The Olympus OM cult

[Uncle Bill]

Welcome to other Olympus OM users, my name is Bill and I have two OM-1's and an OM-2n on the way in the mail.

Please feel free to say contribute, post photos from your Olympus Gear and share information.

 

[RH Designs]

Hi Bill,

An OM user for 30 years, I've never felt any need to change horses, especially for the auto-everything plastic stuff of recent years. As long as my OM-4tis keep going, so will I - that metering system is a work of genius ...

 

[Shiny]

My first good 35mm was an OM, i now have an OM-1n and an OM-2n. I usually take both wherever i'm going, along with 28mm, 50mm & 135mm Zuikos and that's all i need!

Jim

 

[two40]

Hi all, I bought an OM-1 with the advice of a friend who is a member here at APUG and never looked back. It's such a pleasure to use. I also love their 35 SP. Both are my favourite cameras and I swap between them after a roll each.

 

[Vincent Brady]

Hi everybody I've an OM-2n bought new in 1980 and 2 No. OM 4Ti's one bought new and the other one bought second hand plus a good collection of lenses. The OM 4 I use for HIE. I refused to trade them in when I moved over to Nikon and I don't regret it.
Vincent

 

[triplet]

Hello everybody.. I use OM camera's for 25 years now. Started with an OM-1 and now I use an OM-2SP and an OM-4, which is now my favourite. It's really one of the nicest camera's I've ever laid hands on!
The spot-meter button is so easy to use... it's stored in the memory at the same time... wonderful!
The only shame is Olympus discontinued the system so early!

 

[pjwaffle]

I am not a major fan of the Olympus OMs but my grandpa has a Olympus OM-707 that I use a lot.

 

[Vincent Brady]

I wonder how many members have "How to Select & Use OLYMPUS SLR cameras" by Carl Shipman published in 1989 by HPBooks ? I find it a great book to check out how to use various pieces of auxiliary hardware that I might come across.
Cheers
Vincent

 

[brass majestic]

Hello everyone. I'm a long time Nikon user. Years ago I had an OM-1 but didn't use it much and ended up giving it to my nephew. After a while I sort of regretted it. Then late last year I succumbed to that longing and bought first one and then another OM-1n body off eBay. The 2 lenses I have for them are the 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko Auto-S and the 28mm f/2.8 Zuiko Auto-W. I still haven't shot that much or enough to compare, quality-wise, to my Nikkor lenses. But I have this "feeling" or sense that the Zuikos are not as sharp or otherwise as "good". Any comments or reassurances from regular users that it is indeed all in my head? Even tho I expect to get the obvious advice, I just thought I'd ask anyway. Thanks

 

[wiltw]

Hello, I am a very long time Olympus user, since I bought a new OM-1, then upgraded to OM-1n, then bought a used OM-4. Considerable inventory of Olympus gear, but I am proudest of the 24mm f/3.5 PC lens, which doubled in price on the used market, compared to the price I paid for it new! And I do have an old copy of Shipman's book, as well as the Olympus System Lens Handbook published by Olympus in 1985.

 

[Vincent Brady]

Before people rush off to buy Carl Shipman's book I should point out that it only covers the following cameras: OM-88, OM77af, omPC, OM-4 , OM -4T plus Infinity SuperZoom 300,- LENSES - FLASH UNITS - ACCESSORIES - MOTOR DRIVES & WINDERS, CLOSE-UP & MACRO - OTHER APPLICATIONS.
Hope this is helpful. One last question " Were any people members of the Olympus Camera Club in the UK"? I have a collection of magazines from November 1984 entitled Olympus Camera Club NEWS? This is intended as a statement and not as a sales pitch.

Cheers
Vincent

 

[Uncle Bill]

Hi Brass Majestic,

I am also a heavy duty Nikon user and I really like the OM system and the feel of the Zuiko lenses too. They are different, neither Nikkor or Zuiko are inferior in terms of optical quality, just different and I can't quantify it either.

What I do love about the OM system and Zuiko lenses is their light weight when on a long hike if you are packing multiple bodies, your back appreciates it that.

