One curious OM body

[shadowfox]

As a certified Zuikoholic, this camera has been a curiosity for me, and sure would ruffle some purists' feather 🙂

Behold, a Cosina-made Olympus OM, the much maligned OM2000:

For a price that fits my camera collector budget ($40), I got myself a *mint* OM 2000. (For those of you who enjoy discussing what 'mint' means, there's a recent thread about it).

The camera and lens look like haven't been used much if at all. And I really like the well-placed curves around the camera that made it very nice to hold. The anthracite finish and color made it look like an expensive camera, unlike the finish on say, OM-10, but of course, the heft don't compare with any of the single-digit OMs.

Overall, I sense the attention to details that exceed those usually found on a typical re-branded generic body. Small things like rounded film rewind dial and the on-demand spot-metering lever makes this camera more... refined.

I planned to pair this camera with the hard-to-find 35-70mm 1:3.6 (constant max. aperture) that I got a long time ago.

But the lens in the picture, a lightweight variation of the 35-70mm series can actually close-focus to 40cm, and it doesn't look like that Olympus were being stingy on the coating, so there's no reason that it won't produce good pictures. Oh and by the way, the lens is feather-weight. An group of trained ants can probably move it around.

What the heck, I'll try both... when I'm done moving, that is :bang:

 

[Austintatious]

Will,
Looks like another beautiful camera you have there. Please let us know how it performs and post some of the images you make with it 🙂 ( Must fight GAS......)

Charles

 

[shadowfox]

Charles,

I'd be quite a while before I can run through a roll of film in it.
But since the weather has *finally* started to make sense around here in North Texas, I'd be tempted to snap a couple here and there.

How's the temp down there in Austin, btw?

 

[FTography]

Seen it before. Interesting camera indeed.
Good spot metering alternative to the more costly single digit versions with spot metering.

 

[Lumix]

Also came with a Zuiko 70-210mm lens as a 'pack'.
Picked up my OM2000 with the couple of lenses in nice drawstring pouches.
It's certainly a light weight outfit.
Haven't put a film through mine yet because I got into a digital project.
Will be interested in your results.

LUMIX

 

[David Murphy]

These are excellent cameras - particularly if you need accurate TTL metering free of the usual complications required to make an OM1 meter correctly.

 

[erik]

Don't know why these are maligned, except that they aren't Olympus made. Just a good basic camera with spot metering no less. Interesting that they did that, going a bit beyond just changing the name between this and the FM-10 etc. Hope you get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

 

[Austintatious]

How's the temp down there in Austin, btw?

Will, the temp finally cooled down a little, but now the area is on FIRE ! Literally !

 

[Chris101]

I love the technical drawing under the camera Will.

 

[John Hermanson]

The shown 35-70 is also made by Cosina. John

 

[B.J.Scharp]

That lens looks like a dead ringer for the 35-70mm that came with my Miranda MS-2, another Cosina produced body, but it had a Pentax K mount (and Miranda brand name). I wouldn't be suprised it it's also of Cosina origin.

 

[mbisc]

That same Cosina camera was sold as a Yashica FX-3 2000 (IIRC) -- manufactured originally in Japan (decent) and later in China (not so decent) -- and while it lacks the finesse of a proper Contax body, it makes for an able lenscap 😀, as well as decent hiking camera (in inclement weather, or dusty backpacking conditions)...

 

[John Hermanson]

Sorry, over all, the 2000 is junk compared to a REAL OM. Someone finds the OM-1/1N meter difficult to use? 😕 From a service standpoint, for all practical purposes, NO parts available for the 2000. For spot metering I would take any OM-4 or 2S with battery drain for their obviously better build quality. John

 

[David Murphy]

Sorry, over all, the 2000 is junk compared to a REAL OM. Someone finds the OM-1/1N meter difficult to use? 😕 From a service standpoint, for all practical purposes, NO parts available for the 2000. For spot metering I would take any OM-4 or 2S with battery drain for their obviously better build quality. John

I've owned and used he OM-1, 2, 3, as well as a couple of OM-2000's and I do not agree with you. The OM-1, 2, 4 and the OM2000 are all cheap enough that parts are not really an issue, just get another one if they break - fixing a broken one often costs more than they are worth. The cost of converting an OM-1 to modern batteries is usually more than the cost of a typical OM2000. The OM2000 meter is far better than anything Olympus ever made and the build quality is quite good. The OM2000 does not use as much metal as an OM-1 (for instance), but it's quite light and easy to carry. It has a good bright viewfinder as well.

