OM-1 stuck shutter/film advance, OM-G, other new user questions

[melaniec]

Hi all,

 

This weekend I picked up an OM-1 MD with 50/1.8 lens at a camera show for $25. The body and lens are

both extremely clean -- the body in particular looks brand new. However, about halfway through the first

roll the shutter and film advance became stuck solid.

 

Web searches seem to indicate that this is not an uncommon problem and I think I have a handle on what I

could do myself to try to fix it, but could use some advice, particularly if anyone has fixed this problem

him/herself and can walk me through with very specific directions.

 

Any pointers on what tools I'll need, specifically, would also be appreciated. I'm not terribly mechanically

inept, but I also don't usually take cameras apart so any and all help is critical!

 

In case I can't fix this myself, if you know of anyone who services these cameras and has very reasonable

rates, let me know. I am reluctant to spend very much because it seems like I could replace the body for

less money than most repairs might cost, but one never knows.

 

I am very impressed with the build quality and finish of this camera. I am a rangefinder user and my Leica

M3 is my usual carry-everywhere camera. The reasons I looked for an OM-1 are its size, solidity, and

battery independence. It is my first film SLR -- I have a Nikon D70s but it's a monster compared to the

OM.

 

At the same camera show I picked up an OM-G (OM-20) that the seller essentially considered a rear cap

for the Vivitar 28-210mm macro zoom attached to it (I got both for $10). I haven't been able to find much

information about this camera, other than that it is one of the less-desirable consumer series OMs. It isn't

as solid as the OM-1 but as far as I can tell there's nothing wrong with this camera and I've got film in it.

It has a full manual mode but I'm assuming that with no battery it won't work. Any information or advice

about the OM-G?

 

Thanks, Melanie

[john_robison3]

Greetings Melanie

I have several OM-1's over the years and the only one that locked up was my oldest one. Have you been able to rewind and remove the film? If so take a look at the shutter curtain, it might look wrinkled or bunched up? If so I'd send the camera to Camtech (www.zuiko.com) he can usually fix about any OM, if otherwise, I just don't know. If you do send off the body to camtech be prepaired to wait 8 weeks or so, John H. is top notch and in demand, thus backed up about all the time but all his customers will tell you it's worth the wait. The OMG will not operate without batteries, the shutter is electronicaly timed. That said, it's a fine picture taker so if it works I'd use it. There is alot of information on the OM system on the web that a google search will bring up and I'm sure many more people here can help.

regards, John R.

[William Kahn]

You got a good deal on the OM-1. It's a great camera and worth repairing. Another choice for service would be KEH (www.keh.com).

[james_lai]

Melanie, if the OM-1 is truly in mint condition I think it would be well worth getting it serviced.

 

Before shipping it off though, try switching the rewind switch to R and see if that will free up the winding. If not, remove the film if you haven't already done so, and open the back. Take a look for any bits of film or other debris around the shutter and takeup spool.

 

If no luck there, you'll have to go inside.

 

To remove the bottom plate, unscrew the 4 bottom screws (one at each end and one on each side of the tripod mount) with a proper size screwdriver. Don't use any old screwdriver you've got lying around, get one that fits properly or you'll butcher the screw heads. Check the gearing on the wind side. Hopefully you can see what's wrong by studying the mechanisms. I haven't opened up an OM-1 for years now and I never had a jam so I can't give any specific instructions.

 

If you can't see what's wrong, put the bottom plate back on and send it to Camtech.

[melaniec]

Thanks guys.

 

I was able to rewind and remove the film but the advance mechanism and shutter remain

resolutely stuck. I mean really, really stuck. No movement whatsoever and no play either.

 

I did remove the bottom plate and see that the mirror cocking lever is stuck in the wrong

position. If I am reading right I need to dissassemble the black gears and replace

everything in the "correct" position but I am not sure right now what the correct position

is. I also don't have any screwdrivers small enough to take out the screws inside the

camera so I need to make a trip to the hardware store. I'm guessing an eyeglass repair kit

will do the trick.

 

Hopefully I can get the OM-1 working again because it looks great and is really clean.

