OM 20 body

Recently I acquired a OM 20 body cheaply following a major metering fault on my beloved Om4 .

The OM20 also known back in North America as the OM-G, originally came out in 1982 being the second of that double figure secondary series of cameras Olympus had out.
The main differences between it and the OM10 models lies in that fact it was designed from the the get go as a camera with TTL-OTF Autodynamic  metering with built in manual over-ride with the shutter ring around the lens throat just like the OM2 models of which the OM2n came out around the same time rather than relying on the optional manual adapter the OM10 did.
In some respects then it's more a cut down OM2 losing that models TTL-OTF flash metering, the interchangeable focusing screens, backs although it kept the ability to use a power winder .
The focusing screen fitted was brighter than the OM10's and displayed the camera system information in a easier to see and less obtrusive way.

The above picture shows the OM20 in front of 1983's OM30 which Pop briefly owned which in truth was a more a focus confirmation with a 'auto focus' 35-70 zoom version of the OM10  that many found less than reliable at that. 
The failure to come up with a truly efficient auto focus SLR in many ways was what lead to Olympus losing it's place in the SLR market and dropping out of making its last film slr, the OM4Ti in 2002.

Tamron 35-70 standard zoom, small, fast and convenient

In for a penny, in for a pound they say and while on the look out for a cheap standard zoom to match the 75-150,  I spotted this in a bundle

This is actually really good a seven element, seven group Tamron type 17A 35-70mm constant F3.5 zoom with a 1:2:8 reproduction ratio at the 70mm end complete with Olympus OM mount and even a Hoya 1A filter fitted.
Serial # 556389
It only weighs in at 330 grams which isn't bad while the viewfinder image is fairly bright making it handy for quick picture taking where changing lens isn't so easy.
Making quick changes to how you frame the image is something that's easy to achieve with a zoom lens without having to move around a lot.
It came attached to a OM40 body that appears to be fully functional and both came in their original packaging with the OM40 having instructions and foam too.

75-150 Zoom

For more years than I really care for  arguments have raged over the qualities of lenses that cover several focal lengths  over fixed focal length ones.

Olympus themselves had manufactured a good number during what might in hindsight  be called the "Golden Era" of the OM system  in the late 1970's and 1980's that met their exacting standards.
Just what is the argument against them?
I think the first is for serious landscape photography they are harder to use with filters, specifically those square ones like Cokin's that screw on the filter thread of a lens because most zoom lenses have front elements that rotate when you focus whereas on fixed length ones they do not.
The other is during that era many cheaper zoom lenses came on the market that weren't so well designed spoiling their image. 
It was said at the time you needed to spend two to three times as much for a zoom lens of a similar quality to two or more fixed length ones and many amateurs just were not prepared to spend that.
This said, a good one has real uses like being able to easily control the final image you take very precisely not least on transparency film and this example I own, the 75-150mm F4 is a good example as it provides a very high image quality, offers a wide range of telephoto lengths and yet weighs little more than single 200mm lens which is comfortable for hand hold usage. 
I find its coverage is a good match for what I want in the field saving me carrying the 90mm and 135 and rarely need the 200mm as it's top end of 150 is adequate while saving me from changing lenses frequently.
It also uses a 49mm filter thread just like the regular standard and wide angle lenses which makes working with polarizers and square filters more straightforward for not having to double up on attachment rings and screw in filters.
As the OM system in the early 1990's moved very much toward  advanced amateurs and professionals with the OM4Ti being the only 'new' body available, while only a  few fixed length lenses went from the lens range such as the 135mm, all the Zooms did until they introduced the 35-80 F2.8 in 1995 issued with the OM3Ti.

300mm

I was thinking early on about getting a longish telephoto lens but it's taken now to find an affordable quality option for my OM10 and 40 bodies as most of the independent options from the late 1970's and 80's were rather so-so at best and you are normally talking of around £100 upward for Olympus's own.

Shopping around I found something that would work, the Tamron Adaptall 300mm F5.6 which was originally introduced  in 1976 and phased out in 1979 for the later Adaptall 2  close focusing version.
The early Adaptall lenses do take the later mounts and although this as bought came mounted for the old M42 screw fitting, changing to Olympus OM is quick and easy and for £36 was a bargain.

Technical notes

Lens construction: four group 4 elements

Minimum aperture: 22

Minimum focusing distance: 2.5m

Filter diameter: 58mm

Weight: 580g

Going further out

For a long time I had considered  the advantages of so-called ultra wide angle lenses as I found the 24mm lens a focal length  that didn't seem to offer too many advantages over a 28mm  for the inevitable extra weight of lugging it about without offering some of the advantages  in terms of getting heaps more into the frame or its creative uses building on the perspective distortion when shooting subjects such as cars close.

Around  2000 Vivitar and Cosina had out a 19 through 35mm ultra wide-angle zoom lenses in a variety of manual focus camera fittings including Olympus OM that appealed but tracking down the OM fitting proved difficult and some other options such as the Centon/Sirius 18-35 while plentiful used had terrible reputations for image quality.

