The small film camera I met in the back of that shelf—what started with the OLYMPUS-PEN EE-3

Not long after I moved to the countryside, I wandered into a local second-hand shop.
In a corner of the store, lined with furniture, records, and games, I found a small camera.

“OLYMPUS-PEN EE-3”
A half-frame camera. It was such a light and practical camera that could take twice as many photos as a standard one on a single roll of film.

There was a little dust on the lens, but I was drawn to its expressive appearance and found myself picking it up before I knew it.
I think it was about 2,000 yen.

—

As a film camera beginner, at first, I felt the vertical viewfinder was strange, and I was amazed by the mechanical engineering that allowed it to take photos without a battery.
I was worried about whether the first roll would actually turn out, but it did.
The colors were a bit faded, and some shots were blurry. But even that made me happy.

Thinking the images looked a bit washed out, I did some research and found that the light seals (the sponge used for light-blocking) had deteriorated, which might be causing light leaks. So, I looked it up online and spent my nights replacing them myself.
Taking apart a camera for the first time and carefully applying the black felt with tweezers was a strangely calming experience.

I think that’s when it started.
My love for the tactile nature of analog photography grew beyond just “taking pictures.”

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After that, drawn to its more classic look and design, I got my hands on a black-bodied “OLYMPUS-PEN FT”.

The gradations that seem to float quietly in the light, and the natural feel of the vertical composition.
And that pleasant “clack” sound when I press the shutter, a unique characteristic of this one-of-a-kind half-frame SLR.

Twice the photos on one roll, yet taking my time with each one.
Since I can’t check the photos on the spot, there’s the joy of rewinding the film later.

—

Analog is becoming a part of the rhythm of my daily life.
Following the sound, now “light” has begun to play its part as well.

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I hope to continue writing about these fragments of an analog life here on Note, little by little.

#analogrhythmlife
#OLYMPUSPEN
#halfframecamera
#life with film cameras
#countryside life
#quiet time
#note update