Where can I get a OM4 repaired

Canuck · Apr 8, 2005

Hi All,

I need some info from the collective intelligence here. My wife's OM4 is chewing through batteries like Trump chewing through his apprentices. Is there a place still around than can replace the old circuit board with a newer OM4T one? If not, where is a good place to try and get another body. EBAY isn't a bad place but would prefer another venue. How is KEH ? Thanks all for reading.

Jeremy · Apr 8, 2005

Canuck said:
How is KEH ?

Fantastic and even better, they are now a sponser.

Jeremy

colrehogan · Apr 8, 2005

Vermont Camera Works may be able to help you out. Their website is: http://www.vermontcamera.com/ and they can probably fix it. Give them a call.

Jon King · Apr 8, 2005

I know of two repair shops, http://www.zuiko.com in NY, and http://www.olyfix.com in TX that specialize in Olympus repairs. A conversation with one or both of them might give you an idea on how repairable your wife's camera is.

Canuck · Apr 8, 2005

Thanks people for the leads. Now to phone a few bodies and hope for the best.

Jeffrey A. Steinberg · Apr 8, 2005

John at Camtech (www.zuiko.com) is the one to go to in my opinion. He is very good, fast and sometimes throws in things for free. I had a very good experience when he fixed my OM-1n. Works great now. I highly recommend him. I have no connection other than being happy with his service.

--Jeffrey

hortense · Apr 9, 2005

colrehogan - Thanks for the input. My airline camera is an OM-4t. Olympus hasn't had a good longterm reliability record except for the OM-4t (I hope?).

Woolliscroft · Apr 16, 2005

hortense said:
Olympus hasn't had a good longterm reliability record except for the OM-4t (I hope?).

I must have got lucky then. I have 6 OMs, some of which I have had since the 1970s and none have ever had trouble, despite tough working lives.

David.

Canuck · May 7, 2005

Thanks to all for the repair info. Looks like the OM4 is due for a cushy job as a bookend. Just got the verdict from the local shop ... circuit board is kaput. Others I have contacted have the same verdict. As the old song goes, another bites the dust.

eumenius · May 8, 2005

Hi Canuck,

I think the problem with your OM is not a serious one, so I doubt that you should have the PCB changed. In that case it's easier to buy a new camera, I think Well, the chewing on batteries almost always indicates the inner short circuit - I bet the wiring got loose somewhere, contacting with camera body. Or the corrosion products shorted something somewhere - it usually results from a leaked electrolytic capacitor. Usually it's easy to find and fix.

Good luck in your repair,
Zhenya

wclavey · May 8, 2005

I highly recommend KEH, too. I have bought numerous OM lenses and bodies through them and have never had a disapointment.

Canuck · May 8, 2005

Hi Zhenya,
Well, we discovered a few other problems before the repair shop. I put new batteries in, and the newly discovered action was that the camera would lockup all over the place. The shutter, would on auto, would randomnly chose a shutter speed from 30 seconds on up! On manual, it would lock up randonly also. After this incident and much consultation, it was decided it was not economical to repair. So now I am to look into another OM4 or OM4T so I can get my OM1 back from the missus

eumenius · May 8, 2005

Canuck said:
Hi Zhenya,
After this incident and much consultation, it was decided it was not economical to repair. So now I am to look into another OM4 or OM4T so I can get my OM1 back from the missus

Hi Canuck,

the story you tell about your OM is one from the blood-chilling ones - I think I know what can be wrong with it... the contacts and brushes, that's for sure. A good cleaning and checkout would heal your camera. Well, if you can find another one, put the broken one on a shelf. From my own experience I can say that you'll find soon some reason to get it repaired, just to have two camera bodies - isn't it practical? )

Cheers,
Zhenya

Earl Dunbar · Jun 6, 2005

Canuck said:
Hi Zhenya,
Well, we discovered a few other problems before the repair shop. I put new batteries in, and the newly discovered action was that the camera would lockup all over the place. The shutter, would on auto, would randomnly chose a shutter speed from 30 seconds on up! On manual, it would lock up randonly also. After this incident and much consultation, it was decided it was not economical to repair. So now I am to look into another OM4 or OM4T so I can get my OM1 back from the missus

Are you sure the correct batteries were installed, and that they were fresh, i.e., not subject to long shelf storage? The correct batteries for the OM4-T are SR44W and equivalent, including the now-discontinued Energizer 357. Alkaline or other types of "compatible" batteries can cause the type of behaviour you mention.

FWIW, I would send the the camera to John at Camtech and get an estimate as well as a price for selling the body to John as a parts camera. John buys OM bodies for spares/parts, and he is a fair person, in my experience.

Cheers,

Earl

Woolliscroft · Jun 6, 2005

OM4's are famous for being battery hungry. The Ti version is way better (I have one of each). Otherwise, I can't help much, being the wrong side of the Pond.

David.

Canuck · Jun 6, 2005

Earl Dunbar said:
Are you sure the correct batteries were installed, and that they were fresh, i.e., not subject to long shelf storage? The correct batteries for the OM4-T are SR44W and equivalent, including the now-discontinued Energizer 357. Alkaline or other types of "compatible" batteries can cause the type of behaviour you mention.

FWIW, I would send the the camera to John at Camtech and get an estimate as well as a price for selling the body to John as a parts camera. John buys OM bodies for spares/parts, and he is a fair person, in my experience.

Cheers,

Earl

Well, I bought the same original silver oxides types that were in there before when the camera was working ... S76 and still, it was not a happy stable camera. Went to a local repair shop (formerly a authorized repair depot) with the camera and tried a few other different batteries (other than the S76 from another place) and still the same irrational results. It must just want to retire . I hate to part with anything so it will have a nice place being a bookend for now

John Hermanson · Sep 22, 2005

I have been servicing Olympus OM since 1977 and am factory trained on most models. I'd be happy to repair your OM-4 if you'd like to send it to me. Please visit my website for further information. www.zuiko.com

Replacing the circuit really isn't viable anymore. IF the part was available, net would be approx. $250 just for the circuit, then add 2-3 hours labor and you're at the price of a used 4T.

Canuck said:
Hi All,

I need some info from the collective intelligence here. My wife's OM4 is chewing through batteries like Trump chewing through his apprentices. Is there a place still around than can replace the old circuit board with a newer OM4T one? If not, where is a good place to try and get another body. EBAY isn't a bad place but would prefer another venue. How is KEH ? Thanks all for reading.

Where can I get a OM4 repaired

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