Olympus OM-1 - Replacement Mirror

[klownshed]

I've been given a battered old OM-1n that has a broken mirror (shattered).

It's not otherwise in good enough condition to warrant sending it for professional repair, but I quite fancy trying to fix it myself. Whilst I'm in there, the prism will need some attention to get the old goo off and possibly need replacing. I've read that OM-10s make good donors for the prisms, does anybody know if an OM double digit mirror will also fit and OM-1 or if I need to try and find a donor OM-1 for the mirror?

TIA

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

John,
You'll have to measure the mirror on OM-1 and 10 to see if they are the same.
About the prism, you only need to clean it. I doubt you'll see any real difference afterwards.

 

[klownshed]

Thanks, I would guess I'd have to remove the mirror to make sure it's a like for like replacement. I was hoping somebody had already checked.

Otherwise I'll just keep my eye out for a 'spares or repairs' OM-1 on ebay at the right price...

 

[thuggins]

Not sure about the mirror, but there are plenty of OM-1's around as donors (any OM should at least be a possible candidate).

As for the prism, clean it and feather the edges of the eaten silvering with Simichrome or toothpaste. Having done both the replacement and the repair, the repair is much easier (only one camera to dismantle). What you see thru the viewfinder is the discontinuity at the edge of the lost silvering, not the lack of silvering itself.