Chinon 35 EE rangefinder camera

I’ve bought quite a few small 35 mm rangefinder cameras lately, and this is the newest one I’ve acquired – a Chinon 35 EE.

Pictures of the Chinon 35 EE

Chinon 35 EE description

This camera was made in about 1976 by Chinon and was also available as the Vivitar 35EE and was sold by Dixon’s in the UK as a Prinz 35E.

It is a fully automatic exposure, small rangefinder camera of a type very common in the 1970s. With quick loading, flash sync, and the aforementioned rangefinder focusing and automatic exposure, they were ideal units to stick in the glove compartment of the car, so you always had a camera with you.

In many ways the 35 EE is very similar to the Minolta Hi-Matic F which I posted about earlier in the week, having much the same feature set and being very similar in size.

One big difference with the Minolta however, is the amount of information in the viewfinder – whereas the Hi-Matic has only a single light if the shutter speed is below the safe level for hand held exposure, the Chinon 35 EE shows the aperture which the camera has selected with over and under exposure markers. Although the information level is different however, there is still not much that can be done if you are not happy with the exposure chosen!

Chinon 35 EE Specs

• Chinon 35EE 35 mm rangefinder camera
• Chinonex 38 mm f/2.7 lens
• Auto exposure + B time
• Shutter 1/30 to 1/650 (as found on internet search)
• Self-timer
• Range-finder focusing
• Hot shoe accessory socket
• Sync socket
• Guide number flash setting
• 25 to 500 ASA film speed
• Single mercury cell (PX675) exposure system
• Light cell within filter ring
• Manual available online here