Sick OM-2s

mrred · Dec 30, 2014

I pulled my OM-2s off the shelf after 2 years of spooling anything through it (my bad). I cocked it, and fired. Mirror got stuck in the up position, curtain opened. Moved the speed dial to the mechanical 60 position and the shutter returned. Did a battery test, beeped ok. Changed the batteries anyway, beeped again. I fired sever shots in the mechanical 60 position and all worked as it should. I did a couple meter readings and it measured ok, with varying the shutter through many speeds. Fired with the meter function again and the mirror sticks in the up position and the curtain opened. Bringing it back to the mechanical speed resets the shutter / mirror.

Any ideas?

mrred · Dec 30, 2014

Like a proper spoiled child, it started working again. Any ideas?

wiltw · Dec 30, 2014

Have you tried a fresh battery? On some cameras that I have with electronically timed shutters, the mirror goes up and stays there when battery is low/expired.

mrred · Dec 30, 2014

..... Changed the batteries anyway, beeped again......

In the first post.

Rick A · Dec 30, 2014

The shutter requires batteries to function, so I think you may need to aim the camera at a brighter light source when testing the auto function. A dim light source will cause the shutter to stay open for a long period of time. Try setting the ASA dial to a high speed and point the camera at a lamp to test shutter speeds, set aperture to wide open.

Ricardo Miranda · Dec 30, 2014

And it is no good to try to test an OM-2 without film, unless you have the card that came with it when it was new to be in place of film.
Other thing to consider is a sticky foam in the mirror box.

mrred · Dec 30, 2014

Rick A said:
The shutter requires batteries to function, so I think you may need to aim the camera at a brighter light source when testing the auto function. A dim light source will cause the shutter to stay open for a long period of time. Try setting the ASA dial to a high speed and point the camera at a lamp to test shutter speeds, set aperture to wide open.

..I did a couple meter readings and it measured ok, with varying the shutter through many speeds...

The metering unit and juice were ok. The only thing that didn't happen was the release of the shutter and mirror.

mrred · Dec 30, 2014

Ricardo Miranda said:
And it is no good to try to test an OM-2 without film, unless you have the card that came with it when it was new to be in place of film.

I've honestly never heard of this. Why would this be necessary? For the record I did all this without film in the camera.

Ricardo Miranda said:
Other thing to consider is a sticky foam in the mirror box.

It worked fine in mechanical mode.

Rick A · Dec 30, 2014

When the mirror flips up a second photo cell reads the light reflected off the film and releases the second curtain in real time as light needs are met as required by settings.

Ricardo Miranda · Dec 30, 2014

It is called "OTF" - Off The Film metering.
Without film, the meter sees black not the grey for which it is calibrated.
See here: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/om2/htmls/index2.htm

mrred · Dec 30, 2014

That's a good to know thing for sure. I've owned this thing for about 5 years now and I have never had it do this. Would this be a 'normal' thing?

I've put a roll through it now and it seems ok.

wiltw · Dec 30, 2014

mrred said:
That's a good to know thing for sure. I've owned this thing for about 5 years now and I have never had it do this. Would this be a 'normal' thing?

I've put a roll through it now and it seems ok.

Yes, totally normal...while mirror is down the light on the focusing screen is read for a preliminary before-exposure indication. But once the mirror flips up and the shutter opens, a sensor in the camera base reads the film plane. No film, simply black pressure plate is being read to tell the camera when to shut the shutter. OM-4 does that, too.

MattKing · Dec 30, 2014

How is it working when you set it for manual, metered exposure and switch between the shutter speeds?

And how are the foam seals?

mrred · Dec 30, 2014

The camera is in great shape. But I am an OM-10 user for a very long time. I bought that one off a lad that just did an overhaul on it, 5 years ago. I have only shot maybe 10-15 rolls through it as it was a time when I moved over to more Nikon gear. It's been on the shelf for far too long. I guess I never put it in the position to behave like that before.

It's a good day to learn...

digital&film · Dec 30, 2014

Send them for tune-up's at www.zuiko.com - I love mine!

thuggins · Jan 1, 2015

If you are testing the meter on an OM2 or one of the 4's, the camera needs to be set to manual to avoid having your "test" thrown off by the OTF metering, as mentioned above.

If you have an OM2 and don't know what "OTF" means you need to read the manual. It is odd that one would own a camera with the most innovation aperture priority metering system ever invented and not even know how it works.

Sick OM-2s

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