I never carry spare battery for the camera like the A1 or F3. The battery last a long time. I replaced them way before they going dead. In fact all of the ones I replaced would have months of life left in them.It would not take a lot of mental effort to figure out that if one uses a camera which requires batteries, that it would behoove that one to carry spare batteries. This logic is much like film shooters carrying extra film and digital shooters carrying extra memory cards. So warned be-hooved. You have now been-hooved. It is better to be-hooved than be-lost.
I don't own an OM-4 but I heard it has problem running down the battery when not in use. If that is your case then it's a defective camera that causes the problem.Thanks for the tip that I might be able to stack 4 MS-76 for the A-1
I always carry six of them for my OM-4 which always die when I want to take a shot.
I just don’t always have the 6-volt lying about.
And I have two of ‘em. I love the idea of the camera. But to find that automatic doesn’t work if I set ASA to anything over 320 (one of them), or that self-timer decides to pretend to take a picture instead of actually taking (same one). Not to mention batteries always dead at beginning of a trip (both). Makes me sour on the whole idea of electronics in cameras. Latest addition is same vintage OM-3, also has the same battery issue, but since it doesn’t rely on battery I don’t miss that shot.I don't own an OM-4 but I heard it has problem running down the battery when not in use. If that is your case then it's a defective camera that causes the problem.
I really liked the OM-4 but the price on them is so high (I meant used in the 21st century, as back in the days I was a Nikon user so the F2 and F3 were for me and not Olympus). But the more I learned about it I think it's not so good a camera.And I have two of ‘em. I love the idea of the camera. But to find that automatic doesn’t work if I set ASA to anything over 320 (one of them), or that self-timer decides to pretend to take a picture instead of actually taking (same one). Not to mention batteries always dead at beginning of a trip (both). Makes me sour on the whole idea of electronics in cameras. Latest addition is same vintage OM-3, also has the same battery issue, but since it doesn’t rely on battery I don’t miss that shot.
I've been following the Right to Repair as I fully expect it to have global and far reaching consequences and is a problem I professionally first experienced while being employed to fix iPhones oceans away: availability of parts and the economics of repair that go against manufacturers socioeconomic interests.At first I thought it was targeted to Tesla then saw it was farmers who wanted to fix their own. Then it made more sense.
Well, locking things down digitally and making them fail earlier than absolutely necessary because capitalism isn't such a nonsense, no? In all fairness, this probably wasn't around technician minds in 80's when things were open and tech was exciting, open venue for geeks to geek out. Then some of those geeks went ape and started to put sticks in spokes, because capitalism and the world is dancing away happily to this sick tune...I’ve heard this nonsense since the 1980’s. BTW.
The general wisdom for decades is, that electronically control cameras fail easily, and that with no spare parts anymore, that there will be no way to fix them. Eventually in the coming decades there shall be a mountain of 1980s-2000s cameras that all failed, and the robust mechanical cameras of the 40s-70s will live on forever.
Do you think electronic cameras are scapegoated for problems even mechanical cameras suffered from?
Sure thing, mechanical/electronic/digital gear is a matter of preference. The rest that's said in my lengthy post - factual.Ivo… I’ll have to read your lengthy post in detail later. It looks rich in thought. In skimming I saw one really key thought in a single phrase. “I prefer”. That’s the bottom line to the entire discussion.
This and absolutely! Many electronic things fail not because of poor design, but of poor choice of materials. Let's remember Capacitor Plague for a quick refresher.which may speak more to “consumer grade” than to “film camera”.
Surface mounted parts would need to go to a board factory for the repair, it takes specialized skill working under a microscope to replace some of these.
The components you’re describing that require very specialized tools really only came about during the late 2000s.
China really is a godsend in this case. The array of obscure and long since been discontinued IC’s that still pop up on the market somehow over there is quite stunning and really an invaluable resource. I know their handling practices of said IC’s is not ideal but quite honestly it’s good to have the option. Just order a few if you’re worried you get a dudall are sourced from mythical places in China.
What is the oldest electronic thing you own? I'm sure some of you have hi-fis from the 80s, an old TV with a remote control that still powers up. Your house appliances stil work after decades of constant use. Cars from the 80s have electronics (few but still there) that still work.
Not all cameras come with red dots. You can do some CLA on your own and stop at a point you feel comfortable - who knows, maybe that's enough! A loose wire, dried clockwork, dirty prism, rotted light seals, sticky mirror - all are pretty much accessible with minimal intrusion, doable on your own and only costs are courage and willingness to learn something today.Your infinitely repairable mechanical camera...how repairable is it really?
Not all cameras come with red dots. You can do some CLA on your own and stop at a point you feel comfortable - who knows, maybe that's enough! A loose wire, dried clockwork, dirty prism, rotted light seals, sticky mirror - all are pretty much accessible with minimal intrusion, doable on your own and only costs are courage and willingness to learn something today.
My other OM-1n body arrived with water damage from eBay. Got it cheap, kept for parts + it came with lens in great condition, go figure. Have done said CLA on my working OM-1n, some contact cleaning + voltage dropping adapter for a silver chemistry cell, and camera works like magic in +30°C and in -25°C [knocks on wood]. That said, it'd be about time to do it again as a preventative measure...
I concur with this statement. I feel electronics are more reliable than we give them credit for. The old adage of “electronics=unreliable” really isn’t true.
There''s video in YouTube of a guy putting together an iPhone from parts sourced there. That WAS an amazing insight!I’d really love to take a trip to Shenzhen someday. It would really be a sight to behold.
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