Olympus OM20 Vintage SLR 35mm Film Camera with f/1.8 50mm Prime Lens

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Some people don’t like that distorted, circular, or harsh bokeh. However, I’ve always loved this characteristic, and the Zuiko lens certainly gives it. I’ve never been concerned with how razor sharp my lenses are and whether or not I’m perfectly in focus to the edges with no distortion. To me, all these flaws are charm and character. As long as I can focus on my intended subject, the rest can do what it wants: the Zuiko lenses let that happen.

The Olympus OM system has a long history of both exceptional and under appreciated machines. While the OM1 was received by professional photogs, the press, and industry insiders as a marvel of miniaturization, design, and engineering, the brand didn’t seem to gain such a strong reputation with the casual user. Despite what Olympus had achieved in designing the OM, the company’s cameras were often considered by the masses to be somehow less than the cameras of Canon and Nikon.The OM-20 came with a sensor that measured the light reflected off the film. Opposed to the previous methods that measured light entering the exposure chamber, the OM-20’s approach was more accurate. Debuting in 1986, the OM-4Ti enjoyed a remarkably long production run for a film camera, not being discontinued until 2002. It was a new and updated version of the earlier OM-4, enhanced with titanium top and bottom body plates, improved weather sealing, and a higher-speed flash sync. But beyond these important improvements, the OM-4Ti retained the earlier camera’s core DNA. And this is wonderful, considering that camera’s spec sheet. Speaking of more fast pace shooting, this is a shot I was so happy to have aperture priority for. I had a split second to grab this shot and fumbling with manual settings was the last thing I wanted to be doing. Once again, I felt the meter absolutely nailed it. In aperture priority mode, the shutter speed chosen by the camera is displayed in the viewfinder as LED numerals, so the photographer is kept well-informed. If there is too much light, the word 'OVER' is displayed in red at the top of the left-hand side and there is another indicator at the bottom of the left-hand side which lights if exposure compensation is enabled.

If using manual mode, you can adjust the shutter speed by moving the ring located at the base of the lens mount. Enver I find it amusing your comment about the OM bodies and lenses not being very rugged. I have an Olympus OM2n I bought new with a 50mm f1.8 in 1980. Both that lens and body still works quite well and has never been serviced. Even though I have had and do have a number of cameras the Olympus OM2n is still my favorite. It is very simple and easy to use plus takes very good pictures. Is it as good as a Leica, I have no idea and don’t care. EXPOSURE INDICATOR SWITCH: LED display is activated by selector dial or shutter release button and switches off after about 90 sec. to conserve power. I don’t think the Olympus Zuiko lenses need any introduction: they may not be Zeiss glass or anything, but man they’re great. Plenty sharp for anything you’re shooting on 35mm, and they have just the right amount of character to them. All the consumer-grade models were discontinued after 1992, since the market for manual-focus SLR cameras had declined greatly in favour of autofocus SLRs. The consumer line returned in 1997 with the Cosina-sourced OM-2000 model. Professional and advanced-amateur demand for the high-end models continued, and they were produced until 2002, along with the consumer-grade OM-2000. [1] Chronology of OM-system cameras [2] ModelThe Olympus OM-G (also known as the OM20 in other markets) was introduced in 1983 as a consumer 35mm SLR. While the OM-1, OM-2 and others were the professional line, the OM-G was of the cheaper options. However, that doesn’t mean it was cheap junk.

Also known in some markets as the OM-PC, the OM-40 had a program mode that automated the selection of both the aperture and the shutter speed.

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It’s also quite lightweight making it easy to carry around, and hold in one hand. Like many cameras of the era, the shutter release button and film advance lever are close and in a position that allows you to take an exposure, advance on, take an exposure, advance on with one hand with ease. The same can be said for the shutter speed if you decide to go for the manual adapter route. The aperture control, of course, can be found on the lens you choose. The ISO dial next to the shutter release allows you to set the ISO, as well as exposure compensation too. During development, the Olympus design team led by Yoshihisa Maitani worked on a completely modular set of units called the MDN (Maitani-Darkbox-Normal), which resembled a 35mm Hasselblad. This camera was built as a prototype, and is sometimes referred to as the OM-X. A more conventional camera which integrated the shutter, film transport, mirror and viewfinder was called the MDS (Maitani-Darkbox-Simple). The MDS developed into what became the OM-1. [4] Lenses [ edit ] Olympus Zuiko OM 50 mm f/1.8 OM system lenses. The nucleus of the system was a series of compact bodies divided into an advanced series and a later consumer-oriented series. The first model was the all-mechanical M-1 which, after pressure from Leica (which already had an M1 model), was renamed OM-1. At the same time the M system was renamed OM System. The camera included a full-aperture TTL Cadmium-sulphide (CdS) exposure meter, and a bayonet lens mount of relatively large diameter. By the end of the 1970s it was joined by the semi-automatic OM-2 and consumer-oriented OM-10. Olympus continued the naming pattern with the 'professional' OM-3 and OM-4, and the consumer-level OM-20, OM-30 and OM-40. The cameras were accompanied by a series of Zuiko-branded lenses, as well as a generous selection of accessories. The majority of OM bodies and lenses were manual-focus only; the OM-707 of 1986 was the only true autofocus model. AUTOMATIC EXPOSURE CONTROL: Type: Aperture-preferred electronic shutter. Measuring method: TTL Direct Off-the-Film (OTF) Light Measuring. Measuring range: 2 sec. to 1/1000 sec. (ASA 100) (ASA 100, at normal temperature and humidity). Exposure compensation: +/-2 EV in 1/3 increments on rotating dial. Flash Synchro: Automatic X synchro, with T-series flash units (1/60 sec.)

Although unrelated to analogue… I need to hold my camera straight! I love film photography and I can’t believe how much it scared me! With its 5-FPS motor drive, it's the fastest SLR in its class - and the strongest, for such blazing speed demands rugged precision far beyond the ordinary. Yet it's also the lightest SLR in its range - a benefit you'll appreciate every time you raise it to your eye... which tells you it's the brightest of its breed, thanks to its unique Lumi Micron-Mate focusing screen, silver-coated prism, and multicoated reflex mirror.

Olympus OM20

An Olympus model made by Cosina, [3] the OM-2000 was not considered by Olympus 'die-hard fans' to be a 'true OM' camera. There’s enough metal here to make one feel that they’re holding something more meaningful than the latest batch of DSLRs, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone that these 40-year-old machines are still working today. A reputation for high-quality construction is further reinforced by a well-documented history of OM cameras operating successfully in the theater of war. Suffice to say, this is a robust machine.