Olympus Pen EE2 - Honest Thoughts (Half-Frame Camera)

My honest thoughts on the Olympus Pen EE2 which is a 35mm half-frame camera. I’ll be discussing what I like and don’t like about the Olympus Pen EE2 and I’ll be sharing some sample photos to hopefully give you a better idea of whether this camera might be for you. I hope you enjoy this review of my favorite half-frame camera. The Olympus Pen EE has been around for a long time. The Olympus Pen EE first came out in 1961 and was made to be a consumer camera. It’s fully automatic with a fixed focus system, and auto exposure so it’s super easy to use, and really requires no technical knowledge of photography what so ever. There is a little bit of manual override on the aperture side of things but that’s about the most control you have over this camera.

Timestamps
Intro: 0:00
Background: 0:27
What is a half-frame camera?: 0:54
Automatic System: 1:30
Battery: 2:08
Light Meter: 2:24
Size: 2:58
Lens: 4:02
Flash: 4:42
Diptychs: 5:18
Viewfinder: 5:47
Price: 6:26
Summary: 6:40
Outro: 7:19

So if you have never been introduced to half-frame cameras before, what it means is, the frame is cut in half, allowing you twice as many exposures on a single roll. So if you have a 36 exposure roll, it now becomes 72 exposures which makes it a super cost-effective way to shoot film. I think one of the biggest issues for a beginner film photographer is normally the price of shooting film, which is completely fair enough as it can be quite expensive. But on the Olympus Pen EE, having the ability to shoot double the photos is definitely advantageous.

The only thing you do have to worry about on the Olympus Pen EE2 however is the light meter, which is a selenium light meter. The biggest risk with buying this half-frame camera is getting one with a dud meter, as once it’s gone this camera is pretty much dead. But in saying that, considering how old this camera is and how reliable my meter still is you should be fine but it's definitely something to think about. So I guess my advice would be, keep this half-frame camera stored somewhere where there's not much light like a case or bag, just to protect the meter.

Moving now onto the ergonomics, the Olympus Pen EE2 is by far the smallest camera I have, as you can see it fits easily in my palm which makes it a great camera for taking out on a day-to-day basis. I’ve taken this camera on a lot of overseas trips and even if I don't end up using it, it doesn't really matter because it takes up no space whatsoever. As with most point and shoot cameras, it’s so easy to just throw in your pocket or a small bag, which makes it a very convenient half-frame camera to use.

A huge factor contributing to the size is the built-in lens which on my version is the 28mm f3.5. So for me, normally I prefer to have an interchangeable system, but because this is more of a camera I use for fun rather than anything serious, having a complete system works fine for me. The lens is obviously not the sharpest, but when shooting half-frame cameras, that’s always going to the case, as the negative does have half the resolution which I guess is probably one of the bigger downsides to this camera. So I will add, that on the newer models which are more expensive you are given the option to change lenses so if you want a bit more customization then it could be worth considering.

So with any half-frame camera, it allows you to create these things called diptychs. So what this means is two photos are scanned together allowing for some really interesting pairing. This might not be for everyone, but it could be a really great way to challenge yourself if you are lacking some inspiration. I will make a video sometime in the future shooting with the purpose of creating diptychs because I do see more and more people enjoying this way of shooting. However, some labs will scan the frame individually, and some labs won't, so before processing, it might be best to let them know what you prefer.

So in summary, I personally believe a half-frame camera is a must for any photographer. It obviously doesn't have to be an Olympus Pen EE2 like this one here, but they are so much fun to use and will really push you in a new direction. Personally, I love the size and build quality, it’s super easy to use considering the lack of functions, and having all those photos does take away the stress of film photography. And if I had to pick a downside, I would probably say the viewfinder isn’t the best but once again I don't think that’ a deal-breaker.

So I hope that gives you a better idea of whether this camera might be for you. I know for me, it’s not a camera that I use all the time, but when I do use it it’s always so much fun, and getting all those extra photos feels like such a blessing.

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Видео Olympus Pen EE2 - Honest Thoughts (Half-Frame Camera) канала Ben Droege