OM2000 - how is it?

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anerjee

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I'm in serious trouble. It started with an OM4ti and 28/2. Now, I've added an 85/2 and 50/1.2.

I've shifted most of my film work to my OM -- so much so that I want to have 2 bodies, slow/fast film combination.

which brings me to the OM2000. A local shop has a copy ~100 bucks. On paper, seems aright, almost like an OM3, but much cheaper and lighter.

How is the vf and the shutter sound? How is the camera to use?

I really love the OM4, especially the spot metering, bright vf and the smooth shutter release.

On a related note: I enjoy well made stuff, but I can use almost anything functional. I use a Canon Elan 7e with L lenses when I need af.
 
Have no idea of what the market is like in Singapore but, Twas me I'd spend the hundred on a nice clean OM-1n.
Advantages over the OM2000;
System camera with interchangeable screens. (getting thin on the ground but can still find used, may not matter to you)
Will stand up better to use, better built than the Cosina made OM2000
Outstanding viewfinder, better and bigger than your OM-4.
Will fully operate without a battery, which is just for the meter.
Film advance stroke smooth compared to the OM-4.
All time classic, one of the best.
 
A couple more thoughts;
If you have any trepidation about using a full manual camera, well, most folks get used to it and actually like having a very basic exposure control system of a fully mechanical camera. I have an old OM-1 with a dead meter, no problem, I know my light and exposures and can always check occasionally with my hand held meter. It becomes second nature after a while.
 
I don't understand why the OM2000 has a shutter dial on the top while there is already one on the lens. Are there any OM lenses without shutter dial?

Me too, I would rather buy a nice used OM4 than the OM2000. The spot meter is so helpful at times that I wish M7 had one.
 
ulrich.von.lich said:
I don't understand why the OM2000 has a shutter dial on the top while there is already one on the lens. Are there any OM lenses without shutter dial?

Me too, I would rather buy a nice used OM4 than the OM2000. The spot meter is so helpful at times that I wish M7 had one.
Click to expand...

There are no shutters in OM lenses. The shutter ring is at the lens mount, not on the lens, and is just a design decision. The OM-1 has a cloth, horizontal travel mechanically timed shutter. The OM-2000, built by Cosina, uses a vertical travel, segmented metal, mechanically timed shutter. The OM-2 and OM-4 series use a cloth shutter, mechanically propelled but timed electronically, (with a dead battery you have a expensive paper weight.)

In use I find that my OM-1 bodies that have working meters operate fine on #675 zinc air batteries (1.4v) which last 3~6 months in use. I have one OM-1 that has been converted to use a silver oxide #375 battery. I have an OM-4Ti that was at a second store for $35 because it was jammed. Bought it, walked home and popped in a couple of fresh batteries and it came to life and all functions were within nominal limits.
 
Seems the crowd here prefers the classic OMs. I looked at eBay, and the prices range from $30 to $75 for an OM2000, but I think I'll just add another OM4 eventually.
 
anerjee said:
Seems the crowd here prefers the classic OMs. I looked at eBay, and the prices range from $30 to $75 for an OM2000, but I think I'll just add another OM4 eventually.
Click to expand...

Nothing wrong with that if you prefer OM-4 operation, but.......
If you haven't already at least put a OM-1 up to your eye before you decide. I equip mine with the 1-10 screen. All matte with grid lines.
For me through the lens viewing is all about the view
 
I started (35 years ago) with OM-1n cameras and eventually switched to OM-4 cameras. I once owned an OM2000. Cosina supplied this camera to many SLR camera companies (the current Nikon FM10 is a version). All the Cosina-Voigtlander rangefinder cameras are versions in that they all have the same basic all-metal shutter. It has a flash synchronisation speed of 1/125 which is the reason I bought the OM2000 (all the Olympus OM cameras have 1/60). The shutter/mirror is noisier than my OM camera. The wind on is smoother. I wear glasses (-3 dioptres) and eventually set aside (but did not sell) my beloved OM-1n because I had trouble with the viewfinder sharpness. There was something about the magnification (x0.9), the eye relief and the built in dioptre of the OM-1n (and my eyesight of course!). I could only get a sharp image if I attached a +1 dioptre correction lens. That spaced my eye just that bit further from the camera so I could only see the image by moving my eye about. The OM2000 was no better so I sold it. The OM-4 has an adjustable dioptre (no need to attach a correction lens) and the magnification is only x0.85. I found I this arrangement just about OK for me. Also, the OM-4 is an absolutely superb camera. The OM2000 is a good camera but from a different era. It uses lightweight moulded plastic components. The OM's are engineered more like Leica's.
 
ulrich.von.lich said:
I don't understand why the OM2000 has a shutter dial on the top while there is already one on the lens. Are there any OM lenses without shutter dial?

Me too, I would rather buy a nice used OM4 than the OM2000. The spot meter is so helpful at times that I wish M7 had one.
Click to expand...

OM-2000 has spot metering too and very accurate.
 
IMHO, OM-2000 is underrated among the Internet lore.

The build quality is better than its cousin Bessa-R, which means it is good enough for day-to-day use.
The VF is as bright as OM-1.
The Spot-metering on OM-2000 is very accurate.
The VF eye-point is longer than vintage SLR like OM-1 or Pentax MX.
One-push double exposure lever.
Can use all OM lenses.
Shutter lock (can be a disadvantage🙂
Full manual, battery powers meter only. Batteries are easy to find.
Made in/from 1997 on, newer and less likely abused by previous owners.
The lighter weight makes it a nice hiking camera.

The only thing I don't like about this camera is that the shutter sound is loud.

All taken with OM-2000
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tumblr_oa5tytRPlV1tdm6l6o1_540.jpg


tumblr_oa5tv1SjOb1tdm6l6o1_540.jpg
 
I would skip the OM2000 and opt for any other OM model. Perhaps I got a dud, but I was given one from a relative in mint condition that had maybe 20 - 30 rolls put through it. I only got 5 or 6 rolls through it before it died on me. KEH has an OM2 in EX condition for only $89 right now or I would save up a hair more for an OM4.
 
To me the OM2000 is the camera you may get if you weren't particularly into the uniqueness of its predecessors. As someone else pointed out another OM4 makes more sense ... or even an OM2.
 
I second the comments of Nukecoke. It's not a bad camera but it tends to get a bad press on the internet because it is compared to the 'single digit' OMs. A lot of the differences are only really apparent when you make a side-by-side comparison. When you use either an OM2000 or a 'single digit' OM they are both fine. I bought an OM2000 to take on several treks in the Andes. It's really bright and contrasty at altitude and I valued the 1/125th max flash synchronisation speed to balance ambient and fill-in flash in such conditions. I also like being able to peer through the viewfinder with my glasses on and an OM with dioptre adjustment (for me the OM-4) is the only way I can do it. I don't have to add a correction lens which would put me eye even further from the eyepiece and the x0.85 mag also helps. These were for me the really significant differences between my OM2000 and my OM-4. As I said in my previous message, I eventually sold the OM2000.
 
I had one and I really liked it. The zoom lens that came with it not so much.

With a good lens (your 28/2 and 50/1.2), a good OM2000 makes very sharp photos. And the spot meter is great.
 
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