Olympus CLA in the UK?

[xtolsniffer]

Hi all,
does anyone know of a good place to get Olympus OM series cameras serviced in the UK? I have three of them, two OM-1ns and an OM-4. They have a bit of history in that I've had at least the first OM-1n since about 1987 and built up a nice but small OM system. Then, just before a big trip abroad, the OM-1n lost a catch on the film back, and the OM-4's electronics fried. Not having a camera, a friend lent me a Nikon FM and a few lenses. When I got back, I got the electronics on the OM-4 replaced under warranty, though it always had a few issues afterwards. The friend sold me the FM and I moved to Nikon. Someone later gave me another OM-1n (plus another for spares) and the OM system has been sat in cases ever since about 1995.
As all the cameras have small issues, they really aren't worth much on the second-hand market, and every time I get them out I'm amazed by the viewfinder. I'm starting to feel that I really should use them more. The OM-1's have got issues with slow return on the wind-on lever, and probably need foam replacing plus a general CLA, and for the OM4, the exposure compensation dial has to be set to -1/3 ev to stop the compensation light going off in the viewfinder, plus there is a poor connection in the memory/clear collar around the shutter dial as sometimes I can't store a spot reading unless I flick the collar a few times - I'm assuming that both these faults are just poor connections/alignment.

I'm at the stage of either dump them on the second-hand market for spares or repair or fix them and enjoy them. I alternate between the two.

Any suggestions?

 

[R.Gould]

Try Newton and Ellis, I have used them a lot, they service and repair anything, from classic cameras, which I use to the latest digi, and I have yet to have a bad job from them, and they are nice people to deal withwww.newtonellis.co.uk

 

[pdeeh]

There are a couple of olympus specialists.
Michael Spencer up in Chesterfield.
Luton Camera Repairs (in ... um ... Luton)
And my favourite, Black On White (John Quantick) in Bristol

Google* will get you addresses/phone numbers.



*other search engines are available

 

[xtolsniffer]

Thanks for that, I may have used Black on White in the past, I certainly had an OM-1 serviced when I lived in Bristol in the early 1990's. If it's the same company, they did an amazing job.

 

[pdeeh]

The only problem with john is that he is so good he is constantly busy and it can take a while to get stuff back. However as you say his work is top notch. I gave my Zuiko 24/2.8 such a whack it put such a dent in the filter ring I could no longer mount the hood and some of the elements were jarred loose to the extent it rattled, but when it came back from Brizzle it looked and performed like it was fresh from the factory.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Another specialist is Miles Whitehead.
http://www.mwcamerarepairs.co.uk/

 

[Ap507b]

Second the suggestion for Miles Whitehead. Got my OM1 back from him just over a week ago. Went off to him with the meter a few stops out. Gave it a CLA, replaced foams & modified it to run off a 1.5v battery all for £59.99. Camera has come back feeling so smooth compared to how it was. Highly recommended.

 

[xtolsniffer]

Wow, £60 for all that? That sounds like a bargain....

 

[blockend]

I also use Miles Whitehead, and shall continue to.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Second the suggestion for Miles Whitehead. Got my OM1 back from him just over a week ago. Went off to him with the meter a few stops out. Gave it a CLA, replaced foams & modified it to run off a 1.5v battery all for £59.99. Camera has come back feeling so smooth compared to how it was. Highly recommended.

Thanks!
It tallies with what others, maybe yourself?, have said on the Filmwasters forum.
I hope that he will consider NOT modify an OM-1 for 1.5V battery.
I have one that I would like to send to him.

 

[xtolsniffer]

Ricardo, what's the issue with the modification for a 1.5v battery? I had one done on an OM-1n a few years back and it seems to work fine, meter seems to tally with a modern Nikon at all film speeds.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

That's all very good, but how do you know a camera has been converted or not without opening it?
Anyway I like things in original condition as they left the factory.
And there isn't really a need to do so.
But, I can see that running a single SR44 that might last a year or more has its benefits.

 

[Ap507b]

Not me on Filmwasters. Had never heard of it until your post.

I am well aware of the voltage curve limitations of 1.5v alkaline compared to 1.55v silver oxide but am happy to live with it for the sake of convenience. I will only be putting two or three films a year through the OM1 & they will all be colour print so the meter being a bit out if the battery has dropped its voltage should be fine. I always tend to overexpose colour print a small amount anyway. Yes the silver oxide battery is better but no shops near me stock them & I want something that I don't have to forever order online. Battery drain & getting silver oxide batteries is why my OM2 SP sits unloved in a bag most of the time. At least the OM1 turns off properly

I always have LR44's on hand so changing it once a year won't be a hassle.

When I asked about modifying it to work with a modern battery he said to put the one in that I wanted to use & he would modify it.

Am very happy with his workmanship, turnaround & pricing.

 

[xtolsniffer]

Quite a few years back I had an OM-1 serviced and it came back with a little plastic insert with a diode in it that you could pop an SR44 into, so I could tell it had been modified without having to take the base-plate off - though that's a very simple job if you have a decent small screwdriver. I think the modification just involves a diode inserted close to the battery compartment under the base-plate.

 

[Ap507b]

it does. I watched a Youtube video on how to do it & would have had a go myself if my body hadn't needed a CLA to begin with.

I have a brass PX-625 shaped adapter that you drop a modern battery into. Use the same setup with my Praktica MTL5.