OM, I've become a Zuikoholic!

[Liquid-Sky]

Hi burancap,
Yes the prism of a OM-2(n) will fit the OM-1 perfectly. i did it on my om-1.
As for the first question, i do not know the default diopter, but with the eyecup 1 you can add different diopter +/- glasses, i think they hard to find.

[burancap]

Thanks for the replies folks!

The prism is purely cosmetic. The tiny amount of creep is there, but, oh well! I will save that project for a rainy day after sourcing some dead 2's for parts. Thanks!

Regarding the diopter, the best answer I have is -0.5 -the same as Leica M's. Based on that, I ordered a Nikon 2945 and will report back with results!

[wblynch]

Even though the current damage is small, you should take that as a warning to go ahead and get that old foam out of there. It will grow worse over time.

And if you clean the contamination off your prism, it can even improve the view.

Get to it now and you may never need to replace that prism.

[burancap]

Originally Posted by wblynch

And if you clean the contamination off your prism, it can even improve the view.

That is a very good point -and I should have asked!

So, the prism IS apparently cleanable. Any suggestions for methods, materials, etc...

My creep is truly trivial and it would be great if I could just "wipe" it up, even if not a 100% solution.

Also, did the 1 ever stop suffering from this during their production run? Did any other models suffer from this?

TIA!

[burancap]

BTW, I have been spending a good bit of time with my OM gear recently and while it may be preaching to the bar, they really are wonderful! The black paint finish is really beautiful!

My thanks to this thread as well! I may never have known.

[wblynch]

I'm pretty happy today. I just bought a Zuiko 35/2.8 from an ebay buy-it-now.

I've never had a 35mm fixed length lens for my OMs.

I have had the 28/3.5 since 1975 for my wide-angle and added 28/2.8 in the 1980s.

For Zuiko 'primes', I have 24, 28's, 50's, the 85 and now a 35.

One day I will cough up the dough for a 28/2 and maybe a 35/2. They are really nice.

But for now, I await the 35/2.8 that's on its way home!

-Bill

[wblynch]

Originally Posted by burancap

... Any suggestions for methods, materials, etc...

My creep is truly trivial and it would be great if I could just "wipe" it up, even if not a 100% solution.

This is only my experience. Be careful.

First do a search for OM-1 prism foam removal. Sorry I don't have the link.

----
When I removed the top cover I could see the rotted foam around the eyepiece under the flash bracket. Once I unscrewed and lifted that bracket and (((carefully))) picked out the hardened foam, I saw the bubbled spots in the black paint on the top of the prism.

Personally, I would try a little Windex window and glass cleaner on a Q-tip/cotton bud. If that did not help, then a little rubbing alcohol on the Q-tip would get it.

I would NEVER use acetone or MEK for this. NEVER. Just gentle solutions. Maybe only water.

I was very careful not to let anything drip down into the viewing screen, knowing I would regret that. A little paper towel or tissue stuffed into the sides helped catch any drips.

I wiped it clean with a microfiber cloth and then put it all back together.
----

It won't make it perfect but it will improve the viewing experience a good amount.

Oh.. and don't scratch anything.

-Bill

[JeffL]

Originally Posted by wblynch

I'm pretty happy today. I just bought a Zuiko 35/2.8 from an ebay buy-it-now.

I've never had a 35mm fixed length lens for my OMs.

I have had the 28/3.5 since 1975 for my wide-angle and added 28/2.8 in the 1980s.

For Zuiko 'primes', I have 24, 28's, 50's, the 85 and now a 35.

One day I will cough up the dough for a 28/2 and maybe a 35/2. They are really nice.

But for now, I await the 35/2.8 that's on its way home!

-Bill

I have the 35 f2.8 for my OM2 and really like it- very small and light. I just bought a 100 f2.8, again small and light. Nice combination for how I use them. Just need a Zuiko 24 f2.8 now to complete the OM2. I don't need or want the faster lenses, these 2.8's fit in my business case nicely.

[wblynch]

Originally Posted by JeffL

...I don't need or want the faster lenses, these 2.8's fit in my business case nicely.

Well stated!

[kanzlr]

Originally Posted by eurekaiv

I picked up an OM mount Kiron 28mm f2.0 for all of $70... all things considered, really dang cheap. Here's a shot wide open and one stopped down to 5.6 or so...


Hit me for 100,000 by eurekaiv, on Flickr


Even the pidgeons wouldn't eat this crap by eurekaiv, on Flickr

How do you like your Kiron so far?
I picked up said Kiron + OM-2SP for € 50,-- but I do not know yet if the camera works. Seller said it is untested and sold as is...I think the lens is worth the price along anyway.

wonder how it compares to the Zuiko. Olypedia says the Kiron is very soft, but we'll see

[eurekaiv]

Originally Posted by kanzlr

How do you like your Kiron so far?
I picked up said Kiron + OM-2SP for € 50,-- but I do not know yet if the camera works. Seller said it is untested and sold as is...I think the lens is worth the price along anyway.

wonder how it compares to the Zuiko. Olypedia says the Kiron is very soft, but we'll see

I think my Kiron is excellent actually. It's not quite as sharp as my 28mm 3.5 Zuiko at wider apertures but I think it does just fine stopped down a bit. It seems to have a little less contrast but that's not necessarily a bid thing IMO. I just shot a few more pics with it last weekend, here's a link to all of them.

http://www.flickr.com/search/?w=33013282@N05&q=kiron

[kanzlr]

thanks

if I do not like it, I will just pick up a 28/2 zuiko...

