This FAQ is (c) 1994-2006 By R. Lee Hawkins. It may be copied for personal use only as long as it remains unaltered and this copyright notice remains intact.
This FAQ may NOT be distributed in return for compensation of any kind, nor may it be copied to your website (but feel free to link to the FAQ!)
HTML version made possible by Christopher Biggs <chris@stallion.oz.au>
NOTE: If you have info you would like added to the FAQ, please don't hesitate to send it to R. Lee Hawkins <lhawkins@brashear.phys.appstate.edu>. I may or may not add it though, at my discretion. Especially welcome is information on the differences between different versions of the same item.
Examples are:
1) Questions on repairing your camera. Contact one of the repair centers listed in the FAQ, not me.
2) Questions about which Olympus Point & Shoot camera to buy. I have no idea since I only use the XA series (no longer in production) and the OM SLR series. Post your question to the Olympus mailing list. Subscription info is given in the FAQ. The same advice goes for questions about the IS series of cameras.
3) Questions about the OM-77/101. These are explicitly NOT covered in the FAQ because a) they are not true Olympus OM system cameras and b) I know nothing about them (nor do I care to :). Post your question to the Olympus mailing list.
4) Questions on the "current price" of some specific piece of used Olympus gear. I only follow prices on a particular item when I'm interested in that item. Get a Shutterbug or post to the list.
5) Questions about how to get a manual for your camera. Look on the Olympus website at:
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_brochuresmanuals.asp
In general, it's much better to post *any* question you have to the Olympus mailing list. You are almost guaranteed to reach someone who knows a whole lot more about how to answer your question than I do, and you may even learn more than you wanted to know ;).
R. Lee Hawkins (addresses at the end) and Michael Covington. We also get lots of help and input from other Olympus users on the net. See the end of this document for a (mostly) complete listing. Note that RLH is solely responsible for the distribution of the FAQ. Please don't bother Michael with FAQ requests.[ top | contents ]
Yes. The more or less latest version of this FAQ can be found on:[ top | contents ]http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/photo.shtml
No one else currently has authorization from me to put copies of this FAQ on their website.
I post a notice each time a new version of the FAQ comes out to the following mailing list:
Note that updates have become very infrequent, either because nothing of significance has been added to the FAQ, or I am otherwise occupied with my real job :)
In this FAQ, I will use the following conventions when listing model names:[ top | contents ]Single models will be listed by the OM model number, as in OM-1N.
Multiple models of the same camera, where the given information applies to both models, will be listed like this: OM-1(N). This means the info applies to both the OM-1 and the OM-1N.
For info that applies to several different camera models, I will use a variation on the csh(1) listing convention. So data that would apply, for example, to the OM-2S, OM-4, and OM-4T would be listed as: OM-{2S, 4(T)}.
M-1, OM-{1(N), 2(N), 2S, 3(Ti), 4(T(i)), 10(Quartz), F(30), G(20),
PC(40)}. The OM-{77, 88, 101} are not covered, but I'd be happy
to add them if someone would like to contribute info on them.
Since the cameras in the IS series are so different, I will not
add them to this FAQ.
[ top | contents ]
It stands for Olympus Maitani, the names of the company that produced the camera and the person that designed it, respectively. See B5) below for info on the M-1.[ top | contents ]The word Zuiko (ZWEEKoh) is derived from the Chinese characters for the original Olympus Company name (Takachiho) and the name of the Mizuho Optical Research Center. The characters can also be loosely interpreted to mean 'Origin of Light'.
Go to:[ top | contents ]http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_brochuresmanuals.asp
and follow the prompts and drop down boxes until you get to the manual you need. Note that this site has manuals for most Olympus cameras, not just the OM series.
Finally, you can find some manuals in PDF format at:
See my Camera Repair FAQ for how to do this:
http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/camrep.faq.html#ques_O1
or go to:
[ top | contents ]
There was at one time an in-house Olympus magazine called VisionAge (similar to Minolta World), but it has ceased publication. There were 19 issues.[ top | contents ]There are several useful books out there, but most of them are unfortunately out of print. Here are the ones that I know about (*please* email me if you know of others):
_How to Select & Use Olympus SLR Cameras_ by Carl Shipman, HP Books. The series covers the following cameras: 1979 edition: OM-{10, 1(N), 2(N)}. ISBN 0-89586-015-5 1981 edition: OM-{10(Quartz), 1N, 2N}. ISBN 0-89586-015-5 1982 edition: OM-{10(Quartz, FC, FCQuartz), 1N, 2N} ISBN 0-89586-015-5 1983 edition: OM-{10(Quartz, FC, FCQuartz), F, G, 1N, 2N} ISBN 0-89586-015-5 1985 edition: OM-{G, F, 1N, 2N, 2S, 3, 4}. ISBN 0-89586-015-5 1987 edition: OM-{77, PC, 1N, 2S, 3, 4(T)}. ISBN 0-89586-610-2 1989 edition: OM-{77, 88, PC, 4(T)}. ISBN 0-89586-802-4 The books cover all of the OM system groups in fairly good detail, and have lots of useful general hints about photography.
_The OM System Lens Handbook_ by Olympus. Published around 1984-5, and described in the intro as the first in a series of guides to all parts of the OM system. I'm only aware of this one, though. According to Applebaum, Olympus has no plans to publish the rest of the series. It has a photo essay in the beginning that showcases Zuiko lenses, a short history of Olympus and the OM system, an essay on the philosophy behind the design of the OM system by Maitani, a section describing each of the lenses then available in detail, and finishes up with a short section on each of the other system groups and a lexicon of lens terms. Note that there are at least 2 versions of this book, one dated 1984, the other dated Oct 1985. The later one includes the following lenses not included in the earlier version, but is otherwise (at least as far as I can tell) identical: 50/2 Macro, 180/2, 35-70/3.5-4.5. ISBN Unknown
Hopefully there will be a book in the Hove _Compendium_ series on Olympus. Anyone know? *NOTE* This *ain't* the _Modern Classics_ series book listed below.
Below are some brief citations from the Library of Congress for other Olympus-related books:
83-5282: London, Barbara, 1936- A short course in Olympus photography : a guide to great pictures / Rev. ed. Somerville, Mass. : Curtin & London ; New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1983. vii, 137 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 U67 1983
80-106688: Orimpasu Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. Olympus OM-2N repair manual. Tokyo, Japan : Olympus Optical Co., c1979. 44 p. in various pagings : ill. ; 28 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 O73 1979b An informative, useful guide if you want to try to repair an OM-2N yourself. Be aware that lots of info common to the OM-2 repair manual is omitted and the user is referred to that manual, so you may need both. -- RLH
80-106686: Orimpasu Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. Olympus OM-10 repair manual. Tokyo, Japan : Olympus Optical Co., c1979. 110 p. in various pagings : ill. ; 28 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 O73 1979
79-27473: Heiberg, Milton. Olympus OM's / New York : American Photographic Book Pub. Co., c1980. 128 p. : ill. ; 14 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 H45
77-28695: Heiberg, Milton. The Olympus guide / Garden City, N.Y. : Amphoto, c1978. 118 p., [4] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 26 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 H44
At first glance this book doesn't seem that promising. Written almost twenty years ago, all the examples black and white, except for one short section. It would be a mistake to dismiss it on this basis, however. In contrast to the Gaunt book, this curiously intriguing book goes beyond technical details and beginner-level advice with dateless and useful insight. An example of this is a section on general approaches of well known photographers. Another is on special photojournalism techniques with manual SLRs. There is a great deal in this book that I haven't found elsewhere. Nevertheless, this book was written for beginners, and its equipment coverage doesn't have the usefully categorical nature of the Gaunt book, and certain sections definitely show its age. Finally, the black and white examples are excellent!
Review courtesy: Tristan Lawrence <TLawrence@center.colgate.edu>
76-16459: Jacobs, Lou. Olympus OM camera manual / Garden City, N.Y. : Amphoto, c1977. 192 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 J3 A good general guide to older components of the OM system. Almost everything covered in this book, however, has since been replaced by updated versions, so this book is of more historical than practical interest. The tone of the book also tends to be a bit on the over enthusiastic side. --RLH
93-230618: Franklin, Harold. Complete user's guide to Olympus modern classics / 1st English ed. St. Helier, Jersey, [U.K.] : Hove Foto Books ; Denver, Colo., U.S.A. : Satter Inc. [distributor], c1991 (1993 printing) 189 p. : ill. ; 29 cm. In a word, this book is terrible. It is rife with typographical and factual errors, and even the table of contents in the 1993 edition is wrong. The author takes no pains whatsoever to go into detail about the techniques he discusses, but instead uses useless phrases. He also talks about cameras in the introduction that he then never describes in the body of the book. Lastly, the choice of cameras covered is strange. He covers the OM-1N, describing differences between it and the OM-1. Then in the next chapter, he describes the OM-2, noting differences between it and the OM-2N. The chapter on the OM-3/4 barely mentions the OM-4. The chapters on lenses and accessories are equally weak. This book is especially bad for newcomers to the OM line, since it conveys so many misconceptions and errors. I suggest that anyone needing a book on the OM line scour their local used book stores for an edition of Shipman (above) that covers the OM model they are interested in, instead of wasting time with this book. --RLH
85-196522: Francesch, Dominique. Histoire de l'appareil photographique Olympus : de 1936 a 1983 / Paris : Dessain et Tolra, c1985. 191 p. : ill. ; 21 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 F73 1985
Thanks to Michael P. Kucher <mk@scs.unr.edu>
_The Olympus OM Way_, L. Andrew Mannheim, Focal Press (London) Focal/Hastings House (New York), 1979, 450 pages. This is a great book with all sorts of trivia about the differences between different versions of the cameras and accessories. It also has much better descriptions than most of the Olympus manuals, especially for things like the Recordata Backs 1 and 2. Too bad it hasn't been kept up to date. [In fact, if it had been, this FAQ would have little reason to exist!] --RLH ISBN 0-8038-5390 (USA edition) ISBN 0-240-50985-4 (International edition)
Thanks to <waldron@wrc.xerox.com> (Brian Waldron)
OM-2 Spot/Program by Michael Huber (c) 1985 German edition, 1986 English edition ISBN 0-86343-054-6.
"The World of OM Systems" 2nd edition 1978 by Franz Pangerl co produced with Olympus Optical Co. (Europa) English Edition was distributed by Olympus Optical Co (U.K.) Ltd., 2-8 Honduras Street, GB London EC1Y OTX The second edition was printed in 1978. The total number of copies to the date of printing was 74,000. This is a very thorough book covering both the OM-1 and OM-2 cameras, and the entire list of accessories for the OM cameras. It has a decidedly company oriented flavor, but is well done.
