OM System

J

jpa66

Jan as in "Jan and Dean"
Local time
3:52 PM
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
804
OK, I know that there are tons of OM fans on this site, and I had the opportunity to get a great price on an OM system. I was very excited, and have shot both the OM2 and the OM4. I have mainly used the 4, with the Zuiko 50/1.4 and the 21/3.5. I really like both lenses. I love the way that the OM feels in my hands. I love the relatively quiet shutter and minimal mirror slap. But there is one thing that I can't seem to get used to, and it's the shutter speed ring. It's simply very difficult for me to change shutter speeds. I'm used to dials, and the ring just doesn't seem to be working for me. I find it very difficult, and it slows me down considerably. This bums me out, as I really love a lot about the camera.

Anyone have any of the same issues with the shutter ring of the OM's as I have?

JP
 
I think it just takes getting used to. But there are some things that some folks just can't get used to. You may or may not be one of them. Good luck! BTW, you are very lucky to be able to get the 21mm lens.
 
Hang in there. Without a film in the camera just practice holding it and turning the ring, knowing which way is which. Also for a hint (I hope I'm remembering this correctly) the 1/30th shutter speed puts the ring so that the tabs are exactly centered on either side of the mount - meaning when you get to that middle ground, you know that you've reached the limit of handholding speeds. I think it's 1/30th, may be 1/15th.

I found it a little weird at first but got used to it very quickly. If I could have my main DSLR set up this way, I would.
 
I was in England in 1973, which was around when the OM1 came out. It was something of a revolution for its size and quietness. A friend bought one and let me have it for a couple of weeks. It did not take me long to get used to the placement of the shutter speed ring. FrankS has said it all already.
 
As some have already pointed out, i think its just a matter of getting used to it. When i first got my OM1, the shutter speed ring placement felt odd as i was more used to the Nikons.

But after a couple months of using it, it has become of more second nature to me. Furthermore, i feel its a more practical that way to have the ring in front of the camera than on top so you don't have to take your eyes off the vf to change the speeds as opposed to others.

:)
 
chippy said:
what OM model did you get? most people that get OM2 or OM4 would use it on AE mode so you dont need to use the shutter speed ring, however the down side is you dont become accustomed [used to] using it either...

it turns in the same direction as the aperture to maintain the same EV in that regard it is excellent as you dont need to look at the lens or front of camera ,just change them by feel of the clicks (e.g one click aperture =one click shutter)

if using the shutter manually, sometimes it can help to begin with [until you get more of a feel for the camera] if you look when you pick the camera up to see where the lugs are located on the speed ring....or centre the speed ring after use, because its usually a bit harder to find the lugs [quickly] by feel if its set at the extremes of 1 sec or around the other end at 1/2000
Click to expand...

I actually have both, but I primarily use the OM4. I rarely use the AE mode on any camera ( and have never on this one ), as I find that I usually want to tweak the settings. Yeah - finding those lugs is a royal pain. I don't have big hands, but whenever I go to change the shutter speed, I feel like I'm all thumbs!
 
I've always had a real problem getting to 1/2000 on my OM-1 and OM-2 bodies ...

For me, the genius of the OM controls is that you can control both aperture and shutter speed with the same hand, leaving the right hand to just shoot and wind.
 
Trius said:
I've always had a real problem getting to 1/2000 on my OM-1 and OM-2 bodies ...

For me, the genius of the OM controls is that you dam control both aperture and shutter speed with the same hand, leaving the right hand to just shoot and wind.
Click to expand...

I've actually thought about that, and I do like it in practice ( I was out today with it ). As I said earlier, there are so many things that I like about the system, it's just that pesky shutter ring...
 
I had exactly the same problem with my OMs and I never got the hang of it. It seems like such a sensible idea but ,my big clumsy fingers never got it right ... pity because they are wonderful cameras in many ways.
 
I grew up on the OM system. My first SLR was an OM-G that I got at age 11. I find the dial on top of normal 35mm cameras, like my Leica, because you can't really do it without taking the camera from your eye.
 
I seem to remember the shutter speed ring was also placed so you could check both the aperture and shutter speed with a single glance. Also, like a lens focusing tab, you can get an idea of what shutter speed you have set by the location two protrusions on the ring itself.
 
I've shot Nikon and Canon for years, and I find the OM system to be faster and more intuitive. It takes a little time to get accustomed to it, but as was mentioned, you can change shutter speed and aperture without taking your finger off the shutter button.

As a matter of fact, I put my Canon FD kit up on the big auction site today. Since I got the OM kit, my FD stuff has just been gathering dust. The OM does everything that my old F1 does, but is 1/3 smaller, and weighs 1/3 less. I wish the OM super-wide angle lenses were as cheap as the Canon FD types, but I hope to find a good deal on one eventually.
 
I like the way the shutter speed dial operates on the OM's. After a while you become so familiar with it that you don't really need to look at it to know where you've set it.

Maitani got it dead right ... and the Nikkormat too so I hear!
 
Bear with it, once you get used to it you may well find it far more intuitive than the dial systems on other cameras...I certainly have.

I still wish there was a middle ground between M bodies and OM bodies as somewhere in there is my perfect camera. An offset viewfinder like the M bodies and compositional accuracy of the OM (slr) would be a joy; a pipedream unfortunately!
 
I'm currently using an OM 1 and i use it as my primary camera. I agree, the ring does take some getting used to... i haven't got used to it yet but i love the sound of the shutter too much to let that get to me... keke...
 
I have used an OM-1 and an OM-4T for years and years, and still have trouble sometimes with the shutter speed control ring.

But, I've been typing on a computer keyboard for years and years, and still have trouble sometimes finding the number keys without looking. And, every once in awhile, I try to start my car when the engine is already running (grind).

I think it's just me.

But speaking of the placement of the shutter speed control ring, the design of OM-4T is worse for me, because the numbers are hidden by the protruding prism housing (where the name OLYMPUS is printed). On the OM-1 you can glance straight down on the camera to see the shutter speed, but on the OM-4T you have to tilt the lens quite a bit toward you before you can see the numbers. It's just one of those minor annoyances that make the cameras so endearing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom