Vintage Classic Cameras, The Unvarnished Truth. Olympus OM-2 Series
Their audacious new light measuring system transformed in-camera metering systems forever.
By Jason Schneider
The Olympus OM-2 was introduced in 1975 to complement the very successful Olympus OM-1, expanding the possibilities of what the company foresaw as their evolving OM ultracompact system of 35mm SLR photography. Like its predecessor it was largely the brainchild of the acclaimed Yoshihisa Maitani, longtime chief camera designer at Olympus. Identical in size and shape and only a tad heavier than the minuscule Olympus OM-1, which remained in the line, the OM-2 added aperture priority autoexposure, and a more advanced auto-flash system to the mix to appeal to serious enthusiasts and pros. The stainless-steel OM mount was retained so lenses are fully compatible between both models, as are most accessories.
So far, this all seems rather predictable, even though it’s important to note that TTL aperture priority autoexposure was still a cutting-edge SLR feature back in ’75. Nevertheless, lurking beneath its elegant outer body the Olympus OM-2 is nothing less than a technological tour de force that was destined to change in-camera metering systems forever—the world’s first TTL Direct OTF (off the film) metering system that works for both ambient light and flash exposures in real time, can actually adjust the exposure as it is being made if the light changes, and doesn’t require a memory circuit to retain the exposure reading!
The ingenious dual metering system in the OM-2 combines two separate metering systems, one at the pentaprism and one in the mirror box. Like many of its contemporaries the OM-2 employs two CdS cells on either side of the viewfinder eyepiece that read off the focusing screen. These control the needle readouts in the finder, allowing “center the needle” manual metering, as in the OM-1, and display the approximate camera-selected shutter speed in Auto mode. But when you flick the top-mounted switch to Auto something remarkable happens when you press the shutter release—the instant the mirror flips up, a pair of upward-pointing Silicon Blue Cells (SBCs) in the base of the mirror box read the light reflected off a computer generated random pattern on the shutter curtain and/or the surface of the film itself and instantly set the proper-exposure shutter speed based on the aperture in use.
In terms of accuracy, versatility, and sensitivity the metering system in the OM-2 was far superior to anything else available at the time because it didn’t “go blind” at the moment of exposure. And it was fully compatible with the two available Olympus auto-flash units thanks to its Centralized Control System and unique (at the time) built-in microcomputer. Even by today’s standards, its sensitivity is impressive, down to -5.5EV at ISO 100 with a 50mm f/1.4 lens (Note: the original OM-2 can make exposures as long as 60 sec, increased to 120 sec on the OM-2n). In Auto mode the OM-2 and OM-2n both give center-weighted readings off the patterned shutter curtain at high shutter speeds and gradually transition to full-area averaging readings between 1/60 and 1/15 sec as the readings are increasingly taken off the film surface itself. This ensures more accurate readings at low light levels where the contrast is generally lower. The OM-2 does not offer spot metering capability as found in the later Olympus OM-2S, OM-4, and OM-3.
Olympus OM-2 in black with 28mm f/3.5 G.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2 chrome body
Olympus OM-2, OM-2MD: Like the all mechanical OM-1, the OM-2 incorporates a horizontal travel cloth focal plane shutter with speeds of 1-1/000 sec plus B. But the shutter in the OM-2 requires a pair of 1.5v silver oxide batteries to work at all—there’s no mechanical speed of 1/60 sec as in later models such as the OM-2S and OM-4. Indeed, if you run out of juice they lock up and you have to reset them using the “reset” control. Models with an MD badge on the front have a removable cap in the baseplate that uncovers the attachment point for an Olympus Motor Drive 1 or 2, the latter providing up to 5 fps. Both these versions of the OM-2 are widely available in black or chrome at prices ranging from $80-120, with or without 50mm lens. Bottom line: These are great, dependable high-performance cameras that represent an extraordinary value for user-collectors—so long as you can live without spot metering and programmed autoexposure and are prepared to carry an extra pair of batteries just in case.
Olympus OM-2 MD in black with 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2n MD: A slight update of the OM-2 MD, it was in production from 1979-1984, and features a more convenient reset function built into the mode lever on top, a reshaped film advance lever with smoother, rounder edges, and a contact for the Recordata back inside the film chamber. In addition, the OM-2n MD uses a hot shoe 4 with 2 additional contacts above the central X-sync contact and won’t accept earlier flash shoes, and it automatically provides X sync with T-series Olympus flash units irrespective of the position of the sync switch. Note: Not all OM-2n bodies have an MD badge, but all have motor drive couplings. Price range: $100-$200 in black or chrome with or without 50mm lens Bottom line: In general, it’s probably worth the modest extra cost to opt for an OM-2n MD rather than a plain OM-2 simply because it’s a later camera, but when it comes to buying used classics, condition and functionality trump everything else.
Olympus OM-2n without MD badge and 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2n MD in black with 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2S Program/OM-2SP (Spot Program): The final iteration of the OM-2 (1984-1988) it has more in common with the OM-4, which was also introduced in 1984. It incorporates a simplified version of the OM-4’s ADM Auto Direct Metering OTF TTL metering circuitry, employing a single silicon blue cell (SBC) instead of 2 at the base of the mirror box to read off the patterned shutter curtain and/or film surface in autoexposure modes. It uses the same patterned cloth focal plane shutter as the OM-4 but with its top speed reduced from 1/2000 sec to 1/1000 sec and fortunately retains its mechanical B and 1/60 sec settings, remaining operational without battery power—a key sticking point with the OM-2.
Olympus OM-2S Program body
The Olympus OM-2S Program provides a choice of 3 metering modes: aperture priority autoexposure, programmed autoexposure, and manual/spot, which concentrates the metering sensitivity in a central circle defined by the outer edge of the microprism collar in the finder. Other key features: Electronically controlled cloth focal plane shutter with autoexposure speeds from about 60 to 1/1000 sec and manual settings from 1-1/1000 sec plus B, LCD finder display with 90 sec power shutoff, Motor Drive 1 and 2 compatibility but with maximum burst rate restricted to 3.5 fps, fixed hot shoe with coupling for Olympus TTL flash connector, an OM-4 style blinking electronic self-timer, and a top-mounted rewind release. Remarkably, virtually all OM lenses will work perfectly in Program AE mode, so long as you set the aperture ring to the minimum aperture (highest f/number) beforehand.
Olympus OM-2S Program with 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2S Program: A great choice for vintage shooters looking for a classic OM that provides Program autoexposure mode (the camera sets both aperture and shutter speed based on the metered light level) and a true manual (center the LCD “needle”) spot metering option. The fact that it’s operable without battery power is a definite plus. Bottom line: the Olympus OM-2S Program provides a number of significant OM-4 features (though not integrated spot readings) at much lower cost than the average used OM-4, and it will satisfy sophisticated shooters who like a little automation with their vintage shooting experience. Like the Model T Ford, you can have it in any color so long as it’s black. Price range: $75-150, body only. Note: asking prices for this model (with or without normal lens) vary wildly from just under $50 to well over $250, so check the description and photos very carefully before you pull the trigger, and buy from individual sellers or dealers with good track records that accept returns for any reason.
Their audacious new light measuring system transformed in-camera metering systems forever.
By Jason Schneider
The Olympus OM-2 was introduced in 1975 to complement the very successful Olympus OM-1, expanding the possibilities of what the company foresaw as their evolving OM ultracompact system of 35mm SLR photography. Like its predecessor it was largely the brainchild of the acclaimed Yoshihisa Maitani, longtime chief camera designer at Olympus. Identical in size and shape and only a tad heavier than the minuscule Olympus OM-1, which remained in the line, the OM-2 added aperture priority autoexposure, and a more advanced auto-flash system to the mix to appeal to serious enthusiasts and pros. The stainless-steel OM mount was retained so lenses are fully compatible between both models, as are most accessories.
So far, this all seems rather predictable, even though it’s important to note that TTL aperture priority autoexposure was still a cutting-edge SLR feature back in ’75. Nevertheless, lurking beneath its elegant outer body the Olympus OM-2 is nothing less than a technological tour de force that was destined to change in-camera metering systems forever—the world’s first TTL Direct OTF (off the film) metering system that works for both ambient light and flash exposures in real time, can actually adjust the exposure as it is being made if the light changes, and doesn’t require a memory circuit to retain the exposure reading!
The ingenious dual metering system in the OM-2 combines two separate metering systems, one at the pentaprism and one in the mirror box. Like many of its contemporaries the OM-2 employs two CdS cells on either side of the viewfinder eyepiece that read off the focusing screen. These control the needle readouts in the finder, allowing “center the needle” manual metering, as in the OM-1, and display the approximate camera-selected shutter speed in Auto mode. But when you flick the top-mounted switch to Auto something remarkable happens when you press the shutter release—the instant the mirror flips up, a pair of upward-pointing Silicon Blue Cells (SBCs) in the base of the mirror box read the light reflected off a computer generated random pattern on the shutter curtain and/or the surface of the film itself and instantly set the proper-exposure shutter speed based on the aperture in use.
