Olympus OM-4 viewfinder issue

[marhalloweenvt]

Hi everyone, I’m having a problem with my Olympus OM-4 and hoping someone might have some insight. I bought it from a garage sale when I walk along my local. When I got back home, I put fresh SR44 batteries in it and it working. But with some deep inspection, I found that: The LCD display reset and freezes whenever I cock the film advance lever although the light meter still works and the camera adjusts shutter speed correctly in Auto mode. I have tried to advance film while poiting at sun litted white wall and cover the lens with my hand, camera still adjust shutter speed to really low due to my hand covered the lens. In reserve, I also cover the lens with my hand and advance film, then I pointed to the wall and press shoot, again, camera adjusted shutter speed for (maybe) correct exposure of the wall. When not in state of cocked, LCD's working fine in both manual mode/auto mode and spot meter mode.
Has anyone experienced this before or know what might be causing it? Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!
This is video of my current state:

P/s: Sorry for low quality video. I have to use my foot to hold the phone.

 

[koraks]

This is video of my current state: Video

You may want to consider offering the video on a more common streaming platform. I tried to view it on the present location and it was really slow to load, and I expect several people on this forum will simply refuse to play content from a platform/server they're not familiar with.

 

[marhalloweenvt]

You may want to consider offering the video on a more common streaming platform. I tried to view it on the present location and it was really slow to load, and I expect several people on this forum will simply refuse to play content from a platform/server they're not familiar with.

Thank you for your recomendation. At the time, I have uploaded it to youtube and editted above.

 

[koraks]

Thanks, much appreciated!

 

[wiltw]

Not sure what you meant by 'viewfinder freeze'. I did watch the video.
What you might be witnessing is the fact that the OM-4 (and other models of Olympus OM film lineup) have TWO forms of metering built into them. There is one which is used prior to exposure, to provide initial measurement, and a second one when measures the light striking the focal plane at the time of exposure. So it might be that an intermittent connection interferes with the first form of metering, while the second form still functions properly (explaining why you hand covering the lens still results in lowered shutter speed).

 

[marhalloweenvt]

Not sure what you meant by 'viewfinder freeze'. I did watch the video.
What you might be witnessing is the fact that the OM-4 (and other models of Olympus OM film lineup) have TWO forms of metering built into them. There is one which is used prior to exposure, to provide initial measurement, and a second one when measures the light striking the focal plane at the time of exposure. So it might be that an intermittent connection interferes with the first form of metering, while the second form still functions properly (explaining why you hand covering the lens still results in lowered shutter speed).

In OM4 viewfinder, there is a small LCD to display information like indicator of shutter speed, spot metering mode, highlight/shadow,.... When not cocked, this LCD works normal, it will indicate the shutter speed and change indicator depend on where I am poiting at. When I ever I cocked, this LCD will reset and freeze up, indicator will stand still even I point the camera into light source or cover the lens or press spot meter button or slide Memory button. But it still determine correct shutter speed based on where I point the lens at the time I press shutter button.

 

[Taylor K Nankervis]

Quirky, but I think that is a fault, not normal behaviour. I suspect all that is needed is a thorough service of the camera; it is is, after all, going on 40+ years old! The OM4 was one of the very best cameras I owned and I was I think one of 18 people in line to get my first one in '83 (?) — unfortunatley destroyed (long with three lenses) in a cycle touring accident in Tasmania in 1985).

 

[MattKing]

The metering and display circuit is designed to turn itself off after a certain period of inactivity. What you observe may be a fault that has developed in that part of its functionality.

 

[omtech1]

Hi everyone, I’m having a problem with my Olympus OM-4 and hoping someone might have some insight. I bought it from a garage sale when I walk along my local. When I got back home, I put fresh SR44 batteries in it and it working. But with some deep inspection, I found that: The LCD display reset and freezes whenever I cock the film advance lever although the light meter still works and the camera adjusts shutter speed correctly in Auto mode. I have tried to advance film while poiting at sun litted white wall and cover the lens with my hand, camera still adjust shutter speed to really low due to my hand covered the lens. In reserve, I also cover the lens with my hand and advance film, then I pointed to the wall and press shoot, again, camera adjusted shutter speed for (maybe) correct exposure of the wall. When not in state of cocked, LCD's working fine in both manual mode/auto mode and spot meter mode.
Has anyone experienced this before or know what might be causing it? Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated!
This is video of my current state:

P/s: Sorry for low quality video. I have to use my foot to hold the phone.

Has top cover been off this camera? It's possible the switch for "Memo - Clear" is not working properly and when you wind, it is somehow going into Memo mode.

 

[wiltw]

But it still determine correct shutter speed based on where I point the lens at the time I press shutter button.

The OM-4 does two different metering...the thru viewfinder intial setting via photosensors near prism, and the during-exposure measurement off the film plane. So although the camera metering thru viewfinder is somehow locking up with in-viewfinder update, while the shutter is open it is metering off the film (and/or the pattern on the shutter curtains) and determining the correct exposure to suit the lighting precisely while the shutter is open.
No idea what malfunction is freezing the viewfinder display update. The AE lock would ordinarily intentionally set exposure and hold it until cleared, and AE lock applies when metering in Spot mode.

 

[omtech1]

The OM-4 does two different metering...the thru viewfinder intial setting via photosensors near prism, and the during-exposure measurement off the film plane. So although the camera metering thru viewfinder is somehow locking up with in-viewfinder update, while the shutter is open it is metering off the film (and/or the pattern on the shutter curtains) and determining the correct exposure to suit the lighting precisely while the shutter is open.
No idea what malfunction is freezing the viewfinder display update. The AE lock would ordinarily intentionally set exposure and hold it until cleared, and AE lock applies when metering in Spot mode.

The OM-4 (3, 3Ti, 4, 4T/Ti) take all readings through the mirror only, which reflects by a secondary mirror to a cell in the mirror box floor. There are no CDS sensors next to the eyepiece lens. Then Auto is read off he first curtain and/or film as the mirror goes up. The cameras (that have an "auto" option) that have a sensor next to the eyepiece glass are OM-2, 2N, 10, G, 20, F, 30, PC, 40).

 

[wiltw]

The OM-4 (3, 3Ti, 4, 4T/Ti) take all readings through the mirror only, which reflects by a secondary mirror to a cell in the mirror box floor. There are no CDS sensors next to the eyepiece lens. Then Auto is read off he first curtain and/or film as the mirror goes up. The cameras (that have an "auto" option) that have a sensor next to the eyepiece glass are OM-2, 2N, 10, G, 20, F, 30, PC, 40).

Thanks for correction. My point was that one form of metering applied pre-expousre, and the seond methodology OTF (shutter curtain/film) applie during exposure in the OM-4...so that freezing display did not necessarily alter accuracy of the exposure because of realtime evaluation.