Which SLR?

aizan said:
I would send the M5 to DAG for repair. If he got a new stash of parts, this is the best chance you'll have to fix it.

What focusing screens do you have for the OM-1n? That makes a bigger difference than what system you have. If you have the optimal screens and it's still giving you problems, I would say try switching to rangefinders entirely or move to autofocus.
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I can not send my M5 to DAG, I live in Europe. It would be too expensive.


I don't know what focusing screen is in my OM-1n. It's a point to work for me. I will look for it.


When I use my cameras "feeling" is very important for me. When using the m5, focusing is very easy and when I use my OM-1n I can see how will be the picture, with the filter... two different worlds, I love both, so I use both. I will see if I can find a better focusing screen for my Om-1n.


Thank you for your words!
 
Greg Maslak said:
Well, I'm surprised no one has sung the praises of the Nikkormats as a low cost alternative Nikon. They have similar ergonomics to Olympus OM bodies, albeit chunkier. The Ft2 takes regular batteries and pre AI lens, making it an absolute steal compared to an F2 these days. (There's a nice looking black one in the Classifieds, right now). If you don't care about metering the older Ftn without batteries masquerades as a poor man's plain prism F for little more than lunch money. I got mine at a thrift shop for next to nothing.

Still, for me, nothing compares to M42 Pentax's as the closest to Leica M like beauty and precision in an SLR. My gem of an SV is not a robust camera, but it is easily and inexpensively serviceable. Later Spotmatics have a solid reputation, no battery issues and a world of great lenses.
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Nikkormats... I will try to read about these cameras,. There is a beautiful thread in the forum and I love the pictures people share there.


Thank you!
 
dourbalistar said:
Xabier, as a fellow M5 shooter, I can empathize. I love shooting my M5, but mine also has an intermittent light leak. You might want to check out this thread here on the forum, as a few other M5 users seem to have a similar light leak and artifact pattern. Another user in that thread reported that a DIY fix with some gaffer tape seem to solve the issue for him, but it might not work for you. I'm still waiting to send mine in for repair:
https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=168388

As far as SLR recommendations, I have been very happy with my Nikon FM2n. It's a decently compact and rugged camera, and its 1/4000 top shutter speed has been useful in very bright light conditions. I've only used 50mm with SLRs, but I know that Nikon has a few very good wide angle lenses, and of course many excellent choices in 50mm.



Yes, except one (former) member, Huss, sent his M5 to DAG for the light leak noted in the above thread, and DAG was not able to sort it out. Nevertheless, Huss still recommends DAG for other repairs. Some light leaks are notoriously hard to diagnose and patch, and this might be one of them.
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dourbalistar, thank you for your info! Yes I know you use the M5 and the FM2n, I enjoy a lot with your portraits! The FM2n seems to be a very good camera!
 
retinax said:
I'd wrap the M5 in black tape and use it. I don't think any manual focus SLR will focus a wide angle as easily and precisely as a RF.
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Hi retinax, I agrre 100%.


retinax said:
All makers made good SLRs and lenses. You'll hear all kinds of recommendations, just like in all the other threads of this sort. As you have the OM-1, the first thing I'd do is check if you need a correction eyepiece to make focusing as easy as possible, get the lenses cleaned, and keep them dry in the future.
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I have a question: If I would send the lenses to a technician, after the cleaning, the lenses would be as good as before fungus? Or the lenses would have a "lower" optical quality?


Thank you for your words.
 
Shab said:
I have a question: If I would send the lenses to a technician, after the cleaning, the lenses would be as good as before fungus? Or the lenses would have a "lower" optical quality?
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I have no experience with that, from what I read it could go either way, but chances are very good if the fungus hasn't been in there for a long time.
Don't forget the eyepiece issue! Your eyes may be changing over time.
 
If you do go for another SLR, Shab, I'd suggest that you consider a Pentax ME Super.

I mention it because it's virtually identical in size to the OM1n, and for me it's got the right feel, just the same as the OM1n (and perhaps even slightly better). Of course the controls are entirely different, and it is a bit fiddly when used in manual exposure, but it's superb for automatic exposure, and although it doesn't have an exposure lock one can quickly use the exposure compensation dial that surrounds the rewind knob on the top plate. The viewfinder is just as good as that on the OM1n, both brilliant, the very best. And Pentax lenses are high quality, easily available and relatively cheap, and their range is extensive.

It's been totally reliable over the five years since I've had it, and based on the negatives I get, the electronic shutter has been accurate across a wide range of speeds. Also it takes modern batteries.

I never really considered the ME Super for some years, wrongly not seeing it as a serious camera, but then I saw a documentary about Willy Ronis, and noticed that he used it. So I did the research.

I just love using it, almost as a point and shoot camera. It's a pleasure to own. For me it's the film equivalent of my Fuji X100T. I either use it by itself or sometimes together with an M7 when the Pentax has a 50mm lens and the Leica my favourite 35mm, the Summaron 3.5.
 
