Olympus OM-1

[Andrew O'Neill]

I was gifted this cute little camera recently. I picked up a parts camera (for cheap!) from a seller in Japan, just for the 50mm lens. Are there any OM-1 user out there? Love these little mechanical beauties!

 

[faberryman]

I have used Olympus OM cameras almost from the beginning. I have an OM-1, OM-4, OM-4Ti, and a nice collection of lenses. Of course, cameras are a personal preference. Some people dislike Olympus OM cameras for a variety of reasons. That's fine. Shoot with whatever camera you like best. It's what you do with your camera that counts. I say rather than tell me how great your camera is, show me your prints.

 

[Frank53]

Bought my OM-1 in 1974 and still use it.

 

[AnselMortensen]

The OM-1 was revolutionary when it came out, being smaller and lighter than most SLR's of the day.
I almost bought one as my first camera, but opted for a used Nikon F instead.

 

[wiltw]

I own OM-1n purchased new (sold the OM-1MD also purchased new), an OM-4 purchased used, both with a wide assortment of OM lenses, and a collector M-1 (with two M lenses)

 

[btaylor]

I got my OM-1n new in 1978. It replaced an older, well used Pentax Spotmatic. My only 35mm camera, I bought a good selection of Zuiko lenses, focusing screens and accessories. IMO a great system camera. Later picked up a spare OM-1, as well as OM-2n, OM-2s, OM-4 bodies, macro bellows, motor drive, etc.
I liked it because of its small size and it was quieter than other slr’s of the time. A substitute for the Leica M2 I coveted but could not afford. I eventually got the Leica, but a system slr like my OM-1 is much more versatile.

 

[Anon Ymous]

I was gifted this cute little camera recently. I picked up a parts camera (for cheap!) from a seller in Japan, just for the 50mm lens. Are there any OM-1 user out there? Love these little mechanical beauties!

Nice! Now you only need a 28mm and you've made a decent OM system. Another lens to consider is the 35-70 f/3,6. It's the best 35-70 OM zoom and a very nice walk around lens.

 

[snusmumriken]

Super little cameras. What I should have bought rather than a Nikon, in my SLR days. To name a couple of users, Jane Bown and Patrick Ward have clocked up scores of stunning images with these cameras.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Nice! Now you only need a 28mm and you've made a decent OM system. Another lens to consider is the 35-70 f/3,6. It's the best 35-70 OM zoom and a very nice walk around lens.

I've got my eye out for a 28...

 

[Rick A]

I packed Olympus cameras for years, starting with the fabled FTL that came out in 1970, followed by an OM-1 then OM-1MD then an OM-1n. I bought an OM-4 in 1965, finally sold it to Bill Buerk a few years ago. I just sold my last OM-1n a few months ago. I've used many other brands, but none were as intuitive and light as the OM's.

 

[Bill Burk]

Yup Thanks Rick A.

I let my son use the OM-1 for college classes. I plan to convert it for alkaline battery (have a regulator chip to install).

It’s a success because it has all the features that make a camera easy to use: shutter speeds 1-1000 and B, winds shutter as you advance film, instant-return mirror and automatic aperture. Open aperture metering across a good selection of f/2 sharp, coated lenses. Plus a self-timer.

 

[Rick A]

I forgot to mention half a dozen OM-2"s including a couple of OM-2SP's. The design is ergonomic and makes total sense, left hand controls focus, aperture, and shutter speed, it's intuitive. The view finder is large and bright, interchangeable focus screens. Zuiko lenses are stellar.

 

[MattKing]

This OM-2s was the one I bought new in the 1980s. As you can see, I've used it a bit

In addition to this, I currently have/am down to an OM-2n, an OM-4T and an OM-G.
I started out with a pre-MD OM-1 in 1974, which actually was traded in for the OM-2s. Over the years I've also owned an OM-1n and another OM-G, which were sold or given away.
My favourite lens set is a 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, 85mm f/2 Zuiko trio. In addition, I've several more, including a 200 f/5, 75 - 150mm f/4 and one of the latter kit lens versions of the 35 - 70mm zooms. In the past, there were 28mm f/3.5 and 135mm f/3.5 lenses.
Plus more accessories than you can shake a stick at.

