OM-4T film advance problem

[dtcls100]

I own 4 OM-4T (or OM-4Ti) bodies and have owned three of them for quite a few years with few if any problems once I had them CLAed after acquiring them (if I didn't get them new). However, my first OM-4T body (and least used body -- champagne color) has been a bit of a lemon due to a strange film advance problem. Sometimes when the film advance lever was cocked, the mirror would rise up as the lever would be advanced and then fire by itself once the lever was fully advanced. I had the camera professionally repaired for this problem some years ago -- because it is otherwise in perfect operating and near perfect cosmetic condition -- but the problem returned shortly after the warranty repair expired. The camera nonetheless worked fine for a few years if one used a winder or motor drive on it, but not if you used the film advance lever.
Unfortunately when I took the camera out today, after a few months of not using it, the problem has become really bad. Now the problem of the mirror flipping up and the shutter firing when the film lever advance occurs every time, when it used to happen only occasionally. Even worse, it happens even when using a motor drive, with the camera then jamming until I remove the lens and push the mirror lever arm down manually.
Anybody have this problem? Anybody know what causes this problem and whether it is worthwhile fixing? Should I just keep the body as a parts body and get another body (to transfer and use the 2-4 focusing screen)?

 

[wblynch]

Sounds like a problem with the shutter release Gummed up or a weak return spring?

I wonder if using it with a cable release might change its behavior.

 

[valdas]

Yes, I have exactly the same problem. I tried to repair it maybe 4 times, I was told - it is fine now - I wish it was....
But, I found a few workarounds...
Number one - you can use double exposure feature, i.e. cock the shutter without winding the film. Of course, it does not help in case it fires every time, but in my case it "misfires" maybe with every second or third advance, so I can live with that.
Number two - funny one... I noticed, that this malfunction only occurs with some lenses, but camera woks just fine with other. For example, when 85mm f2.0 is mounted, problem goes away. Same with 21mm f3.5. I noticed that the mount of those lenses is somewhat different from 50mm, obviously there is something about the lens pressing some camera parts/elements in a different way... And I discovered what is it exactly, it is just that my English is so bad I cannot explain those technical things. I can take some pictures when I am at home and post it later. I don't know, however, how this issue can be fixed, I just know what goes wrong when one advances the film...

 

[dtcls100]

Yeah, my experience has been similar. Problem seems to recur despite repair and tends to appear with certain lenses. In any event, I have decided to skip fixing it and have purchased another OM-4T from KEH, as the time and expense of repairing this problem probably would exceed the cost of just buying another body. The affected (champagne) body just seems to be a lemon in this regard and I am replacing it with a black body, which I understand began being manufactured after the champagne bodies.

 

[valdas]

Yeah, my experience has been similar. Problem seems to recur despite repair and tends to appear with certain lenses. In any event, I have decided to skip fixing it and have purchased another OM-4T from KEH, as the time and expense of repairing this problem probably would exceed the cost of just buying another body. The affected (champagne) body just seems to be a lemon in this regard and I am replacing it with a black body, which I understand began being manufactured after the champagne bodies.

well well... mine is black one, so not I am not sure it is a "generation related" issue...

 

[dtcls100]

well well... mine is black one, so not I am not sure it is a "generation related" issue...

Agree. However i generally prefer a more recently manufactured camera of a given model, and like the look of a black one better to boot.

 

[xyz3450]

Hello -- one possibility for repairs is to reach out to John Hermanson at http://zuiko.com/ His website gives details of the repairs undertaken along with prices and procedures for getting the camera evaluated...

 

[dtcls100]

I have used John multiple times to service and CLA my extensive OM collection. He does a uniformly excellent job. John actually fixed this camera's problem before, but unfortunately it came back some months later. This particular camera unfortunately is a bit of a lemon, film advance wise, and the cost of repairing it again is around the cost of just getting another one. Given that this problem tends to reoccur, I have just purchased another OM-4T instead from KEH for $225 with free shipping. Just got the new body and aside from a cosmetic scratch or two, appears to be in very good condition.