From lhawkins@annie.wellesley.edu Thu May 4 17:33:44 1995 Newsgroups: rec.photo.help Path: news.ifm.liu.se!liuida!sunic!sunic.sunet.se!news.luth.se!eru.mt.luth.se!bloom-beacon.mit.edu!news2.near.net!wellesley.edu!annie.wellesley.edu!lhawkins From: lhawkins@annie.wellesley.edu (R. Lee Hawkins) Subject: Olympus OM SLR FAQ Message-ID: <1995May2.153012.24546@olaf.wellesley.edu> Sender: news@olaf.wellesley.edu (USENET News System) Nntp-Posting-Host: annie.wellesley.edu Organization: Department of Astronomy, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA Date: Tue, 2 May 1995 15:30:12 GMT Lines: 1236 Olympus OM SLR FAQ, Tue May 2 11:29:47 EDT 1995 version. This FAQ is (c) 1994, 1995 By R. Lee Hawkins. It may be freely distributed as long as it remains unaltered and this copyright notice remains intact. This FAQ may NOT be distributed in return for compensation of any kind. Introductory questions: I0) Who maintains this FAQ? I1) Model name conventions. I2) Cameras this FAQ covers. G-General questions: G0) What the heck does OM stand for, anyway? How about Zuiko? G1) How can I get replacement manuals for my Olympus camera? G2) How can I get repair manuals for my Olympus camera? G3) Other than the user's manuals, what documentation is available for the OM series? G4) Where can I get my OM camera repaired? B-Questions about Olympus SLR bodies: B0) What should I look for in buying a used body? B1) What types and number of batteries do the various bodies take? Is one type better than another? B2) Can I use my OM-1(N) with alkaline batteries? B3) My OM-{2S, 4(T)} eats batteries. What can I do about it? B4) Every other bar on the bargraph on my OM-{2S, 4(T)} doesn't work. Can I fix this myself? B5) What are the differences between an M-1 and an OM-1? B6) What are the differences between an OM-1 and an OM-1N? B7) What are the differences between an OM-2 and an OM-2N? B8) What are the differences between an OM-2N and an OM-2S? B9) What are the differences between an OM-4 and an OM-4T? B10) What are the differences between an OM-10 and an OM-10 Quartz? B11) What are the differences between an OM-10 and an OM-G? B12) What are the differences between an OM-F and an OM-G? B13) What is an OM-20? an OM-30? an OM-40? How about an OM-4Ti? B14) What is the cheapest (used) OM-series SLR? B15) How can I take a double exposure with the OM-{1-4T}? B16) How can I clean the switch contacts of my OM-F (probably OM-{10, G, PC} also)? B17) How can I accurately set the diopter adjustment on my OM-{3(Ti), 4(T)}? L-Lens group questions: L0) What should I look for in buying a used lens? L1) How do Olympus Zuiko lenses compare to the competition? F-Flash group questions: F0) What should I look for in buying a used flash? F1) What are the differences between hot shoes 1, 2, 3, and 4? What the heck is a 'FIX' hot shoe? F2) What are the two extra pins on the OM-3Ti and OM-4T hot shoes? F3) What is the small contact on the OM-10 hot shoe for? F4) What type of hot shoe does an OM-G have? an OM-F? F5) What are the differences between a Power Bounce Grip 1 and 2? W-Motor drive/Winder group questions: W0) What should I look for in buying a used motor drive/winder? W1) Can all OM-series cameras mentioned in this FAQ take a motor drive/winder? W2) Is it OK to use nicads in my Winder {1, 2}? W3) What are the differences between a Winder 1 and 2? W4) What are the differences between a Motor Drive 1 and 2? W5) What is the difference between an M.6V Power Pack 1 and 2? M-Macrophoto group questions: M0) What should I look for when buying a used bellows? M1) What lens should I use with my Olympus bellows and slide duplicator? P-Phototechnical and other group questions (databacks and finders): P0) What should I look for when buying a used databack (esp. the Recordata Back 4)? P1) Which focusing screen should I use? P2) What are the capabilities of a Recordata Back {1, 2, 3, 4}? Introductory: I0) Who maintains this FAQ?: R. Lee Hawkins (addresses at the end) and Michael Covington. We also get lots of help and input from other Olympus users on the net. See the end of this document for a (mostly) complete listing. Note that RLH is solely responsible for the distribution of the FAQ. Please don't bother Michael with FAQ requests. I1) Camera model name conventions: In this FAQ, I will use the following conventions when listing model names: Single models will be listed by the OM model number, as in OM-1N. Multiple models of the same camera, where the given information applies to both models, will be listed like this: OM-1(N). This means the info applies to both the OM-1 and the OM-1N. For info that applies to several different camera models, I will use a variation on the csh(1) listing convention. So data that would apply, for example, to the OM-2S, OM-4, and OM-4T would be listed as: OM-{2S, 4(T)}. I2) Cameras this FAQ covers: M-1, OM-{1(N), 2(N), 2S, 3(Ti), 4(T), 10(Quartz), F(30), G(20), PC}. The OM-{77, 88, 101} are not covered, but I'd be happy to add them if someone would like to contribute info on them. Since the cameras in the IS series are so different, I will not add them to this FAQ. General: G0) What the heck does OM stand for, anyway? How about Zuiko? It stands for Olympus Maitani, the names of the company that produced the camera and the person that designed it, respectively. See B5) below for info on the M-1. The word Zuiko is derived from the Chinese characters for the original Olympus Company name (Takachiho) and the name of the Mizuho Optical Research Center. The characters can also be loosely interpreted to mean 'Origin of Light'. G1) How can I get replacement manuals for my Olympus camera? Olympus will provide you with replacement manuals free of charge if you call 1-800-221-3000 and request them. Their FAX number is 516-677-1699. They also sent me a nifty key chain made from a micro cassette! G2) How can I get repair manuals for my Olympus camera? Call 1-800-622-6372, and select the appropriate option for the parts department. Some representative prices as of 13 December, 1994, were: OM-10 $35 OM-1(N) $40 OM-4 $44 T-32 $10 G3) Other than the user's manuals, what documentation is available for