Olympus OM-2n and power consumption

E. von Hoegh · Sep 28, 2017

Filmsir1 said:
I have an OM2SP and from what I'm reading above, putting it in B mode will cut down on the power loss right?

Taking the cells out of the camera is the only guaranteed option.
I know of no other camera system with more battery drain issues.

E. von Hoegh · Sep 28, 2017

wiltw said:
I need to double-check, but I believe the om2 was indeed mercuric oxide, and it was the OM-2SP which used the silver oxide

Perhaps you should have done that homework before posting?

MattKing · Sep 28, 2017

E. von Hoegh said:
I know of no other camera system with more battery drain issues.

Most of those issues flow from the fact that many of the cameras are designed to properly expose a frame even if you grab the camera and shoot as quickly as possible to capture something instantaneous. It is a design choice, and those of us who have used OMs for a while are usually able to obtain usable long life from batteries. In my case, I have owned an OM-2s since the late 1970s, and I always get several months minimum out of a pair of silver oxide batteries.
I much prefer the OM approach to those cameras that always use the batteries whenever the lens cap is off.

OlyMan · Sep 29, 2017

Bill Burk said:
I always thought it was silly for the OM-1 to have an on-off switch (will that battery last 5 years or three?) But my OM-4 uses so much power I'm afraid to open my PG&E bill.

Hi Bill. Get into the habit of putting your OM-4 in B before you store it away after a day's shoot. I've never owned a (non-Ti) OM-4 but I do own an OM-2SP and an OM-40, aka OM-PC, both of which apparently have the same infamous battery drain issue. Having always stored them away in 'B' I've never had any problems.

There is no need to take out the batteries like some people here are saying, and when you realise moving the shutter to 'B' is effectively a cure, it becomes no bigger drama than flicking a power-switch to 'off'. But some people in life unfortunately get a bigger kick out of spreading news about problems than spreading news about the solutions.

Hope this helps.

AgX · Sep 29, 2017

Thus with the shutter in bulb-mode the metering circuit is open (switched-off)?

OlyMan · Sep 29, 2017

AgX said:
Thus with the shutter in bulb-mode the metering circuit is open (switched-off)?

In preparation for the inevitable reply from that one person who's going to split hairs (this is an internet forum...there's always one person), obviously 'B' / 1/60th isn't truly completely off, i.e. as though you had removed the batteries. But it's as close as makes no difference. Typically I get 6+ months from my cameras stored this way, which I consider normal and not excessive.

Bill Burk · Sep 30, 2017

OlyMan said:
In preparation for the inevitable reply from that one person who's going to split hairs (this is an internet forum...there's always one person), obviously 'B' / 1/60th isn't truly completely off, i.e. as though you had removed the batteries. But it's as close as makes no difference. Typically I get 6+ months from my cameras stored this way, which I consider normal and not excessive.

I don't really want to be that internet person, but...

I was about to take your advice, and went to the cabinet to go switch my other OM-4 to 60.

Found it was at the red 60 already.

And the batteries were dead.

OlyMan · Sep 30, 2017

Bill Burk said:
I don't really want to be that internet person, but...

I was about to take your advice, and went to the cabinet to go switch my other OM-4 to 60.

Found it was at the red 60 already.

And the batteries were dead.

Guess like everyone the validity of my advice is compromised by the bounds of my own experience. Leaving the shutter on B has always worked for me, even on my two cameras that have a reputation for being bad.

BrianVS · Sep 30, 2017

Someone should manufacture (or modify) a battery cap with a mechanical on/off switch in it. This would not be hard, and be the equivalent of removing the batteries.

Les Sarile · Sep 30, 2017

BrianVS said:
Someone should manufacture (or modify) a battery cap with a mechanical on/off switch in it. This would not be hard, and be the equivalent of removing the batteries.

Installed = ON, removed = OFF . . .

E. von Hoegh · Sep 30, 2017

E. von Hoegh said:
Taking the cells out of the camera is the only guaranteed option.
I know of no other camera system with more battery drain issues.