 

[Joel_L]

I have 3 OM1s, plain OM-1, and 2 OM-1MDs, and a OM-3Ti. All three of my OM-1s I cleaned the foam goo from the prism, one prism was damaged by the foam. I was able to find a clean replacement and put it in. One of my OM-1s is pretty silent winding and shooting, the other two have slight ping. Oddly, my OM-3Ti has the loudest ping. None of them an issue, but I do notice the difference. I do like my OMs.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

This OM-2s was the one I bought new in the 1980s. As you can see, I've used it a bit
View attachment 329472
In addition to this, I currently have/am down to an OM-2n, an OM-4T and an OM-G.
I started out with a pre-MD OM-1 in 1974, which actually was traded in for the OM-2s. Over the years I've also owned an OM-1n and another OM-G, which were sold or given away.
My favourite lens set is a 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, 85mm f/2 Zuiko trio. In addition, I've several more, including a 200 f/5, 75 - 150mm f/4 and one of the latter kit lens versions of the 35 - 70mm zooms. In the past, there were 28mm f/3.5 and 135mm f/3.5 lenses.
Plus more accessories than you can shake a stick at.

Matt, if you ever want to part with the 24mm, let me know!

 

[M-88]

Used to have OM-1, 2, 2n, 2S and 4. All turned out to be nice except 2S. Almost pocketable. Of all the outfits I had, I miss OM-1 with 35/2.8 and 100/2.8 the most. Tiny but capable set.

Pretty thoughtful design as well, in more than onr way. More thoughtful than most in early 70s, but just you wait until someone pops up and starts ranting how unergonomic it is to have shutter dial around the lens mount

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I think the placement of the shutter dial is very clever... it's something that I'm used to with my RB lenses... and my LF lenses, for that matter

 

[MattKing]

Matt, if you ever want to part with the 24mm, let me know!

Ain't going to happen Andy!

 

[Radost]

Just a heads up:
Buy now. Olympus lenses are getting very popular with Videographers.

 

[Rick A]

You should mount a Winder 2 on that little honey, my arthritis pushed me in that direction and life got sweeter, much easier to hold onto the little beauties. Unfortunately it also made it danged near impossible to load reels, I struggle with sheet film at times. And yes, I have a couple of plastic reels, don't go there.
My favorite lenses, 24mm, 85mm, 100mm, 75-150 zoom, 35-75 zoom. the zooms generally lived on the OM-2's.

 

[Cholentpot]

I have two.

One in mint and the other really bashed up. Great systems but there is a reason why Nikon took top stop. They're not 100% as reliable as Nikon. Not a problem for a hobbyist, but if I was a pro back in the day I would have gone with Nikon for pure reliability.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Ain't going to happen Andy!

 

[r_a_feldman]

My favourite lens set is a 24mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, 85mm f/2 Zuiko trio. In addition, I've several more, including a 200 f/5, 75 - 150mm f/4 and one of the latter kit lens versions of the 35 - 70mm zooms. In the past, there were 28mm f/3.5 and 135mm f/3.5 lenses.

{MattKing moderator edit: I'm not sure how you originally got my paragraph into a form that looked like Andrew was the source, but I've fixed it now

My go-to OM-1 lens set was 24mm, 50mm Macro and 100mm. I did archaeology in Peru, so the macro was used for artifacts, the 24mm was good in the confined space of a room or an excavation pit, and the 100mm was good if I needed a longer lens.

I used to have a 35-70 zoom, but did not like it that much. I recently got a 28-48 zoom, which I like a lot more.

 

[Les Sarile]

I was gifted this cute little camera recently. I picked up a parts camera (for cheap!) from a seller in Japan, just for the 50mm lens. Are there any OM-1 user out there? Love these little mechanical beauties!

Lovely camera. I was given one in exchange for scanning some film for the owner since he was no longer using it.

I packed Olympus cameras for years, starting with the fabled FTL that came out in 1970, followed by an OM-1 then OM-1MD then an OM-1n. I bought an OM-4 in 1965, finally sold it to Bill Buerk a few years ago. I just sold my last OM-1n a few months ago. I've used many other brands, but none were as intuitive and light as the OM's.

You probably meant you bought an OM-4 in 1985 as it was released in 1983. We know Yoshihisa Maitani was ahead of his time but he would have been a wizard if he had released the OM-4 in 1965!

My best score to date - and completed my OM lineup, was the OM-3.

Kodak TMAX 100-19-04 by Les DMess, on Flickr

 

[Rick A]

Lovely camera. I was given one in exchange for scanning some film for the owner since he was no longer using it.




You probably meant you bought an OM-4 in 1985 as it was released in 1983. We know Yoshihisa Maitani was ahead of his time but he would have been a wizard if he had released the OM-4 in 1965!

My best score to date - and completed my OM lineup, was the OM-3.

Kodak TMAX 100-19-04 by Les DMess, on Flickr

You're correct, I did purchase the OM-4 new in '85, I really should wear my glasses and proof read before posting. I was in the local camera shop eyeing an OM-2SP and the owner handed me the OM-4, told me I'd be happier with it and sold it to me for the same price as the 2. He was right.