Om-1? FM2N? Other? I can't decide!

mgeary

mgeary

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I've been scouting for deals the past few weeks since I'm looking to pick up my first film camera. I'm a student who will be attending university next year so I'm looking for the relatively affordable end of the spectrum.

I think I've narrowed my choices down to an OM-1n, or an FM2N, but I'm open to all suggestions of other systems.

So far I've gathered that the OM-1 is nice and compact, has great optics and is well liked around here.

The Nikon also seems to be well liked, has many parts available and has a wide range of shutter-speeds with the aluminum/titanium shutters. It is also a nice perk that I can use the Nikon lenses on the family DSLR.

I'm having trouble deciding since I'm no expert on film cameras, so all input is appreciated. Which low cost system would you suggest?

Thanks
 
Id go for a Nikon FM2n.. Ive used one, and was my first serious film camera for a long time, and I regret selling it... The 1/4000th is an added bonus for times you want to have a larger opening for more isolation of subject in daylight conditions... Robust and built like a tank.. wide array of lenses available.. though some are pricey, but as you've said, you can use the lenses on nikon dSLR's too...
 
After many years of using it and others, I can recommend the Nikon FE2. Even without batteries it has an always available, mechanical shutter speed of 1/250, very good for different lenses and situations. It's considered the best value Nikon SLR for its strengths and its price. Small too. With the self timer you can flip the mirror for less vibration with tripod work. It has AE for fast action shooting or for both sunny/dark sides of the street... Shutter goes to 1/4000. Metering is very fast if you prefer manual, because you see needles coming near, instead of numbers to analize...

Cheers,

Juan
 
If you already have Nikon lenses, then it's a no brainer...get the fm2n. If you're starting fresh and have a limited budget, OM glass is nice and very affordable. Don't forget the other players though - Pentax, Canon and Minolta made some very nice manual slr's 30 and 40 years ago, and their lenses will typically be much cheaper than Nikon glass. I guess it all depends on where you are in your photographic journey.
 
Look through the viewfinder of a good clean OM-1 before making any decisions. The Nikon has advantages agreed but the viewfinder of the Oly is pretty stunning with a good fast lens mounted.

I'm still torn between my Om's and my FM3A ... I love the Nikon's shutter speed selection and controls but the viewfinder of the OM leaves the Nikons behind in certain conditions. If you like to shoot in low light the OM is definitely the one to get.

Or ... get both! 😀
 
Thanks for all the quick responses! I do not have any Nikon lenses that can be used on a manual slr, and won't be able to use the DSLR after this summer anyways, so it's really a fresh start.

I'd like the camera to be mechanical and operable without batteries so I've looked into some others.

I've found a Pentax MX in great condition on the local Craigslist, how does it hold up in comparison to the others? At $50 with the 50mm 1.7, it seems like a deal.

Haha Keith I'd love to own both, maybe if I come across some extra cash by chance.
 
Without hesitation, I recommend the FM2N. After much research last fall, I finally bought one on the big auction site for not much more than $100. I like it because it's small and lightweight and easy to carry around, something I can't say about my D300. I also like the fact that I can use Carl Zeiss glass on it. This Saturday I'm planning to use the FM2N and my Zeiss 25mm to take images of waterfalls. About the only minor thing I don't care for, and it truly is minor, is that the LOUD slap of the mirror has become very noticeable to me after using the M6. Buy one, you won't regret it.

Ellen
 
The OM-1 has it's issues.....

The OM-1 has it's issues.....

I'm an Olympus Fanboy and have a lot of Olympus equipment. However, the OM-1 has it's detractors...

However, the viewfinder and the compact size have always been hard to overlook as positive attributes.

Many do not like the shutter speed ring around the lens, and obviously the old mercury battery issue has to be reckoned with. The battery issue can be dealt with by recalibration of the meter ($), but I have used the Wein Cell solution for years for a good stable current flow. I take the batteries out and tape them shut when not in use. I get a year out of the Wein Cells as a rule and they are a lot less expensive than most people consider them. '

Since I have a lot of nice Olympus glass, the lenses are readily available even considering their revival for manual focusing DSLR and EVIL use. That makes the Olympus a reasonable choice.

