Uh-oh... handled an OM-1 for the first time in over 20 years...

... and I'm reminded of why I always liked them back "in the day"!

 

In the late '70s and early '80s, I was shooting news for the local

biweeklies. I found myself not wanting to use my Nikons

for "personal" photography - they reminded me too much of work! So

I went through a series of other systems for playtime, ending up

with an OM-1 and a couple of lenses (I remember a 50/1.4 and a

100/2.8 for sure, and probably a 35/2 or 2.8). I only had my

budding Olympus system for a month or so before I was offered an

incredible deal on a Leica M4-2, 35/2, 50/1 and 90/2, so it was sold

off to help pay for the Leicas.

 

Now, I enjoy wandering around with camera systems from my youth,

shooting B&W available light street stuff. I usually do this with

my small Pentax H2a collection, but the OM-1 just feels right! I

also like the huge VF and quiet operation.

 

So, I'm thinking I'll look for a decent OM-1 or OM-1n and send it

off to John Hermanson for an overhaul. Then, find late MC blacknose

versions of a 35/2, 50/1.4 and 85/2 for starters and see where it

takes me. From what I remember, most Zuikos have an almost Leica-

like rendering, compared to Nikkor bite.

 

Question: I think I saw it written somewhere that the OM-1 is

noticeably quieter than the OM-1n. Truth or fiction? I know John

Hermanson says on his site that the n-series cameras are better

built.

 

Comments and suggestions are welcome - this is gonna be fun!

It's been a while since I read John's comments but as I recall he said Olympus replaced two or three plastic parts in the OM-1 with metal for the OM-1N. Besides improving durability a bit this might affect how much noise a camera makes. But I haven't noticed any real differences between my OM-1 and the OM-1N bodies I've handled in stores and at camera shows.

Ken,

 

I had never handled an OM-1 until about 6 months ago when I came across one at a flea market. The guy selling it was going digital and practically gave it away with a 50 f1.4 Zuiko silvernose.

 

Until then, my experience was with Nikon MF bodies and Leica M's. All I can say is that the OM-1 takes a back seat to neither.

 

Mine has a non-working meter (which is no big deal to me). I recently re-covered it with a kit from Cameraleather.com and it looks almost new.

 

My OM-1 does sound quieter than my recently re-foamed 25 year-old Nikon FM (the closest thing to it that I have). I've never used any other Olympus body but I'm sure you'll get plenty of answers from they folks who have.

 

I'm also learning to love the Zuikos. They do indeed render more closely to my Leica lenses than to my Nikkors.

 

I think we owe it to ourselves and to the people who created these old gems to use them until the last roll of film disappears.

 

What are you waiting for? :-)

 

Rich

>>> What are you waiting for? :-)

 

Just the right OM-1n!

 

I haven't been this excited by a prospective camera purchase in years. Picking up that OM-1 yesterday took me right back to my teens, when I was wandering the countryside with my Pentax SP500 (complete with tapestry wide strap!) learning the ins and outs of composition and shooting technique on endless rolls of Tri-X.

 

I think an OM could do much for my enthusiasm for non-action shooting - I've noticed a real drop in my creative work since I went digital, which I think is more a reaction to the technology than anything else. (Don't get me wrong - I love digital, it's revolutionized how I shoot.) I do occasionally go out with a sack of the old Pentax gear or my F2s, but the Oly speaks to me in a way I haven't experienced since I sold my Leica M gear in '86 or '87. I tried to regain that feeling a few years back with a Bessa-T, 40 and 90, but it just hasn't clicked for me.

 

I have high hopes for Olympus!

Also... I would be spending 99% of the time shooting B&W. I'm not a Bokeh freak (yet), but would I do better with single coated Zuikos? I'm not looking for absolute sharpness, but rather a more pictorial rendering. Even flare is OK if it's "painterly".

FWIW, here's a bit of non-scientific, anecdotal evidence that there is something wonderful about Zuikos, at least for people photography. I mostly take pictures of my kids, and other kids they happen to be playing with. Photos taken with my OM-2n, using mostly the humble 50/1.8, always seem to get more "oohs and ahs" and requests for copies from other parents than those taken with my other (non-Olympus) cameras.