the OM system? There are several useful books out there, but most of them are unfortunately out of print. Here are the ones that I know about (*please* email me if you know of others): _How to Select & Use Olympus SLR Cameras_ by Carl Shipman, HP Books. The series covers the following cameras. Please email RLH if you can fill in the cameras covered in the editions marked 'unknown': 1979 edition: OM-{10, 1(N), 2(N)}. ISBN 0-89586-015-5 1981 edition: OM-{10(Quartz), 1N, 2N}. ISBN 0-89586-015-5 1982 edition: Unknown 1983 edition: Unknown 1985 edition: OM-{G, F, 1N, 2N, 2S, 3, 4}. ISBN 0-89586-015-5 1987 edition: OM-{77, PC, 1N, 2S, 3, 4(T)}. ISBN 0-89586-610-2 1989 edition: OM-{77, 88, PC, 4(T)}. ISBN 0-89586-802-4 The books cover all of the OM system groups in fairly good detail, and have lots of useful general hints about photography. _The OM System Lens Handbook_ by Olympus. Published around 1984-5, and described in the intro as the first in a series of guides to all parts of the OM system. I'm only aware of this one, though. It has a photo essay in the beginning that showcases Zuiko lenses, a short history of Olympus and the OM system, an essay on the philosophy behind the design of the OM system by Maitani, a section describing each of the lenses then available in detail, and finishes up with a short section on each of the other system groups and a lexicon of lens terms. Note that there are at least 2 versions of this book, one dated 1984, the other dated Oct 1985. The later one includes the following lenses not included in the earlier version, but is otherwise (at least as far as I can tell) identical: 50/2 Macro, 180/2, 35-70/3.5-4.5. ISBN Unknown Hopefully there will be a book in the Hove _Compendium_ series on Olympus. Anyone know? *NOTE* This *ain't* the _Modern Classics_ series book listed below. PLEASE don't email me telling me about the _Modern Classics_ book, because it is ALREADY listed. Below are some brief citations from the Library of Congress for other Olympus-related books: 83-5282: London, Barbara, 1936- A short course in Olympus photography : a guide to great pictures / Rev. ed. Somerville, Mass. : Curtin & London ; New York : Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., 1983. vii, 137 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 U67 1983 80-106688: Orimpasu Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. Olympus OM-2N repair manual. Tokyo, Japan : Olympus Optical Co., c1979. 44 p. in various pagings : ill. ; 28 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 O73 1979b An informative, useful guide if you want to try to repair an OM-2N yourself. Be aware that lots of info common to the OM-2 repair manual is omitted and the user is referred to that manual, so you may need both. -- RLH 80-106686: Orimpasu Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha. Olympus OM-10 repair manual. Tokyo, Japan : Olympus Optical Co., c1979. 110 p. in various pagings : ill. ; 28 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 O73 1979 79-27473: Heiberg, Milton. Olympus OM's / New York : American Photographic Book Pub. Co., c1980. 128 p. : ill. ; 14 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 H45 77-28695: Heiberg, Milton. The Olympus guide / Garden City, N.Y. : Amphoto, c1978. 118 p., [4] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 26 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 H44 76-16459: Jacobs, Lou. Olympus OM camera manual / Garden City, N.Y. : Amphoto, c1977. 192 p. : ill. ; 24 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 J3 A good general guide to older components of the OM system. Almost everything covered in this book, however, has since been replaced by updated versions, so this book is of more historical than practical interest. The tone of the book also tends to be a bit on the over enthusiastic side. --RLH 93-230618: Franklin, Harold. Complete user's guide to Olympus modern classics / 1st English ed. St. Helier, Jersey, [U.K.] : Hove Foto Books ; Denver, Colo., U.S.A. : Satter Inc. [distributor], c1991 (1993 printing) 189 p. : ill. ; 29 cm. In a word, this book is terrible. It is rife with typographical and factual errors, and even the table of contents in the 1993 edition is wrong. The author takes no pains whatsoever to go into detail about the techniques he discusses, but instead uses useless phrases. He also talks about cameras in the introduction that he then never describes in the body of the book. Lastly, the choice of cameras covered is strange. He covers the OM-1N, describing differences between it and the OM-1. Then in the next chapter, he describes the OM-2, noting differences between it and the OM-2N. The chapter on the OM-3/4 barely mentions the OM-4. The chapters on lenses and accessories are equally weak. This book is especially bad for newcomers to the OM line, since it conveys so many misconceptions and errors. I suggest that anyone needing a book on the OM line scour their local used book stores for an edition of Shipman (above) that covers the OM model they are interested in, instead of wasting time with this book. --RLH 85-196522: Francesch, Dominique. Histoire de l'appareil photographique Olympus : de 1936 a 1983 / Paris : Dessain et Tolra, c1985. 