OM-2n broken?

baachitraka · Nov 19, 2015

I picked a nice looking OM-2n which came without batteries.

Inserted fresh batteries and the working as follows.

Manual - Works. If I set 1s and the shutter opens for a second and so for the other speeds.

Auto - Works. I know it needs film for proper exposure. At least change in aperture I see the movement in the meter needle.

Flash - Red LED works but its not 1/60s. I feel it fires rather very slow. But I don't know that I have to set the sync speed.

Off - fires at one speed no matter if I point the camera to a bright light source or block the lens with my hand.

Without batteries - It fires at max speed. I was expecting the mirror stays locked. :-(

Using fresh silver oxide batteries.

John Koehrer · Nov 19, 2015

W/O batteries it should lock up. At that point the SS needs to be reset(blue reset at end of shutter speed dial)
That may be just the OM2 not the 2n model.
With flash, the led should light when the flash tells the camera it's fully charged.

wiltw · Nov 19, 2015

Read the owner's manual for what should work when...http://www.scribd.com/doc/54010662/Olympus-OM-2n-Camera-owner-s-manual#scribd

For example, YOU set the shutter speed even for flash use, but the camera will not release the shutter if the shutter speed is too high for electronic flash.

MattKing · Nov 19, 2015

Do you have the flash synch set to the FP position?

baachitraka · Nov 20, 2015

Its at X.

baachitraka · Nov 20, 2015

Another strange phenomenon is that I can see the meter needle movement only if I set the speed 1/60s in Auto mode.

Xmas · Nov 20, 2015

baachitraka said:
I picked a nice looking OM-2n which came without batteries.

Inserted fresh batteries and the working as follows.

Manual - Works. If I set 1s and the shutter opens for a second and so for the other speeds.

Auto - Works. I know it needs film for proper exposure. At least change in aperture I see the movement in the meter needle.

Flash - Red LED works but its not 1/60s. I feel it fires rather very slow. But I don't know that I have to set the sync speed.

Off - fires at one speed no matter if I point the camera to a bright light source or block the lens with my hand.

Without batteries - It fires at max speed. I was expecting the mirror stays locked. :-(

Using fresh silver oxide batteries.

In auto the meter needle position is from the sensors in the pentaprism but the cells at the bottom of the mirror box are used for ie during the exposure. The needle should read the same in auto and manual. The auto exposure may be different.
Fit a scrap bit of film to gate.
If the exposure needed requires less then 1/30 then you should hear a shorter exposure in off but fit film.

baachitraka · Nov 20, 2015

At 1/60s in Auto it does some strange things...

I will check it again.

Xmas · Nov 20, 2015

In auto the shutter speed selected is ignored, if you leave the lens cap on it will stress the batteries holding the 2nd blind relay?

frank · Nov 20, 2015

This type of experience is why I have a preference for mechanical cameras. I cannot fully trust an electronic one. Even if proven reliable, and I do use some electronic cameras, I would not be surprised if it suddenly failed at any time.

I accept that this is not rational. Just a Luddite, I guess.

baachitraka · Nov 20, 2015

My work horses are OM-1ns but on streets I want to go automatic.

XA is beautiful but occasionally I prefer to go bit wider 28/24.

This camera is bit lighter than OM-2sp and I presume it may not consume batteries like OM-2sps do.

* OM-2sp is clever when shooting with flash.

Xmas · Nov 20, 2015

baachitraka said:
My work horses are OM-1ns but on streets I want to go automatic.

XA is beautiful but occasionally I prefer to go bit wider 28/24.

This camera is bit lighter than OM-2sp and I presume it may not consume batteries like OM-2sps do.

* OM-2sp is clever when shooting with flash.

If you keep it turned off it is like an OM1 for batteries.
If you preset the aperture you can fire it in off and it will switch itself on (into auto) and off automatically immediately with the proviso that the auto OTF shutter speed is faster than 1/30, if it is slower you get 1/30 anyway.
This is in the manual which you need to read...
The OM2 is ok with a Oly flash but you need the shoe or plug.

baachitraka · Nov 20, 2015

Yes. That is working fine. At OFF position and when batteries are present the camera fires at one speed and that sound 1/30s.

Xmas · Nov 20, 2015

You need to test it with film in gate as it should fire at 1/1000 on bright light with open lens and 100 ISO.

If not the OTF which it needs for auto is kaput.

If seems ok you need to try a film test it should be ok for E6 and average scene brightness shots.

baachitraka · Nov 20, 2015

Auto/Manual works with batteries.

When I remove the batteries some times the mirror locks up and the most of the other times it fires at max speed.

Something is not right and may shoot with it for a while before I send it to CLA.

Xmas · Nov 20, 2015

It is not necessarily a mechanical fault replacement electronics is not available if you bought it as working I'd recommend you sent it back as not working.

It is not easy to cannibalise parts.

John Koehrer · Nov 20, 2015

With the Olympus T20 and T32 units, the camera will lock up if the flash if the SS is faster than sync speed. pg 31 of the linked manual and you will have TTL flash.

With non Olympus auto flash you must set the SS to 1/60 and do not get TTL flash. pg 35

OM-2n broken?

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