Re: [Leica] Olympus OM cameras

["Mark Hammons" <astair@ix.netcom.com>]

>Hi Joe,
>
>    Well, I *did* mention the OM-1 system, perhaps in passing:
>
>                      (outside of the Olympus OM series)
>
>    They were and are phenomenal cameras.  You could see the whole screen with
>glasses on, they were tiny, compared to, say a Nikon FTn, almost as quiet as
>an Alpa, and they had interchangeable screens.  My brother still has one, and
>loves it.  They do focus the "Leica" way.
>
>    Two of my friends who bought them later had them break on them.  This
>tainted my appreciation of them.  Perhaps these 2 bodies were part of an early
>run with mechanical problems, much like today's R8.  So I never owned one, and
>can't give a first hand report on them.
>
>    Tom

The OM is a wondeful system and is my SLR system.  I have 3 bodies and 9
prime Zuiko (Olympus Brand) lenses.  The OM-1 is the ideal astrophotography
camera.  The OM-4T has the famous multi-spot metering capability and that
tough Titanium top and bottom plate.  The cameras are small, relatively
quiet and have the shutter speed controlled by a ring around the lens mount.
The main down side to the system has been the very small amount of development
in the last several years and the fear the Olympus has abandoned the system.
But even if Olympus has done this most of the models are good for several
more years.  I know of the privately owned Olympus repair center in Dallas
and they have a ton of spare parts and even have some parts being manufacutered
(like the plastic battery chambers) by a third party supplier.

Mark Hammons