OM, I've become a Zuikoholic!

pggunn said:
Good shot Nikku! I've tried similar shots (featuring the rear view or side view mirror) but never with results anywhere close to that good.

And BTW, Arista 400 is what's taking up about one fifth of my refrigerator space now. Wonderful stuff!
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Hey thanks, I got close to the mirror for the shot then cropped so it was more panoramic. Good light and an open road, and I got a decent shot.

Arista is great, I also like Arista Premium 100. I'm about to try out some Legacy Pro, can't wait to see the results.
 
Great to see this thread is still going strong!

I continue to enjoy my Zuikos greatly, they truly are special. One of the most remarkable is the 21mm f/2.0, an all-time landmark lens design. Almost as high-resolving as the gigantic Zeiss Distagon 21/2.8, less distortion, a full stop faster (great for subject isolation, as I have done here) and absolutely tiny (smaller than a Leica M Rangefinder 21mm f/2.8, yet again a stop faster). Balances amazingly on an OM-1:

Butterfly_Trust_by_philosomatographer.jpg

(OM-1, 21mm at f/2.0, Fomapan 100, hand-printed in the darkroom (5x7in))

My other favourite is the 90mm f/2.0 Macro, these are two recent prints:
Streaking_Skyward_by_philosomatographer.jpg

(OM-1, 90mm at f/4.0, Fomapan 100, hand-printed in the darkroom (8x10in))

Holes_and_Grains_by_philosomatographer.jpg

(OM-1, 90mm at f/11.0, Fomapan 100, hand-printed in the darkroom (8x10in))
 
Ah, and just to spam this already huge thread a little bit more, there's no denying the speciality of the 250mm f/2.0. I don't use this lens nearly enough (OK, it does weight 4kg) but it can do things with shallow field depth that few others can:

Innocence_by_philosomatographer.jpg

(OM-1, 250mm at f/2.0, Ilford FP4, hand-printed in the darkroom (8x10in))

If any of you zuikoholics manage to find this lens for sale (at almost any price) buy it - you won't regret it. I feel that all the other Zuiko lenses are "bracketed" between the two landmark designs, the 21/2 and the 250/2. Such an unparalleled range of f/2.0 lenses, yet smaller than anything else out there. Maitani's team sure weren't playing around.
 
Varies is the quick answer - varies with the camera.
I sent my OM-2SP back for re-adjustment after a service when I found it as stiff as it had been before hand. I understand there is a ball bearing (minute) that makes the stops click. It isn't tensioned with a normal coiled spring but by an angled fitting pressing onto it. If the angle isn't quite right then the pressure on the ball bearing isn't right either. In manufacture there was a special tool made to get everything just so. Not sure if I believe all this but that's how I remember having the situation explained. I also gather that adjusting the angle isn't the easiest operation.
Perhaps John H will come back to this thread and explain all - and what can be done.

jesse
 
NathanJD said:
Open Question: how stiff is the shutter speed ring on your OM-2n (or other OM)? mine takes some shifting! it's definitely not stuck but it takes a considerable amount more oomph to shift than, say, aperture rings
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If your shutter speed ring is stiff, it needs a service. I have two OM-1 bodies, the one is stiff (because it's never been serviced) while the one serviced by John Hermanson in about 2005 is totally easy to move - almost like an aperture ring, yes.

The same goes for the one on my (currently broken 😡 - on it's way to John soon) OM-3Ti - it's completely smooth and easy to turn.
 
Quick Question: my OM1N's meter needle moves without battery when I move the aperture and shutter rings. I heard that this is normal but is it true? The needle's centered at 1/8s F1.4.

Oh and here's my contribution for all Zuikoholics 😉
4879739111_ee0ea13ef1_z.jpg
 
NathanJD said:
Open Question: how stiff is the shutter speed ring on your OM-2n (or other OM)? mine takes some shifting! it's definitely not stuck but it takes a considerable amount more oomph to shift than, say, aperture rings
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That's a relatively simple fix if you're game. I've had two OMs that were like this and I removed the front retainer and shutter ring and cleaned and re-lubed it all. There's some fine strings and a gear in there that you have to be careful with as it's easy to get the adjustment out a tooth or two.

Once done they move very freely and smoothly!
 
I find my OM2n's shutter speed ring stiff too, but then I shoot it in Av mode, and if I need some compensation or changes to the camera's decision the exposure compensation dial does all I need to.
 
Keith said:
That's a relatively simple fix if you're game. I've had two OMs that were like this and I removed the front retainer and shutter ring and cleaned and re-lubed it all. There's some fine strings and a gear in there that you have to be careful with as it's easy to get the adjustment out a tooth or two.

Once done they move very freely and smoothly!
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Thanks for the info Keith! I don't know if i want to root around in there as i've only just acquired this little beauty
 
pggunn said:
It may be an SLR, but it sure does feel like a rangefinder...
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I have a Bessa R4M, an M2, and an OM-2N. I haven't weighed them, or even looked that up, but the OM-2N feels the lightest and the most comfortable in my hands. I have to decide which one goes with me next month on a long-for-me trip. So far, the Oly is winning.
 
Maybe its been said before. I have read a lot of the postings here on the Olympus OM camera's but haven't seen it printed yet. Anyway most of us would probably agree, the OM's deserve to be "Honorary Leica's". They're just that good.
 
cliffpov said:
Maybe its been said before. I have read a lot of the postings here on the Olympus OM camera's but haven't seen it printed yet. Anyway most of us would probably agree, the OM's deserve to be "Honorary Leica's". They're just that good.
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I think they're better than that ... they're a camera for the real world!

Not just for folks that can afford them! 😀
 
Keith, that ought to get a reaction out of some of the folks here. I have both. Two OM-1's, one M-3, and one CL. I like them all a lot but I hear what you're saying. They just seem to make photography so simple and get out of my way.
 
Have read a number of pages of this thread with interest because I have been looking at an OM-4 with 50/1.4 on KEH. My question is that I have a Minolta XD-7 and series of lenses and wondered if anyone here had used both XD-7 and OM-4 and had an opinion on whether there was a marked difference between the two? Shoot mainly MF with my Mamiya 6 but want a small walk around 35mm and have recently dusted off my XD-7 and have really enjoyed it. Exited my Leica M6 to go MF and have been looking at a CL here in NZ but remembered this thread and wondered if I should also become a Zuikoholic?
 
I would have thought the thousand plus posts for an SLR on a rangefinder forum may have given a clue! 😀

I can't comment on thr Minolta lenses except that I've heard they are very good ... as good or better than Zuiko I wouldn't know!

As for the OM-4 ... I think this camera will be my next OM aquisition! 😀
 
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