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Re: [OM] Mechanical Shutters vs. Electronic

Subject: Re: [OM] Mechanical Shutters vs. Electronic
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 21:27:50 -0400
At 20:48 6/1/03, you wrote:
My friend has a Minolta, (actually, he has 2, the 9 and 9xi) and he also has an old OM-10. He says however, that as much as he loves the OM system, that I should get a "new" camera, because mechanical cameras are always inconsistant and off by at least a 1/3rd of a stop.

Is that true? What's the variance and repeatability of most mechanical cameras?

Albert

It's a crock of baloney.

Yes, mechanical shutter timing can eventually go off, but I've not found it to be that common. My 50 year old Zeiss Ikon Contax still has very accurate shutter timing, even the 1250th setting. What may be casting doubt is the metering in the older mechanical cameras . . . which is typically a general metering scheme and must be used with some judgement.

IMHO, mechanical shutters do like periodic exercise. If my Contax or Rollei 35S sit on the shelf unused for a while I simply fire off the equivalent of about two rolls of film every two months or so. Keeps the mechanisms from gumming up in places that should work smoothly. The OM-1n gets enough exercise that I don't worry about it.

Bottom Line:
If you're getting the exposures you intend, then nothin's broke and therefore nothin' needs fixin'

Postscript:
His OM-10 has electronic shutter timing. Hope he's not thinking it's mechanical. BTW, the OM-10 has a notorious "sticky release magnet" syndrome which IMO occurs particularly often with the ones that become "closet cameras" sitting on a shelf for a long time. Can be the cause of inaccurate OM-10 shutter firing (longer exposure). Cleaning the closing curtain release magnet is a fairly simple task (in the realm of camera repair).

-- John


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