As had been a while since I'd bought a 'new' lens, I ordered the Tamron 17mm F 3.5 Adaptall 2 in the high performance SP series

This is the later 151B version that dispensed with the built in black and white photo filters to simplify construction as well as reducing costs and adding a more modern feel to this longstanding lens.

Independent lens tests put this at the same quality as the Zuiko 18mm F3.5 which is some 60% more expensive used and exceeding it's equivalent by Minolta in the MD system.

As with all Adaptall 2 lenses, armed with the appropriate attachable mount they can mounted on nearly all manual focus bodies.

200mm

200mm lens are not the sort of thing you use everyday that's for sure but they have their place in the photographic scheme of thing such as Landscapes - mountain images - where their stacked perspective is easily recognizable 0r for sports photography.This is the Zuiko F4 which as such lenses go is quite light so you can use it handheld although support in the form of Monopods or Tripods really is best as the greater magnification increases the risk of camera shake.I bought mine in May 1997 and really like it's quality.

Moderate telephoto

This is the classic Zuiko 135mm F3.5 moderate telephoto lens good for sports, isolating people at events and air shows.
Although this is half a F stop slower compared to the regular F2.8 version the viewfinder is such you can't notice it and you save quite a bit of weight together with the advantage of using the same size filter thread (49mm) as your wide angle lenses. It makes for an easy to use lens handheld as well as on the tripod.

50mm

As standard you got the 50mm F1.8 lens whenever you bought a new Olympus camera and many used are sold with one.
I find them very useful for nature photography and the Olympus one is really clear and can be used with Teleplus's 2x Macro converter for 1:1 close ups if you don't own a dedicated macro lens.
I wouldn't be without it.

Wide Angle lenses

I consider wide angle lenses to be a basic requirement allowing you the opportunity to take broad landscapes, photograph groups of people at social functions as well as travel pictures and have two for the Olympus OM bodies I use.
In general I am not given to using standard zoom as I find the image quality falls below that which is obtainable from so called fixed length lens and many have the apertures varying as you zoom which messes up manual and spot metering readings.
As I use a tripod making small adjustments to frame the image and keeping it all level is not a big deal to me
For general landscapes I use the Olympus Zuiko 28mm F2.8 pictured below a lot liking its colour renditions and ease of use. The construction of Olympus's own lens is extremely good being all metal.
Another good feature of them is the aperture settings are at the front making for rapid focusing and metering while you are looking through the viewfinder.









I bought this lens in September 1996 for the OM10 when I was test driving it.


My first love though is the 35mm F2.8 which I bought around 2002 from Camtech over the phone.














I found whenever I used a zoom most of time I was using around this focal length because it's ideal for travel photograph and has less of a problem with converging verticals when you photograph buildings. Although the edges wide open are slightly soft they come in by F8 and it looks really good. Some say they found the contrast a bit low but honestly I've never found it on the films I've used (Velvia 50/Reala 100).
I got mine boxed with the case and thin front cape used and love it.

Flash!

One of the great strengths of the Olympus OM system was its Flash units.
There were three: The T20, T32 and T45.All offered flash metered off the film plane from the camera itself with the OM2(n), OM2SP, OM4(Ti) and OM40 bodies.This breakthrough occurred as far back as 1976 which was something many other systems were late in introducing.All the flash units take the number from the Guide number they produce (GN).The T20 does not do manual flash (the QF310 unit was really the cheap flash for the OM10/20/30 and OM1 models) but the other two do.
The T45 was a 'Hammerhead' unit for professionals like the Metz models and can be used horizontal or vertical while still 'bouncing' the flash.
The most popular unit was the T32 pictured.
I got mine around November 1996 used with a 6 month guarantee.
The output of GN32 is ideal for group shots or for photographic models with which is help by the fact the reflector can be tilted up for bouncing the flash or even down 15degrees to get a bit more light on small objects.
You can in fact link two or more flash units using special cables and maybe mounting the second flash on a supporting column while retaining the off the film flash metering for more even illumination of small objects.
Another rather useful feature of this flash gun is you can turn around the 'calculator scale' at the back of it to change from off the film metering to manual flash so you can use it on any camera that lacks Though The Lens flash technology such as my OM10 or even the Minolta XD7 (although on the XD7 you have to set the flash sync speed on the camera).
You are give a choice of three (yes really) apertures to use with a sensor on the flashgun controlling the output plus options of full output (with a aperture scale for the film speed you are using) and 1/4 output.
You can get a Flash Extender that helps direct the flash output for lenses with longer Focal Lengths although I found it was fine as is from 28 through 105mm that covers groups and head and shoulder portraits.
In all respects I found this flash unit ideal for all my flash needs with plenty of output to photograph winter processions like carolling, family events and models with the advantage it would work on any camera I owned.
Sometimes system manufactures Flashes seem overpriced compared with independent so-called after market equivalents but this one is well worth the modest price charged. Indeed I have seen Minolta MD camera owners sporting them atop of theirs.

OM40

Well when the first OM4 stopped working right in 2003 I picked up this instead - I was a bit short on funds at the time - but I could live without the spot meter.This model was introduced in 1985 but only remained in production for a couple of years.

