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Re: [OM] ergonomics, 2nd round....

Subject: Re: [OM] ergonomics, 2nd round....
From: Frank Ernens <fgernens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 22:03:19 +1100
Joel Wilcox wrote:
> 
> At 06:26 PM 1/14/1999 +1100, Frank you wrote:
> > I found an excellent, *very* cheap OM-2SP in Melbourne this
> >week and am delighted with it. It came on the market after I'd
> >bought the OM-4.
> >
> 
> Hi Frank,
> 
> I've recently given my OM-2S a workout of 10 rolls or so and find I like it
> more and more.  What delights you about yours?

* From the point of view of a long-time OM-1 and OM-2 user:

1. Light, fast and smooth wind-on action, just like the OM-1.
2. Same compact, light body size, shape and balance.
3. Electronic shutter accuracy and TTL flash (OM-2N has these
too).
4. All modes in interface are controlled by a single switch on the top
plate, and there are only three of them anyway.
5. Easy-to-read (for me, YMMV!!) display. Even easier than the swing
needle, and marked in 1/3 stops.
6. The spot meter. No more waving the camera at a mid-tone
and hoping. The camera's major feature.
7. Fixed hotshoe, no need to keep a supply of not-yet-cracked ones
on hand or to carry one in a film canister.
8. TTL socket, no need to carry a TTL adaptor.
9. Mechanical 1/60 backup speed, unlike the OM-2.
10. Viewfinder illumination button. Daylight window well-positioned
to the side.
11. Motor and battery caps the same, fixing a longstanding inanity of
the OM-1 and OM-2. And mere mortals can get the motor cap on again.
12. Flashing OVER indicator.
13. Attachment for RH grip. I'll be getting one of those.
14. Rewind control can't be knocked when working the lens; it's
now a button on the top plate.
15. Self-timer beeps and blinks in the modern way, which people
in group portraits expect.
16. Everything the camera knows about your exposure is in the
mechanical memory of the shutter/aperture rings and mode button.
No calamity if the viewfinder dims.
17. Mirror lock-up happens at the start of the self-timer interval,
as a substitute for the OM-1's mirror lock-up. (OM-2N doesn't
do that.)
18. Viewfinder looks like 97%, as with the OM-1 and OM-2N. Can
see almost all of an unmounted trannie.

Some minor blemishes

1. Black body. Burns your eyebrow on 38 C days like today.
2. No off switch... lens cap mandatory.
3. Only +1 compensation with Kodachrome 25 (but would I want
more with TTL flash?) [OM-4 fixes this]
4. Expense of circular polarizers (BTW, my new Hoyas have
flimsy rings. The Arrows were better.).
5. Only goes to 1/1000 [OM-4 1/2000]

Could be improved by a faster flash synch and faster top
speed, of course.

Someone (Ken Norton?) wrote that the beeper annoyed them.
Mine turns off by rotating the self-timer lever clockwise.

I think this camera had a bad rap because of the program
mode. You can turn it off and it goes away, and, who
knows, I might want to lend the camera to a tyro some day.
Parts are said to be a problem.

In case people are worried about wanting to meter manually
in centre-weighted average, you can do that by metering
in auto, setting the indicated speed, and flicking to
manual before pushing the shutter. I often did this with
the OM-2N anyway, to check the speed while avoiding moving
my fingers from the aperture ring to the speed ring.

Like the OM-2N, but unlike the OM-1, it lacks a mirror
lock-up. I couldn't yet say whether it's necessary; IME it
isn't on the OM-2N for the 2:1 field macros I take
at the vibration-prone 1/8 and 1/15 speeds. You could
use the self-timer, but outdoors you want to wait for
the wind to die down, and the beeping probably disturbs
the fauna.


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