OM 4Ti Troubles

[OlyMan]

I think the OM cameras were more popular in the UK then here in the States. They seldom show up on craigslist or at yard sales. KEH has a nice OM 3Ti for $1500. And since I live in New Hampshire there is no tax. It's been on their sight for about a year with the price steadily going down. However I doubt it will ever go down enough for me to make the purchase. As you pointed out, that's a lifetime of film, chemicals, paper, and some nice glass.

The OM 2n zanxion 72 suggests is worth a look at.

Like you say it's still a lot of dough when you consider it takes the same quality photos as an any other OM which can be 1/10th the price or less. OM2ɴ is a good choice. It uses the readily-available SR44/PX76 (etc) batteries rather than zinc-air (OM-1) and has the detachable hotshot which depending on your point of view is either a benefit or a curse. Bear in mind though, it's still very much an electronic camera unlike the OM-1 and OM-3, so might die in very cold temperatures if the batteries temporarily give up.

 

[zanxion72]

I guess I have a ways to go before I get to eventually with my OM4Ti. My OM4 still works fine too, though I have to replace the batteries every 4-6 months. It's a fair trade-off for spot metering.

Treat it with care and it will serve you for long. In extreme conditions, just a little care might save you from dead circuitry.

I have both an OM-4T (as it is known here) and an OM-2n. In addition to the fancier metering on the OM-4T, I like the fixed hot shoe, the adjustable eyesight diopter, and the connection for the special Olympus synch cords - great if you have Olympus flashes.

By no luck OM-4 and OM-4ti are still expensive. They offer things that not many do. Personally I love them for the diopter adjustment on their viewfinder and for their ability for multi-spot metering. I own a champagne colored OM-4Ti and I love it. It is just that the OM-2n is easier to be replaced it turns out badly and hence I use it more.

 

[foc]

I shot professionally with an OM4ti for 10 years in the late 1980's and only once had trouble with the camera, at a wedding in very cold weather. The power just stopped just a few minutes after we came out of the church. Second set of batteries just lasted 5 minutes and the last spare set I had, kept inside my jacket until we got to the hotel. You can shoot on manual (no power pure mechanical) at 1/60 setting if really stuck.

The second set of batteries came back to life briefly after sitting in my pocket for a while but I made sure I always carried 5 pair of spare batteries after that.

 

[Les Sarile]

You might look into CR1/3N 3V lithium battery as they work much better in extreme weather conditions of hot or cold. They do cost more then the silver oxides.

OM3's can be pricey and they do seem uncommon. I happen to be on KEH when one was listed "AS IS NOT WORKING" so I took a chance. It was in great cosmetic shape which is why it was still a little pricey for an AS IS. I tried out the mechanical functions and everything seemed ok and that was all I wanted it for but was pleasantly surprised to find it fully functional and accurate when I installed batteries! And it doesn't have the battery drain problem.

 

[CMoore]

I shot professionally with an OM4ti for 10 years in the late 1980's and only once had trouble with the camera, at a wedding in very cold weather. The power just stopped just a few minutes after we came out of the church. Second set of batteries just lasted 5 minutes and the last spare set I had, kept inside my jacket until we got to the hotel. You can shoot on manual (no power pure mechanical) at 1/60 setting if really stuck.

The second set of batteries came back to life briefly after sitting in my pocket for a while but I made sure I always carried 5 pair of spare batteries after that.

Jesus...almost a war story.!
Well Done Sir.....

 

[bimmey]

The credit to solving my OM 4TI issue goes to Matt King. As I was packing the camera up to go out for repair, I decided to take the chance the new battery's were bad out of the pack and replaced them with ones from a different source. WaLa. The camera came back to life. Matt saved me time , money and embarrassment. Thanks.

 

[MattKing]

Glad I helped!

 

[CMoore]

Ppppfffftt.......It's a Canadian Conspiracy..... (that has a nice ring to it.!).
They help you with a generic camera question; all the while they are Lobbing ice-balls of frozen slush and acid rain (i have No Idea where the acid came from) down on us from North Of The Border.

 

[btaylor]

I have a cheap voltmeter I keep in my camera toolbox, I paid a couple of dollars for it. It tells me instantly if a battery is okay or not-- I have had plenty of duds and it keeps me from chasing my tail. Glad your OM4 is up and running!