Week #11 Testing-1-2

 

As you might have read in my post about week 10, I bought several cameras at the Fotografica Photo Fair. And those cameras need to be tested of course. In week 11 I tested one of the Olympus XAs and the Vivitar 35ES. I loaded some expired colour film from a drugstore chain (I suspect it’s rebranded Fuji Superia) in the Olympus and a roll of Kodak Gold 200 in the Vivitar, and took the cameras with me to work. The sun was shining, and I went on a lunch break walk again, so I could test the two cameras.

The Olympus is very small and quiet, and great for stealthy street photography. I had a bit of trouble seeing the light meter in the viewfinder, but I managed ok. The Vivitar has a surprisingly sharp lens, and for such a small camera it’s very heavy. Both are rangefinders, and I thought they were both pleasant to shoot with.

From the Olympus XA test roll:

The bike in the header is also from the Olympus, btw.

From the Vivitar 35ES:

 

I must say that I’m quite happy with the results of these two cameras. Unfortunately one of the other two Olympus XAs is broken; it has a shutter that is stuck. My husband has tried to repair it, but it didn’t work. There’s a roll of film in the other Olympus as we speak. The Box Tengor will be tested very soon, and I need to find a place that sells 127 film, so I can test the Bilora Boy as well. Stay tuned for those results!