Olympus 35 EC
Probably My Favourite Olympus Compact Point & Shoot
(and No, I Haven’t Got my Models Confused!)
The Olympus - 35 EC is superb compact 35mm film camera which is often overshadowed by it’s stylish older sibling, the Olympus Trip 35, but with a more robust build quality, battery powered exposure meter and shutter, I think the EC range is a better option when looking for that classic Olympus compact experience.
The Olympus EC was first released in 1969, just 2 years after the Trip and includes a number of improvements which resolve some of its sibling’s limitations. Whilst the Olympus Trip is justifiably renowned for it’s simplicity, ease of use and yes, it’s stylish good looks, it’s low maximum film speed of 400ISO, reliance on a life-limited Selenium power cell and a ‘relatively budget’ build quality did leave it compromised. Of course we are talking about cameras that were never designed to still be in use 55 years after they were manufactured, let alone compared against each other.
The Olympus 35 EC 2 was produced shortly after the release of the EC, with only very minor, internal changes and a change of indicator light colour. The ECR version was produced in 1972 with the addition of a very useful rangefinder.
I currently own a lovely EC 2 version.
Design-wise the EC range unmistakably owes it’s good looks to the Trip, with brushed metal base and top plates, black textured body, scalloped detail around the top and thumb-wheel film advance. The obvious differences are a smaller lens, larger viewfinder, the addition of a ‘lock’ lever on the front and the film rewind lever being moved, via a folding mechanism, to the base of the camera alongside a large rectangular battery cover.
Of course the addition of a battery is the most significant addition to the EC range, resulting in many of the other, smaller changes.
On closer inspection the EC is a little more compact than the Trip but feels more solid and rugged in the hand, perhaps due to its slightly squarer profile, higher quality textured covering but undoubtedly also due to thicker materials forming it’s body.
Whilst the fixed 42mm lens on the EC is an upgrade over the Trip it’s noticeably smaller due to the lack of Selenium cell and associated ISO adjustment ring, automatic exposure is handled internally, powered by a traditional battery. Manual zone focussing remains the same as the Trip but is shown as actual distance marks on the lens, from 0.9m to infinity, although the Trip’s distance icons are replicated in the viewfinder.
Talking of the viewfinder, the EC has a larger, brighter viewfinder than the Trip with a clearer focus zone scale, although it has been moved very slightly further away from the centre of the lens to accommodate the new electronic light meter alongside.
ISO is set via a small, inset thumb wheel, to an improved maximum of 800, with a display on the camera’s top plate alongside the serial number the adjacent frame counter is the same as the Trip’s.
Rather than the Trip’s top mounted film rewind lever, the EC has the rewind lever on the base of the camera and the film advance direction has been reversed, film cartridge is loaded on the right of the camera and advanced to the left. Where the Trip’s rewind lever sits, the EC has an indicator light which confirms battery state and flash operation.
Beautifully, the EC cameras all have an enlarged silver metal shutter button, so sought after by Trip collectors!
Shooting With the EC
In operation, the ‘new’ electronic shutter has a very different feeling than the reassuring mechanical ‘click’ of the Trip’s, instead making a vague ‘buzz’ at all speeds, otherwise the EC feels solid and precise in the hand. The lock lever is a useful addition for when the camera is being slipped in and out of a pocket and with the large clear viewfinder display and single lens barrel ring, zone focus is easily selected.
Winding via the relatively small thumb-wheel is precise, the frame counter is nice and clear and the folding re-wind lever on the base of the camera is rugged and provides good power and feel.
As well as feeling a much more robust camera and therefore more reassuring in use, I’ve found the lens of the EC to be a step up from the Trip, producing sharper images and more faithful tones. Whilst rudimentary by modern standards, the electronic metering and shutter have proved accurate and reliable, resulting in less ‘failed shots’ than when using my Trip.
The EC range of Olympus cameras aren’t as popular or as readily available as the Olympus Trip, but are often cheaper, even though the technology is a significant step up. I recommend that if you’re looking for a compact 35mm film camera and have been attracted by the Olympus Trip ‘phenomenon’, take a look at the EC range, you’ll get a better camera, more robust and reliable shooting but the same great style for less.
What to Look for in an EC
As always, if you’re shopping for an Olympus compact camera there are a number of things you can look for to minimise your risks when buying a 50+ year old camera. If you’re determined to search out a Trip, check out my advice on my blog post dedicated to it here.
Buy from a reputable seller that offers some guarantee or reassurance that the camera you’re buying is in working order. Is it film tested, is it listed as “fully working”, has it been serviced or CLA’d (cleaned, lubricated and adjusted)? Remember that even listings on eBay have to be accurate, and if you discover the item you’ve received is not as listed, eBay will support you in returning the item. I’ve bought and sold many cameras on eBay and can assure you their buyer protection is much better than certain on-line comments would suggest.
Research your camera before buying, you can then make sure that things are working as expected - indicator lights and viewfinder displays vary widely, make sure you understand what you are going to see (or not) when testing a camera.
Before even trying a camera you can check some basics; Is it clean and in good general order? Do all the adjustment dials, switches and controls move, turn or indicate in a solid, tight and smooth way? Do lights, Do the optical elements look clear and bright (any vintage camera is going to have some internal dust and wear), is there any damage, fogging, fungus growing in the lens or viewfinder? Is the battery compartment and contacts clean and intact, watch out for and avoid broken contacts or significant signs of battery leakage? Does the camera wind and the shutter release cleanly and precisely, can you test it with a ‘spent/dummy’ film cartridge (some cameras won’t operate without a film)?
If your camera was sold as working, shoot a film or at least some frames through it and get them processed as soon as possible. This will allow you to check general operation, test for light leaks and exposure/focus calibration.
Specifically with the Olympus EC range it’s worth checking the lens for any damage/impact, the focus ring turns precisely and smoothly, the battery compartment is in good condition and (with batteries inserted), the shutter operates with the light in the viewfinder illuminating. Adjust the ISO via the small thumbwheel and check the aperture iris in the round light meter window adjacent to the viewfinder opens/closes accordingly.
For the ECR check the rangefinder function through the viewfinder. You should clearly see two overlapping images that converge when you set the focus to the correct distance.
Do have an Olympus-35 EC? If you have some experience of using these cameras or if you’re looking for one and have some questions, share your views in the comments below, enjoy your camera.