Thanks to Jeremy Seftor <perimtrs@alaska.net>
The Olympus Book for OM-1 and OM-2 Users by Leonard Gaunt, 1977
This book clearly is from another photographic era, with its sections on flash bulbs, its calling ASA 64 film moderate, and advice on loading your own film cassettes. Its sections on equipment read like a detailed owners manual, with little if any advice on how to use features. It predates the 2N as well as T-series flashes. The book has detailed section on almost every piece of equipment in the OM line at that date, and so would be useful to people who have been unable to find much coverage of, say, the 250 exposure film back, in other books. This book is organized around equipment rather than photography, but is useful as a somewhat out-of-date reference.
Thanks to: Tristan Lawrence <TLawrence@center.colgate.edu>
There is also an Olympus mailing list. To subscribe, send email
to <listserv@zuiko.sls.bc.ca> with the words "subscribe olympus" in the body of the message.
Olympus reportedly no longer services OM cameras.[ top | contents ]Below are some alternatives to Olympus that have gotten good reviews. I have *no* experience with any of them, so buyer beware:
Essex Camera Service 100 Amor Avenue Carlstadt, NJ 07072 http://www.essexcamera.com/ 201-933-7272 (Handles all kinds of cameras, including obsolete ones. Well recommended. Ad says "Most cameras $35-$75.")
Photography on Bald Mountain 113 Bald Mountain Davenport, CA 95017 http://www.baldmtn.com/ 831-423-4465 [9-5 Wednesday and Thursday, 9-12 Friday] (Repairs obsolete cameras no matter how old; can make parts.)
John Hermanson Camtech 21 South Lane Huntington NY 11743 http://www.zuiko.com 631-424-2121 <omtech@erols.com> (Repairs only Olympus cameras, can repair older models that Olympus itself no longer repairs).
K&S Camera Repair 364 W. Shaw Ave. Fresno, CA 93704 559-222-3686 (specializes in older Olympus Pen and OM repair)
Photosphere 2510 Electronic Lane Suite 907 Dallas TX 75220 http://www.olyfix.com 214-352-8448 Can still fix XA, XA-3, XA-4, OM-2S, OM-PC, and OM-4. (I [RLH] have no experience with them, but several folks on the OM mailing list have recommended them).
Camera Repair Japan (ex Camtronics) 5555 Oakbrook Parkway Norcross, GA 30093 http://www.camerarepairjapan.com/ 770-849-0555
In the UK, you can try:
Colchester Cameras 2 Barrack Street Colchester Essex CO1 2LJ Tel: 01206 790009
Camera Clinic Turn Park Station Rd. Chester-le-Street Co Durham DH3 3DY. Tel 0191 388 7001
Luton Cameras Bristol 17 West Street Old Market Bristol, BS2 0DF. Tel 01179 550541
Luton Camera Repairs 49 Guildford St. Luton Beds LU1 2NJ. http://www.lutcamre.demon.co.uk Tel 01582 458323
Thanks to Simon <ruralwales@yahoo.com>
H Lehmann and Son Ltd 247-249 London Road Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire ST4 5AA http://www.lehmannsdirect.co.uk Tel: 01782 413611 Fax: 01782 744579
Thanks to "Richard Linney" <Richard.Linney@silvertown.co.uk>
For more details, or if you feel bold and want to try to fix your camera yourself, see our Camera Repair Resource Guide, posted periodically.
Go to:
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_brochuresmanuals.asp
and follow the prompts and drop down boxes until you get to the
brochure you need. Note that this site has brochures for most
Olympus cameras, not just the OM series.
[ top | contents ]
M-1 72 OM-1 73----------79 OM-1 MD 74--------79 OM-1N 79--------------87 OM-2 75------79 OM-2N 79--------84 OM-2S (OM-2SP) 84-------88 OM-3 83----86 OM-3Ti 95----02 OM-4 83----87 OM-4T (OM-4Ti) chr 87------------------02 OM-4T (OM-4Ti) blk 90------------02[ top | contents ]OM-10 79--------------87 OM-10 Quartz 84----87 OM-G (OM-20) 83------87 OM-F (OM-30) 83------87 OM-PC (OM-40) 85--87 OM-77AF (OM-707) 86--------91 OM-88 (OM-101) 88----91
Yes, that's right. All OM SLR cameras are now discontinued.
Thanks to "Larry J. Clark" <ljclark@humboldt1.com>
Note that there is not a lot of new OM System stuff still available, since the line was discontinued.[ top | contents ]A good site for a listing of Zuiko lenses that are available and their prices is: http://bhphoto.com This site also has prices for most OM gear available.
A useful guide to Zuiko lenses and their used and new prices - http://www.datasync.com/~farrar/zuiko.html
A snazzy, if inaccurate, colour 'Brochure' of Zuiko lenses can be found at the Olympus America site in PDF format at: http://www.olympusamerica.com/camera/om/om4t.html
eBay has become (as with many other things) perhaps the best (if not the cheapest) place to find used OM system items.
Thanks to Giles <cnocbui@indigo.ie>
Olympus Optical Co. Ltd. 1-22-2, Nishi-Shinjuku Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-8610 Japan[ top | contents ]Sales: Olympus Sales Co. Ltd. 3-4, Kanda Suruga-dai Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0062 Japan
Olympus Plaza: Olympus Plaza 1-3-1, Kanda Ogawa-mach Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0052 Japan
Thanks to "Jim Terazawa" <jimt@asic.sc.ti.com>
Have a look at: http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/om-mag-articles.txt[ top | contents ]
Although I am not in the OM Mailing List, I wanted to let you know Olympus Japan announced the discontinuation of the OM-4Ti(Black) and OM-3Ti sales. I am not sure whether it is being announced for the rest of the world. The full text in Japanese is at:[ top | contents ]http://www.olympus.co.jp/LineUp/Camera/Info/n020117.html
The announcement, dated January 17, 2002 however, does not indicate when these OM bodies are to be discontinued for sales. I would think it is effective immediately.
Some accessories such as certain Zuiko lenses, flashes, flash accessories, motor drives, focusing screens, and other items are to be manufactured until end of March, 2003.
Thanks to Jim Terazawa <jimt@spdc.ti.com>
There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*:[ top | contents ]1) Overall, the camera should be free of major dents. Small dings and brassing indicate heavy use, but not necessarily a bad camera. Note that brassing occurs *immediately* if the user mistakenly uses a camera strap with big metal hooks at the end, so brassing alone is not a reliable indicator of heavy use.
2) All buttons and dials should operate smoothly and freely, without any binding. If the body is an OM-1(N), the mirror lockup should operate smoothly and freely.
3) The shutter curtains should be free of pinholes. With an OM-1(N), test this by locking up the mirror, removing the lens, opening or removing the back, and shining a bright light on the curtain while looking at the opposite side of it. You should see no light coming through the curtain. Then fire the shutter and perform the same test on the second curtain. It is best to do this test in a darkened room, if possible. This test is harder to do on the automatic cameras and the OM-3(Ti), since they have no mirror lockup. For the OM-{PC, 2S, 4(T)}, you can use the self timer, which will lock up the mirror ~12 seconds before the shutter opens, so you will at least be able to examine the first curtain.
4) The flash shoe should be secure on the camera. OM-1N's and OM-2N's should have a Shoe 4, OM-2's a Shoe 3. M-1's and OM-1's can only accept a Shoe 1. Check the shoe's operation with a T-series flash to make sure that it works in both manual and automatic modes. If the camera is an OM-2, and it still has a Shoe 2, the only flash that you will be able to use it with in camera-controlled flash mode is the Quick Auto 310. You might want to at least try to get the dealer to trade the shoe for a Shoe 3, which will work with T-series flash units.
5) The battery well should be free of corrosion.
6) The black plastic foam in the camera should not be crumbling or gooey. There are foam pads for the mirror to bump into when it goes up, and also a foam gasket where the back closes. If the camera suffers from "foam rot" and *nothing* else is wrong, you can have it fixed for about $50.
7) Lenses should mount and dismount easily and freely, without any binding.
8) If you plan to use the camera with a motor drive or winder, you should carefully inspect the drive/winder coupling on the bottom. The exposed gears should be free from excessive wear and dust/grease, and in the center of the coupling gear there should be a small pin that freely moves up and down.
9) If buying an OM-10 Quartz, make sure the small two-conductor ribbon cable near the bottom of the back hinge is intact, and verify proper operation of the databack (see P0 for hints).
10) On auto, the shutter should open for a long time with the lens cap covered (~2 minutes for an OM-2N, ~4 minutes for an OM-4(T) in spot mode). On manual, the shutter speed should be independent of the ambient lighting.
11) Mount a lens and set the camera to ISO 100 and the lens to f/16. The indicated shutter speed in all modes should be 1/125 second for a sunlit scene on a cloudless day. If using one of the auto-exposure models, make sure you have a piece of film or a gray card on the film rails, so that the exposure sensor will be able to determine the correct exposure. You can also compare the meter readings of the for sale camera with those of a camera you trust (making sure to use the same lens and point at the same target, of course).
12) Some OM-2S's have a problem called "flying shutter strings" where the strings that operated the shutter get loose and fly up in front of the film. This results in odd dark shadows in pictures taken with one of these cameras. Here is one way to test a used camera for the problem (thanks to John Hermanson): Mount a T32 in hot shoe (set to high auto setting), set the camera to manual 1/60 (not mechanical 1/60), open the camera back, place a piece of while translucent paper across the film plane. Fire camera at close white background. You should eventually be able to see the shadow of the string on the paper.
13) Make sure the used body carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...).
If the camera you are looking at fails any of the above tests, you probably don't want to risk buying it. The cost of repair for most of these problems starts at about $100 and goes up from there, so by the time you pay for the camera and repairs, you'll probably have more in the camera than it is worth. If the dealer you are purchasing from seems reluctant to let you run the tests, it might be a good idea to look elsewhere.
Here is a handy cross-reference of battery types:[ top | contents ]ANSI Spec. 1131SO 1107SOP 1166A 1124MP IEC Spec. SR44 SR44 LR44 MR9 Chemistry AgO AgO Alk. Mercury
Bulova 228 Duracell D357 MS76 PX76A PX625 Eveready 357 EPX76 A76 EPX625 Kodak KS76 KA76 KX625 Maxell SR44W SR44P LR44P Panasonic SP357 G13 LR44 H-D Rayovac 357 RS76 LR44 RPX625 Renata 357 Seiko SR44W Timex J Toshiba SR44W SR44 LR44 MR9 Varta V357 V76PX V13GA V625PX
Based solely on anecdotal evidence, there appears to be no difference in lifetime for the 357 vs. the MS76, despite the fact that they are different spec batteries.
