400, except ASA 32.
Filter Size: 43.5mm screw in.
Low Light Warning: If exposure would go below 1/40 at f/2.8, the shutter locks and a red transparent flag rises from the bottom of the finder in A setting. (If this happens, use flash.)
Flash: Hot shoe and PC terminal.
Film Advance: Thumb wheel.
Rewind: via crank and bottom release button.
Back Opening: via catch along left bottom.
Film Loading: Put leader on tooth in slot.
Size: 4.912" W x 2.861" H x 2.269" D (124.77mm W x 72.67mm H x 57.62mm D)l, measured.
Weight: 13.77 oz. (390.5g), measured, naked: no film or strap.