Never handled a Leica.... more than likely never will... but glad to hear people comparing a camera I do own and love to shoot, to one that gets such high marks in the feild. From erogmics to preformance, its definitly my favorite camera that I've ever shot with, and that came immediately the first time I handled it. In a world where theres not many things built to make sense, the OM-1 was definitely designed and built by people who wanted something to make since. I dont like automatic things. I dont like to feel like I have to do something a particular way, or work around the peculiarities of how something functions to use it. I dont particularily like computers for that reason, and would really love to be able to just use MS-DOS again. I dont like menus or buttons that you have to memorize what they mean.

I dont like that computer technology doesnt make any sense to me. Record players, I understand how those work. Telephones which plug into the wall, I understand how those work. Manual cameras that expose images onto film, I understand how those work. The rest of this stuff, I have no clue. So hopefully Ill be able to keep using this wonderful peice of technology that makes sense, in this confusing hi-tech world for a good while to come.

My workaday cameras are Nikons but I can't part with my OM-1 and handful of Olympus gear. I can stuff every bit of my Olympus gear into a single small Beseler Lifestyle "canteen" bag: OM-1 body, 28/2.8, 50/1.4, 50/3.5 macro and 75-150 Zuikos, filters, film, even the T-20 flash, which I seldom use because the hotshoes for the OM-1 and OM-2 cameras were, frankly, crap on a stick. I also have a Lowepro Off Trail, their smallest waistbag, that holds almost everything quite neatly.

 

Even tho' my FM2N doesn't seem much larger than the OM-1 I can't fit nearly as much Nikon gear into these small bags. Part of the problem is that my Nikkors are considerably larger in girth. The 49mm filter thread Zuikos are skinny and tuck neatly into nooks and crannies.

 

My OM gear remains my favorite for lightweight travel. And it's what my niece cut her teeth on. She borrowed my OM gear for a year or so while studying photography in high school. So it has a sentimental family connection now.

OK, y'all talked me into it. (Like I wasn't already there!)

 

I'm actively looking for a OM-1n, and will start casting about for glass. This is going to be strictly an available light kit at this point, although I may succumb to a Winder 1 or 2 just because they feel so nice. I suspect if I get a winder, I'll have to find a second body for it to live on.

 

My short term goal is a nice three or four lens speed rig that can be shot out of a low profile fanny pack with a single body.

If you're interested in a waistbag/fannybag, take a look at the Lowepro Off Trail. It's perfect for a single OM camera (sans motor drive or winder) and up to four lenses. I can vouch for the 49mm filter thread lenses - dunno whether the faster Zuikos will fit as well. There aren't separate compartments for every little thing but I can tuck in film, filters, batteries, a small notepad, etc.

Thanks for the fannypack tip, Lex - I'll go check one of those out!

Ken,

 

If you're seriously interested in a Winder 1 please email me. I have one that looks like it's never been used. It was part of the OM-1 kit that I bought. I did put batteries into it when I first got it and know that it's working fine.

 

Rich

Rich, watch your email... thanks!

Once bitten....

... twice shy?

Ken,

 

I can't access my AOL email from here but I'll respond to you either tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

Rich

Found one! KEH had a "bargain" black OM-1n - I've had very good luck with their bargain grade stuff, and they don't complain if you want to return it during the inspection period.

Love that OM-1<div></div>

Yikes, that the WRONG picture..let's try this again...<div></div>

Ken,

 

Congrats on the OM-1n. I've bought bargain grade from KEH and it was worth every penny and then some. It's usually not the prettiest equipment but I've never found a mechanical problem with it.

 

Here's one taken with my meterless OM-1 and 50mm f1.4 on Superia 200.

 

Check your email.

 

Rich<div></div>

Got my OM1 from KEH as well. Chose a bargain one, it was ugly but works like a dream. Look at the lenses as well, they tend to have similar bargains there when you pay attention.

Clearly the secret to dealing with KEH is to buy bargain grade. I bought an 'excellent' rated OM1N from them which had a defective meter and a wildly inaccurate and inconsistent shutter. Also bought (but returned) an 'excellent' rated OM2N. Didn't bother even trying it: jammed shutter speed dial, twisted mirror, and a mount so worn lenses couldn't stay in place.

 

They did look real nice, though.

Saw on the news last evening that the GW painting in my post above sold for over $21,000,000 at auction the other day. Probably bought by the guy on the left. :-)

$21,000,000? Yikes! That's a lot of George Washingtons!!!

 

(Ducks)

$21,000,000. It's such an abstract number to me that I can't even fathom what that would look like in cash.

 

I did take the shot in front of Christie's which is the auction house where the painting was sold. At the time, I had no idea that it was being auctioned or what it was worth.