Thanks to "Larry J. Clark" <ljclark@humboldt1.com>, Kerry Frohling <kdfrohling@mail.hac.com>, and Dan Lau <dlau@mipos2.intel.com>
Below are the various bodies with the batteries they take:
M-1, OM-1(N): 1 E625N mercury oxide.
OM-{10, G, PC, 2(N), 2S, 3(Ti), 4(T)}: 2 SR44 or 357 silver oxide or 2 LR44 alkaline manganese.
OM-10 Quartz: 2 SR44 or 357 for camera + 2 SR44 or 357 for data back.
OM-F: 5 SR44 or 357 silver oxide or 5 LR44 alkaline manganese.
Note that LR44 alkalines should only be used if SR44's are not available, since LR44's have a sloped (as opposed to flat for the SR44's) discharge curve which will cause meter readings to drift over time.
Also, a lithium cell the size of two SR44's will *not* work properly in those cameras that take SR44's. It will power the camera OK for a while, but its voltage will quickly drop below the minimum necessary for proper operation.
Opinions vary, but the official word from Olympus on the alkaline PX625 replacement is: "Don't do it, as it could burn out your meter."[ top | contents ]Silver oxide batteries are not only the wrong voltage, they are the wrong physical size. They do however put out a nice constant voltage over their lifespan. There is a company that now (15 September, 1996) produces an adapter that not only drops the voltage of a silver oxide battery to 1.35V, it also adapts it to fit mechanically in a battery well the size of a PX625 mercury cell. $29.95 plus $1.50 shipping from C.R.I.S. Camera Services 800-216-7579, 602-940-1103 (outside US). Also try their website at: http://www.criscam.com It works as advertised and is likely a cheaper long term alternative than Wein lead-air button cells, which constantly leak current from the moment they are exposed to air.
PCA Cala <PCACala@aol.com>
Several things:[ top | contents ]1) Use SR44 (#357) silver oxide batteries. SR44P (MS76), recommended by many camera dealers and some battery manufacturers, has a higher internal resistance and is not quite as good. Alkalines (LR44, MS76A) are to be used only if nothing better is available.
2) Keep battery contacts clean.
3) Store the camera on B or red 1/60, so that accidental pressure on the buttons will not turn it on (NOTE: The OM-4T(i) only "eats" batteries because of this. Its circuit is not problematic like the OM-4).
4) Remove the batteries when not in use. The OM-{PC, 2S, 4(T)} all use some battery power even when "off".
5) You can reset your OM-{2S, 4(T)} by setting it to B and toggling between manual and auto. For the OM-PC, simply switch from automatic mode to battery check mode while the condition still exists. This will clear up confused behavior, including spotty LCD displays and some cases of excessive battery consumption.
6) A battery-eating camera may have suffered an internal short (within an IC or transistor), in which case it needs repair. Here are some current-drain figures to help you judge whether your camera is normal. They were obtained by measuring two OM-2S's and an OM-4T.
To make such measurements yourself, remove the battery compartment cover and use a milliammeter to connect the top of the battery to the chassis.
Current drain... when using battery checker: 7 mA when using view finder light: 9 mA when using self timer: 7 to 12 mA (note heavy load!) during long exposure: 7 mA with display active: 0.3 mA (OM-2S), 0.7 mA (OM-4T) after display goes blank: 0.020 mA (OM-2S), 0.007 mA (OM-4T) on B or red 1/60: 0.020 mA (OM-2S), 0.007 mA (OM-4T)
Note that the battery drain is not 0 even when the camera is turned off. Accordingly, you should remove batteries from a camera that is not going to be used in the foreseeable future.
NOTE: OM-2S and PC circuit boards are no longer available. OM-4 circuit boards are also no longer available, but can be replaced with OM-4T(i) circuit boards, however some shops (including Camtech) are now refusing to do this procedure due to the cost (roughly $300 parts and labor, more than an OM-4 is probably worth). Photosphere in Dallas has a few OM-2S and PC circuit boards, and will still do the OM-4 fix for around $300.
(Thanks to Brian Waldron for data).
Thanks to Michael A. Covington and Dan Lau <dlau@mipos2.intel.com>
Turn the battery check on. If it shuts off by itself in 30 seconds, you have the 4T circuit (lowest drain). Otherwise you have the original (much) higher drain board (up to 7 times as high as a 4T).[ top | contents ]Thanks to John Hermanson <omtech@erols.com> via Frank van Lindert <lindertv@knmi.nl>
Yes. It happens when the microcontroller gets into a confused state, possibly due to a heavy load on a weak battery. (The battery then recovers when the load is taken away). Reboot your camera as follows: Switch meter to Manual. Switch shutter to B. Toggle meter between Manual and Auto a few times, then back to Manual. Then switch shutter back to an automatic speed. Also check the batteries and clean their contacts. If you replace them, note that SR44 (#357) is best, SR44P (MS76) is second best, and LR44 (MS76A) (alkaline) should be used only if the others aren't available. SR44 is often marketed as a calculator battery; it's a low-internal-resistance version of the SR44P.[ top | contents ]Thanks to Michael A. Covington
Almost none. Olympus simply changed the camera's designation after Leica objected to their use of the name M-1. Very few (Olympus) M-1's were ever made (according to Olympus USA, roughly 5000).[ top | contents ]
The OM-1N has redesigned film advance and rewind release levers, a direct contact inside for Recordata Backs, a flash ready/sufficient flash LED in the viewfinder, and automatic X-sync with Shoe 4, regardless of the position of the FP/X switch.[ top | contents ]
In addition to the new features of the OM-1N, the OM-2N has an exposure compensation warning flag, full-frame averaging at all shutter speeds, and 120 second exposure limit on auto. The OM-2 limit was stated as 60 seconds in the manual, although at least one person reports that this is not a hard limit --- his OM-2 shutter will stay open as long as required. If someone who actually has an OM-2 could confirm this, it would be appreciated.[ top | contents ]Thanks to Ari Lehtonen <lehtonen@cc.jyu.fi>
An extensive redesign. The OM-2S is, internally, more like the OM-4 than the OM-2N. Compared to the OM-2N, the OM-2S adds programmed exposure automation (camera chooses both aperture and shutter speed) and a spot meter for use in manual mode. Also, the hot shoe on the -2S is fixed, the ISO range is extended from 1600 to 3200, the viewfinder indicators are LCDs, and the self timer has mirror prefire.[ top | contents ]Thanks to Michael Covington
The OM-3Ti has titanium top and bottom plates (hence the 'Ti' in the name), two extra pins on the hot shoe to control the F280 flash, which allows sync'ing at any shutter speed, TTL flash, and more reliable electronics.[ top | contents ]
The OM-4T has titanium top and bottom plates (hence the 'T' in the name), two extra pins on the hot shoe to control the F280 flash, which allows sync'ing at any shutter speed, and more reliable electronics. Also, the battery check buzzer on the OM-4T(i) shuts off after ~ 1 min, while on the OM-4 it remains on. Other features of the OM-4T(i) which are not widely documented:[ top | contents ]- Memory clear can now be operated whilst the viewfinder display is in the off mode.
- With the camera in the auto mode any non-Olympus flashgun can be fired from the hotshoe and X synchro socket, for the use of "Fill in Flash" (shutter speed must be below 1/60th second).
- With T system flash, viewfinder charge signal will now switch off after 120 seconds. To reactivate lightly touch the shutter release.
- On long auto exposures, shutter can be overridden and made to close if the selector dial is switched to either Manual or Battery Check.
Please note that points 1 and 2 now override the relevant questions & answers sections on pages 35,49 and 50 of Instruction Book B.
Thanks to Mike Bloor <mikbloor@iol.ie>
The only difference is that the OM-10 Quartz has a data back which is the equivalent of a Recordata Back 3. It can record the date in Year/Month/Day (Japanese) format, or the time in Day/Hour/Minute format. The electrical connections between the data back and the camera are made with an internal cable, however, so the back cannot be detached and used on another camera. The databack only keeps dates through 2009. The data back requires 2 SR44 or LR44 batteries.[ top | contents ]
The OM-G is the more versatile camera. It has a PC flash connection, can use a motor drive, has exposure compensation warning, under exposure warning, built in manual metering, and provision for attaching a steady grip. Otherwise, they have essentially the same features.[ top | contents ]
The OM-F differs from the OM-G in the following ways: focusing aid LED's in viewfinder, F2/F4 switch for focus system, In-Focus trigger cord socket, automatic focus with the Zuiko 35-70 AF zoom, no PC flash socket, and no exposure compensation warning. The OM-F also takes 5 SR44 batteries which mount in a compartment on the left hand side of the front of the camera. In place of the normal battery compartment is a switch to turn off the beeper.[ top | contents ]
Numbers above OM-10 are the non-US product names for Olympus
cameras. OM-20 is the same as OM-G, OM-30 is the same as
OM-F, and OM-40 is the same as OM-PC.
An OM-4Ti used to be simply the non-US version of an OM-4T.
It now appears that all OM-4's are labeled Ti, regardless of
where they are sold.
The OM-2SP is the non-US version of the OM-2S.
[ top | contents ]
The OM-10, but there's a catch. The original OM-10 had *only* automatic, not manual, exposure. To get manual shutter speed settings, you have to add the manual adapter, or get an OM-10FC, which has it built in. Still, an OM-10 costs only $50 to $70 used, and at the price, it can be a handy emergency backup camera.[ top | contents ]Thanks to Michael Covington
1) Take a blank exposure and advance the film. By "blank" I mean an exposure with the lens cap on. If you have an autoexposure camera, make sure to do this with the camera in manual mode, or you will be waiting a long time (and burning a lot of battery power) waiting for the exposure to complete :).[ top | contents ]2) Operate the rewind knob to take up any slack.
3) Take the first exposure.
4) Operate the rewind release button and wind the camera while holding the rewind knob stationary. This cocks the shutter but does not advance the film.
5) Take the second exposure.
6) Advance the film and shoot a blank after the double exposure.
Below are some alternate methods:
The OM2 can do pin-registered multiexposures by:
1) tightening the rewind lever, 2) flipping the rewind knob to the rewind position, 3) rewinding slightly 4) flip the rewind knob back, 5) continue rewinding until it clicks and stops. 6) This advances a half-frame; repeat to rewind one full frame.
On the OM4 you cannot get pin-registered multi- exposures, but you can get decent registration by:
1) tighten the rewind lever, 2) push the rewind button, 3) while tightly grasping the rewind lever, 4) wind the film with the wind lever.
