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[OM] Re: OM-4: Black tape behind mirror???

Subject: [OM] Re: OM-4: Black tape behind mirror???
From: "Daniel Sepke" <daniel.sepke@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 15:48:39 -0400
Stefan,

I suspect we would need to see a picture of the situation to fully get the
location of the tape but that said...

Is it on the shutter curtain at the back of the chamber or is it on the
folding reflector attached to the back of the mirror? The reflector diverts
the light that passes through the semi silvered mirror onto the meter cell
in the floor of the chamber. If the tape is on that reflector then you would
definitely get altered readings but should still get ok operation in auto
mode but incorrect readings in the viewfinder. If it is on the curtain then
it would only cause issues with exposures in auto mode when the shutter
curtain is read by the Off The Film metering system. 

Why it is there in either location could be guessed at as either an attempt
to patch a hole in the shutter curtain (in the case of the tape being on the
curtain) or an attempt to correct an out of calibration meter (in the case
of tape on the reflector). If the tape is on the reflector and you are
feeling brave you could try removing the tape and see if that corrects the
metering issue.

In either situation I would suggest that you consider asking for at least a
partial refund from the seller if these issues where not disclosed up front
or you got this body for a fang price. At best you are looking at a $150+
CLA with a new curtain installed and at worst a possibly unfixable circuit
issue (in which case you have a very nice paperweight).

HTH, Dan S.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:olympus-owner@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Stefan Kahlert
> Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2006 12:56 PM
> To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [OM] OM-4: Black tape behind mirror???
> 
> 
> Hi everyone,
> 
> my new OM-4 arrived and looks more or less as I expected. 
> Everything seems to work and it obviously has the new circuit 
> (battery-check goes off after 30s). But one thing is odd: 
> Measurements done on a uniform target differ between spot and 
> average-metering by 2 to 3 stops! Average metering is also 
> off by about 3 stops comapared to my handheld meter. 
> Exposures in auto-modes seemed reasonably timed, though. What 
> was going on here? 
> 
> I looked into the mirror-box and gently lifted the mirror 
> with a toothpic. Voila, there is a big black patch of 
> something which seems to be electric-tape over the center of 
> the "target" behind the mirror covering about 2/3 of it. 
> Without having had the chance to take a look behind an OM-4's 
> mirror untill this very day I'm still under the impression 
> this is not what it should look like.
> 
> I just contacted the seller, described the problem and asked 
> how to handle it. My question is more or less if this may be 
> repairable or if the camera is probably junk and sending it 
> to a competent repair- person is wasting his as well as my time.
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> Stefan
> 
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