My contemporary solution to the issues of the OM-1 would be an OM-4.

Can't speak to the Nikon choices, since I have avoided CaNikon over the years, largely because of lens prices. I do have a very nice Canon T-90, which I consider the be the last and best of the manual focus FD mount era, offering sophisticated metering solutions. Never looked once at either of the Canon or Nikon autofocus EOS or N series cameras.
 
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I presently own the OM-1, FM2 and MX, all of them great cameras. No doubt that the Olympus is the beauty of the group, the smallest, lightest, quietest and with an awsome viewfinder. This camera has two problems from the user point of view, it has a manual ON/OFF switch that, sooner or later, you will forget to turn off. The second problem is that uses a battery no longer made, but there are ways to overcome this and use modern batteries. The Pentax is just a tad larger than the Olympus, also heavier and the noisiest of the three. Viewfinder and battery (easily available) are similar to the Nikon, the largest of the group. For $50 w/lens, get the Pentax, no doubt.
 
MG,

Where are you a student and what do you want to take pictures of? How much do you have to spend?

Between the two I would strongly go with the OM-1. Keep in mind that I am a Nikon-aholic. You can put together a three lens kit that rocks and weighs about the same as an RF and three lens kit. I loved my OM-1, 28/2.8, 85/2, 200/5 kit. The 85/2 is a bit pricey, the rest is obtainable without taking out a large student loan. To me size, quality and handling are the three most important aspects of a system. The OM-1 has all of them. While the FM2 has proven a sturdy worker, IMHO the OM-1 beats it. Smaller body size (even with a winder/motor), smaller lenses, the great Zuikos are as good as the great Nikkors. Keith is spot on about the finder, the OM-1 is much better than any FM or FE. There are some great Nikon finders, but they cost a bit more some times.

B2 (;->
 
I've had both an om1n and an fm2n and I vastly, significantly, hugely (etc) prefer the OM series cameras to the fm2n. The fm2 is just basically a blunt tool in comparison. It has higher shutter speeds, but the shutter ring around the lens mount on the OM is just so damn nice, the viewfinder is many times bigger, the camera is much more elegant and nice in the hand, the shutter is quieter. There's one thing in particular that really really bugs me about the fm2n that doesn't seem to affect anyone else for some reason, and that's the shutter lock on the advance lever. When you go to take a picture the advance lever must be 'clicked' out from the body about a centimeter, and this unlocks the shutter and allows you to shoot. It noticeably sticks out from the camera body, and when go to turn the camera vertically to shoot in portrait orientation, the advance lever sticks into my forehead or eyebrow, and I can't see into the viewfinder properly without tilting the camera in relation to my head, which is just stupid. So far I seem to be the only one that this happens to - no idea why - I don't have a super prominent forehead or brow or anything...

The other thing is that (IMO) the olympus OM lenses blow the equivalent nikkors out of the water in most situations. I just generally don't really like nikkor glass.
 
I'm biased because I use an FM2n on a regular basis, but the fact that the FM2n uses a common, easy to find battery type is a huge plus. I've messed around with other cameras that use discontinued battery types and found it to be a huge hassle. I never want to have to wrap a battery with a rubber o ring or stuff a battery chamber with foil (or both!) again!
 
If you can wait, stunningly good deals show up on Craigslist every now and then. I saw a OM-2 with a 50mm/1.8 for 75$ a few weeks ago.

Remember that until you start buying lenses, you can probably change systems relatively easily. Once you start buying more glass, commitment sets in. Now is a great time to try a few systems if possible.

Do you have friends or family who you can borrow gear from? If so, consider whatever system they are using for now. That could give you an opportunity to try other options for free.

As for deals, it is a bit of a conundrum. The best bang for your buck will likely be a dead systems (ie no new cameras can use their lenses). From a lens perspective, systems where you can use very old lenses can also be a good deal.

In the end, you'll probably be happy with any of the options listed so far.
 
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