is the olympus OM2 the best analog 35mm camera?

[johnf04]

I've not used an Olympus SLR (an XA, yes..). As a bottom feeder I go for bangs for the buck - and Praktica L cameras fit that.

 

[caila77]

My Olympus E-1 is just about my favorite 35mm-type SLR camera. It has a minimum of controls and features, a superb 5Mpixel Kodak CCD sensor, and a superbly ergonomic, well shaped body. The 2001 sensor when outputting raw files to be rendered with todays (20+ year later) raw converters produce excellent results right up to the ISO 3200 limit. And the Zuiko Digital HQ and EHQ series lenses are superb. Its immediate E-3 and E-5 successors improved on image quality, ISO, and pixel resolution, but lost a little on ergonomics. The slightly later E-M1, fitted with battery grip, managed to maintain most of the ergonomics, but feature-creep added a bunch of buttons and switches that I always felt got in the way more than they helped my work.

The E-1 is simple on about the same order as the OM2n and OM4-Ti, both of which I enjoyed back in the day, and yet it's a bit more ergonomic. There's a reason I simply don't want to let the E-1 go. 🙂

G

... by the way: "analog camera" is an extremely silly expression IMO. There are film cameras and digital cameras ... both are about 99.9% analog in their operation. 😉

Forgive me if I’m not a native english speaker

 

[Freakscene]

Forgive me if I’m not a native english speaker

It’s fine. Even if it is or is not strictly correct, film cameras are increasingly called analogue cameras. Especially in non-english speaking European countries. Leica refers to their film cameras as ‘analogue models’ for example.

Marty

 

[Merlijn53]

The best analog slr ever made is undoubtedly the Nikon F6.
In spite of this, I sold it and went back to my first love (OM-1 that I bought new in 1974 and is still working fine).
I have several OM’s and think the OM 4ti is “the best”

 

[santino]

„Undoubtedly“? I like compact cameras so for me the F6 is not the best.

 

[Leon C]

I suppose if it's the only camera you own, then probably but think the original post says more about the unstable minds of those who join photography groups....

I much prefer my OM-1 so they must be wrong....

On a more serious note, after returning to photography after a 20yr break I went online to see if there was anything interesting going on and found a lot of people had forgotten what photography is about and are more obsessed with flexing their egos over what gear they own, BS Youtube Videos full of affiliate links, apparently film is too expensive so everyone uses mirroless blah blah, oh and if I want to do street photography I 'must' use a 28mm lens, I even read that some people can't even manual focus and of course the most annoying and pointless, pixel peeping, it's boring.

Photography isn't about the best of, it's about the taking of pictures by whatever means that gets you there, one of my favourite pics I ever took whilst doing music stuff was taken with an OM-10, go figure.

Today I'll be taking the roll of XP-2 to my local lab to be developed, to see if the Nikon FG is working properly, after being interested in photography for 50 yrs on and off, it still excites me waiting to see if what I saw, becomes reality.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

I've only owned one OM camera, an OM-1. The problem I had with it was that the self-timer lever was exactly where the tips of the fingers of my right hand needed to be to hold the camera securely. Although I liked it other than that problem, I only put a few rolls through it before selling it on. Too many other cameras that are just a better fit for me. The OM-2 appears to be similar, so I don't think it would work for me.

There is no "best camera." It's all about finding what works for you.

 

[yanchep_mike]

„Undoubtedly“? I like compact cameras so for me the F6 is not the best.

Just get it right.
"The best analog 'slr' ever made is undoubtedly the Nikon F6."
Point here is SLR.

 

[santino]

The point is „undoubtely“. I also prefer compact SLRs.

 

[Godfrey]

The best analog slr ever made is undoubtedly the Nikon F6.
In spite of this, I sold it and went back to my first love (OM-1 that I bought new in 1974 and is still working fine).
I have several OM’s and think the OM 4ti is “the best”

I had an F6 for a while. It is/was a superb camera. However, I never 'bonded' with it emotionally, I think it was simply too late and I was already too deep into digital capture to spend much time shooting film at that point. I sold it.

... And then, a friend from another list gave me an early ('63-64) Nikon F plain prism that he had forgotten or lost in his basement. The lens was missing, the top half of the everready case was gone, and it was a mess. I had it overhauled and fitted a period correct Micro-Nikkor 55mm f/3.5. Still have it, still use it. Solid as a rock, tough as nails: virtually identical to the 1969 F Photomic FTn that my uncle helped me buy back in the day but without the meter head. Makes great photos with that 55 Micro and the 28 AI that I've got for it. It'll be sold with my estate.

With no objective measure in mind, I consider the Olympus E-1 and the Nikon F plain prism to be the best 35mm-type SLRs I've owned, one digital and one film. Although I've made many more photos with other cameras—and other SLRs—they are my winners in this emotional competition. 😉

G

 

[JohnGellings]

Just get it right.
"The best analog 'slr' ever made is undoubtedly the Nikon F6."
Point here is SLR.

Of which almost any SLR is more compact than...

 

[Vince Lupo]

The best 35mm SLR camera is unquestionably the Leica SL2. No wait I forgot about the Nikon F, silly me. Oh but now who could forget the Konica Autoreflex T, or darn the Canon F1! But wait wait wait Vinny - there’s the Spotmatic! I mean if it was good enough for John, Paul, George and Ringo - I mean who could argue with that. Well now we can’t forget the Swiss - the Alpa 9d has a lot going for it. Ah heck I can’t decide!

Wait a sec - what am I saying? 35mm sucks! Long live Hasselblad!

 

[p.giannakis]

„Undoubtedly“? I like compact cameras so for me the F6 is not the best.

Have you tried the 28Ti or 35Ti? I very often get an itch that I want to scratch.

 

[CP93]

There’s no one best, one size does not fit all. That said, I got years of great service from my OM2n.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Just get it right.
"The best analog 'slr' ever made is undoubtedly the Nikon F6."
Point here is SLR.

The F6 is, of course, also one of the greats. But only the "best" if one judges a camera by how many bells-and-whistles and how much automation it offers. Some of us have different, and equally valid, criteria; I find my little Nikon FM (not the FM2) to be absolutely the "best", for me. I'm rather allergic to all that automation.

 

[Pioneer]

Oh c'mon folks. Everyone gets to vote! There has to be more of you. We haven't heard much from the Canon crowd!

(stir, stir, stir)

 

[Steve Bellayr]

Leica M series (my preference the M6) & Nikon F3hp

 

[JSteed#2]

Beauty contests and Nobel prizes are a bit subjective, My subjective thoughts:
1. in answer to the question, generally "no." I have heard too much about failure rates.
2. Having said that, if yours works perfectly and you like the ergonomics, then it is your "best"
3. I am addicted to Leicaflexes. That is my vote EXCEPT i have a user Nikon F, and if i need to abuse a body and throw it around a bit, the Nikon wins.
4. I would not declare anything with electronics the "best" as they are waiting to die.

 

[Leon C]

Now this would have been interesting to throw in the mix....Fully modular prototype which became the OM-1, shame, it looks lovely.

 

[agentlossing]

Now this would have been interesting to throw in the mix....Fully modular prototype which became the OM-1, shame, it looks lovely.

View attachment 4853457

View attachment 4853458

I know about those, I'd sure love to have one. What a cool form factor for 35mm!