Lovely SLR systems for little - Olympus OM2n and lenses

[CharlesDAMorgan]

I took my OM2n out of aetivation over the weekend. It failed to respond to being switched on, and the finder was blocked. After an initial panic, fitting new batteries had it working perfectly, the blockage being the locked up mirror. I thought it should work in manual mode, but I couldn't remember how.

It's no bigger than an M and the lenses are compact. I had one as a teenager and while I chopped that in for my first Nikon, I'd kept my 50mm f1.8 and my 28mm f2.8, still with the original Hoya filters, so the lenses are immaculate. I'd added a 35mm f2.8 and a, unused still, 135mm. I'd always been happy with the colour rendering, but really had not shot much black and white.

I'd recalled the 35mm f2.8 being rather soft, but then I remembered I'd only shot it in the kitchen of a restaurant in low light wide open, so I thought I'd test it with Tmax400 at 200 in Perceptol 1:2 - my favourite for bringing out detail and sharpness.

It got a fair amount of love from people chatting at a car meet, and I liked using it, I just used aperture priority and had no alarms about exposure.

For the system I have, you could buy that all for nigh on £350 (probably now about US$10! with the current exchange rate). The lenses are lovely, OK the shutter dial position takes some getting used to, the aperture position on the lens is like a Leica and the viewfinder is bright and clear, and the display still bright and intuitive. Apart from the cracked hot shoe, it looks like it's 10 not 40 years old!

One of those systems that seems to be out of the limelight yet takes gorgeous photos. Frankly, for those on a budget, what better?

The Prescott MkII Landie - 50mm f1.8 at about f4

Tea, buns and crossword at Huffkins - 50mm f1.8 at f2.8

Rose amid the pyrocantha thorns - 35mm f2.8 at f2.8

 

[Brad Bireley]

Love that Land Rover!

Also love my OM-1 & OM-2S with 50mm f/1.4, 28mm f/3.5, & 100mm f/2.8!

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Nice! Adding the 100mm and the 50 1.4 and the total cost is still below that of an M rangefinder without lens.

The value and results these offer are stunning!

 

[mpaniagua]

Great photos Charles.

It is a well know fact that Yoshihisa Maitani admired Leica design and workmanship so no wonder.

One of my favorite lens are the 28 f/2.8, 50 f/1.8 and 100 f/2.8. Real compact kit.

Marcelo

 

[Keith]

If ever I decided to peel back to one camera it would be my OM1 and a handful of Zuiko lenses.

I also love that Landrover. 🙂🙂🙂

 

[zuiko85]

Love that second shot, ‘tea and buns’.
And quite frankly, over the years, your OM-2n will require less maintenance than a Leica M. Leicas optics might be brilliant but Zuiko’s are certainly no slouches.

 

[RoccCity]

I love my OM-1. I have the 50mm 1.4, but never use it. I prefer the 1.8 because it’s so compact and gets amazing results. It’s such a fun SLR to shoot.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

The Prescott Hill Climb Series II Land Rover is a thing of wonder. It's left outside, self-cleaning and a demonstration of the slow oxidation of aluminium and dirt into a habitat for lichen. I'll take some colour with me next time I'm up.

 

[gbealnz]

Now you've gone and done it Charles, fueled my urge to try another OM.
I have a nice 50/1.4 left over from the last foray, maybe time to try another OM1 or OM4.
Gary

 

[lawrence]

Early last year I caught the OM bug and bought three OM2n in the hope that one of them would work properly, in fact all three work perfectly. I also bought a load of lenses to see which I liked and all are good enough for most purposes with the exception of the 35mm f2.0 which wasn't (I managed to return it on the grounds of a small amount of fungus, which had not been spotted by the seller). I later found a wonderful, though large, Vivitar 35mm f1.9 that gives superb results.

So why the OM2n and not the OM1? Well I tried the OM1 when it came out in the early '70s but really didn't like the shutter dial and lack of any info in the viewfinder. The OM2 solved this problem by putting a very useful exposure compensation dial on the top deck and shutter speeds in the viewfinder, it also takes the same batteries as all my other 35mm cameras.

The OMs are a wonderful compromise between a Leica M and an SLR. Unlike the Nikon FM2s they sound rather nice and are just that much more compact, making them perfect travel cameras. As you say, highly recommended.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

The OMs are a wonderful compromise between a Leica M and an SLR. Unlike the Nikon FM2s they sound rather nice and are just that much more compact, making them perfect travel cameras.

Yes, a very good summary!

