Bill Blackwell
Leica M Shooter
Olympus' approach to SLR cameras should have been Leica's. Instead they [Leitz] threw caution to the wind and decided Barnack be damned in this case. They did downsize a bit with the R4-6 era cameras - but certainly not enough. Then they really went off the deep end with the R8-9 cameras!
Zuiko-logist
Well-known
MX for me over the ME, but I love them both. Lovely finders, smooth operation. The meter readout works well for me on the MX. all the controls are in the right place.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I use a Luigi M grip case on my OM1 and it needs packing in the bottom for a correct fit! I may never shoot another roll of film in my life but my black OM1 remains my most treasured camera and I only have to pick it up to get an immediate sense of connection and absolute pleasure at its remarkable design. I simply love that camera! 🙂
Zuiko-logist
Well-known
The Fujica ST705 and 801 always impressed with their small size and great finder.
wes loder
Photographer/Historian
To cite the Nikon F with a photomic prism and the tube attached is a stretch. How many users walked around with that configuration? What matters is the depth of the back to the lens mount—which is no better or worse than its immediate competitors. A lot of cameras with interchangeable finders could become super deep if one starts basing the measure on some of the special finders once available. Jason doesn't specify the non-through-lens Photomic F. He says "any Photomic" prism. If one insists on measuring the depth of the Photomic finder, yes, the finder is 2.5 inches, but the camera itself is not that deep. Actually, in 1959, the Nikon F was one of the smaller SLRs available compared to say the Topcon B or the Canonflex.
f.hayek
Well-known
If Leica had actually 'gone off the deep end' with the R8/9, it would have been to add autofocus that it had invented in-house, instead of squandering the advantage. They'd have dominated the SLR market for the next 2 decades.
kbb
Newbie
I had both OM-1's and MX's. The MX felt better to hold and operate, and its finder was fully as nice as the OM-1) but it was fragile compared to the amazingly rugged OM-1. I once accidentally tumbled a MX about 12 inches onto a carpeted floor (small 50 or 28mm attached) and that impact bent the mount alignment.
I did, liked to use it as a semi-spot meter throughout much of the 70s and early 1980s. I was just trying to figure absolute maximum. 1.5"- the body, 2.5"- FTn meter, 3.5"- was able to figure that was a max.
Nikon F Photomic "Bullseye", meter tube, Panatomic-X in Microdol. 43~86/3.5 Ai Zoom-Nikkor, wide-open at 86mm. I took good notes in the 1970s.
zoe1 by fiftyonepointsix, on FlickrShowed this 9-year old how to use the F2a, put the Nikkor-NC 24/2.8 factory Ai'd on it for her to use. Still have the F2a and the Photomic F, and the zoom. Traded the 24/2.8, but got a Nikkor-N 24/2.8 non-Ai. Zoe would be in her mid 50s now.
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wlewisiii
Just another hotel clerk
Had an F2 with a Photomic and a 50/1.4 in about 2012. That was the revelation when I changed from Canon to Nikon in SLRs.
Disappointed_Horse
Well-known
After using Nikons for years, I tried an OM-1 and quite liked it. I found the shutter speed ring not a problem at all. If I used the OM-1 more, I would have gotten to know what shutter speed was set by feel. What I didn't like, however, was that the self-timer lever was exactly where the fingers of my right hand needed to be to hold the camera properly. Never got used to that and ended up selling the camera.
Freakscene
Obscure member
Did you keep your OM3 Keith? Your review here made me buy one, but to be fair I did need a body for the 40mm f2 I’d been hoarding.
Marty
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I still have all my OM gear including that OM3 ... as competent as it is I've always preferred the OM1 for its pure simplicity. I also still have a couple of OM2s in the cupboard. The only OM I bought that I didn't like a lot and subsequently sold shortly after was an OM4 ... not sure quite why I didn't like it though.
MrFujicaman
Well-known
Jason, you forgot 3 of the small cameras from the 1970's-The Vivitar XC series. They were within 1/8 inch in length of the OM-1. The XC-3 was the 1st to hit the market and was followed by the XC-4 and later the XC-2 with spot and averaging metering. All of them offered auto exposure with the add on XC-A
Zuiko-logist
Well-known
Were these clones of the Cosina CSM/CSR. I like the CSR very much.
Freakscene
Obscure member
The search makes this inexplicably hard to find, but this analytical review of the OM3 by Keith from 2012 (!!!) is worth looking at if you are vaguely interested in the OM3: Olympus OM-3 review (finding the holy grail)
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I enjoyed reading that ... the older I get the more I suffer from goldfish syndrome where everything is new again!
nickthetasmaniac
Veteran
An MX was the first film camera I bought with my own money and I've owned four over the years. My current body is a lovely black-paint serviced by the legendary Eric Hendrickson, and it remains my favourite SLR to use.
I've since put together a nice little OM1n kit, but as lovely as it is I always find myself coming back to the MX.
Olympus OM1n + Pentax MX by Nick Clark, on Flickr
I've since put together a nice little OM1n kit, but as lovely as it is I always find myself coming back to the MX.
Olympus OM1n + Pentax MX by Nick Clark, on Flickr
The thing that makes the MX/ME so amazing is the very high viewfinder magnification.
Here is an ME Super compared to Contax 139 and FM. So tiny!
Pentax also made small lenses, their standard filter size was 49mm as compared to Nikon 52 and Contax 55.
Here is an ME Super compared to Contax 139 and FM. So tiny!
Pentax also made small lenses, their standard filter size was 49mm as compared to Nikon 52 and Contax 55.
p.giannakis
Pan Giannakis
Many many years ago, I asked you which was your favourite camera and you told me the OM1. I think it was during a discussion about the Nikon F6 but I might be wrong. Again, if I remember correctly it was you who posted a picture of a bed sheet on the washing line and looked beautiful. My memory might be failing me but that is what I recall. As a result I went on and bought my first om-1.
I still have it although another black om-1, a black Om-2 and an OM4 joined the family. Some zuiko glass too.
