At 13:59 7/10/01, Max asked:
Hi all !
I want to make a question... From such a long time I've been listen
problems with batteries on the OM group, specialy on the OM-2sp and the
OM-4 (later models). Some people give me "solutions" like, "it was a
problem from olympus" or "on past years the batteries where made from
silver and work for longer time" or "there is a problem with one circuit",
I'm tired of that !
somebody knows the real story ?
Max
Max,
John H. has given some of the technical information and he is a definitive
source of information.
I've been using an OM-2sp and OM-4 for a while now (along with an
OM-1n). I get relatively long battery life using "357" watch cells in
them. These are also known as SR44W cells (slightly different internally
than SR44 cells). They are made for watches and are designed for the
slight drain from these camera bodies.
The Lithium double-size 3 volt cells and Alkalines are no good; LR44,
LR44P, A76, PX76A, and KX625 cells are _Alkaline_; DO NOT USE THEM IN THESE
BODIES. The OM-2S and OM-4[ti] electronic shutter bodies are sensitive to
battery voltage. If the voltage drops much, the shutter will lock
up. Recovery is made by turning the shutter speed ring to the red 60 or
"B" position, or by replacing the cells with good ones. Even the battery
check is often misleading in this regard. Lithium and Alkaline cells
suffer a gradual voltage drop as they drain. When they reach about half
life the voltage is too low to operate the shutter. Silver-oxide cells do
not; they maintain nearly a constant voltage until just before end of
life. The ones designed for watches (with the constant slight drain) hold
up the best. These are 357, D357, SP357, V357, KS76, and SR44W (*not*
SR44) cells.
rant
{begin
Those who insist on buying LR44, A76 or PX76A alkalines because
they are slightly less expensive, KNOWING the recommendation
to use Silver-Oxide cells, have NOTHING to moan or complain about
when the shutter locks up all the time and they run through them
faster than @#$% through a goose. The alkaline usage rate actually
costs the user more not including the PITA of frequent
cell replacement.
end}
As a practical user, shooting well above average amounts of film, I get
about 9 months from a set of cells in the OM-4 and OM-2S. How much you or
anyone else gets depends on whether you leave the "beeper" on, how much you
use the self timer, how much you make long exposures in very low light, and
how often you use the viewfinder illuminator. On an OM-2S without the
flash ready modification that powers the "flash ready" viewfinder LED, it
also depends on how much you use a "T" series Olympus (or compatible) flash
and leave it turned on. The self-timer and viewfinder illuminator in
particular are a heavy load on the camera batteries. In other words, your
mileage may vary from mine based on how often you use your camera and
especially how often you use the higher drain functions.
I believe both the OM-2S and OM-4 have a "bad rap" for "eating" batteries.
They do consume them faster than an OM-2[n] and especially the
OM-1[n]. Yes, there are a *few* that have "bad" circuit boards with much
higher than normal battery drain, but I also believe they are just a very
few. I further believe these battery "friendly" bodies have spoiled
Olympus OM users and this list has made a bigger issue out of battery
consumption in these bodies than they deserve. It should be a footnote as
something to watch for when buying a used OM-2S or OM-4 body during the
first couple weeks of ownership (see pitfalls below). The OM-4ti has an
improved circuit with lower drain and falls between the OM-2[n] (which has
a OFF position) and the OM-4 in consumption rate.
In addition to certain uses that drain the cells faster (self-timer,
illuminator and long exposures), improper camera bag storage of the body
can almost guarantee the cells will be dead when you pull it back out
again. One is something pressing on the viewfinder illuminator
button. The other is something pressing slightly on the shutter
release. The first will keep the small wheat lamp in the viewfinder
illuminated. The second will keep the LCD display in the viewfinder
powered (it otherwise turns itself off after a minute or so). The method
for preventing this problem is always rotating the shutter speed ring to
the red "60" (mechanical 1/60th shutter speed) or the red "B" (mechanical
bulb) position just before storing the camera body. Either position
immediately turns off the viewfinder illuminator function and the LCD
display, and they cannot be reactivated until the shutter speed is set to
an electronic one. Most experienced OM-2S and OM-4[ti] users will
automatically rotate the shutter speed ring to one of the "red" positions
just before storing the camera. I do it now without having to think about it.
Finally, see the following two sections in the Olympus OM FAQ:
http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/olympus.faq.html#ques_B1
http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/olympus.faq.html#ques_B3
-- John
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