Given a OM-1 and I have no idea what to do with it

Spyderman is correct- the wrong battery voltage will throw your exposures off in a non-linear way. IOW- each shot's exposure could be off a different amount depending on the lighting. Either use it on manual, or if you do use the wrong battery just use negative film, not slide film to test the camera. Negative film should handle 3 stops error no problem.

I've used the Olympus OM system for approx 30 years. Be careful, these cameras and lenses are addicting. Just yesterday I went thru my OM body and lens collection with the intention of selling them to finance more Leica RF gear purchases, and I just couldn't do it. I decided to keep them and use them more.
 
Well, the run of the mill Zuikos (50/1.8, the slower 28's, 135's and 200's) do go for a reasonable price, but the other lenses are pricier than their equivalents from Canon and Nikon, in my experience.
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"Slower than the very fastest" really isn't the same as "run of the mill" in terms of quality. When I was retooling for SLRs a while ago, I went for Olympus because the lenses were superb but cheaper and more plentiful than Nikon, more plentiful that Canon, and the bodies were better than Canon (squeak, anyone?).

So I have 24/2.8 (£75), 28/2.8 (£35), 35/2.8 (£30), 50/1.4 (£50), 100/2.8 (£40), 135/3.5 (£15), 28-48 (£40), 100-200 (£12!), and I've had a lot more to try. Every one has been a gem, and if you don't think those prices are bargains then I don't know what is!
 
Just yesterday I went thru my OM body and lens collection with the intention of selling them to finance more Leica RF gear purchases, and I just couldn't do it. I decided to keep them and use them more.
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Yeah, I did the same recently - I thought "I don't need all these old zooms, cos we all know zooms aren't very good - I'll sell them and buy RF gear". But I took them out and did some shooting, and I'm keeping them ;-)
 
Gaspar said:
The on myth that needs to be debunked it the lenses being cheap. The standard lens is cheap but all the top primes comand very good prices. Moreover, you can't even find them anymore. I believe more and more canon users are using these lenses in the DSLRs with an adapter.
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I don't know what the myth is - I listed prices I paid for my stuff a while ago for a poster on dpreview -

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=27907297

I've since traded the OM 100/2.8 for a second OM2n body and an old Oly XA for a Winder 2 and got traded the 35-70/4 and the T-20 for a Bessa-T (which I admit has still not gotten used like the items I traded...)

The big headache is getting wide angles wider than 24 cheap. The 21 and lower and painfully expensive. Even the f2 lenses, while not cheap, can usually be found for under $300 which compares pretty well with many things out there considering the aperture.

I think part of the trick is to avoid evilbay. People pay silly prices for some things there and I've seen really innacurate descriptions. My particular pet peeve is advertising things as silver nose to raise the price when really all that means is that they were the earlier copies before Oly moved to black aperture rings and filter threads to cut down on reflections.

Cheers,
-Gautham
 
shimo-kitasnap said:
Oh and what's the difference between all those different OM-xx?
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shimo-kitasnap said:
Hey cool!

I've always wanted to try the OM. Currently I'm using an M6 (which I'm selling) with a cron-c and elmar-c and am thinking about selling it all for more money to pay for things like car insurance and working towards my pilot's license.

How would you say they stack up against the M6 in size and handling? How are the zuiko lenses?

Thanks peoples
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Size and handling is very close to an M, although, as mentioned the shutter speed dial is around the mount. Also as mentioned, this is VERY ergonomic; you can set the shutter speed and aperture with one hand, without moving your hand from the shutter release. Some people can't get used to that, but it's the only way I've shot with an SLR (except for a brief foray with a Mamiya-Sekor 1000DTL), so it is natural for me.

Someone referred to "run of the mill" lenses. I would say there are very few of those. Even the more common "run of the mill" lenses are very good, if not excellent ... there will be varying opinions. I don't worry about that, I just shoot. There are exceptional lenses, of course, particularly the fast primes (21/2, 35/2, 50/1.2, 100/2, 24 shift, etc.), and those DO get big money on eekBay. But the "ordinary" 50/1.8 (especially later version) is a really good lens, and I find the 50/1.4 nearly indispensible. The 35/2.8 is superb for what it is, i.e. cheap and very small and easy to work with.

shimo-kitasnap said:
Oh and what's the difference between all those different OM-xx?
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The double digit OMs were lower-priced, more amateur bodies. Nothing really wrong with them, but not worth a CLA if they go belly up. Most are heavily electronic so repairs are expensive, if even available.

A lot of this is repetitive to what others have said, but hey, I'm an Zuikoholic so I had to get my chops in. 😀

OMmmmmmmmmmm
 
OM-1 vs Pentax ME super

OM-1 vs Pentax ME super

manfromh said:
I have been thinking about an OM1 as well, but reading about the battery issues and hearing that om-m42 (im not giving up my takumar 50 1.4) adapters need to have glass in them, I've passed on the idea in favor of my Pentax ME Super.

How do OM1 and ME/ME Super compare to each other in size?
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I borrowed the ME super from a friend with the standard lens and it was about the same size as the om with lens beinga tad bigger. The results were pretty good!
 
