Following on from my revelation with the Olympus Trip 35 I was hooked. I started reading numerous blogs and posts from different authors and the recommendation of a Olympus 35 RC rangefinder camera kept on coming up. Most notably on this very 35mmc blog and on Ken Rockwell‘s site. Eventually the GAS took over. I simply had to have one, I watched several on eBay, bid and lost them all.
Having mentioned that I was on the lookout for one to a colleague, I was greeted with the words every old camera hunter longs to hear. “I think I’ve got one at home you can have for £20.00”. After re-attaching his hand, he duly came in the next day with it. Sadly, there appeared to be an issue with the rangefinder, it was sticky and the patch did not return to zero after focusing.
I tried unsuccessfully to investigate it myself, that’s a story in itself, and managed to damage the mirror in the process. I capitulated and took it to the excellent Luton Camera Centre for a full service and battery conversion for a very reasonable £90.00 including VAT. Bargain! What I received back was a beautiful, fully serviced, repaired and converted gem of a camera, and in my opinion the Olympus 35RC is my perfect pocket film camera.
I have used this camera for family events, street, holidays and even on my documentary project that is still in process. I have shot colour and black and white, and while some results were less pleasing than others, most were amazing! Colours are vibrant, focus sharp and clear. The shutter is quiet and discreet, making it very stealthy.
I still haven’t managed to work out the correct way to manually shoot this consistently, any tips on that front would be gratefully received. However, given the results in auto, I may not bother.
Have a look at these few images and see if you agree.
Agfa Vista 200 post production in Snapseed
Agfa Vista 200
Agfa Vista 200
Agfa Vista 200 and post production in Snapseed
Lomo 400 Film as scanned
You can stay in touch with my work by visiting any of the following.
www.julianhiggsphoto.com
www.instagram.com/julian.higgs
www.eyeem.com/julianhiggs
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John A Bennett on 5 Frames With An Olympus 35 RC – by Julian Higgs
Comment posted: 04/05/2018
Little more than a year ago, I dug it out again, and returned to film shooting. Within a few months, I had sold my last digital camera (a Fujifilm X100T), and acquired two Olympus OM-1n(s), two Olympus XA(s), and a massive Mamiya RB67.
This spring I enrolled in a darkroom class at my local college, and have starting printing again for the first time in decades. Life has never been better! And it all started with the Olympus 35RC.
Comment posted: 04/05/2018
John A Bennett on 5 Frames With An Olympus 35 RC – by Julian Higgs
Comment posted: 04/05/2018
Here's a tripod shot:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnandrewbennett/39541077074/in/dateposted-public/
5 Frames with An Olympus 35SP Rangefinder - By Julian Higgs - 35mmc on 5 Frames With An Olympus 35 RC – by Julian Higgs
Comment posted: 25/07/2018
5 Frames With A Voigtlander CLR Rangefinder Camera - By Julian Higgs - 35mmc on 5 Frames With An Olympus 35 RC – by Julian Higgs
Comment posted: 01/08/2018