 

[Lumix]

John Hermanson clearly has a point about the cheap nature of the OM-2000 in comparison to other OMs. After all he knows the range inside out.
However I found his reply not only disparaging but slightly disdainful too. shadowfox was clearly not only pleased with his purchase but also excited at the possible use. This after all is what finding old cameras is all about. The OM-2000 might not be the best camera in the world but neither are all the others but one! Having a piece of equipment that excites you and invites you to go out and make pictures is what really matter - it's the guy behingd the shutter that really makes the difference.
So shadowfox, put in some film, go out and make pictures, and then let's see the results. If the camers feels right to you, it's the right camera for you!

Lumix

 

[shadowfox]

However I found his reply not only disparaging but slightly disdainful too. shadowfox was clearly not only pleased with his purchase but also excited at the possible use. This after all is what finding old cameras is all about. The OM-2000 might not be the best camera in the world but neither are all the others but one! Having a piece of equipment that excites you and invites you to go out and make pictures is what really matter - it's the guy behingd the shutter that really makes the difference.
So shadowfox, put in some film, go out and make pictures, and then let's see the results. If the camers feels right to you, it's the right camera for you!

Lumix

Lumix,
I took both comments from John and David as passionate comments from experienced OM users. I'm sure no negativity was intended.

Back to the camera, I finished a roll of Agfa Vario-XL (I bet not a lot of people nowadays know what this one is about, I didn't either 🙂 ) and I will pick it up from Costco tonight and scan those. If there are good ones, I'll post it here.

Overall that combo is a good and easy to use kit, if a bit too lightweight for my taste (having always used OM-single digit bodies up to now); but nothing wrong at all. The spot metering does seem to work by observation (we'll see how effective it is in the pictures later).

And I absolutely love the 40cm closest focusing distance.

 

[ronnies]

That lens looks like a dead ringer for the 35-70mm that came with my Miranda MS-2, another Cosina produced body, but it had a Pentax K mount (and Miranda brand name). I wouldn't be suprised it it's also of Cosina origin.

And a dead ringer for the 35-70 that came with the FM10 only in Nikon mount. The only Nikon F mount lens I have that I don't use.

Ronnie

 

[btgc]

Main difference I see as non-OM user is lack of shutter speed ring around lens mount. OM2000 reminds me Ricoh KR5sv. From experience with Ricoh low end bodies still offer a lot of features though feel may be different - shutter sound and VF readouts come to mind. But as Germans say, they are preiswerter, offer more for money. Although high end models are nice to use, low end bodies can be nice and interesting as reference pieces.

 

[shadowfox]

Yosh!!

A couple from the roll, chronicling the move to a new house:

* My development trays, ready to be moved.

* My trusty work boots, testing the close focusing lens. I like the grain on this film unlike other monochrome C-41 like XP2 or BW400CN, this one has a gritty grain.

* In the new house, populating the tool board.

* In the new house, this is the first time I hung my own print in my own darn house 🙂

* The fiddler accompanying my theology books, yep, that old Polaroid is my bookend.


These are all shot by following the built-in meter.
The expired Agfa Variopan XL boasted variable ISO from 125 to 1600, I set the camera to 320 ASA and off I went.

 

[Austintatious]

Will,

The OM 2000 seems to work fine sir ! You should hang more of your work in your home. A nice series posted here. Where can I get some of that Agfa Variopan XL ? Love the grain !

Charles