191 p. : ill. ; 21 cm. LC CALL NUMBER: TR263.O4 F73 1985 Thanks to Michael P. Kucher _The Olympus OM Way_, L. Andrew Mannheim, Focal Press (London) Focal/Hastings House (New York), 1979, 450 pages. This is a great book with all sorts of trivia about the differences between different versions of the cameras and accessories. It also has much better descriptions than most of the Olympus manuals, especially for things like the Recordata Backs 1 and 2. Too bad it hasn't been kept up to date. [In fact, if it had been, this FAQ would have little reason to exist!] --RLH ISBN 0-8038-5390 (USA edition) ISBN 0-240-50985-4 (International edition) Thanks to waldron@wrc.xerox.com (Brian Waldron) OM-2 Spot/Program by Michael Huber (c) 1985 German edition, 1986 English edition ISBN 0-86343-054-6. G4) Where can I get my OM camera repaired? There are several alternatives. The most obvious is to call Olympus at the number above and get the name of their nearest authorized repair depot, and send your camera there. Olympus reportedly no longer works on OM-1's, though (although they still fix OM-1N's). Below are some alternatives to Olympus that have gotten good reviews. I have *no* experience with any of them, so buyer beware: Professional Camera Repair 37 W. 47th Street New York, NY 10036 (Repairs Nikon and other brands; custom-builds and modifies equipment. Trusted by professional photographers nationwide.) Essex Camera Service 100 Amor Avenue Carlstadt, NJ 07072 (Handles all kinds of cameras, including obsolete ones. Well recommended. Ad says "Most cameras $35-$75.") Photography on Bald Mountain 113 Bald Mountain Davenport, CA 95017 (Repairs obsolete cameras no matter how old; can make parts.) For more details, or if you feel bold and want to try to fix your camera yourself, see our Camera Repair Resource Guide, posted periodically. Body group: B0) What should I look for in buying a used body? There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*: 1) Overall, the camera should be free of major dents. Small dings and brassing indicate heavy use, but not necessarily a bad camera. Note that brassing occurs *immediately* if the user mistakenly uses a camera strap with big metal hooks at the end, so brassing alone is not a reliable indicator of heavy use. 2) All buttons and dials should operate smoothly and freely, without any binding. If the body is an OM-1(N), the mirror lockup should operate smoothly and freely. 3) The shutter curtains should be free of pinholes. With an OM-1(N), test this by locking up the mirror, removing the lens, opening or removing the back, and shining a bright light on the curtain while looking at the opposite side of it. You should see no light coming through the curtain. Then fire the shutter and perform the same test on the second curtain. It is best to do this test in a darkened room, if possible. This test is harder to do on the automatic cameras and the OM-3(Ti), since they have no mirror lockup. For the OM-{PC, 2S, 4(T)}, you can use the self timer, which will lock up the mirror ~12 seconds before the shutter opens, so you will at least be able to examine the first curtain. 4) The flash shoe should be secure on the camera. OM-1N's and OM-2N's should have a Shoe 4, OM-2's a Shoe 3. M-1's and OM-1's can only accept a Shoe 1. Check the shoe's operation with a T-series flash to make sure that it works in both manual and automatic modes. If the camera is an OM-2, and it still has a Shoe 2, the only flash that you will be able to use it with in camera-controlled flash mode is the Quick Auto 310. You might want to at least try to get the dealer to trade the shoe for a Shoe 3, which will work with T-series flash units. 5) The battery well should be free of corrosion. 6) The black plastic foam in the camera should not be crumbling or gooey. There are foam pads for the mirror to bump into when it goes up, and also a foam gasket where the back closes. If the camera suffers from "foam rot" and *nothing* else is wrong, you can have it fixed for about $50. 7) Lenses should mount and dismount easily and freely, without any binding. 8) If you plan to use the camera with a motor drive or winder, you should carefully inspect the drive/winder coupling on the bottom. The exposed gears should be free from excessive wear and dust/grease, and in the center of the coupling gear there should be a small pin that freely moves up and down. 9) If buying an OM-10 Quartz, make sure the small two-conductor ribbon cable near the bottom of the back hinge is intact, and verify proper operation of the databack (see P0 for hints). 10) On auto, the shutter should open for a long time with the lens cap covered (~2 minutes for an OM-2N, ~4 minutes for an OM-4(T) in spot mode). On manual, the shutter speed should be independent of the ambient lighting. 11) Mount a lens and set the camera to ISO 100 and the lens to f/16. The indicated shutter speed in all modes should be 1/125 second for a sunlit scene on a cloudless day. 12) Make sure the used body carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...). If the camera you are looking at fails any of the above tests, you probably don't want to risk buying it. The cost of repair for most of these problems starts at about $100 and goes up from there, so by the time you pay for the camera and repairs, you'll probably have more in the camera than it is worth. If the dealer you are purchasing from seems reluctant to let you run the tests, it might be a good idea to look elsewhere. B1) What types and number of batteries do the various bodies take? Is one type better than another? M-1, OM-1(N): 1 E625N mercury oxide. OM-{10, G, PC, 2(N), 2S, 3(Ti), 4(T)}: 2 SR44 silver oxide or 2 LR44 alkaline manganese. OM-10 Quartz: 2 SR44 for camera + 2 SR44 for data back. OM-F: 5 SR44 silver oxide or 5 LR44 alkaline manganese. Note that LR44 alkalines should only be used if SR44's are not available, since LR44's have a sloped (as opposed to flat for the SR44's) discharge curve which will cause meter readings to drift over time. Also, a lithium cell the size of two SR44's will *not* work properly in those cameras that take SR44's. It will power the camera OK for a while, but its voltage will quickly drop below the minimum necessary for proper operation. B2) Can I use my OM-1(N) with alkaline batteries? Opinions vary, but the official word from Olympus is: "Don't do it, as it could burn out your meter." B3) My OM-{PC, 2S, 4(T)} eats batteries. What can I do about it? Several things: 1) Use SR44 (#357) silver oxide batteries. SR44P (MS76), recommended by many camera dealers and some battery manufacturers, has a higher internal resistance and is not quite as good. Alkalines (LR44, MS76A) are to be used only if nothing better is available. 2) Keep battery contacts clean. 3) Store the camera on B or red 1/60, so that accidental pressure on the buttons will not turn it on. 4) You can reset your OM-{PC, 2S, 4(T)} by setting it to B and toggling between manual and auto. This will clear up confused behavior, including spotty LCD displays and some cases of excessive battery consumption. 