Electronics and OM-3Ti - The Impossible Project

[marcr1230]

I've been looking at the OM-3Ti recently ( well for the last 20 years maybe)

Apparently there are no spare circuit boards if the electronics die

A working copy is $2000, I just saw an example of a broken one, no meter function
For $800

Now the investment of $2000 is a lot and I'd be really unhappy if it died eventually
And cost me the difference in value

So - in general

Why do circuit boards die? Is there an age related issue? Will they all die eventually?
I had a Sony shortwave radio which suffered from a well know capacitor issue - they contain organic material and over time decayed and stopped functioning. Enterprising souls figured this out and sold replacement kits

Could the circuit board be re-engineered in this age of ardurino and raspberry pi ,
3D printing etc
Could one practically read the firmware of a working board and recreate one?

Could a broken board be fixed? Why do they break or cease functioning?

That said one of the selling points of the 3ti is that it works without a battery
But the premium you pay is for the metering and the robust build - otherwise an OM-1 will do the same mostly

Thanks for listening - comments welcome

 

[papaki]

You can rebuild anything. The question is can you fit it in there and make it work with the rest of the camera?

 

[FrozenInTime]

Cameras normally have a very elaborate multi-layer flexible PCB with many tight folds, fingers and switch contact pads.
Couple that with the large number of control inputs and LCD segments to drive and you are looking at a lengthy expensive design effort.

 

[nongfuspring]

I disagree with the lonemantis here. I'm sure it will be tedious, but may not actually be that difficult providing you have a multimeter to isolate the fault on the PCB and the correct tools. A full schematic shouldn't be necessary (unless you want to build a new PCB for some reason, but you could also do that just by looking at the old one). You may even find that once cover is off the fault is obvious.

Chances are regardless of what component(s) needs to be replaced, there should be a replacement part that is readily available, smaller, more reliable, and relatively easy to install. Components aren't expensive; we're talking a few dollars here. Main challenge is identifying the part, in my experience 1980s PCBs are usually pretty sparsely laid out and friendly to tinker with.

Worst case scenario you can't figure out what went wrong, or find some truly arcane IC chip you can't find a replacement for. In that case you can just sell it for what you paid for it. Go to town I reckon.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Broken trace on the flex board might be fixable. Same for a bad connector.

But, if a chip has failed, you can't just make a new one in your workshop.

Without huge effort, the only way to fix electronics is to have parts. An FE-2 with a stuttering meter. An FG that eats batteries even after you've tried to turn it off. These are the electronic casualties I've encountered.

Electrical is different. Contacts, switches, the Yashica POD. These are fixable.

 

[Beemermark]

Cameras normally have a very elaborate multi-layer flexible PCB with many tight folds, fingers and switch contact pads.
Couple that with the large number of control inputs and LCD segments to drive and you are looking at a lengthy expensive design effort.

And what generally fails is not a component itself (resistor, transistor, eprom, etc.) but the flexible PCB and/or connections, solder joints, and the like. In the time frame these were made components were not miniaturized like today, so there is a lot of stuff cramped into a very small space. Which in turn makes it impossible to dissemble and repair.

 

[zuiko85]

Then you get an OM1n and soldier on. One way not to have dead dedicated electronics is not to have them in the first place. As a bonus the OM1 wind on will be smoother and the screen bigger and brighter without that sub mirror in the viewing system. Auto exposure? The OM2 and 2n hold up well and are as cheap as chips. I have a 4Ti and it only cost $35 at a second hand shop because it was 'jammed'. Took a chance, bought it and when I walked back to the house put in a couple of S76 batteries, it came to life with all functions. But, when it dies I'll shed a small tear, and keep going with a 1n.

I gave up long ago on beating the system, too much trouble.

 

[nongfuspring]

And what generally fails is not a component itself (resistor, transistor, eprom, etc.) but the flexible PCB and/or connections, solder joints, and the like. In the time frame these were made components were not miniaturized like today, so there is a lot of stuff cramped into a very small space. Which in turn makes it impossible to dissemble and repair.

