Another week another camera! This time the Chinon CE-4, advertised in 1979 but didn’t really hit the street’s until 1980. There are many similar cameras – when I was younger and tramping around Europe I had a Cosina CT1. That “family” of cameras were very similar. So too were the Ricoh KR’s. This officially has a “Chinon Universal Bayonet Mount” but don’t let that fool you – it’s the Pentax Bayonet like all the others! The CE-3 which preceded this model was an M42 screw camera.
I’ll mention that the shutter has timed speeds from 8 secs up to 1000th, flash sync is 1/60th. It also has TTL metering, and aperture priority, as it’s “auto” mode. I won’t go into detail for the rest, it’s standard fare. I will however note a few un-usual things about the camera. First it takes 3 LR44 type batteries rather than the common 2, why it needs 4.5v to work I’m not sure. As the operator holds the camera there is a tiny lever in front of the wind on, if this is held to the left when winding on it disengages the film transport, so the wind on cocks the shutter but doesn’t move the film – easy double exposures for creativity. The timer, selected in the usual place and way, offers both a 5 sec count down as well as 10 secs, and just above it, is a proper lever for depth of focus preview. All in all it’s a well specified camera. I did the usual and popped a roll of FP4 in and went on a walk!
I used the 35-70mm lens that originally came with the camera if you wanted to “up-grade” from the “nifty 50”. This does have the added bonus of a macro or rather very close focus, at the 70mm end, but I found it a very average lens. If I were to ever use it again, I’d pop on a Pentax SMC 50mm.
It’s a pleasant enough camera to use, and with a better lens could be all anyone ever needed, but it’s nothing special despite the extra couple of bells.
Verdict: I’ll pass it on! With a Pentax ME Super, 3 Nikons and an Olympus in my stash I don’t need it and I doubt it will get used for years!
S.H.O.U.T. 
Thank you for this post about a lesser known brand.
I personally prefer my two CE-4s over the ME Super from which I own six and none is in fully working order. The Chinons however are still working without any flaws.
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Hello Reinhold!
I enjoyed using the camera, I suppose in many ways it’s very similar to the ME Super, I was lucky that I brought an ME very cheaply in perfect condition but ceased up. At about the same time I inherited a collection of many Pentax cameras. What was the Pentax repair centre in the UK was still running as a separate entity, they were always on the lookout for cameras for spares, so a deal was done to fully service my ME in exchange for 5 non working cameras – thus my ME is fully serviced and works like a dream. It’s the only camera I have had fully serviced! So I do like my ME but the Chinon was good to use – even without service. I am seriously considering keeping the body but I do have just too many cameras that I need to reduce – so regrettably I think it’s time to pass it on! Cheers Andy
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