5) A battery-eating camera may have suffered an internal short (within an IC or transistor), in which case it needs repair. Here are some current-drain figures to help you judge whether your camera is normal. They were obtained by measuring two OM-2S's and an OM-4T. To make such measurements yourself, remove the battery compartment cover and use a milliammeter to connect the top of the battery to the chassis. Current drain... when using battery checker: 7 mA when using viewfinder light: 9 mA when using self timer: 7 to 12 mA (note heavy load!) during long exposure: 7 mA with display active: 0.3 mA (OM-2S), 0.7 mA (OM-4T) after display goes blank: 0.020 mA (OM-2S), 0.007 mA (OM-4T) on B or red 1/60: 0.020 mA (OM-2S), 0.007 mA (OM-4T) Note that the battery drain is not 0 even when the camera is turned off. Accordingly, you should remove batteries from a camera that is not going to be used in the foreseeable future. (Thanks to Brian Waldron for data). Thanks to Michael A. Covington B4) Every other bar on the bargraph on my OM-{2S, 4(T)} doesn't work. Can I fix this myself? Yes. It happens when the microcontroller gets into a confused state, possibly due to a heavy load on a weak battery. (The battery then recovers when the load is taken away). Reboot your camera as follows: Switch meter to Manual. Switch shutter to B. Toggle meter between Manual and Auto a few times, then back to Manual. Then switch shutter back to an automatic speed. Also check the batteries and clean their contacts. If you replace them, note that SR44 (#357) is best, SR44P (MS76) is second best, and LR44 (MS76A) (alkaline) should be used only if the others aren't available. SR44 is often marketed as a calculator battery; it's a low-internal-resistance version of the SR44P. Thanks to Michael A. Covington B5) What are the differences between an M-1 and an OM-1? Almost none. Olympus simply changed the camera's designation after Leica objected to their use of the name M-1. Very few (Olympus) M-1's were ever made. B6) What are the differences between an OM-1 and an OM-1N? The OM-1N has redesigned film advance and rewind release levers, a direct contact inside for Recordata backs, a flash ready/sufficient flash LED in the viewfinder, and automatic X-sync with Shoe 4. B7) What are the differences between an OM-2 and an OM-2N? In addition to the new features of the OM-1N, the OM-2N has an exposure compensation warning flag, full-frame averaging at all shutter speeds, and 120 second exposure limit on auto (OM-2 limit was 60 seconds). B8) What are the differences between the OM-2N and OM-2S? An extensive redesign. The OM-2S is, internally, more like the OM-4 than the OM-2N. Compared to the OM-2N, the OM-2S adds programmed exposure automation (camera chooses both aperture and shutter speed) and a spot meter for use in manual mode. Also, the hot shoe on the -2S is fixed, the ISO range is extended from 1600 to 3200, the viewfinder indicators are LCDs, and the self timer has mirror prefire. Thanks to Michael Covington B9) What are the differences between an OM-4 and an OM-4T? The OM-4T has titanium top and bottom plates (hence the 'T' in in the name), two extra pins on the hot shoe to control the F280 flash, which allows sync'ing at any shutter speed, and more reliable electronics. B10) What are the differences between an OM-10 and an OM-10 Quartz? The only difference is that the OM-10 Quartz has a data back which is the equivalent of a Recordata Back 3. It can record the date in Year/Month/Day (Japanese) format, or the time in Day/Hour/Minute format. The electrical connections between the data back and the camera are made with an internal cable, however, so the back cannot be detached and used on another camera. The databack only keeps dates through 2009. The data back requires 2 SR44 or LR44 batteries. B11) What are the differences between an OM-10 and an OM-G? The OM-G is the more versatile camera. It has a PC flash connection, can use a motor drive, has exposure compensation warning, under exposure warning, built in manual metering, and provision for attaching a steady grip. Otherwise, they have essentially the same features. B12) What are the differences between an OM-F and an OM-G? The OM-F differs from the OM-G in the following ways: focusing aid LED's in viewfinder, F2/F4 switch for focus system, In-Focus trigger cord socket, automatic focus with the Zuiko 35-70 AF zoom, no PC flash socket, and no exposure compensation warning. The OM-F also takes 5 SR44 batteries which mount in a compartment on the left hand side of the front of the camera. In place of the normal battery compartment is a switch to turn off the beeper. B13) What is an OM-20? an OM-30? an OM-40? How about an OM-4Ti? Numbers above OM-10 are the non-US product names for Olympus cameras. OM-20 is the same as OM-G, OM-30 is the same as OM-F, and OM-40 is the same as OM-PC. An OM-4Ti is simply the European version of an OM-4T. B14) What is the cheapest (used) OM-series SLR? The OM-10, but there's a catch. The original OM-10 had *only* automatic, not manual, exposure. To get manual shutter speed settings, you have to add the manual adapter, or get an OM-10FC, which has it built in. Still, an OM-10 costs only $50 to $70 used, and at the price, it can be a handy emergency backup camera. Thanks to Michael Covington B15) How can I take a double exposure with the OM-{1-4T}? 1) Take a blank exposure and advance the film. 2) Operate the rewind knob to take up any slack. 3) Take the first exposure. 4) While depressing the rewind release button, wind the camera. This cocks the shutter but does not advance the film. 5) Take the second exposure. 6) Advance the film and shoot a blank after the double exposure. B16) How can I clean the switch contacts of my OM-F (probably OM-{10, G, PC} also)? You can clean any switch, to some extent, by just actuating it over and over. So just turn the switch through its four positions about 100 times and the contacts will be cleaner. If you want to remove the cover to clean the actual contacts, or for some other reason, instructions follow. NOTE: We do *not* recommend do-it-yourself repairs of valuable cameras. However, the cheaper OM's (OM-10, OM-F, OM-G, etc.) nowadays have relatively low resale value and may not be worth the cost of a professional repair. Repair notes on Olympus OM-F (OM-30) (probably also applicable to OM-{10, G, PC} *not* OM-{1-4(T)} Removal of top cover: 1) Open back of camera (by pulling up on rewind knob) and attach a piece of tape to ensure that the back does not get latched shut again. 