I started with an OM10, and thought the addition of manual control to auto that the OM2n offered was worthwhile. By then the OM1 was just a little dated. I'd be interested in people's thoughts on the OM4ti etc as an upgrade over the OM2n.

Not having had the 35mm f2, is it sharp enough wide open Richard? I generally head to the f2.8s but I do a lot of photography inside and pushing film doesn't always get me the shutter speed I need, and I still find the f2.8 a bit soft, however much I work on improving things in the tank!

 

[Photog9000]

Yes, a very good summary!

I started with an OM10, and thought the addition of manual control to auto that the OM2n offered was worthwhile. By then the OM1 was just a little dated. I'd be interested in people's thoughts on the OM4ti etc as an upgrade over the OM2n.

I also started out with an OM-10, bought a second one, added the manual adapter to each and added a series of Tokina PRO zooms along with the Zuiko 1,8/50mm and 2,8/24mm. Then moved up through the OM-2S and finally had a pair of OM-4T bodies with winders added for news shooting. Still miss the excellent metering system of the OM-4 series. Carried a grey card to establish highlight and shadow points then, as long as the light stayed constant, I could shoot with abandon!

 

[zuiko85]

Unlike some, I have found the simplicity of the OM-1 or 1n refreshing. It is still my favorite OM. A feature I considered essential was the interchangeable screens. I love a plain, uncluttered view and have always had either the 1-4 (plain matte) or 1-10 (matte w/grid) screens installed in my cameras.
For wider lenses with a lot of DOF I may often focus by scale in dim light anyway. With 35mm and up with the proper correction on the eyepiece focusing, even on a matte screen has proved viable.

Had a OM2sp that gobbled button cells and my home made solution was to fashion a hand grip that held 2 AAA batts providing 3v and a much longer life.

A few years ago, in a second hand store, stumbled on a OM-4Ti that was ‘jammed’ for $35. Paid the man and when home popped in a couple of fresh S76 batteries which was all the camera needed. After downloading the instructions from the Olympus site I find the camera is still intimidating and generally too complex for my taste.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Silly question, is the metering on the 4ti solely spot, can you just let it be the equivalent of an auto system? (poor choice of words certainly).

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

Excellent photos in this thread. I just picked up an OM-1MD with a 50mm f/1.4 silver nose. Still working on my first test roll but loving the compact size and light weight.

 

[mpaniagua]

Silly question, is the metering on the 4ti solely spot, can you just let it be the equivalent of an auto system? (poor choice of words certainly).

It get spots metering when you press the spot button, otherwise is center metering, unless you use highlight/shadow mode, which either over/under expose accordingly.

Spot is mostly used for zone metering. Take multiple spots metering on the areas you are interested and then OM4 will average to all of the spot measures. If I'm not mistake, it let you use either 4 or 6 spot measure to make an average.

Great camera when your light metering is critical.

Marcelo

 

[p.giannakis]

Although i use Nikons and Canons AF SLR for the ease of use, the OM-System remains by far my favourite.

They have given me plenty of great pictures - too many too post them all here. I have the 50 f/1.4, the 28 f/3.5 and the 35 f/2, all great lenses.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Gorgeous - cameras and photos. I know what you mean about AF, but of my roll only 2 had missed focus, both were close ups and it doesn't take much for me to wobble at f1.8!

 

[Takkun]

It is a well know fact that Yoshihisa Maitani admired Leica design and workmanship so no wonder.

Though I've never actually had the opportunity to see one up close in the flesh (unless you count an OM2000 at Goodwill), I've always deeply appreciated the design and attention to detail of the OM series. Just enough polished chrome to look dressed up, yet minimal enough to be an objet d'art. Looking at the OM-1, I wouldn't have guessed it came out as early as it did, but later in the 70s.

I'm a bit jealous of you lot; If I were to categorize my assortment of cameras as something other than simply 'practical,' it would be 'idiosyncratic'—the M5, the former Canon A-1, and now my Fuji—anything a little offbeat from the archetypal SLR. I think the OM series fits into that with its novel metering and the like.

Knowing what I know now, if I were to start over again from scratch, I'd be building up an OM kit rather than starting with Nikon. Though thats certainly something only a photographer would notice, there's something about the rendering of those lenses I really love, akin to Leica's. All the more versatile with today's mirrorless—digital was the reason I stuck it out with Nikon for so long.

 

[donkee]

As I prepare to downsize the SLR collection the OM system is what I will keep and build on. The bodies (3) are going in for overhauls to CamTech so that they outlast me (hopefully). I'll keep the Nikon ftn and a Minolta body. I have a bunch of great lenses for the Minolta system and used it for many jobs in my younger days, but everything else can go.....