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Re: [OM] New OM Wish List

Subject: Re: [OM] New OM Wish List
From: "Shawn Wright" <swright@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 1998 09:06:06 -0800
On  7 Jan 98 at 20:38, Tomoko Yamamoto wrote:

> >Here's my wish list for a new OM body (and lenses):
> >
> >Minimum spec:
> >(for $500 US price point)
> >
> >1/250 flash sync
> >Metal lens mount, chassis, back, and film guides.
> >Well damped mirror assembly with pre-fire on self timer.
> >Quiet shutter, with 1/60 and B mechanical speeds.
> >Shutter speed dial as on OM-1,2,3,4
> >Meter display as on OM-4
> >Spot meter, shadow, highlight control operation and positioning as on OM-4
> >OTF metering with low light auto mode as on OM-2,4
> >TTL/OTF flash, with separate X jack and TTL jack. (as on OM-4)
> >Electronic shutter with full manual & auto control (as on OM-4)
> >Compatibility with all OM lenses, winders, MD, focus screens, etc.
> >2-13 screen standard
> >
> Since I don't know to what extent Olympus can lower the price of the above
> model which is essentially OM-4, I would like to propose upgrading the
Yes, I realized how close to perfection the OM-4 is after making this list...

> OM2000 to incorporate more compatibility with the OM system.
> 
> The size of the OM2000 is slightly larger than the OM-4T.  It should be
> possible to modify the bottom cover area to accept the Winder 2 and the
> Motordrive 2.  There seems to be enough room to incorporate the OM style
I wonder about this. Maybe John H. can comment from seeing the bottom cover 
off the OM-2000. It would seem to me that the mechanical layout in the bottom 
of the 2000 would have to be very similar to the other OMs in order for this to 
work. Since the 2000 is an OEM design using a very different vertical shutter, 
I wonder if this is even possible. Maybe it would require Olympus licensing the 
original OM-1/2 design to Cosina to manufacture at a lower cost. After all, 
didn't the 2000 article state that Cosina starts with an expensive design, then 
reduces cost in non-critical areas? Isn't the OM-1/2 (or 3/4) the "expensive" 
design which matches our goals most closely?

> focusing screen frame in the OM2000.  The focusing screen which comes with
> the OM2000, BTW, is bright and now that I got my dioptric correction lens
> installed, it is easy to focus.  About flash accessories, Olympus at the
> minium should install a PC socket on the OM2000.  At this point, the OM2000
> becomes a nice all-manual replacement/second body for the OM users all over
> the world.  Price would be certainly well below $500.  I would think these
> modifications may be done by Cosina for Olympus.  
I think the focus screen and PC socket could easily be done by Cosina, as you 
mention, without too much cost. The fact that the OM-10 *can* be made to 
accept OM-1/2 screens is a good example, although a proper swing down frame 
would be nicer of course.

> It would be nice to have the TTL flash capability even without
> autoexposure.  Moving the shutter dial to the OM mount area is the next
> improvement.   These two might be major modifications to the OM2000, and I
> think it might be just as well for Olympus to produce the current OM-4Ti
> without titanium and bring the price down closer to $700-800.  
I agree, or see whether Cosina can clone the OM-1/2/3/4 design. I suspect it 
was much cheaper for Oly to use Cosina's design (which has probably already 
recovered much of the R&D costs from N*k*n, etc) rather than request a custom 
design from them. Maybe now that Oly has "tested the waters" with the OM-2000, 
they could work on a custom OEM design? 

> I think that Olympus should bring these two OM bodies to the market first
> before introducing an OM-5.  This would make Olympus the manufacturer of
> five OM bodies: OM2000, OM2000upgrade, OM-4Budget, OM-3Ti/4Ti, and these
> bodies make it possible for former/current OM dealers to stock all the five
> bodies at their local stores. I am pretty sure that some would increase the
> sale of even flagship cameras.   New bodies should bring more used OM
> bodies to the store, which would help those who are still interested in
> buying good old metal cameras at an affordable price.

> Introducing the OM-5 without mid-range manual focus OM bodies would not
> make sense to me.  I think Olympus could introduce both the OM-5Ti and the
> OM-5Budget.
I agree, but the question is whether Oly can make an "OM-4budget" at a mid 
range price. ($500-600 US) If yes, then put me down for one! But if no, maybe 
the "Cosina OEM OM-4budget" is the next best thing. Otherwise, I fear we would 
see an OM-2000 at the low-end, lacking certain OM compatible features, and the 
OM-3/4/5 at the high end, with nothing in the middle. I know I'm dreaming, but 
I'd love to see Olympus sharing shelf space with N*k*n, etc in the stores 
again. For this to happen, I think Oly needs a full lineup. Seeing the OM-2000 
on display recently was the first time I'd seen a *new* OM model in a store for 
at least 5-6 years. (I ordered a 2-13 screen from the same store and their Oly 
catalog was from 1994...)

========================
Shawn Wright
Computer Systems Manager
Shawnigan Lake School
250-743-6240
swright@xxxxxxxxx

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