2) Unfold handle of rewind knob and remove Phillips screw. (To do this, you will have to keep the shaft from rotating.) (Note: If the camera back gets closed while the rewind knob is off, here's what to do: Push the shaft into the camera, where it will fall free. Then use a long pan-head machine screw as a tool to reach in and pull up on the latch.) 3) Remove black retaining ring under where rewind knob was. (Use spanner.) 4) Lift out switch, taking care not to lose the click-stop ball. 5) You have now exposed enough of the camera to repair electrical problems caused by dirty contacts. Clean the contacts ad libitum. NOTE: DO NOT use spray contact cleaner---you don't know where else it might go! I [MAC] have even found and repaired a circuit-board crack with no more disassembly than this. To proceed further: 5a) Note the spring at the extreme left front of the camera, visible through the round opening you have just exposed. It is the door latch tension spring. When you remove the top, it will probably jump across the room. Be prepared to catch it, or carefully work it loose and pull it out now, with tweezers. 6) Remove the obvious six screws that hold the top cover in place. (The smallest two go in front.) 7) Remove the screw on the underside of the film advance lever. Plastic part of advance lever comes off. 8) Remove the screw on the axis of the (metal) film advance lever. 9) Note setting of ASA dial and exposure compensation. 10) Using a sewing needle, lift the central part of the ASA dial and pop it out. 11) Remove the Phillips screw and spring revealed by step 10. 12) Lift top cover off, taking care not to break the wires to the beeper (which is attached to the top cover). 13) Before reassembly, check for dust on top of the focusing screen (seen sharply in focus in the viewfinder). Without removing the prism, you can have *some* success at removing this dust by spraying compressed air at various points around the base of the prism assembly. 14) To reassemble, reverse the above procedure. Thanks to Michael Covington, mcovingt@ai.uga.edu B17) How can I accurately set the diopter adjustment on my OM-{3(Ti), 4(T)}? The recommended method is to remove the lens and adjust the diopter setting until the finder screen and meter symbols are in sharp focus. Lens group: L0) What should I look for in buying a used lens? There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*: 1) The lens should be free of dings, dents, and obvious wear. One of the places this kind of thing is most likely to occur is the filter threads. 2) The lens elements should be free from spotting and scratches, especially the rear element. A small scratch or two on the front element probably won't adversely affect picture quality, but use your judgement. If you don't feel confident to judge what kind of a scratch is important, go for lenses with none! 3) The lens should be free from fungus. Hold the lens up to a light to make sure there are no 'fuzzies' between the elements. 4) The diaphragm should stop down and open back up freely, with no creeping motion. Test this by dismounting the lens and flipping the stop-down lever on the back of the lens back and forth with the lens set at f/16, or by mounting the lens and taking a few exposures while observing the action of the diaphragm. 5) The aperture and focus rings (and the zoom ring for 2-touch zooms) should move smoothly and freely. 6) The lens should mount and dismount from a body freely, with no binding. 7) If you have an OM-{3(Ti), 4(T)}, look carefully at the lens and make sure there is nothing that will shear off the reset button on the lens mount. Other OM's lack this reset button, and there have apparently been some third party lenses that will damage the reset button if mounted on an OM-{3(Ti), 4(T)}. 8) Some off-brand lenses from the 1970s are of quite disappointing quality (and are still being liquidated, in their original packaging, in the 1990s). Standards have risen considerably since then. 9) Make sure the used lens carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...). As with bodies, buying lenses that fail any of the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try elsewhere. L1) How do Olympus Zuiko lenses compare to the competition? When introduced in the 1970s, the Zuiko lenses were state-of-the-art. Today, they are still on a level with competing Leica, Nikon, and Zeiss designs of that era. Third-party competition (e.g., Vivitar, Sigma) is much stronger than it once was, and some third-party lenses now equal Zuiko lenses in optical performance. The last Zuiko prime from Olympus was introduced in 1989, while 1995 will see the introduction of a new lens (a zoom) for the first time in 5 years. Zuiko lenses for the OM series often have somewhat fewer elements than newer third-party lenses. This makes them smaller and lighter and reduces the risk of internal reflections. The letter in front of Zuiko stands for the number of elements (E=5, F=6, G=7). [Note: The letter/element designation on Zuiko lenses was dropped sometime in the late 70's, so not all Zuiko lenses have it --Ed.] Here are some published test results from Zuiko lenses and competitors. All are from Modern Photography magazine (abbreviated MP). Resolution is in lines per mm. Quality ratings, which depend on type of lens, are: Exc = Excellent; VG = Very Good; G = Good; Acc = Acceptable. Lens Resolution Resolution Distortion Source wide open at f/5.6 (pincushion center corner center corner or barrel) Zuiko lenses: Zuiko 24/2.8 50 VG 45 Exc 80 Exc 50 Exc ? MP 6/75 Zuiko 28/3.5 56 Exc 44 Exc 50 VG 50 Exc ? MP 4/73 Zuiko 35/2.8 56 Exc 44 Exc 50 VG 50 Exc ? MP 4/73 Zuiko 35-70/3.5-4.5 at 35mm 56 Exc 50 Exc 63 Exc 56 Exc 0.45% barrel