Lithium and alkaline batteries came into common use AFTER the OM-2 was
designed. I rememeber when the first lithium battery came into Olympus
Woodbury inside a 2N. I showed it to the National Service Manager and he
let out a big Japanese "huhhh?
OM-2 / 2N operates properly with SILVER OXIDE BATTERIES ONLY! MS76, KS76,
SR44, SR44W, G13, 357.
___________________________________
John Hermanson
Camtech Photo Services, Inc.
21 South Lane, Huntington NY 11743-4714
631-424-2121 www.zuiko.com
mail: omtech@xxxxxxxxx
___________________________________
----- Original Message -----
From: "PhotoSphere Olympus Camera Service" <olyfix@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2004 12:59 PM
Subject: [OM] Re: ON-2N and battery failure
>
> The meter needle on the OM-2/2n is an indicator ONLY -- it has absolutely
no
> effect on the actual operation of the camera. In Auto and Off modes, the
> exposure is controlled by the light entering the two photocells on the
main
> circuit underneath the mirror. Hence, the meter may be completely dead,
but
> the camera will still deliver accurate exposures -- you just won't know
the
> approximate shutter speed to expect.
>
> The battery check is predicated on the assumption that you're using two
> silver oxide batteries, not alkaline or lithium substitutes. Lithium or
> alkaline batteries may have enough voltage to activate the battery check
> light, but may not have the amperage to properly deflect the meter needle.
> In this case, the meter will always read low, and you can expect the
shutter
> to begin locking up intermittently sometime thereafter. Still, the
battery
> check will say "good", so unless you know to use the silver oxide
batteries
> you might suspect that the camera is malfunctioning when the only problem
is
> improper batteries.
>
> There are numerous problems that might result in the meter needle being
> "jumpy". The meter switches on some OM-2's were not "gold" plated, which
> may result in erratic meter readings, especially as the meter switch is
> touched or wiggled. Or, as noted, the meter wire may be parted within the
> insulation ("frayed"), resulting in intermittent connection. This will
> usually manifest itself as the mechanical inputs are varied (aperture,
ASA)
> for obvious reasons.
>
> Since the OM-2/2n does not allow you to set the shutter speed dial
"between
> the speeds", there is little need to address meter fluctuations while the
> shutter speed dial is turned -- as long as the meter is stable on the
speed
> being set, there's no effect on the camera's operation.
>
> If the meter needle is always high or low and appears to move in an
> unusually animated fashion (as opposed to leisurely or smoothly, as it
> should), the problem is likely due to one of the meter coils being
"looped"
> around one of the balance weights on the frame of the windings. And if
the
> meter seems to "hang" now and then, but works fine at other times, there
may
> be metallic debris on the meter's internal magnet. This can be a very
> frustrating problem, since the debris will "stand up", interfering with
the
> movement of the frame to which the needle is attached, only to lie down on
> occasion allowing the meter to move properly.
>
> After this, there may be cracked resistors, loose ground screws on the
> circuit, intermittent short circuits, etc, etc.
>
> Bottom line, in all likelihood, the meter problems may have been totally
> unrelated to the camera locking up. My suggestion is to install two good
> silver oxide batteries (if you haven't already), and see what happens. If
> you still get erratic readings, or if the camera locks up when it
shouldn't,
> it needs work.
>
>
> >
> > > What seems to have happened is that the meter went haywire in some
stage
> > > of battery failure prior even to the shutter starting to lock up. Who
> > > ever heard of that?
> > >
> > > Joel W.
> > Me.
> > IMHO (hope to read more expert diagnostics soon), it's not a battery
> failure
> > but a meter needle problem, that is on some part of the circuit that
> governs
> > the needle. Been there, when OM2 were easily repaired here at Mvd. And I
> > seem to recall it happened twice to me. Now, she still does a jerky jump
> > when on manual setting I pass through 1/8 :-(, but I can live with an
> > occasional jerk.
> > Can't remember the exact explanation of my technician, sorry.
> >
> > /F.
> >
> >
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