Olympus Om System - How are they holding up

[Joel_L]

I have an OM-1 and 2 OM-1 MDs. I bought all three used. First thing I did was remove the tops and clean the goo ( used to be foam ) from the prisms. One was bad and I was able to find a good replacement for it. I modified all three to use silver batteries and they have worked fine for 10 years plus.

One day I want to pick up an OM-3 to add to my Olympus line.

 

[Uddin Ch]

I have om-1 silver painted and waiting arrival from Japan om-2n black.Still loving zuiko...

 

[KennethLundgren]

I have the OM-4 since new 1983 and a OM-2 few years later. The OM-2 spring for the lever broke some time ago. And my OM-4 lightmeter is flickering and is not reliable anymore. My Plustek scanner is also down, so I am in the crossroad now.
Shall I sell my soul to the digital devil or invest in som analog equipment? Maybe medium format?

 

[M-88]

I have the OM-4 since new 1983 and a OM-2 few years later. The OM-2 spring for the lever broke some time ago. And my OM-4 lightmeter is flickering and is not reliable anymore.

"Since 1983" would make you the only owner of that specific OM-4, so I'm curious, how many times were they - OM-4 and OM-2 serviced, if not a secret?

 

[CMoore]

I have the OM-4 since new 1983 and a OM-2 few years later. The OM-2 spring for the lever broke some time ago. And my OM-4 lightmeter is flickering and is not reliable anymore. My Plustek scanner is also down, so I am in the crossroad now.
Shall I sell my soul to the digital devil or invest in som analog equipment? Maybe medium format?

Why don't you simply invest in a camera tech, and fix the fine 35mm that you own right now.?

 

[Smaug01]

Why don't you simply invest in a camera tech, and fix the fine 35mm that you own right now.?

+1.

You will have a new appreciation for your familiar old gear and will probably support a great ma 'n pa business.

I'm sending out my grandpa's cameras for service as they need it. I just got his Yashica Electro 35 back last month. It feels great to have it working like new again.

The flickering display on your OM4 is probably just a solder joint that is starting to let go.

 

[KennethLundgren]

"Since 1983" would make you the only owner of that specific OM-4, so I'm curious, how many times were they - OM-4 and OM-2 serviced, if not a secret?

I have never serviced it, was not aware the need for it.

 

[KennethLundgren]

Why don't you simply invest in a camera tech, and fix the fine 35mm that you own right now.?

Has been looking for it. The only one I discovered was in Germany, but has closed what I know. No electronic spare parts anymore.

 

[Smaug01]

Has been looking for it. The only one I discovered was in Germany, but has closed what I know. No electronic spare parts anymore.

Did you check with these two places in Stockholm:

http://ksc.nu/english/
https://cameranordic.com/sida/Sweden

 

[KennethLundgren]

Did you check with these two places in Stockholm:

http://ksc.nu/english/
https://cameranordic.com/sida/Sweden

Ooh great thanks!
I will consider that, realy miss that moment of develop film, some zen-time for me.

 

[CMoore]

Has been looking for it. The only one I discovered was in Germany, but has closed what I know. No electronic spare parts anymore.

Sorry....... i did not realize it was so hard to find a camera tech in your area.
I hope you can find somebody.
As Smaug01 says, it will give you a NEW Appreciation for your gear.!

Good Luck

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

I picked up an OM-1MD with a silver nose 50mm f/1.4 at a pawn shop last year for a pretty decent price. It's in decent cosmetic shape other than a bit of peeling of the leatherette. The battery cover is mangled and I could not get it off to replace the battery, so I do not know whether the meter works or not, but the film transport and shutter works fine.

I was not sure if I would like the shutter speed control ring around the lens mount rather than on a dial on the top plate, but in practice the control ring is quite nice as you can tell the shutter speed setting by feel, which obviates the need for the shutter speed to be displayed in the viewfinder and clutter things up. (It's also nice that the numbers on the film speed setting dial are large enough for my 45+ year old eyes to see, unlike my Nikon and Pentax cameras.)

What I do not like about the OM-1, however, is the shutter. I have read many describe the OM-1 shutter as "well-damped," but mine certainly isn't. The sound of the shutter (or the mirror slap, I'm not entirely sure which) sort of reverberates through the camera for a second after the shutter press. Is this normal, or is there something wrong with my camera?

 

[M-88]

I was not sure if I would like the shutter speed control ring around the lens mount rather than on a dial on the top plate, but in practice the control ring is quite nice as you can tell the shutter speed setting by feel, which obviates the need for the shutter speed to be displayed in the viewfinder and clutter things up. (It's also nice that the numbers on the film speed setting dial are large enough for my 45+ year old eyes to see, unlike my Nikon and Pentax cameras.)

