5 frames with the Olympus 35SP and Fomapan 200 (I have a lot to learn) – by Giacomo Zema
I have been looking for a compact rangefinder for almost a year, at the top of my list there initially was the Canonet QL17, but as time went by it got replaced in my wishlist by the Olympus 35 SP, not before a long and informative period of intense geeking about any other camera of this category. I guess the appeal of rangefinders is mostly due to their good looks, but also the stealthiness and the relative quickness of operation. Moreover, I was looking for a fixed lens compact rangefinder because I can’t afford a Leica and I don’t have the patience to fiddle with the various Russian clones; at this period in time at least. Also, the lenses on some of these bad boys are incredible and the reduced lens-to-film distance due to the compact design seems to result in even better sharpness (not that I care particularly about sharpness, but I am a nerd: it’s things like these that get me up in the morning).
