Oly OM 4 problem (2)

[FrankS]

i'm not having much luck with om4's from ebay. the first one went back with wonky viewfinder diopters. so i bought another to replace it. it arrived today with the film advance lever stuck as though it has already been wound on, mirror locked up, and no batteries. So i installed brand new batteries, and the camera was beeping as i did so. once installed, the battery check light did not come on and there was no beeping when the main lever was moved to battery check position. i tried resetting the camera by moving the shutter speed dial to the red mechanical 1/60 speed setting (pushing in a lockout button to get it there). i may be missing something. any ideas?

thanks in advance.

 

[Keith]

Can't make any helpful suggestions sorry Frank.

But on the bright side you are reducing my gas for an OM-4 by the minute! 😛

 

[FrankS]

yes, i've read your om4 gas posts, keith. when it works, i can see that it's a beauty camera with fantastic metering capabilities.

 

[Keith]

I may still get one but ebay concerns me these days ... my last few purchases have not been great!

I checked KEH and they seem to have a fair few listed ranging from bargain to excellent which is the way I may tend to go. I'm beginning to think it may be better to get a bargain listed example then get it off to John at Camtech for a tune up!

Good luck sorting your issue out. 🙂

 

[nikku]

I may still get one but ebay concerns me these days ... my last few purchases have not been great!

I checked KEH and they seem to have a fair few listed ranging from bargain to excellent which is the way I may tend to go. I'm beginning to think it may be better to get a bargain listed example then get it off to John at Camtech for a tune up!

Good luck sorting your issue out. 🙂

Keith, the best thing to do in that case would probably be to get an "as-is" OM4 in good cosmetic condition, then send it off to John for CLA/repair. I hear that the BGN grade OM4s from KEH are real beaters.

 

[FrankS]

thanks keith. good luck also in your search.

my om4 issue in a nutshell: film advance lever is blocked, and camera won't reset (mirror return) when shutter dial is moved to mechanical red 1/60 setting.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Send it back and try again. Man, this sucks! I had the same issue when I bought my Leica. I wanted an M2 and I got one on ebay that was in NICE cosmetic condition. The viewfinder was worthless, there was almost no rangefinder image visible. Back it went. Bought another, same issue plus it looked someone had taken a pliers and bent up the inside metal opening of the frame the shutter curtains run behind. Back it went. Decided the M2s were just too old, MANY have finder/RF issues like that. Got an M4. It works

 

[Trius]

Turn shutter speed dial to 'B'. On the OM-2 there is a reset button at the bottom of the lens mount throat that must also be pressed. Not sure about the OM-4.

When I look for OM-4 bodies on the bay (or anywhere,) I automatically assume the cost of a spa treatment with John will be required. Even if the seller is someone I trust implicitly, the hassle of returning isn't worth it to me. Hence, I won't buy one for more than "dirt cheap".

 

[former member]

There is a very nice OM-1 on nelsonfoto at a good price.

I will never try another electronic Olympus again. The electronics are unreliable when compared with the Nikon EL and FE series cameras. I've never had a Nikon drain batteries dry due to electronic failure as the Olympus electronic cameras seem prone to doing. I've also never had a broken shutter strap on a Nikon RF or SLR as my OM-1md did shortly after getting it. I do not have any luck with them, sold the lenses, and gave up. I have better luck with the Retina Reflex cameras.

Sorry could not be of any help.

 

[FrankS]

This second OM4 went back to the seller, an ebay shop in Montreal. The owner was very willing to do so to check it out. The first OM4 is on its way back to me, supposedly with the viewfinder diopter issue resolved.

 

[John Hermanson]

You're not having much luck. Sounds like the wind mechanism is "overwound". Could be repaired but you just bought it and it should not have arrived that way. Send it back. I have a nice clean OVERHAULED 4T chanpagne for sale. More money but it's been gone through, has new foam, all tuned up, good diopters and has had preventive maintenance to prevent the type of jamming you got in the last body. John