Broken/corroded joints are easy to repair and flex PCB (which I don't think are in the OM3) are simple enough to replace. They may be a bit cramped but from what I've seen certainly not more so than mechanical parts. Minaturization in electronics has made things much harder, not easier. Back in the day of the OM3 things would still all have been hand soldered and assembled.

I've seen on quite a few forums the attitude that any electrical fault is a write off, whereas mechanical problems are just a matter of time and effort to fix. That may be the case with some newer cameras, but if we're talking about gear from the 80s or earlier then electrics are pretty simple, IMO the greater challenge is the camera disassembly and reassembly. It's fiddly and slow, but so is everything else with camera repair.

 

[plummerl]

Broken/corroded joints are easy to repair and flex PCB (which I don't think are in the OM3) are simple enough to replace. They may be a bit cramped but from what I've seen certainly not more so than mechanical parts. Minaturization in electronics has made things much harder, not easier. Back in the day of the OM3 things would still all have been hand soldered and assembled.

I've seen on quite a few forums the attitude that any electrical fault is a write off, whereas mechanical problems are just a matter of time and effort to fix. That may be the case with some newer cameras, but if we're talking about gear from the 80s or earlier then electrics are pretty simple, IMO the greater challenge is the camera disassembly and reassembly. It's fiddly and slow, but so is everything else with camera repair.

The OM-3Ti was released in 1997, not the 80s. Here is the service manual for the OM-4Ti (released in 1987), and looking at it, appears to contain a number of processor chips, not just discrete components. The 4Ti has at least four, very complex flex PCBs, I'm assuming the 3Ti would have a few also. The 3Ti has the mechanical shutter, but still has a very complex metering, display and flash support. I'm sure that John H. could supply much detail.

http://olympus.dementix.org/Hardware/PDFs/OM-4Ti_service.pdf

 

[Merlijn53]

As far as I know, the om-3 is the same camera and why buy such an overpriced camera, when you can buy an om-3 for much less. Mine was €500 in mint condition.
Frank

 

[marcr1230]

If it were all about logic and costs, I would have stopped with one camera and lens

There is a collector's aspect to this too

As far as I know, the om-3 is the same camera and why buy such an overpriced camera, when you can buy an om-3 for much less. Mine was €500 in mint condition.
Frank

 

[dtcls100]

I own lots of OM bodies and lenses including OM-1, OM-1n, OM-2n, OM-4 and OM-4Ti bodies. Over the years, I have often thought of completing the collection by getting an OM-3 or OM-3Ti. But I never have, based on this simple question: What would I gain by getting an OM-3 or OM-3Ti? There simply is nothing that an OM-3 or OM-3Ti can do that an OM-4Ti cannot do, except operate without batteries. Carrying a spare set of batteries pretty much solves that problem, except for very cold situations. At worst, one could simply carry both an OM-1 and OM-4Ti and you are fully covered and have a backup body as well. The cost of an OM-4Ti and OM-1 in good condition is a small fraction of the cost of an OM-3, let alone an OM-3Ti.

 

[Spanik]

If the electronics do not have an ASIC or programmed (faulty) processor on it then they are fixable. Making a "multilayer" flexible pcb is something that these days an "amateur" (meaning not a corporation) can do and pay for. They are very seldom more than 2 layers and cad programs for them are free these days. And you can have them made for 1 or 2 pieces for less than a camera these days. Components are cheap and reliable these days and very, very easy to obtain.

So unless you have an ASIC that is faulty or some very obscure component that hasn't been made for 40 years and degrades by sitting on a shelf there is a good chance of getting it work again.

This isn't really different from needing a lathe and mill to make a part.

 

[marcr1230]

Congrats - you have been hired 🙂

If the electronics do not have an ASIC or programmed (faulty) processor on it then they are fixable. Making a "multilayer" flexible pcb is something that these days an "amateur" (meaning not a corporation) can do and pay for. They are very seldom more than 2 layers and cad programs for them are free these days. And you can have them made for 1 or 2 pieces for less than a camera these days. Components are cheap and reliable these days and very, very easy to obtain.

So unless you have an ASIC that is faulty or some very obscure component that hasn't been made for 40 years and degrades by sitting on a shelf there is a good chance of getting it work again.

This isn't really different from needing a lathe and mill to make a part.