Alternate methods thanks to "Tom Trottier" <TomATrottier@home.com>
See my Camera Repair FAQ for how to do this: http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/camrep.faq.html#ques_O2[ top | contents ]
The recommended method is to remove the lens and adjust the diopter setting until the finder screen and meter symbols are in sharp focus.[ top | contents ]
It stands for "Voll Service Olympus Europe", and is only found on cameras marketed in Europe.[ top | contents ]Thanks to <w.wagenaar@cs.schelde.com> (W.P.J. Wagenaar) and others
The serial number on an Olympus camera does *not* give you a precise date of manufacture. The only way to tell is to remove the pressure plate and look for a code either on the back of the pressure plate or on the back itself behind the pressure plate. The code consists of 4 characters:[ top | contents ]1 Japanese character signifying the assembly plant. 1 number representing the last digit of the year of assembly (e.g. 7 = 1977, 0 = 1980). 1 number or letter representing the month of assembly, 1-9 for Jan-Sep, X, Y, Z for Oct-Dec. 1 number representing the pressure plate used. Olympus apparently used pressure plates with slightly different curvatures to fine-tune focus.
Some examples:
OM-1N - S055 factory "S", 1980, May, plate #5 OM-1 - S766 factory "S", 1977, June, plate #6 OM-1N - S0Y5 factory "S", 1980, November, plate #5
Thanks to John Hermanson <omtech@erols.com>
See my Camera Repair FAQ for how to do this: http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/camrep.faq.html#ques_O5[ top | contents ]
The OM2000 the newest body available from Olympus in the OM mount (now discontinued, as is the rest of the OM line). It is not made by Olympus, it is made by Cosina. It was introduced at the same time as two new zoom lenses (35-70 f/3.5 -> 4.8 and 70-210 f/4.5 -> 5.6), also apparently manufactured by Cosina. The OM-2000 is compatible with all Zuiko lenses and the finder accessories such as the Eyecups and Varimagni Finder. Everything else, from winders to motor drives to databacks is NOT compatible with this camera. Also note that the shutter speed setting on the OM-2000 is via a knob on top of the camera, which is a foreign place for true OM users :)[ top | contents ]
Yes, there are. Sometime in the late '70s the dot pattern on the first shutter curtain was changed. The effect of this change was to change the metering pattern to be less dramatically center weighted. The only way to tell which version you have is by looking at the first curtain (remove the batteries and fire the shutter to lock up the mirror). If the dots are concentrated near the center, you have the old version. If they are more spread out, you have the new version. See the following web page for pictures of the two different screens:[ top | contents ]http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/om2-curtains.shtml
To unlock your mirror, replace the batteries and put the manual/auto/off/reset-check switch in the reset-check position.
Thanks to "Doug Nowlin" <wa5ohb@freewwweb.com>
Only if you have good batteries in the camera. If the batteries are dead, the flash will not fire, as flash sync goes through the main circuit in these cameras.[ top | contents ]Thanks to John Hermanson <omtech@erols.com>
1/500th sec.[ top | contents ]Thanks to John Hermanson <omtech@erols.com>
0 seconds (ie no exposure), unless you have good batteries in the camera. Both shutter curtains go across at the same time.[ top | contents ]Thanks to John Hermanson <omtech@erols.com>
Due to the semi-silvered mirrors in the OM-{2S, 3(Ti), 4(Ti),
and PC} you must use a circular polarizer with them, otherwise
your exposures will be off by 2-3 stops. The OM-{1(N), 2(N),
10, G, and F) do not have a semi-silvered mirror, and can thus
use linear polarizers without any problem. This problem
reportedly only affects the spot metering modes of the OM-{2S,
3(Ti), 4(Ti), PC and probably OM-2000}. OTF (normal auto)
exposures don't technically need the circular polarizer, but
why go to all the trouble of carrying two different polarizers
and risk using the wrong one?
[ top | contents ]
Because on the OM-2000, the "underexposure" warning LED will still illuminate *even if the camera is set to Bulb*. This will cause a red glow to show up on all your bulb exposures. Olympus's recommended fix is (you guessed it) remove the batteries from your OM-2000 before taking bulb exposures.[ top | contents ]Thanks to <sebastien@research.nj.nec.com> (Sebastien Roy)
The original OM-2S flash ready light was green, and powered from the camera batteries. This caused excessive battery drain for those who used a flash often, so Olympus offered an upgrade that replaced the LED with a red one that is powered from the flash batteries.[ top | contents ]Thanks to John Hermanson <omtech@erols.com>
There is a CPU reset function on the -4Ti between the Auto position and the battery check position, so checking the battery status also does a CPU reset. I got this from the 4Ti service manual I recently acquired.[ top | contents ]Thanks to "Giles" <cnocbui@pop.indigo.ie>
There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*:[ top | contents ]0) First, have a look a Paul Farrar's Zuiko lens reference, to get an idea of price and features:
http://www.datasync.com/~farrar/zuiko.html
1) The lens should be free of dings, dents, and obvious wear. One of the places this kind of thing is most likely to occur is the filter threads.
2) The lens elements should be free from spotting and scratches, especially the rear element. A small scratch or two on the front element probably won't adversely affect picture quality, but use your judgement. If you don't feel confident to judge what kind of a scratch is important, go for lenses with none!
3) The lens should be free from fungus. Hold the lens up to a light to make sure there are no 'fuzzies' between the elements.
4) The diaphragm should stop down and open back up freely, with no creeping motion. Test this by dismounting the lens and flipping the stop-down lever on the back of the lens back and forth with the lens set at f/16, or by mounting the lens and taking a few exposures while observing the action of the diaphragm.
5) The aperture and focus rings (and the zoom ring for 2-touch zooms) should move smoothly and freely.
6) The lens should mount and dismount from a body freely, with no binding.
7) If you have an OM-{3(Ti), 4(T)}, look carefully at the lens and make sure there is nothing that will shear off the reset button on the lens mount. Other OM's lack this reset button, and there have apparently been some third party lenses that will damage the reset button if mounted on an OM-{3(Ti), 4(T)}.
8) Some off-brand lenses from the 1970s are of quite disappointing quality (and are still being liquidated, in their original packaging, in the 1990s). Standards have risen considerably since then.
9) Mount the lens and make sure it focuses at infinity. Some lenes may be out of adjustment and won't be able to focus at infinity.
10) If the lens doesn't have a built-in hood, try to find an original OM hood for the lens. Some dealers have a big bin of this stuff you can dig through, and all original detachable OM lens hoods are marked as to which focal length(s) they are designed for. Some cover more than one focal length lens. Also, older versions were often metal, while newer versions are rubber. I prefer the rubber versions, but everyone has different tastes :).
10) Make sure the used lens carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...).
As with bodies, buying lenses that fail any of the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try elsewhere.
When introduced in the 1970s, the Zuiko lenses were state-of-the-art. Today, they are still on a level with competing Leica, Nikon, and Zeiss designs of that era. Third-party competition (e.g., Vivitar, Sigma) is much stronger than it once was, and some third-party lenses now equal Zuiko lenses in optical performance.[ top | contents ]The last Zuiko prime from Olympus was introduced in 1989, while 1995 saw the introduction of a new lens (a zoom) for the first time in 5 years.
Zuiko lenses for the OM series often have somewhat fewer elements than newer third-party lenses. This makes them smaller and lighter and reduces the risk of internal reflections. The letter in front of Zuiko stands for the number of elements (E=5, F=6, G=7). [Note: The letter/element designation on Zuiko lenses was dropped sometime in the late 70's, so not all Zuiko lenses have it --Ed.]
Here are some published test results from Zuiko lenses and competitors. All are from Modern Photography magazine (abbreviated MP). Resolution is in lines per mm. Quality ratings, which depend on type of lens, are: Exc = Excellent; VG = Very Good; G = Good; Acc = Acceptable.
Lens Resolution Resolution Distortion Source wide open at f/5.6 (pincushion center corner center corner or barrel)
Zuiko lenses:
Zuiko 24/2.8 50 VG 45 Exc 80 Exc 50 Exc ? MP 6/75 Zuiko 28/3.5 56 Exc 44 Exc 50 VG 50 Exc ? MP 4/73 Zuiko 35/2.8 56 Exc 44 Exc 50 VG 50 Exc ? MP 4/73 Zuiko 35-70/3.5-4.5 at 35mm 56 Exc 50 Exc 63 Exc 56 Exc 0.45% barrel MP 6/86 at 50mm 56 Exc 50 Exc 56 Exc 50 Exc ? MP 6/86 at 70mm 57 Exc 51 Exc 57 Exc 51 Exc 0.95% pincsh MP 6/86 Zuiko 35-105/3.5-4.5 at 35mm 63 Exc 50 Exc 70 Exc 56 Exc 0.7% barrel MP 2/86 at 70mm 64 Exc 51 Exc 72 Exc 57 Exc ? MP 2/86 at 105mm 63 Exc 56 Exc 70 Exc 56 Exc 1.37% pincsh MP 2/86 Zuiko 50/1.4 55 VG 49 Exc 69 VG 62 Exc 0.9% barrel MP 11/85 same 55 VG 49 Exc 69 VG 62 Exc 0.9% barrel MP 6/87 Zuiko 50/1.8 57 VG 40 Exc 90 Exc 40 VG ? MP 4/73 same 55 VG 49 Exc 69 VG 62 Exc 0.93% pincsh MP 7/85 same 50 G 45 Exc 70 Exc 56 Exc <1% MP 4/86 Zuiko 100/2 55 Exc 49 Exc 69 Exc 62 Exc 0.45% pincsh MP 6/86 Zuiko 100/2.8 55 Exc 49 Exc 55 Exc 44 Exc ? MP 4/73 Zuiko 135/2.8 50 Exc 32 VG 50 VG 35 G ? MP 6/75 Zuiko 180/2 55 Exc 49 Exc 69 Exc 62 Exc <1% pincsh MP 10/86 Zuiko 200/4 42 VG 37 Exc 37 G 37 Exc ? MP 4/73
Representative competing lenses:
Soligor 28/2.8 54 VG 30 Acc 76 Exc 30 Acc ? MP 4/73 Nikon 28/2.8 54 VG 43 Exc 54 G 48 Exc ? MP 6/75 Zeiss 28/2.8 56 Exc 50 Exc 63 Exc 56 Exc 0.5% barrel MP 1/86 Canon 50/1.4 50 G 45 Exc 70 Exc 63 Exc 0.46% barrel MP 7/86 Nikon E 50/1.8 52 VG 33 VG 66 VG 46 G <1% MP 1/83 Leica 50/1.4 54 VG 38 Exc 76 Exc 48 G 0.47% barrel MP 9/87 Zeiss 50/1.4 45 G 40 Exc 72 Exc 64 Exc 0.92% barrel MP 1/88 Zeiss 50/1.7 50 G 45 Exc 70 Exc 63 Exc 0.9% barrel MP 1/86 Vivitar 75-200/4.5: at 75mm 46 VG 41 Exc 58 Exc 46 Exc 1.95% barrel MP 6/89 at 200mm 39 VG 28 VG 44 Exc 31 VG 1.67% pincsh MP 6/89 Sigma 90/2.8 macro: at 1:49 69 Exc 62 Exc 87 Exc 78 Exc 0.68% pincsh MP 6/89 at 1:2 57 Exc 29 VG 72 Exc 40 VG same? MP 6/89
Thanks to Michael Covington
Here are some lens tests from European magazines:
According to a special issue of "Photargus" 1984: Zuiko 24mm f/2.8 : distortion 1.22 % barrel Zuiko 28mm f/2.0 : " " 0.17 % " (!!) Zuiko 28mm f/2.8 : " " 0.53 % " Z. Shift 35mm f/2.8 : " " 0.55 % Zuiko 50mm F3.5 No distortion Zuiko 100mm f/2.8: distortion -0.9 % pincushion " 135mm f2.8 : " " -0.52 % " 135mm f3.5 : " " -0.86 %
Thanks to Henri de Feraudy <100630.225@compuserve.com>
Zuiko 21 mm f/2
Source: MP 5/81 Resolution Wide Open 5.6 Distortion Center Corner Center Corner 49 VG 31 VG 87 Exc 39 Exc. 0.9% barrel
Zuiko 35-70 f/4 Source: MP 5/81 Wide Open 5.6 Distortion Center Corner Center Corner Resolution at 35 mm 62 Exc 44 Exc 62 Exc 49 Exc 2.5% barrel Resolution at 50 mm 64 Exc 45 Exc 64 Exc 51 Exc ... Resolution at 70 mm 51 Exc 45 Exc 57 Exc 45 Exc <1% barrel
Zuiko 85-250 f/5 Source: MP 5/81 Wide Open 11 Distortion Center Corner Center Corner Resolution at 85 mm 49 Exc 49 Exc 55 Exc 49 Exc <1% barrel Resolution at 150 mm 51 Exc 45 Exc 57 Exc 57 Exc ... Resolution at 250 mm 44 VG 45 Exc 45 VG 45 Exc <1% pincushion
Zuiko 24 mm f/3.5 Shift
Source: MP 1/85 Wide Open 5.6 Distortion Center Corner Center Corner 55 Exc 44 Exc. 62 Exc 49 Exc. 1.09% barrel [at f/8 the resolution was 69/Exc./49 Exc.]