My original OM-2 purchased in late 1978 had no issues, I think I got nearly 3 years out of the cells that came with it, always moving the switch to "off" and leaving the shutter uncocked when not actually using it.
My OM-4 purchased in late '84 or early '85 was terrible, unless I removed the cells they'd be dead in a month tops, no matter how I set the camera. This prompted me to sell the Olympus stuff and get a Nikon F, LunaSix meter and battery drain issues are now a distant memory. Of course I now have the F, two Nikkormats, and two F2As, as well as a bunch of Nikkors but that's a different story.

BrianVS · Sep 30, 2017

Les Sarile said:
Installed = ON, removed = OFF . . .

And you take them out, leave them somewhere near the camera, might lose them- an on/off switch would be a much better solution. Stupid Whistling Emitocon left out.

If I pick up one dirt cheap- will try the mod. Easier than converting a Nikon DL-1 to use an LED.

E. von Hoegh · Sep 30, 2017

The neveready cases I had with my OMs had a little pouch to keep a spare set of cells in. There are also thingys to hold cells that you can put on the strap.

BrianVS · Sep 30, 2017

Yes, that is so much easier than the on/off switches that most other cameras use. What were they thinking, rather than tell the user to remove the batteries? Anyway- a surface mount switch, slide-type mounted under the battery cap with a hole dripped out for the switch itself, and a 3v lithium button cell for power in case there is not room for the originals after the mod. This is a lot easier than many of the mods made to keep old cameras working. There were Nikon F's modified to use F2 metering heads. Space under the serial number place was used to store batteries. Would be cool to have the spare DP-2 working on an F.

Les Sarile · Sep 30, 2017

BrianVS said:
Yes, that is so much easier than the on/off switches that most other cameras use. What were they thinking, rather than tell the user to remove the batteries?

In one of the photo mags back in the day, someone complained about switches either they forget to turn them off or they get inadvertently turned ON in the bag so they designed the shutter advance sticking out as the ON-OFF switch. Then someone complained that the shutter sticking out pokes them in the eye. Minolta designed the XD-11 so that partially depressing the shutter turned on the meter. In the review of the XD-11, they complained that in the bag the shutter button was accidentally depressed draining the battery.

I have come to accept that I can't make the camera fit me. Which is just as well since they don't make these particular cameras anymore and likely the company would not have custom made them for me anyways. Instead, I enjoy learning their idiosyncrasies and use them accordingly.

Bill Burk · Sep 30, 2017

OlyMan said:
Guess like everyone the validity of my advice is compromised by the bounds of my own experience. Leaving the shutter on B has always worked for me, even on my two cameras that have a reputation for being bad.

I really wanted you to be right. But hey, 33 years experience with this camera... It has never failed to recover after a quick switch to red 60 and a pair of fresh batteries.

So the drama for me is all about where are the spares and how many do I have.

Did I tell you the story about the morning I was backpacking down the steep trail that leads down into LeConte Canyon from Dusy Basin? When backpacking, weight is a bid deal so I cut the battery packages down to about half-inch squares to save weight. We stopped for a break and I was changing the batteries when a ranger came rushing straight up the ravine to where I was sitting. And he says "are you going to pick that up?"

One of the tiny pieces of cardboard had slipped off my lap....

BrianVS · Sep 30, 2017

The battery drain problem of the OM's series is a result of a failure of an electronic component. The cameras did not have this problem when new. My only experience is with an OM-2SP (think that is right, had the LED readout). Bought it as the LED readout was marked as non-working. Took it apart, fixed the problem- then discovered the battery drain issue, sold it for parts. Someone on another forum needed the top and bottom plates. That was over 10 years ago. At this point, I would have made the mod to the battery cap, used AG-10 button cells, thinner than the original. A surface mount dual-position, single throw switch should mount in place and serve serve as an on/off switch. Project for when another $15 Black Olympus OM-2S comes my way.

E. von Hoegh · Sep 30, 2017

BrianVS said:
The battery drain problem of the OM's series is a result of a failure of an electronic component. The cameras did not have this problem when new. My only experience is with an OM-2SP (think that is right, had the LED readout). Bought it as the LED readout was marked as non-working. Took it apart, fixed the problem- then discovered the battery drain issue, sold it for parts. Someone on another forum needed the top and bottom plates. That was over 10 years ago. At this point, I would have made the mod to the battery cap, used AG-10 button cells, thinner than the original. A surface mount dual-position, single throw switch should mount in place and serve serve as an on/off switch. Project for when another $15 Black Olympus OM-2S comes my way.