MP 6/86 at 50mm 56 Exc 50 Exc 56 Exc 50 Exc ? MP 6/86 at 70mm 57 Exc 51 Exc 57 Exc 51 Exc 0.95% pincsh MP 6/86 Zuiko 35-105/3.5-4.5 at 35mm 63 Exc 50 Exc 70 Exc 56 Exc 0.7% barrel MP 2/86 at 70mm 64 Exc 51 Exc 72 Exc 57 Exc ? MP 2/86 at 105mm 63 Exc 56 Exc 70 Exc 56 Exc 1.37% pincsh MP 2/86 Zuiko 50/1.4 55 VG 49 Exc 69 VG 62 Exc 0.9% barrel MP 11/85 same 55 VG 49 Exc 69 VG 62 Exc 0.9% barrel MP 6/87 Zuiko 50/1.8 57 VG 40 Exc 90 Exc 40 VG ? MP 4/73 same 55 VG 49 Exc 69 VG 62 Exc 0.93% pincsh MP 7/85 same 50 G 45 Exc 70 Exc 56 Exc <1% MP 4/86 Zuiko 100/2 55 Exc 49 Exc 69 Exc 62 Exc 0.45% pincsh MP 6/86 Zuiko 100/2.8 55 Exc 49 Exc 55 Exc 44 Exc ? MP 4/73 Zuiko 135/2.8 50 Exc 32 VG 50 VG 35 G ? MP 6/75 Zuiko 180/2 55 Exc 49 Exc 69 Exc 62 Exc <1% pincsh MP 10/86 Zuiko 200/4 42 VG 37 Exc 37 G 37 Exc ? MP 4/73 Representative competing lenses: Soligor 28/2.8 54 VG 30 Acc 76 Exc 30 Acc ? MP 4/73 Nikon 28/2.8 54 VG 43 Exc 54 G 48 Exc ? MP 6/75 Zeiss 28/2.8 56 Exc 50 Exc 63 Exc 56 Exc 0.5% barrel MP 1/86 Canon 50/1.4 50 G 45 Exc 70 Exc 63 Exc 0.46% barrel MP 7/86 Nikon E 50/1.8 52 VG 33 VG 66 VG 46 G <1% MP 1/83 Leica 50/1.4 54 VG 38 Exc 76 Exc 48 G 0.47% barrel MP 9/87 Zeiss 50/1.4 45 G 40 Exc 72 Exc 64 Exc 0.92% barrel MP 1/88 Zeiss 50/1.7 50 G 45 Exc 70 Exc 63 Exc 0.9% barrel MP 1/86 Vivitar 75-200/4.5: at 75mm 46 VG 41 Exc 58 Exc 46 Exc 1.95% barrel MP 6/89 at 200mm 39 VG 28 VG 44 Exc 31 VG 1.67% pincsh MP 6/89 Sigma 90/2.8 macro: at 1:49 69 Exc 62 Exc 87 Exc 78 Exc 0.68% pincsh MP 6/89 at 1:2 57 Exc 29 VG 72 Exc 40 VG same? MP 6/89 Thanks to Michael Covington Flash group: F0) What should I look for in buying a used T-series flash? There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*: 1) The on-off switch and test switch (if any) should operate freely. 2) The battery well should be free of corrosion. 3) The case should not be cracked, especially near where the flash attaches to the camera hot shoe. T-32's seem to be particularly susceptible to this problem. 4) Mount the flash on an OM body (preferably an automatic/manual one) and verify that the flash works in all modes. 5) For the T-10 ring flash, plug in the modeling lights and make sure none of them are burned out. They require a 6V DC source. 6) If you plan to use an external power source with the flash, you should bring same along and test it with the flash. 7) Make sure the used flash carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...). As with bodies, buying a flash that fails any of the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try elsewhere. F1) What are the differences between hot shoes 1, 2, 3, and 4? What the heck is a 'FIX' hot shoe? Shoe 1 came on the M-1 and OM-1. It has a single contact, and allows only manual and normal (flash-controlled) auto. Shoe 2 came on early OM-2's. It has two in-line contacts, and allows manual, normal auto, and camera regulated flash with the Quick Auto 310 flash. Shoe 3 came on OM-2's sold after the T-20 flash was introduced, and is available as an accessory for older OM-2's to allow them to fully utilize a T-series flash. It allows manual, normal auto, and camera regulated flash with the T-series flash units, but *not* the Quick Auto 310. Shoe 4 came on all OM-1N's and OM-2N's, and is the type of shoe built into the OM-{PC, 2S, 3, 4}. It allows manual, normal auto, and camera regulated flash with the T-series flash units, automagically sets X-sync at the shoe, and has a third contact to provide feedback to the in-viewfinder flash ready/sufficient flash LED on the OM-{PC, 1N, 2N, 3, 4}. Before there were any other types of hot shoes for OM cameras, the shoes only had the word 'FIX' with an arrow indicating the direction to turn the shoe locking screw to affix it to the camera body. At least one used dealer has taken this to mean that this type of shoe should be called a 'FIX' shoe. In any event, it is just an early Shoe 1. F2) What are the two extra pins on the OM-3Ti and OM-4T hot shoes? These are for controlling the F280 flash, which can sync at any shutter speed. F3) What is the small contact on the OM-10 hot shoe for? This pin has the same function as the upper right small contact on a Shoe 4. It provides feedback to the in-camera flash status LED, and sets the OM-10 to 1/60th of a second. It does not support camera controlled flash. F4) What type of hot shoe does an OM-G have? an OM-F? The hot shoes on both the OM-G and OM-F are the same as the OM-10 hot shoe (see F3). F5) What are the differences between a Power Bounce Grip 1 and 2? There are several, the major ones being: 1) The Power Bounce Grip 1 tilts up 75 degrees and down 15 degrees, while the Power Bounce Grip 2 tilts up 90 degrees and down 20 degrees. 2) In addition to having a standard PC cord permanently attached, the Power Bounce Grip 2 has a 5 pin socket for an OM TTL auto cord near the base of the grip. 3) The Power Bounce Grip 2 has a shutter button that can be connected to the remote socket on a motor drive or winder via an M.Grip cord. 4) With T-series flash units, you can use nicad batteries in the Power Bounce Grip 2. You should not use nicads in the Power Bounce Grip 1. Motor drive/Winder group: W0) What should I look for in buying a used motor drive/winder? There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*: 1) If buying a Winder {1, 2}, the battery holder and battery compartment should be free of corrosion. 2) If buying a Motor Drive {1, 2}, make sure the drive comes with its nicad power pack and charger. Additionally, it's probably a good idea to have the dealer charge up the nicad pack overnight. Then come back the next day and test it with the drive and a body. You should get at least 1400 shots before the nicad pack gives out. 3) The guide pin should be straight and free of burrs. 4) The shutter release button should operate freely and smoothly. 5) The film advance claw should be free of excessive wear and free to move up and down on its rotational axis. 6) The shutter coupling pin (in front of the film advance claw) should be straight, free to move right/left, and free of burrs. 7) The electrical coupling pins should be free of wear and should return to their fully up position after being depressed. 