Good price for OM-1 with 50/1.4?

  1. John, I have an OM-1 MD in with JohnH, so we have both Ithaca and Rochester simultaneously represented. :D
  2. For the work John's doing, you won't regret it, though of course it's a disappointment. FWIW, last time I was home in Roch, I was looking for my OM-1n to send off for John's spa treatment. Can you believe I could find every other OM body I own, but not the OM-1n? (Wife mutters something about my addiction ...) John did an OM-2 last November; it was a "user" I had bought and had water damage, but it is beautifully brassed and works fine now. I needed a second body to be up to snuff for my trip to Lake Superior this summer.
  3. "Silver nose" Zuikos are older versions, often (though not always) single coated versions. They are somewhat less sharp, but sometimes have a balance of contrast and colour rendering that is quite lovely.
OM-1n, 50/1.4 (pre 1.1M SN):

4234381831_aa21dcf9c3.jpg
 
John: Yeah ... that shot is Kodachrome. I'm pretty sure Zuikos were calibrated against Kodachrome.

Zuiko 28/2.8, Elitechrome, Seneca Lake ... @ one of the wineries. ;)

113149990_18ef9fac49.jpg
 
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Mabelsound - as a slight aside, I recently acquired a 75-150mm zoom for my OM-1, cost me next to nothing and it looks as if it's had a hard life. However, despite my negative assumptions about all 70s zooms, I shot a roll through it a couple of days ago and the results look very good. I've only scanned a couple of the negs (and admittedly I haven't had a chance to look at them closely) but on the basis of my first look I think I will be keeping it. I've read that there is a fair bit of sample variation with these lenses and I may just be very lucky, but I wouldn't get rid of it until you've tried it.

I agree. I acquired a used Zuiko 75-150 zoom in excellent shape years ago, but never really used it until last year. Somewhat contrary to the lens' reputation, I discovered that it is quite sharp based on prints significantly cropped to fit 8x10. Importantly, I have found that it has what I call "practical sharpness" that lens tests don't measure, being much easier to handhold steady than heavier and less well-balanced lenses with better reputations. I suspect that this difference is far more important to obtaining sharp photos than the modest differences in optical sharpness found among most lenses when formally tested using tripods.
 
Well--I already did sell that zoom. If I actually expand my OM stuff, I think I'd be going for an 85/2 first.

BTW, Aki-Asahi sent me a freebie gray snakeskin covering along with the yellow snake I ordered! If anybody wants it, let me know--it's for the OM-1 MD with small badge.
 
I don't think all of silver noses were single coated. Ken Norton and some other OM priests would know.

One guru has stated that the SC lenses have a yellow cast to them, while the MC lenses have a decidedly green cast. Mind you, that is hearsay, but it might be fun to try out the theory.

Cheers...

Rem
 
I was going to ask how I could tell if my OM-1 was an "OM-1n" or not, but then looked down at the top plate and saw the "n" after "OM-1". And it has the "md" plate up front.

Okay: new question: what is the difference with the "OM-1n" vs the "OM-1 md"...

Found it...

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/om1/index.htm

The OM-1n was the last version, "34 more improvements were made over earlier model." Improvement 34 was the addition of an "n" on the top plate so people would know if it was an OM-1n" or not...

All I can say is "wow"...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/800689394-USE/Olympus__OM_1n_35mm_SLR_Manual.html
 
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I have a dirty & "seems" to work ok OM-1MD & 50/1.8 that I found silly cheap at St. Vinnies the other day. If it might help (parts etc) send me a line & I'll let it go as cheap.

William
 
Once the initial shock has subsided, you will love your OM-1n...

After the trip to John H's spa, you have a camera for life.

I got mine back from him in January, and I'm more pleased every
time I use it.

And hey... $200 for a totally new camera... how can you beat that?
 
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