need help buying olympus om system

chris91387

chris91387

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im considering buying an olympus om-2 (most likely) camera for my daughters to introduce her to film photography.

i grew up as a "nikon guy" and i'd love to buy them a sturdy old nikon f but they're just too pricey and the oly's look to be much smaller for little hands. (i need to buy two systems)

i'm looking for advice into picking up some used om-1 or om-2 bodies and a few zuiko lenses (28-ish/50/135-ish).

is anything special i should look out for?

i'll probably just pick something up off of ebay and pay for a good cla and get some fun covering from cameraleather (pink or purple, please).

can anyone recommend somewhere to go for a cla?

thanks,
chris
 
Well the shutter curtain for holes, shutter speeds and viewfinder - the older OM2s will have rotten foam by now so if you find one its probably worth trying to find a later one or a 2n.
 
I agree with Leicasniper, the OM-2 is better than the OM-1 because of the battery issue. The OM-1 uses mercury batteries, the OM-2 takes silver-oxides. I have used the OM system since I was 8 years old, when my father taught me how to use his OM-G (a decent camera but the OM-2 is better built and easier to use in manual mode). He bought me my own OM-G when I was 11, and I used it until I was 16 when it broke during a car accident. I have a couple of OM-4T bodies now and have owned an OM-1 and used an OM-2.

For lenses, the 28mm f2.8 costs only a bit more than the f3.5 version and is reputed to be sharper. I have not tried the 3.5 version, but my 2.8's (I own 2 of them) are very good. There is also a 28mm f2.0 Zuiko; it is very expensive. The f2.8 model can be had for 80-90 dollars on ebay, sometimes much less if you get lucky.

Shot with the 28/2.8
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The 50mm f1.8 is an excellent, cheap, easy to find lens. There were 5 different versions of this lens made. The last one, reputed to be the sharpest, had the words "made in japan" written on the front ring of the lens. They cost about the same as earlier models, and are common, so look for that one. I have 3 of them and it is very sharp even wide open. Typical cost for one in good condition is $20-25. The only bad thing about this lens is the ugly bokeh.

Shot with the 50/1.8 made in japan version
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I own two of the 135mm f3.5 lens. There is also an f2.8 version that is harder to find and costs a lot more. The 3.5 is very small and light, and is extremely sharp. I don't have an example of it to show online, I rarely use a lens this long. My girlfriend used it last week and got some great stuff.

You might consider the 100mm f2.8 instead of the 135. The 100/2.8 is sharper than the 135/3.5 and is cheap. It also makes a VERY nice portrait lens and has gorgeous Bokeh.

Shot with the 100/2.8

mack-smiling.jpg
 
While mentioning the word zoom may get me turfed from RFF, the third lens I had (after the 50mm and 28 3.5 was the old 75-150mm zoom. While in retrospect I used it too much on my trip around the world, one of my photos with it won a prize in Photo Life which ended up being the 85mm. All of which is to say, the 75-150 sells so cheaply now, it's worth grabbing.
 
stuken said:
I don't know much about olympus SLRs, just posted to say you're a good dad.
Click to expand...

It is nice of him to get such a nice system for his daughter. How old is she? My dad got me into photography really young.

I forgot to answer his question about where to get OM-gear CLA'd. John Hermanson is the best Olympus repairman in the USA. He's a former service manager for Olympus USA.
 
I agree that the OM-2 is a superb camera but feel that it's only advantage over the OM-1 is it's AE capability ... also tied to a battery dependant shutter mechanism. I've been using my OM-2 a lot over the last few months and have been very impressed with the camera's performance and general feel. I've had an OM-1 sitting in the cupboard for a long time that I hadn't ever used because I figured there was no point due to the OM-2's similarities but obvious advantages with it's electronics. A few weeks ago I loaded a film into the the OM-1 to see how it felt in comparison and haven't touched the OM-2 since ... to me it's a much nicer camera but I'm not quite sure why. If your daughter wants to have a more hands on connection with photography ie: using a meter, then the OM-1 would be a better choice!

If not, the OM-2 would probably suit her more. 🙂
 
Second everything Chris has said up there.

Fantastic choice on the getting her the OM system – I learned on this system as well, when I was in my early teens.

Not sure if you're looking for these, but the 21/3.5 and the 50/1.4 are both fantastic lenses if you can track them down. If memory serves correct, the 21 still goes for a pretty penny (there's also a 21/2 which I presume will sell for more). The 28/3.5 is a decent lens, as aside from the afforementioned bokeh issues the 50/1.8 is fine if you can't justify the 50/1.4.

As Chris mentioned, the 135/3.5 is quite sharp; I used it for a good many portraits taken early in my college years and found it quite pleasing.

I would suggest the OM-2/n over the OM-1/n, due to the battery issues and the fact that the OM-2/n has an aperture-priority exposure mode which could be helpful for your daughter if she's just starting out (though I personally would prefer to throw someone right into the deep end of manual exposure, some people prefer other methods..... 😀 ). The OM-2/n will take standard SR44 batteries which are easy to find.

Good luck to both you and your daughter!
 
all great suggestions, everyone. thanks.

my daughters (twins) are 7 and are always interested in the film shooting my dad and i do. we also do some processing and printing on occasion.

they already have digital p&s cameras which they take wonderful pictures with. without boasting too much, they really have a "good eye.

my first camera was a mamiya 500tl (which i still have) and after a couple years my dad got me a nikon fm (which i still have). over the years i've had fm2's f3's and fe's but only the fm and fm2 have stayed.

i've always been interested in the olympus om system and it sounds like the om-2 is a better way to go at least where batteries are concerned.

of course, i've also been toying with the idea of of going with pentax k1000's to stay truly manual...much like my dad did with me when i got the nikon fm.

ugh, too many choices.
 
I second the OM 2/OM 2N choices. Would avoid the OM 2SP for electronics issues. People here or oly group can talk more specifically about what bodies to avoid for the difficulty/expense of repairing/replacing electronics.

I think primes are the way to go -- not necessarily for performance issues, but because the OM primes fit the "Oly small" ideal better than the larger zooms.

If price is a consideration a 24/28, 50, 100 set-up is an ideal starter -- cheap, good coverage. Cheaper w. the 28 than the 24 obviously.

I would add KEH to possible dealers. They are conservative in their grading. there has been some recent traffic suggesting a lowering of standards, but I cannot tell whether this is statistically significant -- and they do replace unsatisfactory merchandise.

BTW -- if the twins share, no need to double up on the lesser used lenses.
 
The other point about the om2's as a learning tool is that on manual the shutter speed indicator disappears and the meter display is just like the one on an OM-1 - a proper old school needle meter with just plus and minus indicators, much more user friendly than a Nikon FE on manual to me. I'd go for a couple of OM-2s!
 
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