A lot of people love shutter dial around the lens. Another lot of people hate it. I guess it's one of those "either love or hate" cases. To me it seems rather practical. No other camera was so ergonomically pleasing to me, apart from Nikon FE, where you could change shutter speed with just one finger, without removing the eye from the viewfinder. And I absolutely have to mention that film wind feels significantly better on FE, compared to virtually any other SLR and especially OM bodies.

What I do not like about the OM-1, however, is the shutter. I have read many describe the OM-1 shutter as "well-damped," but mine certainly isn't. The sound of the shutter (or the mirror slap, I'm not entirely sure which) sort of reverberates through the camera for a second after the shutter press. Is this normal, or is there something wrong with my camera?

It's hard to tell just based on your description. However, you can easily check whether it's a sound of shutter, or the mirror, if you fire the shutter with locked up mirror. OM-1 is the only one in OM family that has the feature. OM-1 and 2 have single mirror and some sort of "air damper", which of course wears out with age. OM-2S and 4 have double mirror and their sound/slap is different. But neither of those cameras are as slappy as Pentax M series, for example.

 

[btaylor]

One of the reasons I bought the OM1n back in the seventies was because the shutter was so much more quiet than other slr’s. Look into getting it serviced.

 

[faberryman]

OM-2S and 4 have double mirror and their sound/slap is different.

Double mirror?

 

[M-88]

Double mirror?

This picture here will explain it better than I ever possibly can:

It is taken from the link below:

https://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/om2sp/index.htm

2S (2SP), 4 and OM40/OMPC have such mirror. Regular 1 and 2 don't. Not sure about the others.

 

[CMoore]

....... is there something wrong with my camera?

Depends what you mean by "wrong".
If the brake pedal on your car pulsates, there is nothing "wrong" with your car.
You car needs a brake job.

 

[Cloudy 8]

OM-1 and 2 have single mirror and some sort of "air damper", which of course wears out with age.

I've also asked myself the question whether the damping mechanism would wear out. The following description of the "Mirror Brake Mechanism" can be found in the OM-1 Repair Manual (page B-19):

To absorb or prevent shocks during the mirror travel, an air brake is provided consisting of a cylinder and a piston, which is effected towards the latter part of the mirror movement vertically.​

Sounds to me like this mechanism shouldn't degrade much over time.

Anyway, I quite like the shutter sound of my OM-1.

 

[Smaug01]

I've also asked myself the question whether the damping mechanism would wear out. The following description of the "Mirror Brake Mechanism" can be found in the OM-1 Repair Manual (page B-19):

To absorb or prevent shocks during the mirror travel, an air brake is provided consisting of a cylinder and a piston, which is effected towards the latter part of the mirror movement vertically.​

Sounds to me like this mechanism shouldn't degrade much over time.

Anyway, I quite like the shutter sound of my OM-1.

I think he was referring to the mirror damper foam, thinking that was the 'air damper'.
The OM1N shutter is very smooth and quiet. The mirror slap was good for its day, but not quite on par with something like a Nikon FE2 with a counterbalanced mirror. My Nikon N80 has even less of a perceived slap; it's amazing, actually.
But remember, those were much later cameras; the OM1's basic design is from the early 70s and was probably in development as early as the late 60s.

Previous cameras just used body mass and the mirror damper foam strip to dampen mirror slap. Kind of like damping recoil on a rifle; heavier rifles have less perceived recoil, all else being equal.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

Thanks for the replies. I tried the shutter with the mirror locked up and it is definitely the shutter, not the mirror. Also, my OM-1 is an MD, not an OM-1N, not sure if that makes any difference.

I do like the OM, but may end up selling this camera as I am currently into four lens mounts (Nikon AI/AI-S, Pentax M42, Pentax K, and Olympus OM). Seems like about two more systems than any sane person should have.

 

[M-88]

I do like the OM, but may end up selling this camera as I am currently into four lens mounts (Nikon AI/AI-S, Pentax M42, Pentax K, and Olympus OM). Seems like about two more systems than any sane person should have.

Olympus OM, Minolta A-mount, AF Nikon and Bronica (6x4.5) user here. I see nothing wrong with your four systems

Jokes aside, even OM-1n which is newer than regular OM-1, is still at least 33 years old, in best case. It's always a good idea to give it some CLA.

 

[Les Sarile]

I do like the OM, but may end up selling this camera as I am currently into four lens mounts (Nikon AI/AI-S, Pentax M42, Pentax K, and Olympus OM). Seems like about two more systems than any sane person should have.

Are you talking to me . . .

 

[M-88]

Are you talking to me . . .

To make the matters worse, each one of those have f/1.2 lens mounted on. I am rendered speechless.