About an OM2

[John Seaman]

<p >One of the nice things about the digital age is that it's possible to experience equipment you would never have had the opportunity too use in film days, either because it was too expensive or because you were committed to another system. I always used Minolta but I can now appreciate some of the merits and foibles of the other makes.</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p >I acquired this OM2 MD last year, and the f1.4 lens more recently. It's definitely a Modern Film Camera with its electronic shutter and TTL flash metering, but in manual mode it has the feel of a classic camera. Here are a few shots I did with it earlier this year.</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p >The film was Provia 400, several years out of date but the colours seem fine - I've used up all my slower films. The slides were “scanned” on a light box using my Sony A900 and 50mm macro lens.</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>Another one - Number 7</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>There seem to be a lot of bullrushes around this year.</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>You might recognise this scene from earlier posts.</p>

[John Seaman]

<p>Oops forgot to attach image:</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>Spring finally arrives.</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>Last one, a South Eastern and Chatham Railway model locomotive. Thanks for looking.</p><div></div>

[craigd]

<p>Nice! I particularly like the photo of the bull rushes.</p>

<p>I have two OM-2Ns (one black, one chrome) and I'm very fond of them. I don't know that I would say they are "decisively Modern Film Cameras", though. Of course the border between "classic manual" and "modern" is debatable (and has been extensively debated without anyone being persuaded to change their mind about it), but I think cameras of the 1970s mostly fall into a gray area between purely mechanical manual cameras such as the OM-1 and the emergence of autofocus in the mid-'80s (which to my mind is where "decisively modern" begins).</p>

<p>I'm with you on the way the digital era has made it possible to gain broader experience of older cameras. Aside from my two OMs, I now have half a dozen or so Minoltas and Nikons, a few Pentaxes, and a Canon, plus some medium format goodness. In the old days I could never have justified the expense of all this, but these days it's ridiculously easy.</p>

[amir_aziz]

<p>John, some very nice shots there, the one of the model train is my favourite. It's easy to see why people become Zuikoholics.</p>

<p>Much like yourself and Craig I've taken the opportunity to try a few different brands and I've really been impressed by Olympus. From the first moment I held an OM2n I knew it wasn't just a thing of beauty but it's weight just screams quality.</p>

<p>I use it mostly in Auto (<strong></strong>Aperture Priority AE) but switch it into Manual mode (like you say it has the feel of a classic camera) and it becomes an OM1 that uses Silver Oxide SR44 batteries.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Great job. When my family owned a camera shop we sold some OM-2's. We never stocked the f1.4, though as most customers wanted the less expensive f1.8. One of the features I like about the OM-2 is the way auto exposure and manual are displayed in the viewfinder. Thanks for posting.</p>

[david_carroll4]

<p>I agree - the demise of Kodachrome notwithstanding, this is a very good time to be a film photographer - to acquire and use some of those film heavyweights that were beyond our reach back in the day. I remember as a teenager, pressing my nose against the camera shop window and drooling over F-1s and F2s, and being no more able to afford them than I could a Ferrari. Times have indeed changed (except for the Ferrari thing, of course - still out of my reach ;-)</p>

[John Seaman]

<p>Thanks for the comments. Yes the way the viewfinder display changes when you switch to manual mode is very clever. The shutter speed scale retracts and you are just left with the over/under exposure marks and needle. I like the brightness of the finder, especially with the f1.4 lens, and the fact that the focusing screen can be replaced - mainly so that it can be taken out and cleaned, there's nothing worse than a screen with dirt on the top surface which you can't get at without major work.<br>

I've also got an OM1 and OM4, I find the exposure system of the OM4 a bit complicated for my simple mind but I'm sure it's great if you are heavily into multi spot metering, the zone system or whatever - if you can remember how it works.<br>

The only downside to the system in my opinion is the cloth horizontal shutter. The vertical metal shutters of (say) the Nikkormats or Minolta XE/XD's inspire more confidence somehow - but then the OM's work well enough.</p>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>John,</p>

<p>It is always great to see pictures from your area of the world.</p>

<p>I agree about the effects of the new digital age. When I bought my Canon FTb in 1972 it was a half-months pay. I was in the service at the time and it was a lot of money. I had very little experience handling other cameras.</p>

<p>Now I have a FTb just like the one I had along with an Olympus Om-1, Minolta's, Pentax's, Konica's, Fuji's, Miranda's, and others from that time period. How can this not be the golden age of photography for us gear nuts?</p>

<p>I found a nice test of the OM-2. It is from Modern Photography May 1976 issue.</p>

<p>Here is part 1.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is Part 2.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is Part 3.</p><div></div>

[marc_bergman1]

<p>Here is Part 4.</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>Marc very interesting! I'll read it when I get a minute. Here are a few more OM2 shots:</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>The Liberty statue isn't our only connection with Ne(w) York:</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>At the Botanical Garden:</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>The inevitable graffiti</p><div></div>

[John Seaman]

<p>Last one - the Summit building again.</p><div></div>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>Nice work with the OM2, John. I like the contrast of The Neighbors shot. I have an affection for these wonderful, small little machines too:<br>

<a href="../classic-cameras-forum/00YqKX">http://www.photo.net/classic-cameras-forum/00YqKX</a></p>

 

[dana_bartholomew]

<p>OM2n 100/2.8 Tri-X<img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7127/7145795093_edff46cae0_c.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="531" /></p>