John, I may be wrong. Please point out if so.:-)
According to the 'official' history on Olympus home page;
<http://www.olympus.co.jp/Special/CameraHistory/camera.html>
in Japanese (Sorry for most of this list members),
1972.7 M-1
1973.5 OM-1
1974.10 OM-1MD
1979.3 OM-1N
About one and a half year ago, a volunteer in a Japanese Olympus
users' group (MXA00643@xxxxxxxxxxx) tried to survey the difference
between OM-1 series bodies out of about 30 users' samples.
He concluded that apart from very minor changes there is at least one
major change or reform in OM-1's inner mechanism. If we look into the
front lens mount, we may see a small (3mm in diameter) round cam at
upper right corner. Then this is the early version of OM-1(MD). If you
can't find it, it is the later version. (This cam moves in connection
to the aperture ring when lens is mounted.)
This reform was introduced after OM-1MD started. So, OM-1MD have
either this early mechanism or the later one.
Judging from those samples' serial numbers, some time after the
mechanism was changed, Olympus stripped "MD" label and continued to
sell OM-1 without "MD" but with md-ability until OM-1N was introduced.
(At the same time when OM-1MD was introduced, Olympus offered us an
modification service for OM-1 to put md-ability at cost.)
Toshi in Kyoto Japan
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