8) The threads on the fastening screw that screws into the tripod socket on the camera body should be clean and free of burrs. 9) The on/single/sequence switch should operate smoothly, and lock positively into the selected setting. 10) If you plan to use the motor drive/winder with a 250 Film Back, you should examine the 250 Film Back coupling gear on the side of the drive for excessive wear or broken teeth. 11) If you plan to use the drive with a remote switch or an intervalometer, you should bring same along and test it with the drive. 12) If you plan to use the drive with either an external power pack or AC adapter, you should bring same along and test it with the drive for proper operation. 13) Make sure the used motor drive/winder carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...). As with bodies, buying a motor drive or winder that fails any of the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try elsewhere. W1) Can all OM-series cameras mentioned in this FAQ take a motor drive/winder? No. The M-1, along with early OM-1's and OM-2's could not accept a motor drive/winder. Those that can have a small 'MD' logo on the right side of the front of the body as you face it. Note that the OM-10 can accept a Winder {1, 2}, but *not* a motor drive. W2) Is it OK to use nicads in my Winder {1, 2}? Yes. Be aware, however, that nicads will work poorly, if at all, in cold weather. For cold weather nicad use, get an M.6V Power Pack 1 or 2 and carry it in your pocket. W3) What are the differences between a Winder 1 and 2? The only substantial difference is that the Winder 2 permits sequence operation at ~2.5 frames per second. The Winder 1 only operates in single exposure mode. A more subtle difference is that there is a difference in the operating voltage at the electrical contacts between the Winder 1 and the Winder 2, which prevents some *but not all* Winder 1 units from working with later models, esp. the OM-{2S, 4(T)}. W4) What are the differences between a Motor Drive 1 and 2? There are several, the major ones being: 0) There are apparently two versions of the Motor Drive 1. The older version has a larger shutter button, no remote cord input, and no well for the motor drive cap from the body. Thanks to waldron@wrc.xerox.com (Brian Waldron) 1) The Motor Drive 2 supports automatic advance to frame 1 with the OM-{F, G, PC, 2S, 3(Ti), and 4(T)}, rewind with the OM-{3(Ti), and 4(T)}, and film out display with the OM-{PC, 3(Ti), and 4(T)}. Note that Shipman's book claims auto rewind with the OM-PC, is apparently wrong, since the required rewind coupling does not exist on the OM-PC. 2) The Motor Drive 2 has an LCD display which shows film loading, film rewind, and film removal sequences, along with a frame counter that counts down from the preset number of frames to zero, where the drive automatically stops. 3) The cap from the motor drive coupling on the body fits into a well on the top of the Motor Drive 1, while it screws into the back of the grip on the Motor Drive 2. 4) The Motor Drive 2 has four additional electrical contacts, a rewind claw, and a rewind coupling to support its additional functionality. 5) The grip on the Motor Drive 2 has a different shape than that of the Motor Drive 1. W5) What is the difference between an M.6V Power Pack 1 and 2? The M.6V Power Pack 1 holds 4 AA batteries (good when low weight is a consideration), while the M.6V Power Pack 2 holds 4 D batteries (good when battery life is important). Macrophoto group: M0) What should I look for when buying a used bellows? There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*: 1) It should be free of holes, like any other bellows. Take the bellows into a dark room, extend it fully, and shine a bright light all around it to check for pin holes. 2) The aperture opening and closing lever (located around a knob under the lens mount) should open and close the lens aperture freely. (At one time mine didn't, and I fixed it by applying a tiny droplet of oil to the mechanism using a toothpick). 3) The bellows should move freely and smoothly on the focusing rail, and the rack on the focusing rail and the pinions on the bellows should not show excessive wear. 4) Make sure the used bellows carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...). As with bodies, buying a bellows that fails any of the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try elsewhere. Thanks to Michael Covington M1) What lens should I use with my Olympus bellows and slide duplicator? The problem is that different lenses are designed to give a flat field at different object distances. Normal lenses are corrected for 1:infinity or 1:x where x is some large number; macro lenses are corrected for 1:4 or 1:2; and for slide duplication, you want 1:1. From the optical viewpoint, it's almost as far from 1:2 to 1:1 as from 1:50 to 1:2, so even a macro lens may not work well. The *best* lens is the Olympus bellows-mounted 80mm f/4 macro lens, which is corrected for 1:1. (I would like to hear from anyone who has used the Spiratone Macrotar, a 75mm lens also said to be corrected for 1:1. -mcovingt@ai.uga.edu). Second choice is the 50/3.5 Zuiko macro lens. I've done thorough tests, and my recommendations for using it are somewhat different from those in the manual. Specifically: a) Always extend the focusing barrel to 1:2 or as close to that as you can get. This is a floating element lens and does not become a true macro lens until the barrel is rotated into the macro position. Olympus's instruction book seems to be unaware of this, but my tests showed a dramatic difference. b) If you can tolerate a slight enlargement (1.2x), you will get best results by mounting the lens reversed. Naturally, you should also do this for any greater enlargement (2x, 5x, etc.). Work at f/11 or f/16; f/8 is fine if the slide is flat (glass-mounted) but usually the f/16 depth of field is desirable. c) For 1:1 duplication with this lens, you'll have to mount it forward and set the barrel to somewhat less than 1:2. Work at f/16 for sharpness. A good flat-field enlarging lens will probably act