Zuiko 35 mm f/2 Source: MP 6/84 Wide Open 5.6 Distortion Center Corner Center Corner 54 Exc 30 VG 60 VG 54 Exc ...
Zuiko 50 mm f/3.5 Macro Source: MP 6/84 Wide Open 5.6 Distortion Center Corner Center Corner 60 Exc 43 Exc 60 VG 54 Exc ...
Zuiko 50 mm f/3.5 Macro at 1:4 Source: MP 6/84 Wide Open 5.6 Distortion Center Corner Center Corner 70 Exc 50 Exc 79 Exc 50 Exc. ...
Zuiko 75-150 f/4 Source: MP 7/94 Resolution at 75 mm Wide Open 5.6 Distortion Center Corner Center Corner 58 Exc 32 VG 58 Exc 41 Exc ... Resolution at 100 mm 54 Exc 34 Exc 60 Exc 38 Exc ... Resolution at 150 mm 48 Exc 30 Good 56 Exc 30 Good ...
Thanks to Warren Kato (wkato@aol.com)
24 3.5 PC (Use of ED provides outstanding resolution corner-to- corner for a shift lens. This may be the sharpest PC lens in the industry.) 100 2.0 ED 180 2.0 EDIF 250 2.0 EDIF 350 2.8 EDIF 35-80 2.8 ED[ top | contents ]According to Vince at Olympus, it is *not* true that some lenses were once produced in a version without ED glass (the design of the 180/2.8, for instance, has not changed). What did change in some cases were the type and number of coatings on some lenses. This has been verified by a email to the lens design group at Olympus Japan.
Thanks to "John A. Prosper" <prosper@freenet.tlh.fl.us>, Jim Terazawa <jimt@asic.sc.ti.com>, and Vince Marino at Olympus America
Early Olympus lenses have a letter designation before the word Zuiko which corresponds to the number of elements in the lens. Thus, an E.Zuiko has 5 elements, an F.Zuiko 6 elements, a G.Zuiko 7 elements, and so on. This designation was dropped sometime in the late 1970's or early 1980's (anyone know exactly when?) On the other hand, S-Zuiko denotes Olympus' "economy" line of lenses. Auto-S, Auto-W, and Auto-T stand for standard, wide, and telephoto lenses respectively, while Auto-Zoom denotes a zoom lens, and Auto-Macro denotes a macro lens that must be used with either the bellows or telescoping auto extension tube.[ top | contents ]
Many early Zuiko lenses were single coated. Those that were multicoated were denoted by the MC logo, until most of the lens line was multicoated. Then the MC logo was dropped. It is generally agreed that the presence of any green reflection, no matter how faint, is evidence of multicoating, while predominatly yellow reflections denotes single coating. Zuikos with the G.Zuiko type designation are more likely to be single coated.[ top | contents ]
To the best of my knowledge, the only lenses in this series were the 28-48/4, 35-70/3.5-4.5, 35-70/4, and 100-200/5 zoom lenses. The Cosina produced 35-70mm f/3.5-4.8 and 70-210mm f/4.5-5.6 are also labeled S Zuiko, but are not built (and possibly not even designed) by Olympus.[ top | contents ]
For a non-fisheye, angle of view is:[ top | contents ]2 * arctangent ( film-dimension / ( f * 2 ) )
eg. for 50mm:
2 * atan ( 43.2 / 100 ) = 46.72 degrees (on the diagonal)
Remember to keep your units the same--millimetres or metres or whatever, and beware that many programming languages and calculators give inverse trigonometric results in radians, not degrees. Multiply by ( 180 / pi ) to convert radians to degrees.
Extreme wide-angle lenses do such varied trickery that this formula breaks down, and field of view is best determined experimentally (or by RTFM) [I find that this formula works at least down to the angle of view of the 14 mm Sigma wide angle, and I'm not aware of any non-fisheye lenses for OM that have a wider angle of view than that. --RLH].
Thanks to Christopher Biggs <chris@stallion.oz.au>
There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*:[ top | contents ]1) The on-off switch and test switch (if any) should operate freely.
2) The battery well should be free of corrosion.
3) The case should not be cracked, especially near where the flash attaches to the camera hot shoe. T-32's seem to be particularly susceptible to this problem.
4) Mount the flash on an OM body (preferably an automatic/manual one) and verify that the flash works in all modes.
5) For the T-10 ring flash, plug in the modeling lights and make sure none of them are burned out. They require a 6V DC source.
6) If you plan to use an external power source with the flash, you should bring same along and test it with the flash.
7) Make sure the used flash carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...).
As with bodies, buying a flash that fails any of the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try elsewhere.
Shoe 1 came on the M-1 and OM-1. It has a single contact, and allows only manual and normal (flash-controlled) auto.[ top | contents ]Shoe 2 came on early OM-2's. It has two in-line contacts, and allows manual, normal auto, and camera regulated flash with the Quick Auto 310 flash.
Shoe 3 came on OM-2's sold after the T-20 flash was introduced, and is available as an accessory for older OM-2's to allow them to fully utilize a T-series flash. It allows manual, normal auto, and camera regulated flash with the T-series flash units, but *not* the Quick Auto 310.
Shoe 4 came on all OM-1N's and OM-2N's, and is the type of shoe built into the OM-{PC, 2S, 3, 4}. It allows manual, normal auto, and camera regulated flash with the T-series flash units, automagically sets X-sync at the shoe, and has a third contact to provide feedback to the in-viewfinder flash ready/sufficient flash LED on the OM-{PC, 1N, 2N, 3, 4}.
Before there were any other types of hot shoes for OM cameras, the shoes only had the word 'FIX' with an arrow indicating the direction to turn the shoe locking screw to affix it to the camera body. At least one used dealer has taken this to mean that this type of shoe should be called a 'FIX' shoe. In any event, it is just an early Shoe 1.
Note that Shoes #1, #2 and #3 are all threaded in the same direction, so they are "interchangable" (i.e., if all you want is to fire the flash, then a Shoe #1 can be put on an OM-2, and likewise, by clipping the extra pins, a Shoe #2/3 will fit an OM-1). Shoe #4 is threaded in the opposite direction and therefore can only be used with the cameras that were designed for it (i.e., OM-1N and OM-2N).
Last paragraph thanks to Dan Lau <dlau@mipos2.intel.com>
These are for controlling the F280 flash, which can sync at any shutter speed.[ top | contents ]
This pin has the same function as the upper right small contact on a Shoe 4. It provides feedback to the in-camera flash status LED, and sets the OM-10 to 1/60th of a second. It does not support camera controlled flash.[ top | contents ]
The OM-{2N, 2S, 3Ti, 4(Ti), PC, and 77} support TTL flash
control and viewfinder flash ready/exposure ok indication.
The OM-{1N, 10, F, G, and 88} only support viewfinder flash
ready/exposure ok indication. The OM-1 supports neither,
while the OM-2 only supports TTL flash control.
[ top | contents ]
There are several, the major ones being:[ top | contents ]0) Fundamentally, the Power Bounce Grip 1 is designed for the Quick Auto 300 and 310 flashes, while the Power Bounce Grip 2 is designed for the T-series flash units. T-series flashes don't work on the Grip 1, and the QA flashes don't work on the Grip 2. Other differences are:
1) The Power Bounce Grip 1 tilts up 75 degrees and down 15 degrees, while the Power Bounce Grip 2 tilts up 90 degrees and down 20 degrees.
2) In addition to having a standard PC cord permanently attached, the Power Bounce Grip 2 has a 5 pin socket for an OM TTL auto cord near the base of the grip.
3) The Power Bounce Grip 2 has a shutter button that can be connected to the remote socket on a motor drive or winder via an M.Grip cord.
4) With T-series flash units, you can use nicad batteries in the Power Bounce Grip 2. You should not use nicads in the Power Bounce Grip 1.
Unlike the OM-2, the OM-2N with hotshoe 4 sets the shutter speed automagically to 1/60th of a second when it detects a flash. In order to get around this so that you can use any shutter speed slower than 1/60th, simply tape over the flash ready contact on the shoe 4.[ top | contents ]Thanks to Tristan Lawrence <tlawrence@center.colgate.edu>
These accessories are available:[ top | contents ]Filter set: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue filters in a padded plastic wallet case. These are mostly used for special effects. These all decrease the guide number of the flash somewhat.