Just to add, that although I love my OM1n and still use it regularly, I prefer the ME Super for the pleasure it gives. I've also got a Pentax MX but I use it far less - it doesn't quite feel the same.
 
A few people mentioned the FM2, I will leave this picture here (a practical photography issue from the 90s)

fm2.JPG
 
FWIW, I have Pentax, Minolta and Olympus SLR's in the heap and like them all; so much so that I cannot and never have been able to choose between them. I'd like to add Konica and Topcon to that list but just can't afford to nowadays...

They are all individual cameras and they all have some very mice lenses; luckily for us they are overshadowed by the dearer ones.

OTOH, if I was rich enough I'd get another Leica R5/6/7 or 8 because that's another I like.

So I'll offer my 2d worth and say hang on to the Olympus and look for another lens, even a boring standard one. As for another, look at the controls; you have invested a lot of your time in the Olympus and changing now might just mean problems when it comes to handling them. F'instance look at how the shutter speed is changed on every camera mentioned, it's not like the OM-1.


Regards, David
 
I asked a similiar question a while ago and went for a Nikon FA, I used to have an olympus om2n that was very nice. I'm happy with my FA, does everything I need it to. Main plus is lenses are amazing and cheap. Only bad point is i am a left eye shooter and the winder gets in the way a bit.
 
David Hughes said:
FWIW, I have Pentax, Minolta and Olympus SLR's in the heap and like them all; so much so that I cannot and never have been able to choose between them. I'd like to add Konica and Topcon to that list but just can't afford to nowadays...
They are all individual cameras and they all have some very mice lenses; luckily for us they are overshadowed by the dearer ones.
OTOH, if I was rich enough I'd get another Leica R5/6/7 or 8 because that's another I like.
So I'll offer my 2d worth and say hang on to the Olympus and look for another lens, even a boring standard one. As for another, look at the controls; you have invested a lot of your time in the Olympus and changing now might just mean problems when it comes to handling them. F'instance look at how the shutter speed is changed on every camera mentioned, it's not like the OM-1.
Regards, David
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Another point in favor of the OM-1—if you are on the far side of 45, you will find the film speed setting dial MUCH easier to use than any other manual focus SLR, as the numbers are big enough to read without glasses. (When I use my Nikons and Pentaxes these days, I am grateful that a reversed 50mm lens makes a good magnifying glass.)
 
Taping up the M5 viewfinder really has seemed to work. Mine has some other issues as well, but I have this feeling that any repairs would just lead to more problems/money. That said, it's such a joy to use I can't give it up.

Olympus has my favorite SLR lenses, so I would stick with your OM1 if possible.
 
Getting a new lens for the OM, and possibly looking to see if there's a better focus screen and correction eyepiece, are possibly the most sensible options. They also have their own ergonomics which (although similar to the Nikkormats) is different to the other options. If you otherwise like the camera then there's something to be said for sorting it out.. there's also the dreaded option that a new used camera may go on to have issues too..

though old Nikons are pretty close to the photographic definition of mechanical reliability. From memory, I think my OM had a great viewfinder - definitely better than the early Nikkormats I've recently viewed.
 
Shab said:
If this problem will be there in the future which film mechanical SLR would recommend me? Nikon? Pentax? Minolta? Canon?... I would think in a good 24mm and a good 50mm, no more. In SLR these are my loved focals.


Thanks in advance,
Xabier.
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After messing around with SLRs for 50+ years. I've found that I only really need or in my case use regularly two lenses: 50mm and a 28mm. Focusing has been a problem now that my eyes are aging. So I tend to use more RFs, but I have two Pentax cameras (I'm not trying to influence you) that have split image viewfinders. This makes it easier to focus. The fifty (f1.4) I can use any finder but when I start to use the 28mm or the 20mm I need the split image finder.

A 28mm (and I assume a 24mm would be better; I've never used one) are great for quick action: just set the f stop at 8 and the distance a 10 and you are in focus from 5 feet to infinity.
 
Hello Xabier -

The Minolta X-700/X-570/X-370 suggested by peppard have very bright, contrasty viewfinders, thanks to their Acute Matte focusing screens (which they licensed to Hasselblad) and their multi-coated mirrors. My favorite is the X-570. I can also just see all of the finder with glasses on. (I can see all of the image area with my eye properly centered and using a little peripheral vision. I have to move my eye to see other viewfinder readouts. I can't see the whole image area in the finders of Nikon FM2, FE2, or Pentax Spotmatics.)

These Minoltas sometimes have failed shutter release capacitors, which many technicians are able to repair.

As far as fungus goes, I don't know if any brand is more resistant to this problem than others. Your only solution might be to take special measures to keep your photo equipment drier than the ambient humidity.

- Murray
 
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