very much like the 50/3.5 macro. Because it's corrected for 1:2, you should try it both forward and reversed. Don't use the 50mm f/1.8 or 1.4 normal camera lens. If you must make do with such a lens, work at f/16 and mount the lens reversed. Don't expect the edges of the field to be perfectly sharp. For an artistic effect (center of field sharp, edges very soft), use the 50/1.8 or 50/1.4 normal lens wide open. Light source: I use a slide projector as the light source for focusing and composition; by aiming it right at the diffuser I can keep the light out of my eyes. Then I hold the T20 flash about 9 inches from the diffuser to make the actual exposure. This avoids reciprocity failure and color correction problems. Thanks to Michael Covington Phototechnical and other groups: P0) What should I look for when buying a used databack (esp. a Recordata back 4)? There are many things you should look for. This is only a partial list, and if you follow these suggestions and still get a lemon, *DO NOT BLAME ME!*: 1) How to test a used Recordata back 4: a) Remove your old back, install the Recordata back. b) Remove the lens from your camera. c) Lock up the mirror if you have an OM-1(N) d) Put the camera in manual mode, on B e) Set the Recordata back for ISO 25 film. f) Go to a dark room, or shield the room light with your hands. g) Put your eye close to the lens mount and trip the shutter. h) You should see a faint flash. i) Take a bright light, and shine it around the camera back/ camera body joints with the shutter open. There should be no light leaks. j) Check to make sure that the small magnet that holds the little door covering the settings buttons is not missing. k) Buy a 12 exposure roll of film and shoot it with the back to make sure the back is working correctly. 2) The battery compartment should be free from corrosion. 3) Make sure the used databack carries a long enough warranty for you to give it a good workout and return it for refund or credit if you find it lacking in some way. I consider 30 days a minimum, and some dealers warranty used equipment for up to 6 months (but not many...). As with bodies, buying a databack that fails any of the above tests is probably not worth it. Also, if the dealer is reluctant to let you perform the tests, you might want to try elsewhere. P1) Which focusing screen should I use? This will depend partly on your eyes and the way you customarily use them. Are you good at judging focus by eye? If so, you may prefer to use a fine matte screen all the time. Do other people keep telling you your pictures aren't sharp, when they look OK to you? In that case, go for a microprism or split-image screen, or even (shudder) an autofocus camera. Some people are more sensitive to focus than others; my guess is that it depends partly on whether you had good eyesight when you were growing up. Microprism and split-image screens work only at f/4 or faster. They are handy for everyday photography with normal lenses. For long telephotos, macro work, astrophotography, and other situations ranging from f/4 to about f/100, use a plain matte screen. Olympus makes one, but I prefer the Beattie Intenscreen, a third-party product that costs about $70 and is worth every penny. It's extra-fine and extra-bright. Despite Beattie's warnings, it does not seem to throw off the meter accuracy in my OM-1 or OM-2S. The Beattie Intenscreen is available with or without a grid printed on it. I find the grid handy for orienting the camera; for keeping my eye focused on the screen; for focusing the Varimagni Finder; and for judging distortion in lenses. (The Olympus finder seems to have a little pincushion distortion of its own, which has fooled me once or twice.) In setups slower than f/100, such as photomicrography, use the Olympus matte screen with clear cross-hairs center. It's the only screen you'll be able to see an image in. I have done this. Thanks to Michael Covington P2) What are the capabilities of a Recordata Back {1, 2, 3, 4}? Databack 1: Has two dials for selecting imprinted information. Dial 1: 0-36 Dial 2: 1-12, 75-84, and A-M Uses an external sync cord to make electrical connection to the camera. Replaced by the Recordata Back 2. Databack 2: Has four dials for selecting imprinted information: Dials 1 and 2: 0-36. Dial 3: 1-15 and 78-98 (year range). Dial 4: 0-9 and A-Z. The Recordata Back 2 also uses an external sync cord to make electrical connection to the camera. Databack 3: A digital unit with a real time clock built in, it can imprint the year/month/day (Japanese) format or the time in day/hours/minutes format. The Recordata Back 3 uses an internal contact to get a sync signal from the camera body, but also comes with a sync cord so it can be used with the OM-{1, 2}. Recordata Back 3's only keep dates up through the year 2009. Replaced by the Recordata Back 4. Databack 4: Also digital unit with real time clock built in. It can imprint the date in the form month/day/year (US format), day/month/year (European format), or year/month/day (Japanese format). Alternatively, it can imprint the current time in hours/minutes, a running frame number, or any six digit code that the user selects. The Recordata Back 4 uses an internal contact to get a sync signal from the camera body, so it cannot be used with the OM-{1, 2}. Note that current Recordata Back 4's only keep dates up through the year 2009. Finally, here is a list of folks that have helped with the FAQ to date (i.e. sent me contributions or made useful editorial comments): Mattias.Kullman@ki.ericsson.se (Mattias Kullmann) edwards@nosc.mil (Dan Edwards) Michael P. Kucher waldron@wrc.xerox.com (Brian Waldron) Andrew Donkin Majjick@aol.com jeff@news.internet.net (Jeff Spirer) Adrian Ford Orleff_Groetenherdt@du.maus.de (Orleff Groetenherdt) GMcGrath@aol.com Cheers, --Lee ____________________________________________________________________________ R. Lee Hawkins lhawkins@annie.wellesley.edu Department of Astronomy lhawkins@wellesley.edu Whitin Observatory Wellesley College Ph. 617-283-2708 Wellesley, MA 02181 FAX 617-283-3667 ____________________________________________________________________________