ND/Wide angle set: neutral density 2 and 4 filters for reducing the guide number of the flash to 52(16) and 36(11), and a fresnel lens filter for spreading the light out to cover the area of a 21mm lens. This also decreases the guide number of the flash to 72(22).
Zoom adapter: Used to concentrate the flash into the area of normal and telephoto lenses. Settings for 50, 85, 100, and 135mm. This adapter, unlike the others, increases the guide number of the flash. Here are the guide numbers corresponding to the various settings:
50mm 118(36) 75mm 125(38) 100mm 131(40) 135mm 138(42)
M.AC Adapter 2 and 3: AC adapter 2 is a power supply that plugs into the 3-prong power jack on the T32. Can also be used to power the T20, T45, and T Power Control 1. The AC adapter 3 has this plug, plus a separate cord that can be used to power the Winder II and/or the modeling lights on the T10 ring flash.
TTL Autoconnector Type 3 and Type 4: These replace the hotshoe on the OM-2 (Type 3) and OM-2N, and allow the user to connect the flash to the camera with a TTL Auto Cord Type T, for off camera flash.
Looking into the camera connection (pins, ie. male part of connector)[ top | contents ]* Ground (camera chassis) > < Flash Sync Contact * * Viewfinder ready light
No Connection * * Flash Quench ^
where * are the pins, and <>^ are the alignment keys.
Thanks to Kennedy <rkm@nospam.demon.co.uk>
Olympus America recommends that you get a Quantum Turbo battery pack with C03 Turbo Cable Module. This battery can also be used to power T-20 and T-32 flashes, as it simply connects to the 3-pin high power socket on these flashes.[ top | contents ]Thanks to <Shooter35@aol.com>
I just measured several of my flash units for their trigger voltage. It wasn't difficult; had to use a paperclip on one or two to probe the side contact. Plus (+) on all of them is on the center contact:[ top | contents ]T-20: ~6 Volts T-32: ~12 Volts Sunpak 383 (new): ~7 Volts Metz 40MZ-3i w/SCA 321: ~5 Volts Metz 40MZ-3i w/SCA 301: ~5 Volts Sunpak 140: ~210 Volts Rollei E19BC: ~150 Volts
The Sunpak 140 is an older model number (replaced by 141 ?) and the Rollei E19BC is even older. I use them on the Contax IIIa and Rollei 35, both of which are mechanical, including the flash trigger mechanisms. Hmmmm, guess I shouldn't use either of them on the OM-2S or OM-4!
Thanks to "Tom Trottier" <Tom@Abacurial.com>
Having modified a number of 3rd party flashes for use with
Oly gear, I am fairly familiar with the T-series circuits. The
OM2N service manual has some of the best published data on the
interface. Here is my best guess:
The short answer is the LED flash ready circuit probably constrains
the number of flashes, as it uses different current levels for
the "flash connected" but **not ready** vs "flash ready" state.
When you attach many more than approx 9 flashes the flash ready
current level is reached from the sum of the flash connected
signals before the flashes are ready. With more than 9 flashes
the LED ready current total exceeds 20 milliamps (mA) (2.3mA*9)
**when used on an OM2 or OM2N**. Often small LEDs like these are
only rated to handle 20mA continuously, so this might shorten their
life. In practise this is probably not a problem because the
relatively small total number of flash ready usage hrs. On some
versions of OM2S's and newer models the LED current comes from
the camera battery so this last item is not an issue at all.
(Advantage to flash/battery eater OM2S!).
Here is a more detailed discussion:
The T32 and T20 circuits are very similar, although not identical
in the interface.
1) The main camera trigger circuit has lots of margin to trigger
multiple flashes, as either a 400mA SCR (OM2S-OM4) drives this
pin or a mechanical switch (OM2N and earlier). So you can
**trigger** lots more than 9 flashes. With a TFlash connected
the trigger switch must pass current from a 33 nanofarad (nF)
trigger capacitor charged to between 7 and 12V, a tiny load for
the SCR or mechanical switch.
2) The quench trigger circuit needs to sink an estimated 16-20
microamps (uA) (@ ~1.1V) per TFlash, so a total of less than
180uA for 9 flashes. The limiting factor here actually depends
on a 10k Ohm limit resistor in the case of the original OM2 body
(originally designed for QuickAuto 310 flash). In the OM2N it
depends on a buffer integrated circuit (IC103) which likely can
drive more current but we don't know for sure. If we use the
OM2 as worst case (has lowest drive current), then it should be
able to drive more than 9 flashes since (3V-1.1V)/10k = 290uA >
180uA. So it should be able drive maybe up to at least 5 flashes
more ((290-180)/20=5). This is a rough estimate.
3)The LED flash ready circuit/pin: Uses a 5V source with a
120k Ohm resistor which drives ~30uA to the ready LED
in the viewfinder. With 9 flashes connected this current totals
270uA. The spec for the threshold of flash ready from the
OM2N service manual is 350uA. It is probably not very accurately
controlled but there needs to be some margin between these levels.
In theory if everything is as designed, you could connect another
(350-270)/20= 4 flashes before you reached the threshold. The
TFlashes also need to short out the LED briefly during flash
exposure. They do this with a transistor switch. It appears the
drive current to the transistor should allow it to drive quite
a bit more than 20mA, so this is probably not the limiting factor.
If you did not care about flash ready LED being meaningful, then
the number of connectable flashes is limited by the drive current
from the quench pin. You could do some empirical testing to
determine the drive available by loading the pin with a resistor
and checking waveforms on an oscilloscope. You could then make a
rough estimate of the number of flashes like I did above. This is
quite likely different for each model of camera.
Thanks to Tim Hughes <TimHughes@ieee.org>
[ top | contents ]
There are many things you should look for. This is only a
partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get
a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*:
1) If buying a Winder {1, 2}, the battery holder and battery
compartment should be free of corrosion.
2) If buying a Motor Drive {1, 2}, make sure the drive comes
with its nicad power pack and charger. Additionally, it's
probably a good idea to have the dealer charge up the nicad
pack overnight. Then come back the next day and test it with
the drive and a body. You should get at least 700 shots before
the nicad pack gives out.
3) The guide pin should be straight and free of burrs.
4) The shutter release button should operate freely and
smoothly.
5) The film advance claw should be free of excessive wear
and free to move up and down on its rotational axis.
6) The shutter coupling pin (in front of the film advance
claw) should be straight, free to move right/left, and free
of burrs.
7) The electrical coupling pins should be free of wear and
should return to their fully up position after being
depressed.
8) The threads on the fastening screw that screws into the
tripod socket on the camera body should be clean and free of
burrs.
9) The on/single/sequence switch should operate smoothly, and
lock positively into the selected setting.
10) If you plan to use the motor drive/winder with a 250 Film
Back, you should examine the 250 Film Back coupling gear on the
side of the drive for excessive wear or broken teeth.
11) If you plan to use the drive with a remote switch or an
intervalometer, you should bring same along and test it with
the drive.
12) If you plan to use the drive with either an external power
pack or AC adapter, you should bring same along and test it
with the drive for proper operation.
13) Make sure the used motor drive/winder carries a long enough
warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund
or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days
a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to
6 months (but not many...).
As with bodies, buying a motor drive or winder that fails any of
the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer
is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try
elsewhere.
[ top | contents ]
No. The M-1, along with early OM-1's could not accept a motor
drive/winder. Those that can have a small 'MD' logo on the right
side of the front of the body as you face it. However, to
confuse the issue, some non-US cameras, and US cameras after a
certain date did not have the MD logo (but were/are still able
to take winders and motor drives). Note that the OM-10
can accept a Winder {1, 2}, but *not* a motor drive. Basically,
except for the OM-10, if your camera has a little cover on the
bottom plate that you can remove to expose the motor
drive/winder gearing, you can use one on that camera.
[ top | contents ]
Yes. Be aware, however, that nicads will work poorly, if at all, in cold weather. For cold weather nicad use, get an M.6V Power Pack 1 or 2 and carry it in your pocket.[ top | contents ]
The only substantial difference is that the Winder 2 permits
sequence operation at ~2.5 frames per second. The Winder 1
only operates in single exposure mode. A more subtle
difference is that there is a difference in the operating
voltage at the electrical contacts between the Winder 1 and the
Winder 2, which prevents some *but not all* Winder 1 units
from working with later models, esp. the OM-{2S, 4(T)}.
[ top | contents ]
See this picture comparing the old MD 1, new MD 1, and Winder 1: http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/motorwind1.jpg[ top | contents ]Picture thanks to "John McCollister" <JMccollist@aol.com>
There are several, the major ones being:
0) There are apparently two versions of the Motor Drive 1. The older version has a larger shutter button, no remote cord input, and no well for the motor drive cap from the body.
Thanks to <waldron@wrc.xerox.com> (Brian Waldron)
1) The Motor Drive 2 supports automatic advance to frame 1 with the OM-{F, G, PC, 2S, 3(Ti), and 4(T)}, rewind with the OM-{3(Ti), and 4(T)}, and film out display with the OM-{PC, 3(Ti), and 4(T)}. Note that Shipman's book claims auto rewind with the OM-PC, is apparently wrong, since the required rewind coupling does not exist on the OM-PC.
2) The Motor Drive 2 has an LCD display which shows film loading, film rewind, and film removal sequences, along with a frame counter that counts down from the preset number of frames to zero, where the drive automatically stops.
3) The cap from the motor drive coupling on the body fits into a well on the top of the Motor Drive 1, while it screws into the back of the grip on the Motor Drive 2.
4) The Motor Drive 2 has four additional electrical contacts, a rewind claw, and a rewind coupling to support its additional functionality.
5) The grip on the Motor Drive 2 has a different shape than that of the Motor Drive 1.
6) The Motor Drive 2 has two motors stacked on top of each other, rotating in opposite directions (one motor is not connected to anything). This serves to counteract twisting of the camera from motor torque.
7) The Motor Drive 2 has a current-limit shutoff to keep from ripping perforations out of the film at the end of a roll. The Motor Drive 1 does not have this feature.
8) The Motor Drive 2 has the lower Grip Strap attachment point on the drive itself. On the MD 1, the bottom of the Strap attached to the Control Pack 1, necessitating removal of the strap each time the Pack was changed.
The M.6V Power Pack 1 holds 4 AA batteries (good when low weight is a consideration), while the M.6V Power Pack 2 holds 4 D batteries (good when battery life is important).[ top | contents ]If C batteries are your thing, you can apparently use the Sony brand 4 C cell battery holder, which has the same connector as the M.6V Power Packs.
