saw an Oly OM-4T, oh my!!

I saw one at the Toronto Camera show a few years back.
they look really nice.
the OM 3Ti is another sweet one.
 
I have been collecting OM's and Zuiko lenses for a long time. The OM-4T is nice, but for sheer fun, the OM-1 is the camera. For street photography, my XA and XA-4 work out the best.
 
kshapero said:
But so expensive.
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yes, very expensive.
It might be worth it if you have a collection of great Zuiko OM lenses and you want some of the best film cameras to use them.
and these two models hold their value pretty well.
they are well liked and much sought after.
 
I had a 4T and I liked it ok. I thought the multi-spot meter was cool until I was actually out using it. Too fiddly for me. I'm more of a snapshooter and the using the multi-spot slowed me down. You can always put the camera on AUTO and shoot away but you can do that with a 2n for example.
Also the 4T had a really rough advance and SS ring. Not even comparing to Leica, but vs. the OM-1 and 2 (or Nikon FM/FE, etc.). They are far smoother.


Michael
 
kshapero said:
multi spot meter, small , compact. really nice. Anybody have one? How are they in real life?
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I own one bought new. What can I tell you, it's nice to spot some area and then shift it either to the + or the -. But with this and without an incident meter, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, you are not done.

The MULTI spot metering has been for me more of a mess than real advantage.

The compactness of the camera is common to all OM line. The superbright lumi micron screen is remarkable. Built in diopters - a tremendous gift.

There are other minor issues for good and for bad. I bought it to crown my OM fleet, but from the very begining I felt I paid too much for too less.

Yet if you are used and dexterous with the multi spot way, then you will be happy.

But don't let the noise around it confuse you. Analize. And above all get a feeling of the OM2n, in case you didn't.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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I own an OM2SP and have used a 4T - I have to agree with Michael Harrington about the wind-on and shutter speed dials feeling rough and crude when compared to my pair of OM1s which are silky smooth :)
 
kshapero said:
multi spot meter, small , compact. really nice. Anybody have one? How are they in real life?
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In real life, they are great. I used one as my main camera for a few years. I disagree with the "fiddly multi-spot meter" remark above. I used it in the most silly way, frankly. First, I picked out a few really bright spots to see which is brightest, then the same for finding the darkest spots. Then I just metered the brightest and the darkest spot and I had my average exposure. A fool's guide to the zone system, I guess. But mostly, standard average metering worked great.

I usually worked with a 28/f2.8 and the notorious 90/f2. But my last assignment, I left all the fancy stuff at home and switched back to my OM-3 (non-Ti) with a 50/f1.4 and I enjoyed the simplicity of a full manual with a standard lens. Of course, the OM-3 also has the multi-spot meter, but light was stable so the full manual was actually an advantage.



Peter.
 
I have a lovely OM1n and 50 / 1.4. Had it for years. RFF made me pick it up again. All of a sudden I have an OM2n, Om2Sp, and Om4 black., along with 24/2.8 28 /3.5, 35/2.8, 50/1.8, 50/3.5 macro, 85 /2 silvernose 100/2.8 & 135 / 3.5. Gas-o-rama. But combined significantly less than certain other single RF bodies i could buy, and a lot of fun hunting them and learning about the system.

Overall, the OM1n is the classic. Simple elegant quality. Then (for me) the OM4's wizardry, followed by the OM2n's great mix of auto and manual reminiscent of the OM1n. I'm less enamoured of the OM2Sp despite the spot option so far.

Lens favourites are 28/3.5, 50/1.4 and 85/2 because I've used them most. All of them are good however.

Spend some pleasant hours here: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/index.htm
 
I have two of them. Got my first one new as a senior on high school 14 yrs ago and the second last year used from a photographer I knew in New Mexico when I was living there. I want another and plan to buy one as soon as I have the $$$. They're far and away the most precise, quick operating, 35mm cameras I have ever used. I have a Nikon F4s too and its too heavy, too slow, and has too small a viewfinder.

I'm a little skinny guy with small hands. All the OM cameras are great for me as they're small and light, but the OM-4T's metering system is the best. I despise centerweighted metering, it is incredibly inprecise for me because i rarely photograph the 'average' scenes they're made for. I can hit the spot button and quickly set the right exposure on the bar graph in the finder in manual mode fast and have never missed a shot 'fiddling' with it.

My first 35mm camera was an OM-G, a consumer model, and I upgraded to the OM-4T when I broke the OM-G in an auto accident. I already had 4 Zuiko lenses by then and today I have 15 lenses and 3 OM bodies (the two 4T's and an OM-1n).

The rough wind on the OM-2s, 4, and 4T is because Oly changed to harder stainless steel gears that are actually more reliable. I don't mind it, though the OM-1 wind is a lot smoother.
 