Oh, here comes the OM-stampede...

I keep going on about having abandoned the SLR world for dead over six years ago. Well, it's true, except for one thing: a single OM-2n body, with a 50 f/1.8 lens (quite an underrated optic, I'd say), and a Sigma 21-35 f/3.5 zoom, which I've actually come to like a good deal. Most of the time, I use the OM-2 and zoom, as well as an Olympus VariMagni finder, as something of an ersatz view camera (the combo spends most of its time on my tripod or monopod, both which are finally getting real use again since getting rid of my Minolta AF SLR system long ago). Once in a while, however, I'll put the 50 on the OM and go happy-snapping with it, and recall just how nimble an SLR the thing is.

And, since we touched on the subject of "odd" control placement, I want to point out that the OM-2's film-speed control, while in the same location, is more conventional in operation (being incorporated into what is now the exposure-compensation dial). Also, the OM-2, like subsequent OMs, uses easy to find S76 batteries.

(To those who scoff at battery-powered cameras: I happen to know the entire history of this particular OM-2n quite well: I helped a friend pick it out a few decades back when she was getting seriously into photography. It saw heavy use. on several continents, and was given to me when my friend decided her eyesight was no longer adequate for manual focus, and, again on my advice, bought a Canon Elan 7. The OM is still working quite well, with minimum attention.)

CIMG4231.jpg



- Barrett
 
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It's safe to say we love OMs here. Should try one with the 21mm f2, 50 1.8 (made in japan version), 28 f3.5, 85 f2, 90 f2 etc. Some of the best lenses ever. A lot of the canon guys use the 21 f2 and f3.5 adapted to their 1ds mk3's, as they're still today very very sharp and nearly distortion free.
 
Give it a good try but

...

don't feel that there is something wrong with you if it isn't for you. I recently had an OM-1MD & a 50/1.8 lens for several months. I just could not get used to the ergonomics. It was, for me, too small, the speed selection ring doesn't belong there unless there is a leaf shutter 😉 , the ISO dial is odd, don't forget to turn off the meter or the battery will be gone really fast, and so on. It's not a bad camera & they made great lenses. But for someone like me who grew up on Canon SLRs, it was just too uncomfortable to use so I sold it to an Oly fan.

I'm much happier taking my T90 out for a stroll.

William
 
Avotius said:
Thanks for all the replies, it seemed people were very passionate about these cameras on this forum but I never did pay attention.
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Duh!! The OM-1 is *the* honorary rangefinder inducted sometime last year right here on RFF 🙂

There is no other SLR that is more RF-like than the OM-1. That alone sets it apart from the others. Everything about that camera is simplicity, quality, and results.

I read an article indicating that Mr. Maitani was influenced by Leica design when he did the OM series. As many of the pictures posted shown, it has indeed the same dimensional proportion as an M-body.

From your descriptions, your sample seems to need a proper CLA. I have a Minolta XD-11, an awesome camera in its own right, but no, the viewfinder is not bigger/brighter than the OM-1's.

As for the battery, contact Jon Goodman here on RFF. He will send you a $10 adapter which is not expensive to ship to China, that you can use with air-activated hearing aid batteries, to give you the correct voltage similar to the mercury one.

Use it and impress us 😉
 
Avotius, I suppose you are too young to have heard of David Bailey and Patrick Lichfield!

The OM1 was, and still is, a very good SLR. It has been the flagship of Olympus for some years, famous for being small size and functional. The Zuiko lenses are also very good and will give modern lenses a run for their money.

It can still be a very good workhorse. Funny no one ever gave me anything like this!
 
The Zuiko lens' aperture rings turn in the same direction as Leica's do; that is the opposite way to most other cameras.

It is clear who this camera was intended to appeal to: Leica users.

It does mean that you really need to budget for genuine Zuiko lenses, not off-brand. But the mainstream Zuikos are inexpensive nowadays.
 
The strengths of the OM-1 system: Many excellent lenses available especially the Zuikos, very light for SLR's (lenses and camera body), a bright viewfinder with good eye relief.
 
Cool thing about the SS dial is you can determine speed via your hand position only. My ring is so smooth, though, that it's not clicky enough. I wonder if Camtech could fix that? I would looove to treat her to a CLA.

I just changed my seals, but i think there's still a small leak somewhere.

ME Super is cool and small, but what's that metal bracket thingy on the top? 🙂 We doaneed no stinkin' hotshoes!

Anyway, here's my updated OM-1 set, most done with the 50 1.4 from David Murphy 🙂 for I think $18!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/98037901@N00/sets/72157600827716160/
 
I have been thinking about an OM1 as well, but reading about the battery issues and hearing that om-m42 (im not giving up my takumar 50 1.4) adapters need to have glass in them, I've passed on the idea in favor of my Pentax ME Super.

How do OM1 and ME/ME Super compare to each other in size?
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I've had both OM1/OM2 and MX/ME Super kits, and the Pentax bodies are slightly smaller. But I stuck with the OMs because they feel a lot more solid to me - in comparison the MX/ME don't feel anywhere near as robust.
 
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