Using an OM4

[sking]

<p>I have searched the site, but cannot find some simple things regarding this new-to-me camera. A few questions:<br>

1. Is there a dedicated on/off switch? Or does the camera turn itself off after a couple of minutes as indicated when the viewfinder display goes off?<br>

2. If I set the selector to AUTO and push the shutter button, does that represent aperture-preferred exposure?<br>

3. To use the spotmeter, do I put the center of the viewfinder on the critical spot I want metered, and push the "spotmeter" button? Then, if that's the exposure I want to use, I simply press the shutter button?<br>

4. If I want to meter the darkest and the lightest portions of the scene, do I place the center of the viewfinder on the lightest portion of the scene and push "spotmeter," then put the center of the viewfinder on the darkest portion of the scene and push "spotmeter," again? And then, if I push the shutter button, does the camera average the two meter readings to make the exposure?<br>

5. Is there a depth of field preview function?<br>

I am sorry if some of these questions seem pretty pedestrian, but after 30 years of using a variety of Nikons (which went away when I began using Canon digitals), I have acquired the OM4 as my only film camera because of its size.<br>

AND THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR THE CAMERA IS AN EXERCISE IN OPACITY! In four languages!!!<br>

I truly appreciate your responses. I am looking forward to a camera that is durable and more compact than my old Nikons.<br>

Gratefully,<br>

Steven</p>

[byron_rakitzis]

<p>I'm sure you'll get lots of answers from people who use OM cameras every day. I haven't used an OM-4 in years, but as I remember:</p>

<p>1. The only certain way to avoid battery drain is to set to one of the mechanical (red) shutter speeds (B or M60).</p>

<p>2. This camera has aperture-priority and manual exposure. So "auto" refers to the aperture-priority function. The OM-2S added "program" exposure, as well.</p>

<p>3, 4. I don't remember how the spotmeter works exactly. You could meter up to a number of locations, and you could see the little dots on the viewfinder display which would show the locked "multi spot" meters. So you could meter a highlight, meter a shadow, and the camera would choose a mid-way shutter speed. I think you are largely correct here.</p>

<p>5. DOF preview is a small chrome button on the barrel of an OM lens. It's not a camera function at all.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

[tim_kohlman]

<p>1. To answer your question, the camera will switch itself off after a set time (i think it's 30 or 60 seconds). The red B or 60 setting will turn off the display rather than waiting for it to turn itself off, however apparently it won't stop the battery drain.</p>

<p>2. Yep, AUTO is aperture priority auto exposure. the exposure if calculated by light reflected off the film/shutter curtain during the exposure.</p>

<p>3. Correct. The reading is indicated by the . that appears in the viewfinder to indicate the shutter speed it will use based on the spot meter reading in memory.</p>

<p>4. Correct. The averaged reading is indicated by the bar graph in the viewfinder, the individual spot readings are indicated by the dots that appears underneath the bar graph.</p>

<p>So, it sounds like you're on the right track, enjoy the camera let us know if there are any other queries.</p>

<p> </p>

[tim_kohlman]

<p>also, to elaborate on the battery drain issue. OM-4's suffer from a problematic circuit that will eat batteries (even when the display is off). If you're lucky you may have the OM-4ti circuit as it was a common upgrade to alleviate the problem. To check switch on the battery check, if it turns itself off after 30 seconds then you have the lower drain circuit.</p>

<p>Setting to Red B or 1/60 will avoid the camera turning itself on if the shutter release button is bumped but it won't stop battery drain from the high-drain circuit. Only way to avoid this is store the camera with the batteries removed.</p>

[john_hermanson2]

<p>There is no "off" switch. Meter turns off automatically in 90 seconds, but you'll still have some battery drain. Red B / 60 are mechanical speeds but do not turn the drain off. To see if the body has a newer low drain board, turn the battery check on. If the beep and LED turn off automatically in about 30 seconds you have a newer circuit board with lower battery drain. Auto is aperture preferred. Spot reading is in the center of the screen (reprtesented perfectly by 1-4N focus screen) and you can take up to 8 separate readings which the camera will average out. There is a depth of field button built into every zuiko lens. Meter relight (by way of the release button), spot readings and highlight / shadow functions will not work unless a lens is mounted. John</p>

[patrick j dempsey]

<p>Steven, Olympus produces a very different camera than Nikon in many ways, but hopefully holding and shooting will get you used to doing just about everything backwards from the way you are used to! </p>

<p>The hardest thing to get used to with this camera is what the meter is telling you, but once you figure it out, it's pie. Basically, when the camera is in auto mode, it shows a series of shutter speeds and a moving dot representing what your exposure will be. </p>

<p>The collar around the shutter release button can be twisted to "lock" the exposure in a kind of manual "program" mode. When the exposure is "locked" and you change the aperture, the camera will adjust the shutter speed automatically.</p>

<p>The Spot mode allows you to record up to 8 different readings which will display in the meter along the shutter speed range, along with a special dot for the average. The average of all of the readings will be the auto setting for the shutter. You can spot meter anything you want and the camera will average it together for you. Or you can press the Shadow button to meter something you want to be black in the scene or the Highlight button to meter something you want to be white in the scene.</p>

<p>With the appropriate flashes (T20, T32) the OM4 will also do a very nice job with automated flash exposures.</p>