The brassing is nice, it shows that somebody really enjoyed using this camera for a good long time. It also proves the quality, as it still works so well.
Hi timoscow. I actually caused the brassing by removing the corrosion with metal polish, and the camera had been refurbished by the seller. However I never doubted the quality, Olympus have always made a quality product. Thanks for the comment. Cheers, Howard 📷
There was a passed time when I finally admitted that I had become a casual collector. Then, I fell for these Olympus 35 rangefinders from the latter 1950s. There were several, similar models which preceded and followed this one. Compared to the competition of the day, these were smaller (although surprisingly heavy), better engineered and better built. They also mounted good lenses, from which Oly acquired a reputation for excellent lenses. These lenses were not quite as good as those on the contemporaneous Konica II, III, or IIIA, or the later Oly 35SP or RD. There is a much less common version which mounts a 35mm 2.0 lens, which was one of the fastest and best quality of its day. When you use one of these, it feels like a fine watch rather than what was essentially a consumer 35mm camera. While the optics of the much later 35SP are better, the camera itself is less well-made, the price of cost and competition.
Hi Randall. Thanks for your comment. You may be interested that there are a couple of video reviews of the S and SII on a site "Japan vintage camera", he also mentions the 35 S wide. Sounds like you may have had a "Wide", I only have the SII. They were very nicely built cameras. Cheers, Howard 📷
I like this camera, Howard, especially the dial at the back. Would enjoy using one of these.
Thanks Malc. 👍
The brassing is nice, it shows that somebody really enjoyed using this camera for a good long time. It also proves the quality, as it still works so well.
Hi timoscow. I actually caused the brassing by removing the corrosion with metal polish, and the camera had been refurbished by the seller.
However I never doubted the quality, Olympus have always made a quality product.
Thanks for the comment.
Cheers, Howard 📷
Hi Howard, never seen one of these before, lovely camera. The exposure guide on the back is great.
Hi Andrew. I agree completely with both your observations. Really nice camera. 👍
There was a passed time when I finally admitted that I had become a casual collector. Then, I fell for these Olympus 35 rangefinders from the latter 1950s. There were several, similar models which preceded and followed this one. Compared to the competition of the day, these were smaller (although surprisingly heavy), better engineered and better built. They also mounted good lenses, from which Oly acquired a reputation for excellent lenses. These lenses were not quite as good as those on the contemporaneous Konica II, III, or IIIA, or the later Oly 35SP or RD. There is a much less common version which mounts a 35mm 2.0 lens, which was one of the fastest and best quality of its day. When you use one of these, it feels like a fine watch rather than what was essentially a consumer 35mm camera. While the optics of the much later 35SP are better, the camera itself is less well-made, the price of cost and competition.
Hi Randall. Thanks for your comment.
You may be interested that there are a couple of video reviews of the S and SII on a site "Japan vintage camera", he also mentions the 35 S wide.
Sounds like you may have had a "Wide", I only have the SII.
They were very nicely built cameras.
Cheers, Howard 📷