Olympus OM SLRs for Photographers

IntroductionThe purpose of this guide is to share my experiences with those who are seeking a quality OM camera for photography. With the SLR market dominated with digital cameras, you may well be wondering why so many photographers choose to hang on to their film cameras. The fact is that you can acquire a professional quality SLR secondhand for less than GBP 100. You can't get a digital camera capable of the same results for anything like that kind of money. One of the most compelling reasons to obtain a single digit Olympus OM is it's balance between size and quality. The OM bodies and lenses are tiny and beautifully made. Used OM equipment has fallen in price dramatically over the last couple of years and that's great news for photographers. There's never been a better time to buy as demand for film cameras continues to fall. There are still dealers who have not yet adjusted their prices or expectations to the current market conditions. It definitely pays to shop around. To get a good deal on an auction site, wait until there are a few examples of the same product up for auction at the same time. That shouldn't be a problem for the most popular items in the OM range. It really does pay to be patient! I'm hoping this guide will be useful to those who intend to use their purchase for creative photography rather than displaying in a collection. Only the single digit OMs are covered i.e. OM1/2/3/4/Ti. Prices in freefall!We all know that interest in film photography has been declining steadily over the last five years or so. Many photographers have chosen to liquidate their old camera kits to help fund a new digital setup. The resulting over-supply of used film cameras has put pressure on secondhand values. Olympus OM equipment is no exception. This is fantastic news for OM users as they can acquire some of the more exotic items for a relatively small outlay. That said, there are many dealers and sellers who have not yet adjusted their prices (and expectations) to the market conditions. You should be able to find a good OM2n for less than 50.00 in a no reserve auction. The exceptional Zuiko 180mm f2.8 can be had for as little as 200.00. These lenses are in camera dealers windows all over the world for 400 . If you're after a bargain, look for a complete setup or no reserver auctions.There are manyspeculators hoping the range would achieve the same status as the likes ofLeica or Rollei.Since Olympus discontinued it's OM range, it hasfocused more on the consumer and semi-promarket as Canon and Nikon continue to dominate the serious pro market. This has, no doubt, had some impact on their reputation and second-hand values. OM1 and OM2The OM1 and OM2 are design classics. Top-notch metal construction in one of smallest SLR form factors. The chrome models wear exceptionally well and look stunning. All but the earliest models can take a motor drive (look for the md badge on the front if you're looking for OM1 and 2 models). The OM1 is a manual, mechanical shutter model. The OM2 introduced the superb OTF metering system which meters real-time off-the-film during exposure. The N models can use the excellent T series flash system. The OM2n fully automates flash exposure. For those interested in astronomy, the OM1 is a popular choice with it's mirror lock-up. As well as mirror lock-up, the OM1 has another subtle advantage over the OM2, a mechanical sutter which can operate at all speeds without battery power. If you don't need mirror lock-up and an all-mechanical shutter, the OM2n is the one to go for. Inaccurate meters and deteriorating foam seals are common problems but can be fixed. The paint on the black models does not stay on very well so tatty examples can go for bargain prices. All models suffer from paint wear on the back around the film box-end holder. OM3 and OM4The 3 and 4 built on the success of the 1 and 2 and added one of the best metering systems ever. The multi-spot metering is exceptional and intuitive to use. The metering alone is enough reason to fork out the extra cash for an OM3 or OM4. These cameras were only available in black. The paint finish seems to be more robust than the black OM1 and OM2 models. Both the OM3 and OM4 were expensive. The OM4 replaced the OM2 but the OM1 was still available well into the short production of the OM3. As a result there are a lot more OM4s on the market and this is reflected in the resale values. The OM3 has a mechanically controlled shutter and is a metered manual. The OM4 has an electronically controlled shutter and has aperture priority auto and a self timer over the OM3. Note that the OM3 does not have the mirror lock-up found on the OM1. Early OM4 models had a reputation for battery drain. The OM3 was not as bad. An improved circuit was introduced to correct this. Personally, I think the problem is overstated and use an early OM3 as my main camera body. OM4Ti and OM4TThis is the photographer's OM. This is the one to have. The biggest problem with the OM4Ti makes it a bargain on the used market - the paint does not stay on! The bright titanium metal showing through work black paint makes a moderately used example look a real mess and this will be reflected in the value. The 4Ti comes in two paint finishes, black and champagne. The champagne model is actually champagne coloured paint not bare or plated titanium. This finish is as bad as the black for wear. The OM4T is identical to the OM4Ti and sold only in th USA. The later models were all OM4Ti branded and available in black only. The 4Ti has part titanium body and full synchro flash over the OM4. It also has a more efficient circuit so the battery drain problems were eliminated. The full synchro flash system requires the F280 flash unit and is brillint for daylight fill in at fast shutter speeds. A used OM4Ti with average paint wear represents exceptional value for money. You'd need to buy a top-end digital SLR to get anywhere near the quality of an OM4Ti. OM3TiUnless you have money to burn, I'd avoid this one. They're rare and very, very expensive. If you really need an all mechanical shutter, go for an OM3 or OM1. LensesThe OM system boasted some of the best fixed lenses of any camera system. The Zuiko lens range was extensive and you shouldn't be put off by exotic Zuiko lens posts discussing high end fast telephotos costing thousands. For most photographers, four carefully selected lenses should be fine. Standard Lens: The 50mm f1:1.4 is the best balance between value and performance. Harder to find than the f1:1.8 but worth the effort. Wide: The 28mm and 24mm f1:2.8 models are tiny, sharp and fast enough for most. The 28mm is particularly good value as it was popular and sold in large numbers. Short telephotos: The 85mm f1:2.0 is a must. It is tiny, fast and sharp. A classic for portraits. The 100mm f1:2.8 also give great performance for the money. Telephotos: Look for the 135mm f2.8, well worth the extra cash over the slower f1:3.5. If youneed afast telephoto for sportsphotography, the 180mm f2.8 is the one to have. Bargain basement: 135mm f1:3.5, 50mm f1:1.8 and 28mm f1:3.5 can all be found in great condition. They sold in large numbers and were realtively inexpensive. Lens condition Don't write off a lens because it has a little dust inside. This is common on complex telephotos and zooms. Scratches and coating marks on the elements are a different matter and will affect performance. Always check the aperture iris by pressing the depth of field preview button. Observe the iris action - it should be snappy. If it's sluggish, reject the lens. Motor DrivesMotor drives are essential for sports and macrophotography and extremely useful for other types of photography. The winder 2 is a great bargain at less than 20. It uses regular AA batteries so running costs are low. I recommend the Motor Drive 1 and Control grip 1 combination with the remote cord. The Motor drive 1 is much faster and quieter than the winder 2. It is smaller and lighter than the feature packed Motor Drive 2. The control grip 1 uses regular AA batteries. The control packs 1 and 2 are lighter butuse special nicads which will be past their best given the age of these items.Remote releases are available for as little as 5.