[wblynch]

I recently got a good working OM-2S with major light leaks (well no wonder, the foam was almost completely gone). The found film inside proved how bad those leaks were.

Anxious to use it, I spent an hour last Saturday cleaning out the remains and installing new foam light seals. It takes me that long now because my eyesight was nearly lost a year ago and is coming back very slowly.

Anyway.... after finishing, I threw an expired roll of Kodak Gold 800 inside and a 50/1.4 on the front and took a walk around the house to test it out.

I am happy that all the light leaks are gone and the OM-2S works perfectly. I tried it in Program Mode, Auto Mode and Manual Mode.

One thing I love about the OM-2S is it beeps if you're overexposed, allowing you to select a slower aperture. This is especially helpful to me with my broken eyes.

I've never experienced that beeping on my other OM's.

Plus it has a solid flash mount that eliminates the risk of breakage, like the removable shoe of the OM-2/OM-1.

I don't like it near as much as the OM-2N but it is a very nice, solid camera that will keep its place in my modest collection.

It also has a sound very similar to the OM-PC but a little more refined.

I decided to remove the batteries after use, due to what I've read in the past.


-Bill

[Liquid-Sky]

Rock Goddess Penny Ikinger (AUS) at Studio+ Rehearsal Paris 2012

Olympus OM-1 MD G-Zuiko 50f1.4 Fuji Neopan 1600

[alistair.o]

Originally Posted by Liquid-Sky

Rock Goddess Penny Ikinger (AUS) at Studio+ Rehearsal Paris 2012

Olympus OM-1 MD G-Zuiko 50f1.4 Fuji Neopan 1600

These are just a taster - your Penny Ikinger Flickr set shows what a good photographer you are - very nice.

Well done.

[Liquid-Sky]

Originally Posted by alistair.o

These are just a taster - your Penny Ikinger Flickr set shows what a good photographer you are - very nice.

Well done.

Thank you very much for the compliment Alistair O !
the OM's 1 i have are such a wonderful tools, specially the OM1 it took me time to restore it. And it is so intuitive to use.

[sreed2006]

My Zuikoholism is intact and active.

Recent purchases: Zuiko 18/3.5 (Google for images from that lens - there's some phenomenal pictures posted on the web), Zuiko 21/3.5 (with images so sharp they can cause cuts), and Zuiko 50/3.5 (which Keith has highly recommended for sharpness several times on this forum). The seller of the 50/3.5 won an award for a picture he took with that lens, so maybe his luck will carry over.

If this keeps up I'll have the whole set one of these years.

[redisburning]

oh sreed, that's quite the score.

all 3 of those lenses are spectacular. of course, I think the 50/3.5 is really special too; I'll say this until I run out of breath but that lens alone makes OM cameras worth owning for me.

[sreed2006]

@redisburning - that is a pretty high compliment for the 50/3.5. I hope to put it to good use.

[flip]

Originally Posted by sreed2006

@redisburning - that is a pretty high compliment for the 50/3.5. I hope to put it to good use.

I tend to buy lenses with some speed, but the macro zuikos.... wow. The pen lens sold me. If I didn't have an OM 50/2, I would gladly buy the 3.5.

[Jockos]

Finally got the missing equipment for film development to my new location, developed a roll of Portra 160 yesterday from the OM1 to try out the chemicals.
Here with the 21/3.5:

[redisburning]

Jockos, what did you do to get that depth of field?

it looks like you have a very decentered element or were free lensing.

[Jockos]

IDK actually, didnt notice that curve until you mentioned it. I've never seen that before and I use the lens quite a lot.. Guess it's time to dig out the spanners again

[rovnguy]

Earlier this week I picked a "surprise" from a good friend. He handed me a small black leather pouch with the name OLYMPUS embossed on it. I smiled. It was a lens. I opened the pouch. It wasn't just a lens. It was THE lens. This was the one I have been searching for... four over five years. What is so special about this one? After all, I already have more than twenty of these Zuiko marvels. This one is the 21mm f/2 wide, very wide angle sweetheart. Now, what to do with it? Ah... the Miramar Air Show! A beautiful day with perfect sun, crisp clean air... and lots and lots of airplanes. Well, after 10 hours on the concrete, five rolls of Ektra 100 with the OM-1/21mm combo and seven rolls of Provia 400 with the OM-2/200mm combo, I'm ready to turn in. Visions of fast moving jets and gorgeous static displays of classic old aircraft will fill my dreams. I'll post some as soon as I get them back from the lab. G'nite all.

[wblynch]

What a Great Friend!

I had a walk around Oceanside beach with an OM-2N and 85/f2. Just using up some Fuji 200 I had laying around. Nothing as exciting as the Air Show.

Dropped the film off at Costco with their Brand New Film Processor, Scanner and Printers to see what they can do. I asked for develop and CD only at their highest resolution. They don't understand that so I asked Svetlana to scan them at the biggest size they could. She said, "Oh! you mean 8x12? Sure, we can to that."

I will find out tomorrow what I get since they were closing. Their typical scans are 2000x3000 so I'm hoping to get some huge scans. We shall see.