Olympus Pen D2 – Half Frame Aim

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>I continue my mission to sort out some of my gear that I have not used much. I want to try using a few of them to see how/if they work. I also want to use up some film I've had sitting in the freezer that is quite short-dated. I don't know at this point if they'll stay or go as I “thin the herd” but I will pass on my user impressions.</p>

<p>As I select cameras to go to new homes, there are some some that, for me, are “low hanging fruit” that are easy to cull. All Russian cameras...goodbye. Great cameras, just not a fan. All vintage folders...so long. Wonderful shooters and beautiful designs, just not melding with my shooting style. Any scale focusing only cameras...Ba-bye. A camera I can't precisely focus will never find a home in my bag or pocket. There are some beautiful jewel-like cameras, as well as some of historical importance, in this category. But as an old, dyed-in-the-glass technical photographer, being able to actually focus precisely is just a personal quirk of mine. Using an outboard rangefinder in an accessory shoe is sometimes an option, but not always.</p>

<p>This is a 1964 Olympus Pen D2. It falls into that last category. I've only hung onto this long it because it has a couple of saving graces. Besides being a beautifully built camera, it is really small. Small is good in my book. Next is the fact that it is a half frame format. With the costs for film and processing on the rise, this is no small feature. And, come on, the thing is as cute as a button. Stephen Gandy has an informative page on the D2 <a href="https://www.cameraquest.com/olypend2.htm"><strong>HERE</strong></a></p><div></div>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>For such a small camera, the controls are well placed and easy to use. It offers whisper quiet Copal leaf shutter speeds from 1/8 to 1/500 plus B. If you are good at guess-a-focus ( or cheat and measure), it focuses as close as 2.6 feet. Just set the distance, aim, and fire...simple. The shutter release feels extremely crisp and precise and takes a standard threaded cable release. It comes with a CdS meter, but mine is kaput so I can't comment on its accuracy. The film counter counts down backward from 72. No accessory shoe on this little guy.</p><div></div>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>The lens is a coated, six element, Olympus F. Zuiko 32mm f/1.9. An excellent optic to be sure and reasonably fast to boot. Olympus really knew how to spec the glass for these half-framers as I discovered with my Olympus Pen FT <a href="/classic-cameras-forum/00aemL"><strong>HERE</strong></a>. From one test roll, here are some quick image results on Fujicolor 400. Focus distance estimated and exposed by eye. Scans by Walgreen’s.</p><div></div>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>#1 A Morning Launch onto Calm Water</p><div></div>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>#2 Shallow</p><div></div>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>#3 Red Flower</p><div></div>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>#4 Reading Under a Tree</p><div></div>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>#5 A Two-Fer</p><div></div>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>#6 Monumental Jaume Plensa Sculpture in Millennium Park</p>

<p>I have to admit I like half frame. It's great having 72 frames on a roll. I can shoot longer and looser. For small prints and web use, the format is perfect. The option of creating serial “two-fers” adds interesting creative potential. This little D2 is well made and easily fits in a pocket. The scale focus is fine for subjects that are some distance away, yet I did OK with my Red Flower at close to minimum focusing distance. The finder is a bit small for my bespectacled face but it did it's job well enough. The lens provided snappy images. The controls are well designed and it was an overall good shooting experience. I was happy with the results. I may now have to re-think my position on scale focusing cameras.</p>

<p>Thanks for looking.</p><div></div>

[kris-bochenek]

<p>Very nice journey to Chicago with a great looking camera. I enjoy looking at images taken in cities that I have lived in or visited. I go oh look at this and that. Anyways, lovely shots, Louis, I use to have an Olympus 35R, but I didn't see myself using it much. My half frame Mercury doesn't see much daylight either as I tend to stick to TLRs and Folders these days. Thank you for the post.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>I've wished Olympus had made a half-frame version of the XA series with the handy sliding lens cover. It's a handy pocket camera for toting everywhere and I like the idea of squeezing 72 frames from that type of camera.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Nice results, Louis. I must admit I haven't done much half-frame work in a while. I have a Fujica Half 35 with working selenium meter, but I haven't quite perfected my scanning of the smaller 18x24 frame. While most half-frame cameras were not as compact as the smaller frame would have allowed, they are, nevertheless, fascinating and practical pieces of engineering. A friend of mine got lots of half-frame photos (with an Olympus) when he was stationed in Vietnam in the early 70's and showed me lots of the photos after he returned. I think he had one of the fixed lens Pens, but don't remember which one. I did shoot a lot through a Bell & Howell Dial 35 so I plan to eventually scan those negatives. Thanks for posting.</p>

[john_robison3]

<p>Absolutely love half frame. I have a modified Pen D with a top and VF from a Pen. The brightlines are for 28 mm but I just mentally adjust and it has an accessory shoe now and looks better. Only shoot B&W though. Color negative would have to be sent off and with postage and processing, a CD and proofs it would be a very expensive per roll cost. Also have a modest Pen F outfit. </p>

[charles_stobbs3]

I had a Pen D which was almost my favorite camera. Rolling my index finger from the top onto the shutter

release provide the smoothest picture taking of any camera I ever owned. But when Kodak stopped

mounting half frame Kodachromes it was all over for me.

[rick_drawbridge]

<p>Beautifully-made little cameras, as you've pointed out, <strong>Louis</strong>. Coming from an era when a camera using anything smaller than a 5x4 sheet film was considered "miniature", I never really got to grips with half-frame 35mm, and couldn't really see the advantages; the cameras weren't <em>that</em> much smaller and the savings in film and processing costs were offset by the downgrading of image quality due to the smaller negative, and possibly the cost of a wad of prints. I can recall working in the photolab, and seeing a customer's reaction when confronted by an account for around 72 prints from a 36-shot film! However, many of them are among the finest examples of 35mm cameras, and you've shown this Pen D2 to perfection.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>As always from you, great stuff, but</p>

<blockquote>

<p>All Russian cameras...goodbye.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>oooh, too bad.</p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>Thank you for the comments, guys.</p>

[tony_lockerbie]

<p>Great as usual Louis,and the Pen D has been on the up and up lately, with higher prices. I think that I'm in a similar mind set to you, a lot of things need to go!<br>

Like Rick, I never got that enamored with half frame, but do love the look and feel of the Pen series. I have a Pen FT outfit that I must get out and use again, all my cameras are still in boxes following the move andI haven't had time to unpack yet.</p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>Yeah Tony, Nothing like making a move to highlight some of these storage issues. It did for me.</p>

[alexander_n2]

<p>Wow! Beautiful images. Many of these images have a meditative feel to them. Love the creamy colors on the boat photograph.</p>