OM, I've become a Zuikoholic!

p.giannakis said:
Very nice pictures, how do you like the OM1?
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Thank you, Pan. I really appreciated it!
OM1 is fully mechanical, nearly quiet shutter sound, small, all the shutter and aperture controls are on the front housing, quite similar with my Nikkormat FTn, and the Zuiko glass is some of the best ever made.



OM-1 + F. Zuiko 50mm F1.8
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My latest Zuiko acquisition

My latest Zuiko acquisition

My first post.
Purchased my first OM-1 (non-MD) with 50mm f1.4 new in 1973. CLA’d @ Photosphere 20 yrs later, including 1.5v battery conversion.
Fast Forward to 2019: Bought a package deal from a Vietnam vet that had contracted Glaucoma, and could no longer shoot a viewfinder-type camera. Pkg included OM-2n Black, OM-1MD silver, 50mm 1.2, 50mm 1.4, plus his camera bag with all miscellaneous accessories. Sent the OM-2n to John Titterington for a CLA, had it back within a week. Now my favorite body. Leather wrapped it myself with new leather from Aki-Asahi in Japan. Liked the OM-2n so much that I bought another black version, and leather wrapped it from CameraLeather. Man, these are fun to shoot!

Zuiko 100mm f2, OM-2n, Ilford HP5 Plus 400




First new to me OM-2n purchased 2019 with new leather from Aki-Asahi

 
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New leather covering

New leather covering

Here’s a couple more replacement leather body covers I applied recently.

OM-1 (non-MD), my original from 1973.





OM-2n

 
agentlossing said:
A few shots from the unfortunately short-lived OM-1 with 50mm f1.4 I bought (but went back due to a damaged meter - will have to get another one eventually!)

Untitled (4)-4 by Andrew Lossing, on Flickr
Untitled (8) by Andrew Lossing, on Flickr
Untitled (6) by Andrew Lossing, on Flickr
Untitled (2) by Andrew Lossing, on Flickr
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Very nice shots! If they were the simple OM1 (not n) the problem was (most likely) a broken plastic screw that held the battery chamber. Easy to replace
 
p.giannakis said:
Very nice shots! If they were the simple OM1 (not n) the problem was (most likely) a broken plastic screw that held the battery chamber. Easy to replace
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It's documented in the other thread here which I started a couple of weeks ago - it's the aperture sensing lever, which is spring loaded, inside the lens mount. The spring is all stretched out, so the meter doesn't respond to change in aperture.
 
I've got two OM-1's with lenses (the 24mm f2.8 and the 50mm f1.8) supposed to arrive today via FedEx, I'm really hoping they're in good condition, as I paid a little more than I wanted to for them.
 
Okay, so I received the two OM-1's. I could wish them to be in slightly better condition... one has some weird stuff visible through the viewfinder that is on the pentaprism - It kind of looks like separation of either adhesive or some sort of rot or fungus, around the bottom edge of the viewfinder. The other camera's viewfinder is clear. Both appear to work properly and the meters come to life with the proper battery. I think I'll need to shoot a roll or two to make sure they are functioning properly. The previous problem of a worn-out spring keeping the aperture sensing lever in the right position isn't a problem with these bodies.

They do appear to have a fair bit of mileage on them, and so do the lenses. Both are in good condition, but there's enough dust in the optics to see that they've been well-used. I don't think it's anything which will hurt photos.
 
agentlossing said:
one has some weird stuff visible through the viewfinder that is on the pentaprism - It kind of looks like separation of either adhesive or some sort of rot or fungus, around the bottom edge of the viewfinder.
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The foam that was used to cushion the viewfinder has deteriorated and has 'eaten away' the silvering of the prism. Well known issue - almost all OM1/2 suffer from that. Doesnt affect the funtioning of the camera, my OM1 has it too. Very often people replace the prisms with ones from the OM-10.

Have a look here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HFpUX1NlJo
 
p.giannakis said:
The foam that was used to cushion the viewfinder has deteriorated and has 'eaten away' the silvering of the prism. Well known issue - almost all OM1/2 suffer from that. Doesnt affect the funtioning of the camera, my OM1 has it too. Very often people replace the prisms with ones from the OM-10.

Have a look here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HFpUX1NlJo
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's good info! I remembered something like that, but wasn't clear on the details. As long as the camera meters decently and the shutter speeds are accurate, I will likely do that. I think one of the two is a keeper, but I'd like to at least be able to turn the other one around to recoup some of the cost. I will say I kind of miss the 50mm f1.4 in the last kit I bought... even though some people seem to think the 50mm f1.8 provides a sharper image.
 
I have owned a few samples of the 1.8 and 1.4. There is no difference in sharpness, the difference is in contrast. Most 1.4 around are silvernosed (single coating) lenses. The 1.8 are usually (MC and "made in Japan" versions) multicoated. The 1.8 has less glass elements also - they have better contrast. The 1.4 renders more old fashioned images, the 1.8 more modern (higher contrast I mean). Both are great, thev1.8 is almost pancake size.
 
How does the OM-1 meter typically behave? It seems a little sluggish, and seems to ignore the sky a little more than my Bessa or my Ricoh. I have to point it directly at the sky to get it to pay attention, but it doesn't seem like it's a spot meter either.
 
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