Thanks to "Bruce Appelbaum" <brucea@bestweb.net>
They are apparently identical, except for the attachment knob. On the Pack 1 the knob is silver in color and finely knurled. On the Pack 2, the knob is black plastic and easier to tighten, with small indentations to fit the fingers. Finally, the Pack 2 deletes the chrome Grip Strap attachment, as this attachment was moved to the bottom of the drive itself in the MD 2[ top | contents ]Thanks to Steve Mosier <mosier@fagan.uncg.edu> and John Hermanson <omtech@erols.com> and Vaughan Bromfield <v.bromfield@uts.edu.au>
A very minor cosmetic redesign. Electrically identical.[ top | contents ]Thanks to Rand Tomcala <rtomcala@bigfoot.com> and John Hermanson <omtech@erols.com>
See my Camera Repair FAQ for how to do this:
http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/camrep.faq.html#ques_O3
[ top | contents ]
Yes, you can. See my Camera Repair FAQ for how to do this: http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/camrep.faq.html#ques_O4[ top | contents ]
OM Camera | Contact | Max MD | Features Supported Models | Points | Speed | ----------+---------+-------------+-------------------------------- OM-1(N) | 2 | 5 FPS | Frame advance OM-2(N) | | | ----------+---------+-------------+-------------------------------- OM-10 | 2 | N/A | Frame advance ----------+---------+-------------+-------------------------------- OM-G/20 | 3 | 5 FPS | Frame advance OM-F/30 | | | * Advance to first frame after load ----------+---------+-------------+-------------------------------- OM-2S | 3 | 3.5 FPS | Frame advance OM-PC/40 | | | * Advance to first fram after load ----------+---------+-------------+-------------------------------- OM-3(Ti) | 5 | 5 FPS | Frame advance OM-4(T(i))| | | * Advance to first frame after load | | | * Power rewind | | | * Film out display ----------+---------+-------------+-------------------------------- * These features only available with the Motor Drive 2[ top | contents ]Thanks to Dan Lau <dlau@mipos2.intel.com>
The external trigger socket (a 2.5mm phono plug) on the OM winders and moto drives will trigger the winder whenever the two contacts are shorted together. The mode of operation will depend on the mode switch (single or sequence).[ top | contents ]In order to operate the winder from a PC, a simple circuit is constructed which shorts the two remote contacts for a short period of time.
A relay is used to electrically isolate the PC from the winder, ensuring that the parallel port and winder circuits cannot damage each other.
Circuit: --------
PC Parallel port Winder
relay
|| +5V ----+------+ || +-----------> _|_ C || | /_\ C || \ to remote socket | C || \ | C || | PP0 ----+------+ || +-----------> ||
The relay should be single-pole, normally open (thats 'SPNO', or 'FORM A' in relay parlance), with 5V coil rating. Any small reed relay will do, the smallest you can find.
If the relay doesn't have the diode internally (many do), then place something like a 1N4001 across the +5V/PP0 as shown.
Software: ---------
In order to complete the circuit, the PP0 pin needs to be pulled low. One way to perform this in C would be as follows:
#include <conio.h> /* for BorlandC, anyway */ main () { outport(0x378, 0x00); delay(100); outport(0x378, 0x01); }
This will complete the remote circuit for ~100ms.
Then, all you need to do is run the program each time you want a frame taken.
Notes:
1 - refers to both Winder and MD. 2 - 0x378 address assumes lpt1:, refer to the PC parallel port FAQ at http://dragon.herts.ac.uk/data/datasheets/parallel.html for more info on other ports.
3 - unfortunately, the above circuit requires an external +5V supply.
Thanks to <duncanm@qsa.qualitysemi.com>
This is a cord that is used with a motordrive or winder and two combinations of lenses and/or cameras:[ top | contents ]1. OM-F (OM-30) and any manual focus lens 2. Any OM body (including the OM-F) and the 35-70mm f/4 AF Zoom lens.
Basically it allows the photograph to be taken as soon as the image in the viewfinder is in focus (there is a button on top of the larger plug).
Thanks to Paul Lind vi Simon <ruralwales@yahoo.com>
There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*:[ top | contents ]1) It should be free of holes, like any other bellows. Take the bellows into a dark room, extend it fully, and shine a bright light all around it to check for pin holes.
2) The aperture opening and closing lever (located around a knob under the lens mount) should open and close the lens aperture freely. (At one time mine didn't, and I fixed it by applying a tiny droplet of oil to the mechanism using a toothpick).
3) The bellows should move freely and smoothly on the focusing rail, and the rack on the focusing rail and the pinions on the bellows should not show excessive wear.
4) Make sure the used bellows carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...).
As with bodies, buying a bellows that fails any of the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try elsewhere.
Thanks to Michael Covington
The problem is that different lenses are designed to give a flat field at different object distances. Normal lenses are corrected for 1:infinity or 1:x where x is some large number; macro lenses are corrected for 1:4 or 1:2; and for slide duplication, you want 1:1. From the optical viewpoint, it's almost as far from 1:2 to 1:1 as from 1:50 to 1:2, so even a macro lens may not work well.[ top | contents ]The *best* lens is the Olympus bellows-mounted 80mm f/4 macro lens, which is corrected for 1:1.
Second choice is the 50/3.5 Zuiko macro lens. I've done thorough tests, and my recommendations for using it are somewhat different from those in the manual. Specifically: a) Always extend the focusing barrel to 1:2 or as close to that as you can get. This is a floating element lens and does not become a true macro lens until the barrel is rotated into the macro position. Olympus' instruction book seems to be unaware of this, but my tests showed a dramatic difference. b) If you can tolerate a slight enlargement (1.2x), you will get best results by mounting the lens reversed. Naturally, you should also do this for any greater enlargement (2x, 5x, etc.). Work at f/11 or f/16; f/8 is fine if the slide is flat (glass-mounted) but usually the f/16 depth of field is desirable. c) For 1:1 duplication with this lens, you'll have to mount it forward and set the barrel to somewhat less than 1:2. Work at f/16 for sharpness.
A good flat-field enlarging lens will probably act very much like the 50/3.5 macro. Because it's corrected for 1:2, you should try it both forward and reversed.
Don't use the 50mm f/1.8 or 1.4 normal camera lens. If you must make do with such a lens, work at f/16 and mount the lens reversed. Don't expect the edges of the field to be perfectly sharp.
For an artistic effect (center of field sharp, edges very soft), use the 50/1.8 or 50/1.4 normal lens wide open.
Light source: I use a slide projector as the light source for focusing and composition; by aiming it right at the diffuser I can keep the light out of my eyes. Then I hold the T20 flash about 9 inches from the diffuser to make the actual exposure. This avoids reciprocity failure and color correction problems.
Thanks to Michael Covington
There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*:[ top | contents ]1) How to test a used Recordata Back 4: a) Remove your old back, install the Recordata Back. b) Remove the lens from your camera. c) Lock up the mirror if you have an OM-1(N) d) Put the camera in manual mode, on B e) Set the Recordata Back for ISO 25 film. f) Go to a dark room, or shield the room light with your hands. g) Put your eye close to the lens mount and trip the shutter. h) You should see a faint flash. i) Take a bright light, and shine it around the camera back/ camera body joints with the shutter open. There should be no light leaks. j) Check to make sure that the small magnet that holds the little door covering the settings buttons is not missing. k) Buy a 12 exposure roll of film and shoot it with the back to make sure the back is working correctly.
2) The battery compartment should be free from corrosion.
3) Make sure the used databack carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...).
As with bodies, buying a databack that fails any of the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try elsewhere.
This will depend partly on your eyes and the way you customarily use them. Are you good at judging focus by eye? If so, you may prefer to use a fine matte screen all the time. Do other people keep telling you your pictures aren't sharp, when they look OK to you? In that case, go for a microprism or split-image screen, or even (shudder) an autofocus camera. Some people are more sensitive to focus than others; my guess is that it depends partly on whether you had good eyesight when you were growing up.[ top | contents ]Microprism and split-image screens work only at f/4 or faster. They are handy for everyday photography with normal lenses.
For long telephotos, macro work, astrophotography, and other situations ranging from f/4 to about f/100, use a plain matte screen. Olympus makes one, but I prefer the Beattie Intenscreen, a third-party product that costs about $70 and is worth every penny. It's extra-fine and extra-bright. Despite Beattie's warnings, it does not seem to throw off the meter accuracy in my OM-1 or OM-2S.
The Beattie Intenscreen is available with or without a grid printed on it. I find the grid handy for orienting the camera; for keeping my eye focused on the screen; for focusing the Varimagni Finder; and for judging distortion in lenses. (The Olympus finder seems to have a little pincushion distortion of its own, which has fooled me once or twice.)
In setups slower than f/100, such as photomicrography, use the Olympus matte screen with clear cross-hairs center. It's the only screen you'll be able to see an image in. I have done this.
Thanks to Michael Covington
Two other useful screens are the new 2-4 and 2-13 screens. The 2-13 comes standard on the OM-3Ti. It will also fit an OM-{2S, 3, 4(T)}. For use on any of the other cameras that take interchangeable screens, however, they require a little "surgery" to the tab on the screen.
Thanks to CHLing <chling@asiaonline.net> and Richard Schaetzl <Richard.Schaetzl@stud.uni-hannover.de>
Databack 1: Has two dials for selecting imprinted information. Dial 1: 0-36 Dial 2: 1-12, 75-84, and A-M Uses an external sync cord to make electrical connection to the camera. Replaced by the Recordata Back 2.[ top | contents ]Databack 2: Has four dials for selecting imprinted information: Dials 1 and 2: 0-36. Dial 3: 0-15 and 78-99 (year range). Dial 4: 0-9 and A-Z. The Recordata Back 2 also uses an external sync cord to make electrical connection to the camera.
Databack 3: A digital unit with a real time clock built in, it can imprint the year/month/day (Japanese) format or the time in day/hours/minutes format. The Recordata Back 3 uses an internal contact to get a sync signal from the camera body, but also comes with a sync cord so it can be used with the OM-{1, 2}. Recordata Back 3's only keep dates up through the year 2009. Replaced by the Recordata Back 4.
Databack 4: Also digital unit with real time clock built in. It can imprint the date in the form month/day/year (US format), day/month/year (European format), or year/month/day (Japanese format). Alternatively, it can imprint the current time in hours/minutes, a running frame number, or any six digit code that the user selects. The Recordata Back 4 uses an internal contact to get a sync signal from the camera body, so it cannot be used with the OM-{1, 2}. Note that current Recordata Back 4's only keep dates up through the year 2009.
Since infrared (IR) film has no anti-halation backing, light can and does pass right through it to the film pressure plate. This causes no problems when the pressure plate is flat, but the pressure plates on OM cameras are dimpled. These dimples act like little mirrors (yes, something anodized gloss black is *very* reflective in IR :) to focus the light, thus giving you little spots on your negatives. Some folks report more problems with this than others. Olympus America is reputed to now stock replacement flat pressure plates in small numbers for those folks who use IR film often. The rumor is that they cost ~$70 US.[ top | contents ]Thanks to GMA <george@migration.com> and others.