[melaniec]

By the way, here are my new OMs:

 

<p>

 

OM-1 with 50/1.8

 

<p>

 

<img src = "http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g238/SoloRiver/om1_1.jpg">

 

<p>

 

<img src = "http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g238/SoloRiver/om1_2.jpg">

 

<p>

 

OM-G with 28/2.8

 

<p>

 

<img src = "http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g238/SoloRiver/omg_1.jpg">

 

<p>

 

They are pretty things!

[james_lai]

Melanie, I requested your e-mail address but it doesn't seem to be coming through. E-mail me (jimbob83 at hotmail dot com) and I'll send you a some repair info (service manual and a repair article).

[neild]

Hi Melanie,

 

I see from your bio that you are considering buying a digital SLR. Did you know that if you buy Canon, you can get an adapter that will allow you to use these Olympus lenses on it? I have no shares in Canon Camera Co. - just providing information only :)

[melaniec]

Thanks for the pointers.

 

My bio must be heinously out of date. I got a dSLR last fall -- it's a Nikon D70s. It's good for

what it's good for but for the most part I don't take my best photos with this camera. For

some reason I've always preferred Nikon to Canon.

[neild]

Being an Olympus shooter of many years, I still find my digital Canons to feel kind of strange - but Canon lets me use all of my old manual focus Olympus lenses via an adapter whereas Nikon would not do this (and also I like FF so Canon wins there for me). The money I saved in not having to buy new lenses was huge!

[shadowfox]

Hi Melanie,

 

Fixing Pros:

- It'll make your OM-1 almost new, ready for another 20yrs of service (as long as you go all the way CLA either at zuiko.com or also consider olyfix.com, Clint Rumbo of Photoshpere is also an excellent Olympus technician who solely work on Olys, I currently have an OM-2n in his 12-week queue)

 

Fixing Cons:

- Not cheap! but worth it if you're looking to use it a lot

 

Replacing Pros:

- (Maybe) cheaper

 

Replacing Cons:

- May get another sample that is broken somehow some ways

- For another 20$ you can get OM-2 (same size, same smoothness of operation although with electric shutter) which uses a readily available silver-oxide battery so you can actually use the lite-meter

 

Just my opinion,

Will

[melaniec]

Hi guys, thanks for the advice. I'm inclined not to send the OM-1 off for repair/CLA,

because I have the OM-G that takes the same lenses and seems to have no issues and I

don't think I'll use the OM-1 enough to justify the cost of repair since I have an M3 that is

my main camera and shares most of the advantages of the OM-1 (small size, excellent

build quality, excellent optics).

 

Obviously the M3 can't do everything the OM-1 can (or vice versa), but since I have the

OM-G to cover those bases (albeit with a tad less style and substance), I think what I'll do

is try to fix the OM-1 myself, and if I fail I'll let someone else have it for parts and keep an

eye out for a good deal on another, recently CLAed OM-1 if one should come along. I

have an affinity for cameras that don't need batteries so I think I'd rather have an OM-1

than an OM-2.

 

Thanks again, Melanie

[patrick j dempsey]

I was curious if you had any luck with that repair? Ive had similar issues with my OM-1 recently.

[Alara]

Any updates on this? I have the same problem

[glen_h]

Going rate seems to be about $45.

https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Olympus/Olympus-OM-1.html

 

If it is just a locked-up shutter, and not anything deeper,

then it might be worth someone unstucking it.

 

But then again, it could happen again, the next day, year, or decade.

 

You can buy a used one for about $45, which also might last a day, year, or decade.

 

Or a full CLA, which likely costs a lot more, and could still fail the next day.

(Less likely, though.)

[michael_goldfarb]

I don't trust that collectiblend site data.  I was just looking at KEH, UsedPhotoPro, eBay, etc., and you won't find a WORKING OM-1 body for anywhere near that price these days.  The under-$100 ones are nearly all as-is, inoperable, or parts-only.  

If you decide to go the repair route, John Hermanson at zuiko.com is still repairing OMs.  He's not cheap, but he's good: he's worked on both my OM-2 and Pen F in recent years.