I love the whole OM range, and got addicted to it about 9 months ago. I have several bodies right now, but cant really pick a favourite. I love the simplicity of the OM1 and have fun using it with no batteries and sunny16. I also really like the OM2SP, the added spot has come in handy many times, i think its an extremely underrated camera. Mine is still on the same batteries that came with the camera over 6 months ago now. But, the setup i probably use the most is the OM2n with the Zuiko 28mm f/2, its a wonderful camera and lens. It was my first OM body and still my favourite.
I have used an OM4T in the past and found it to be quite good. I didnt use it long enough to get a proper feel for it, but inital impressions were very positive. However i'm still hunting down for the elusive OM3T :)
The good thing about the OM range is that you can still find bargains i think, but prices have definately increased in the short time i've been collecting/using them.
That mir site is a good place for info, i've contributed a few photos and brochure scans to it.
 
MMmm lens prices have increased, I'm picking up Tamron SP lenses for my OMs now, but they make the bodies look tiny - these are a lot bigger than Zuikos :)
 
jmilkins said:
I have a lovely OM1n and 50 / 1.4. Had it for years. RFF made me pick it up again. All of a sudden I have an OM2n, Om2Sp, and Om4 black., along with 24/2.8 28 /3.5, 35/2.8, 50/1.8, 50/3.5 macro, 85 /2 silvernose 100/2.8 & 135 / 3.5. Gas-o-rama. But combined significantly less than certain other single RF bodies i could buy, and a lot of fun hunting them and learning about the system.

Overall, the OM1n is the classic. Simple elegant quality. Then (for me) the OM4's wizardry, followed by the OM2n's great mix of auto and manual reminiscent of the OM1n. I'm less enamoured of the OM2Sp despite the spot option so far.

Lens favourites are 28/3.5, 50/1.4 and 85/2 because I've used them most. All of them are good however.

Spend some pleasant hours here: http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/index.htm
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Same thing has happened to me, and I have about the identical collection. I've never really cared for SLRs, but I love this Olympus stuff,
now I can't get enough of it. I have an OM4 without the T also. Save your money and get the OM1 or 2.
 
That't's the funny thing about Olympus: I thought I was finished with them (and SLRs in general), but they weren't finished with me :)

Right after my first adventure with AF (Minolta 9000, which had me running back to manual-focus in no time flat), but before my final foray back into AF (ironically, also Minolta...a pair of 9xi cameras that I used for about ten years before trding them for my current Hexars), I had a fairly serious OM system, with an OM-1n, OM-4 and OM-3T. All were great, but I really kick myself hard for ditching the 3T (and the 100mm f/2...what a combo for portrait work, indoors and out).

A few years back, after helping a friend choose an AF SLR (her eyes couldn't handle manual-focus any more), she gave me her black OM-2n, 50 f/1.8, T32 flash and extension tube set. I thought I'd use it just once in a while, but recently I got a hankering for doing some super-wide-angle work, and decided that going crazy-wide with my RFs wasn't the ticket because of (1) the price, and (2) my not wanting to deal with an auxiliary VF. After going though some serious eBay sticker shock looking at 21mm Zuikos (are they really getting that much for even user-condition f/3.5's?), I found a clean Sigma 21-35 zoom for a very reasonable sum, and I'll hopefully have it in my hands sometime this week. Now my OM-2n will actually get more use than it's been getting...I even snagged a VariMagni finder for close-to-the-ground work with that Sigma. Should be interesting.


- Barrett
 
ChrisN said:
There's one in a local camera shop, in the cabinet of second-hand equipment, with a 50/2 macro lens (?). It's on consignment; they are asking AU$1500! I think they're dreaming. :)
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Chris,

I DID tell them that they were dreaming... they woke up and we settled on $550 AUD.... :)

I did have an OM-1 and some lenses... sold them... missed them... hope this OM-4Ti will keep me busy for a while.

The kit was the champaigne OM-4Ti with the Zuiko Macro 50mm f/2.

Just hope that if/when I decide to sell the kit (or break it up), I'd be able to recover similar $$$ for it.
 
I'm another one just in the process of renewing an old friendship with OMs via an OM2N, an OM4 and a handful of amazingly cheap Zuiko lenses. Despite the slightly 'crunchy' wind-on, to me the OM-3/4 line was the high point of manual focus 35mm SLRs. I just love the multispot and OTF metering. But I can't say I see any reason to pay the current premium prices for the T/Ti version over the plain OM4 (as long as it has the later version electronics with reduced battery drain).

Any spot metering system is bound to be a bit fiddly to use because spot metering is naturally like that. but the OM makes it about a simple as it could realistically be, and when there's time to fiddle, it's the best way I know of getting exactly the exposure I want under any lighting circumstances I've ever come across. And when there isn't time, the centre-weighted, OTF meter works really well.
 
Most sophisticated SLR out there :)

Bright, almost 100% viewfinder.

If you want one, the OM4 is cheaper and brasses nicely.

255528493_nQFrA-L-2.jpg


The next best OM is the OM1:

121361169_Qnoen-L-2.jpg


Cheers,

Roland.
 
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