The number engraved on the lens is the final diopter in conjunction with OM body and is listed on the left. The initial (actual) diopter of each Dioptric Correction Lens is listed on the right. That is also the value of corrective glasses to which it corresponds. +2 +4 +1 +3 0 +2 -1 +1 -2 0 -3 -1 -4 -2 -5 -3[ top | contents ]Thanks to "Branko Gjuro Turk" <gjuro@werple.net.au>
NOTE: David Lazaroff reports that the above table was less than useful in his case. After extensive experimentation with Dioptric Correction Lens 2 lenses, he came to the following conclusions:
I received the nominal 0 (zero) and +1 versions of Olympus Dioptric Lens 2 yesterday afternoon and measured their powers this morning. I also remeasured the power of the nominal -1 lens lens I'd received earlier. The powers are exactly as in the "working hypothesis" I described to you earlier:
nominal actual (diopters) +1 +1.7 diopter 0 +0.7 -1 -0.3
I haven't been able to test other lenses in the Dioptric Correction Lens 2 series, but I think it would be reasonable to extrapolate the table to include the others. The rule obviously is:
nominal value = actual power - 0.7 diopter
I can't vouch for the other series, Dioptric Correction Lens 1. I'm returning the +1 and -1 lenses to B&H and keeping the 0. Its actual power is closest to the +1 diopter power I knew I needed, and it's the one that actually works for me.
Here's how I'd advise anyone trying to buy Dioptric Correction Lens 2. First figure out what actual power of correction lens you need by trying out other lenses at the eyepiece. If you need a positive lens, take your camera to a drugstore and try looking through the viewfinder using a selection of reading glasses. If you need a negative lens, you may have to beg the help of an optometrist who will let you hold a selection of negative lenses between your eye and the camera eyepiece.
Once you know what actual value you need, subtract 0.7 diopter from that value and order the Dioptric Correction Lens 2 whose number is closest to that value. To be sure you'll get what you need, at the same time order the lenses with the next higher and lower values. Try out all three lenses when they arrive, pick the one that works best, and return the other two.
Finally, Chuck Norcutt reports that the same info is true of the Dioptric Correction Lens 1 series. That is, you should subtract 0.7 diopter from the stated value in order to get the value you need.
Thanks to "David W. Lazaroff" <lazaroff@flash.net> and Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@comcast.net>
Eyecup 1 is made out of metal and rubber. The rubber piece has a circular shape. It takes correction lenses (round ones, which you can have cut by your optician from an old spectacle glass). It does get in the way of the camera back, however.[ top | contents ]Eyecup 2 consists of plastic and rubber, and has the shape of the viewfinder. It is less comfortable and doesn't close the light out as well as the #1 does.
Thanks to Frank van Lindert <lindertv@knmi.nl> and "Larry J. Clark" <ljclark@humboldt1.com>
The 1-4N screen has a circle in the center of the screen that approximates the size of the spot meter area in the OM-4(Ti).[ top | contents ]The 2-series screens are identical to their 1-series cousins, except that they are about 2 stops brighter and only fit the OM-{2S, 3(Ti), 4(Ti)}. The 2-series screens can be modified with a small file to fit the other OMs.
Thanks to "L.J. Clark" <ljclark@humboldt1.com>, Ulf Westerberg <ulf.westerberg@malmo.mail.telia.com>, and "John A. Prosper" <prosper@freenet.tlh.fl.us>
It is apparently for a "Program Timer TM-2" which allows setting exposure intervals up to 1 *week* apart. So with a 250 frame film back attached, you could go on for roughly 4.8 *years* :)[ top | contents ]Thanks to Frank van Lindert <lindertv@knmi.nl>
The right angle viewers for the Pentax M series seem to work fine. Make sure you get an M series version though, not a K series version. A benefit of the Pentax viewer over the VariMagni Finder is that it doesn't invert the image.[ top | contents ]The Canon Angle Finder C works beautifully on the Olympus and almost any other SLR with a rectangular eyepiece frame (even Nikons). It comes with fittings for rectangular frames of several sizes. It functions like the Olympus Varimagni Finder but has a larger entrance pupil, yielding a much brighter image.
Thanks to Gary Schloss <schloss@relaypoint.net> Michael Covington
Which OM viewfinders are easy to see with glasses on? That is, which OM cameras have relatively long eye relief (high eyepoint)? None of them are comparable to the Nikon F3HP. Michael Covington, a lifelong eyeglass wearer, finds the OM-1 just adequate for use with glasses and the low-end OM's (OM-10, OM-F, etc.) more than adequate. The eye relief of the OM-2, OM-3, and OM-4 is not so generous because Olympus added displays outside the picture area, requiring you to keep your eye closer to the camera in order to see them. In the OM-4T, and perhaps others, it is easy for an eyeglass wearer to be totally unaware of the LCD display, which is not visible at all when looking straight at the picture area.[ top | contents ]You can increase the eye relief (eyepoint) of the OM-3 and OM-4 so you can more easily see the display with your glasses on using one of the following three methods:
(1) If your eyeglass prescription is fairly weak and you don't have astigmatism, consider using the camera with your glasses off, adjusting the diopter adjustment so you can see the viewfinder image clearly.
(2) With your glasses on, turn the diopter adjustment as far *counterclockwise* as you can while maintaining a sharp image. This will give you the maximum eye relief.
(3) If you *really* want an improvement, do the following. This will not make the OM-4T into a Nikon F3HP, but it will at least put it into the same class as the Minolta SRT series or Nikon F3 non HP; you will be able to see *almost* the whole picture area and display with glasses on:
(a) Get an eyeglass maker to make you a plano-concave lens, flat on one side, power -2.0D, plastic, rectangular, 11.5 x 17 mm. (Mine cost about $20. Anti-reflection coated lenses are available at higher cost.)
(b) Using sandpaper, round the corners of the plastic lens and reduce its size slightly so it will press-fit into the OM-4T eyepiece frame. Round one of the corners more than necessary so you will have room to pry the lens out if you need to do so in the future.
(c) Clean the lens and press it into the eyepiece frame. (Do not use the Olympus diopter lens holder; the whole point is that you must add this lens without taking up any further space.) *CAUTION*: The glass window at the back of the eyepiece frame is very easily broken; don't push the lens in so far that it touches it.
(d) Turn the diopter adjustment all the way counterclockwise and leave it there.
The result: A significant increase in eye relief; a slight decrease in viewfinder magnification (but it's still much greater than the Nikon F3HP); and you can no longer use the diopter adjustment (the image is fixed at -1 D, same as the OM-1).
In addition, Covington reports: "Canon makes an eye-relief extender, the EP-EX, that will probably fit an OM although I haven't actually tried it. It gives a considerable reduction in magnification."
Thanks to Michael A. Covington
Finally, here is a list of folks that have helped with the FAQ to date (i.e. sent me contributions or made useful editorial comments):
<Mattias.Kullman@ki.ericsson.se> (Mattias Kullmann) <edwards@nosc.mil> (Dan Edwards) Michael P. Kucher <mk@scs.unr.edu> <waldron@wrc.xerox.com> (Brian Waldron) Andrew Donkin <arg@borg.cs.waikato.ac.nz> <Majjick@aol.com> <jeff@news.internet.net> (Jeff Spirer) Adrian Ford <ajoec1@westminster.ac.uk> <Orleff_Groetenherdt@du.maus.de> (Orleff Groetenherdt) Greg McGrath <GMcGrath@aol.com> "Bruce Appelbaum" <brucea@bestweb.net> <kruse@VNET.IBM.COM> (Bob Kruse) Steve Mosier <mosier@fagan.uncg.edu> Henri de Feraudy <100630.225@compuserve.com> <Ismo.Nakki@vtt.FI> Wiliam Wagenaar <wwagenaa@zeelandnet.nl> Jeremy Seftor <perimtrs@alaska.net> "Larry J. Clark" <ljclark@humboldt1.com> "Reichle, Donald W." <ReichDW1@bisdpo1.bisdnet.jhuapl.edu> Frank van Lindert <lindertv@knmi.nl> <GPaul64@aol.com> (Greg Logiodice) "John A. Prosper" <prosper@freenet.tlh.fl.us> <w.wagenaar@cs.schelde.com> (W.P.J. Wagenaar) John Hermanson <omtech@erols.com> Rand Tomcala <rtomcala@bigfoot.com> Giles <cnocbui@indigo.ie> CHLing <chling@asiaonline.net> <sdg@SDF.LONESTAR.ORG> (Stephen D. Goss) Richard Schaetzl <Richard.Schaetzl@stud.uni-hannover.de> <george@migration.com> Branko Gjuro Turk" <gjuro@werple.net.au> Dan Lau <dlau@mipos2.intel.com> Jim Terazawa <jimt@asic.sc.ti.com> Warren Kato <wkato@aol.com> Ulf Westerberg <ulf.westerberg@malmo.mail.telia.com> Kerry Frohling <kdfrohling@mail.hac.com> Per Nordenberg <per.nordenberg@swipnet.se> Tristan Lawrence <tlawrence@center.colgate.edu> "Doug Nowlin" <wa5ohb@freewwweb.com> Kennedy <rkm@nospam.demon.co.uk> Gary Schloss <schloss@relaypoint.net> <sebastien@research.nj.nec.com> (Sebastien Roy) "Dr. Chris Barrett" <cpbarrett@dera.gov.uk> <Shooter35@aol.com> Christopher Biggs <chris@stallion.oz.au> Mike Bloor <mikbloor@iol.ie> <duncanm@qsa.qualitysemi.com> "Tom Trottier" <TomATrottier@home.com> Vaughan Bromfield <v.bromfield@uts.edu.au> Simon <ruralwales@yahoo.com> "David W. Lazaroff" <lazaroff@flash.net> "Stallard, Keith" <StallarK@JM.com> "Karl Hoehn" <khoehn@home.com> "Neil Clark" <neclark@rc-recon.com> "John McCollister" <JMccollist@aol.com> Tim Hughes <TimHughes@ieee.org> "Richard Linney" <Richard.Linney@silvertown.co.uk> Ari Lehtonen <lehtonen@cc.jyu.fi> Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@comcast.net>
Thanks, folks!
Cheers, --Lee ________________________________________________________________________ R. Lee Hawkins lhawkins@brashear.phys.appstate.edu Observatory Assistant/Engineer hawkinsrl@appstate.edu Dept. of Physics & Astronomy http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins Appalachian State University Ph. 828-262-7331 Boone, North Carolina 28608 FAX: 828-262-2049 ________________________________________________________________________