It has a funny cross between a spot meter and all around (centre weighted) metering called ESP. It works fairly well comparing the centre spot to the outer areas balancing the two although it assumes the subject is in the middle of the frame.The flash is Through the lens like the OM4 which was always a good idea It also has a Program mode for quick picture taking.

The chief minus is that like all the double digit OM models the viewfinder only covers 93% rather than 97% of the OM4/3/2/1 models and it doesn't have a spot meter option al a OM2SP

Inexplicably, it died on me recently (2009) but I've acquired now (2015) another that appears to work okay and is in better physical condition.


R.I.P. OM40 you were all right really.

OM4

Well as I said I considered getting a better specified came body in 1996 and actually I did!
In October 1996 I was privileged to have a large sum of money come my way that i could use to get one and some system accessories with.
Give that the price of the the newer version of this camera - the OM4Ti had shot up from GBP £790 to £1200 in an matter of months even what I had was not gonna cover the cost.
I decided I would by used as things such as focusing screens for this camera could be retro fitted (In fact many change them for special applications) so I could get something almost new for far less.
The two main differences between the OM4Ti and the original OM4 introduced 1983 was the Titanium metal body and the ability only with the newer 280 flash unit to have flash at all speeds rather than a maximum 1/60th of a second.
As flash wasn't a major consideration for me I bought an OM4 and had the retailer fit a new 1-13 focusing screen for me that saved my something like £800 alone.
I wrote a piece on this for my main blog so I won't repeat myself too much here.

There are two really good features to this camera.

The first being it has spot metering meaning you can take a reading from a small area of the picture where a traditional all around metering system may under or over expose your main subject and use that instead.
It's hard to explain the next bit but having done that it can remember the Exposure Value it saw while allowing you to set any combination of shutter speed and aperture settlings manually that will expose the film to that exposure value by hand. It can remember the exposure value for up to one hour after taking the reading. In addition it can take up to eight such readings and average them to if you feel it will help with very tricky lighting.
Many photographers find this incredibly useful as I did on vacation taking pictures inside a Steam Tram balancing the gloom on the inside with the bright light streaming around the windows.
The pictures I took amazed people!

The other area is Flash Photography.
Flash can be harsh looking but sometimes you have to use if either outdoors on a gloomy day, for family groups or taking pictures of models where you want everything pin sharp.
One weakness of older flash technology is the output of the flash gun doesn't match exactly with the light falling on your film especially when you bounce it to make things look a bit more natural.
With this camera the flash gun can be controlled by the cameras own meter putting a end to this problem at a stroke.
I found this camera truly exceptional for the quality of pictures it could take as well as its' ease of use (using it on automatic is just as easy as the OM10).

My original developed a fault several years ago so I did replace it with a cheaper model however when that died on me recently, I bought another OM4 used.

OM10

The story started way back in September of 1996 when finding my trusty pocket camera had issues and an ancient Russia Zenith E was just too hard for me to use, I saw one of these at a local camera store going cheap.
I knew of Olympus as Pop had gone through a OM30 that purported to aid focusing (but wasn't that good at it) and had settled on a OM2SP afterwards.
This model was introduced in 1979 being discontinued in 1987 coming in Chrome and Black finishes.
Anyway money changed hands for it and the 50mm 'Standard' lens. I took it  on vacation to evaluate being a believe in the 'give it a real job and see how it performs' school of thought.
The OM10 is by design amateur camera - that's to say it's for the everyday Joanne or John who just wants good pictures with simple controls - rather than loaded with lots of features and a build to take Power Winders together with day in and out professional use in all weathers.
So as standard it is automatic exposure only with a setting for Flash units that are not for Olympus and the Flash is exposure is set by hand rather than automatically in the camera.
What stuck me was the evenness of the exposures because as basic as it is, it tells you first what shutter speed it is likely to set based on the 'F' stop settings on your lens in connection with how bright it is but makes the final decision during the actual exposure so if the sun just went in after pressing the shutter (to take the picture) it adjusts to it. It is what Olympus called "AutoDynamic Metering".
The results were better than expected and as it happened I got the MA1 Manual Adapter too.
This is a little unit you plug in on the front that when you set the exposure control to Manual Adapter enables you to set exposures by hand.
Let's say I don't believe in setting exposures by hand as a religion as if you use the settings the camera indicates you get pretty much the same result for more effort (plus the automatics on this camera are more accurate).
Where you might use it is if there is big difference between how much light the main subject requires and say a very bright background (or for using certain filters) pointing the camera toward what you wish to take the reading from and using the manual setting to lock it.
This meant I had as much control over how my pictures would come out as the main camera but in something much lighter to carry about.
The other thing was the lens was small of really fine quality and easy to adjust from the front.
After picking up a Wide Angle 28mm lens I was so impressed that I considered getting another better specified model.

Comments: I would recommended without any hesitation this camera body to anyone who wants to learn traditional film photography as it is as capable as many others with 'snob appeal' and higher prices.
Mine as pictured has the MA1 Manual Adapter fitted on the right hand side. If yours doesn't you'll find them for sale in photographic stores and on Ebay.