 

[brass majestic]

Uncle Bill,
Yes, the weight. Even carrying around both OM-1s w/a lens on each and a Winder-1 on one of them and a small hand meter in my shirt pocket is so much lighter than what I used to carry. I used to shoot a lot of trade union rallys, conventions, demonstrations, etc with 2-Nikon F2 bodies w/an MD-2 motor drive and MB-1 battery pack on each. Not to mention a bag with other lenses,etc. But that's a topic for one of the Nikon Groups.

 

[Uncle Bill]

Well I developed the test roll of Tri-x in my OM-2n, I really like the results (see the pictures in the gallary). I will have to replace the rear seals shortly and I have the kit on the way from Jon Goodman. Not bad for $29.

 

[Allan Swindles]

Hi folks,
I have been using the OM system for 30+ years, in fact I still have my original OM-1 non-MD. I was in the photo trade at the time and I recall the first time the Olympus rep. showed me the camera. It was so neat and light compared with anything else around at the time. I was hooked and I bought the first one to arrive in stock. Since then I have added OM-2's and a 2N to my outfit along with lenses from 28 to a recently purchased 300mm, all superb. My main areas of interest these days are natural history, close-up and macro photography. My only regret is that Olympus chose to abandon such a wonderful system in favour of d*****l so readily.

 

[Allan Swindles]

This site is well worth a visit for info. on the OM system.

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

 

[Vincent Brady]

That's a great site Allan, thanks a lot.
Cheers
Vincent

 

[Uncle Bill]

Allan,

That is the reason why I have a lot of cameras. I really like their lens resource pages.

 

[Ken N]

Greetings from a LONG-time OM-List member.

Ken (aka AG-Schnozz) Norton

 

[Ken N]

Ok, this group is just a wee bit to quiet. I see that Mr. RH Designs is here in the group. Did you all realize that their darkroom meters function essentially identically to an OM-4x or OM-3x in manual mode? Both have multi-spot metering. With the OM's metering system, you imagine the grayscale and move the metering pips around to where you want them on that grayscale, whereas with the darkroom meter, there is a sample grayscale on the meter.

Both are pure genius. It is a pleasure to be able to use the same exposure working method for both picture taking and printing.

AG-Schnozz

 

[Uncle Bill]

Welcome Ken,

Been busy with the rest of my life. It has been a little quiet out there in OM Cult land.

Bill

 

[Allan Swindles]

I haven't managed to aspire to an OM-3/4Ti as yet, although I am still looking for the 'right' one. I am favouring the OM-4Ti I think but I'm amazed at the wide fluctuations in prices, and yes, I do realize that there was an OM-4 which eats batteries, but that's not in the equation. I have seen prices in the UK ranging from around £200 for a body, described as Exc.++ to others as Mint - around £600. My current particular area of interest is in macro photography using the T28/T10 Flash units and the OM-2N body. I have resisted 'taking the plunge' as yet because I have since learnt that the TTL/OFT flash metering is still centre-weighted as is the OM-2/N, which would give me no advantage for flash work and the spot and multi-spot modes only operate in daylight settings. I still want one though!

 

[Ken N]

I would suggest that the "right one" is any OM-4T(i) which isn't completely trashed. My 4T is definitely a "user", but functions perfectly. The 3Ti, which just came to occupy my camera bag was as near perfect as they come. But both are somehow in a league of their own. I loved the OM-1/2 bodies, but my axe of choice for 20 years was my OM-2S. I had an OM-4, but the 4Ti feels different--the weight/balance is slightly different thanks to the titanium top/bottom plates Not sure which is "better", but they definitely feel different.

The metering system in the 3/4(Ti) series is worth the price of admission.

 

[Uncle Bill]

I had an OM-4 and loved it until the shutter speed ring developed some very serious issues that would cost more to fix than whay I paid for the camera. I would love to get an OM-4ti at some point as I loved using the spot metering.

Until then I am content with my pair of OM-1s and OM-2n.

 

[Uncle Bill]

Anyone use third party lenses with their OM system? I have a Kiron made Vivitar Series One 70-210 F3.5 Macro which while great glass, I mean killer glass, it looks almost silly on an OM-1 but I love it.