In terms of accuracy, versatility, and sensitivity the metering system in the OM-2 was far superior to anything else available at the time because it didn’t “go blind” at the moment of exposure. And it was fully compatible with the two available Olympus auto-flash units thanks to its Centralized Control System and unique (at the time) built-in microcomputer. Even by today’s standards, its sensitivity is impressive, down to -5.5EV at ISO 100 with a 50mm f/1.4 lens (Note: the original OM-2 can make exposures as long as 60 sec, increased to 120 sec on the OM-2n). In Auto mode the OM-2 and OM-2n both give center-weighted readings off the patterned shutter curtain at high shutter speeds and gradually transition to full-area averaging readings between 1/60 and 1/15 sec as the readings are increasingly taken off the film surface itself. This ensures more accurate readings at low light levels where the contrast is generally lower. The OM-2 does not offer spot metering capability as found in the later Olympus OM-2S, OM-4, and OM-3.
Olympus OM-2 in black with 28mm f/3.5 G.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2 chrome body
Olympus OM-2, OM-2MD: Like the all mechanical OM-1, the OM-2 incorporates a horizontal travel cloth focal plane shutter with speeds of 1-1/000 sec plus B. But the shutter in the OM-2 requires a pair of 1.5v silver oxide batteries to work at all—there’s no mechanical speed of 1/60 sec as in later models such as the OM-2S and OM-4. Indeed, if you run out of juice they lock up and you have to reset them using the “reset” control. Models with an MD badge on the front have a removable cap in the baseplate that uncovers the attachment point for an Olympus Motor Drive 1 or 2, the latter providing up to 5 fps. Both these versions of the OM-2 are widely available in black or chrome at prices ranging from $80-120, with or without 50mm lens. Bottom line: These are great, dependable high-performance cameras that represent an extraordinary value for user-collectors—so long as you can live without spot metering and programmed autoexposure and are prepared to carry an extra pair of batteries just in case.
Olympus OM-2 MD in black with 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2n MD: A slight update of the OM-2 MD, it was in production from 1979-1984, and features a more convenient reset function built into the mode lever on top, a reshaped film advance lever with smoother, rounder edges, and a contact for the Recordata back inside the film chamber. In addition, the OM-2n MD uses a hot shoe 4 with 2 additional contacts above the central X-sync contact and won’t accept earlier flash shoes, and it automatically provides X sync with T-series Olympus flash units irrespective of the position of the sync switch. Note: Not all OM-2n bodies have an MD badge, but all have motor drive couplings. Price range: $100-$200 in black or chrome with or without 50mm lens Bottom line: In general, it’s probably worth the modest extra cost to opt for an OM-2n MD rather than a plain OM-2 simply because it’s a later camera, but when it comes to buying used classics, condition and functionality trump everything else.
Olympus OM-2n without MD badge and 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2n MD in black with 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2S Program/OM-2SP (Spot Program): The final iteration of the OM-2 (1984-1988) it has more in common with the OM-4, which was also introduced in 1984. It incorporates a simplified version of the OM-4’s ADM Auto Direct Metering OTF TTL metering circuitry, employing a single silicon blue cell (SBC) instead of 2 at the base of the mirror box to read off the patterned shutter curtain and/or film surface in autoexposure modes. It uses the same patterned cloth focal plane shutter as the OM-4 but with its top speed reduced from 1/2000 sec to 1/1000 sec and fortunately retains its mechanical B and 1/60 sec settings, remaining operational without battery power—a key sticking point with the OM-2.
Olympus OM-2S Program body
The Olympus OM-2S Program provides a choice of 3 metering modes: aperture priority autoexposure, programmed autoexposure, and manual/spot, which concentrates the metering sensitivity in a central circle defined by the outer edge of the microprism collar in the finder. Other key features: Electronically controlled cloth focal plane shutter with autoexposure speeds from about 60 to 1/1000 sec and manual settings from 1-1/1000 sec plus B, LCD finder display with 90 sec power shutoff, Motor Drive 1 and 2 compatibility but with maximum burst rate restricted to 3.5 fps, fixed hot shoe with coupling for Olympus TTL flash connector, an OM-4 style blinking electronic self-timer, and a top-mounted rewind release. Remarkably, virtually all OM lenses will work perfectly in Program AE mode, so long as you set the aperture ring to the minimum aperture (highest f/number) beforehand.
Olympus OM-2S Program with 50mm f/1.8 F.Zuiko lens
Olympus OM-2S Program: A great choice for vintage shooters looking for a classic OM that provides Program autoexposure mode (the camera sets both aperture and shutter speed based on the metered light level) and a true manual (center the LCD “needle”) spot metering option. The fact that it’s operable without battery power is a definite plus. Bottom line: the Olympus OM-2S Program provides a number of significant OM-4 features (though not integrated spot readings) at much lower cost than the average used OM-4, and it will satisfy sophisticated shooters who like a little automation with their vintage shooting experience. Like the Model T Ford, you can have it in any color so long as it’s black. Price range: $75-150, body only. Note: asking prices for this model (with or without normal lens) vary wildly from just under $50 to well over $250, so check the description and photos very carefully before you pull the trigger, and buy from individual sellers or dealers with good track records that accept returns for any reason.