Plus it would not involve any permanent modification to the camera. I hav a NIB OM-3 that I'd like to use a bit and then possibly sell.

Btw, my -4 had the issue out of the box, the first ones were known for this.

Bill Burk · Sep 30, 2017

E. von Hoegh said:
Plus it would not involve any permanent modification to the camera. I hav a NIB OM-3 that I'd like to use a bit and then possibly sell.

Btw, my -4 had the issue out of the box, the first ones were known for this.

Mine too. Sent to factory twice for it too. All before they figured it out.

I keep learning little lessons... I thought maybe I would wrap the batteries in little scraps of linen. Works fine except that when I put the linen back in the tube I keep spare batteries in, I think I have more batteries than I really have.

Almost wrecked a day when I had 3 and the first pair I put in were dead. Luckily two of the three were good so I found a set that worked, and they lasted the trip.

Now I went back to scraps of toilet paper that I tuck into a pocket when I use a battery.

Les Sarile · Sep 30, 2017

E. von Hoegh said:
Plus it would not involve any permanent modification to the camera. I hav a NIB OM-3 that I'd like to use a bit and then possibly sell.

If I were you, I would not use it first because after you do, you wouldn't want to!

AgX · Sep 30, 2017

BrianVS said:
Someone should manufacture (or modify) a battery cap with a mechanical on/off switch in it. This would not be hard, and be the equivalent of removing the batteries.

-) there are different threads
-) for practical reasons such switch should be of the sliding type
-) there would not be left much space for indicating well its status
-) from sample to sample the orientation of that switch would be different
-) with the cap at the bottom of the camera the protrusion of the switch would be not tolerable

Bill Burk · Sep 30, 2017

It sounds like a good idea to me. Status could be determined by battery check.

BrianVS · Sep 30, 2017

AGX- I am suggesting this be done for the OM series with the battery drain problem, not all cameras. This could be a DIY job, some additional thought- the rocker and slide switches commonly used on computer boards are candidates to look at. As a DIY: putting the switch in the center of the coin slot for the cap would allow it to be inset and protected from accidental actuation. A split key or rubber stopper would work to remove the cap when required. Manufacture of an after-market battery compartment cover with an integrated switch would allow more flexibility. A flush rotating on/off switch would work. There are aftermarket products with adapters for using 1.5v batteries in 1.35v cameras with voltage conversion built in, this is about the same level of complexity.

As far as different threads, etc- it is amazing how many components from cameras of one manufacturer can be used to repair others. The Pentaprism of a Minolta XG-1 is a perfect fit for the Kodak Retina Reflex-S; screws from a Canonet QL17 GIII can be in the mount of a Canon Serenar 50mm F1.9. Different manufacturers, decades apart- but they work. I've used the rewind knob off a Minolta SLR to repair a Nikon EM. I suspect manufacturers sub'd out for some components, others- screws that worked in the 1940s will continue to work in the 1980s. I probably have the Retina Reflex with the brightest viewfinder of any of them out there. The Serenar 50/1.9- $50, needed three screws. Wish I still had that Olympus...

OlyMan · Oct 2, 2017

Maybe the answer is to think less along the lines of an electrical switch and more along the lines of a mechanical solution that makes or breaks the +ve connection with the inside of the battery cover. This would require a mod to the existing battery cover to incorporate the cutoff mechanism accessible from underneath the camera, though I've not got any bright ideas of exactly what that could be.

BrianVS · Oct 2, 2017

The electrical switches that I've been talking about are that- they break the connection. The idea would be to have the switch close the circuit between the battery and the cover, rather than the battery being connected directly to the cover. You could use plastic with an electrode for the battery, connect to the switch, the switch connects to the battery cover. The slide switch, or rocker switch is used to make the connection, or turn it off. These switches are often used instead of Jumpers on computer boards. they are small.

Olympus OM-2n and power consumption

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