Comments on: Olympus OM3

By: ernest

ernest — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 21:08:23 +0000

I’m glad to told you that I went to Venice (Venezia) in Italy last day, with my Olympus om4t, and all was very good (I must develope by myself one b&w film and bring a color slide film to print and I will see the result of my work, but it doesn’t matter). I want to say all was very good in the sense that I was or the one or one of so many film photographers, in fact I saw everywhere digital cameras, but I’m proud of my camera, and happy with it, I had much fun, and this is for me the best way to go about with a camera, to have fun, push the bottom, to insert the film into, to extract it when it is full….. to hope that the work can be a decent work, maybe.
I saw that in commerce there is a similar “mini scanner” that for about 120 Euros transforms film photos in digital, and I think that is a very good help to interact with other people in easy manner, on the web, with the mail and so on, like you have a digital camera. I haven’t.

By: ernest

ernest — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 10:10:03 +0000

In my personal experience, about the difference of om1-om2 versus om3-om4, the asset of the old models is they are simple and offer (I think) more roughness, and you feel that the machine goes on forever, and the batteries aren’t a problem for a year or more. You need to remember make off when you stop using the camera.
The new models are better, they have a exposimeter that is fantastic, they are all metal too, they have more possibilities of interaction with flashes, and when you go back to the olds models you see some time is passed, technology is more sophisticate, etc., but I have great problems with the life batteries of the om4 and om4T. My om4, that I bought used from u.k. on ebay, was a tragedy, for it is very very hungry of energy. I don’t know what can I do. The om4T is better, but not so long way off, in fact I think the great exposimeter normal/spot, that stops itself passed about two minutes from the last use, eat some energy, like the “minotaurus” of Creta, that wanted always some young virgins.
For the other point, digital versus analogic, I think that digital isn’t that evil, in fact I thinked to buy one (but Canon-Nikon .. not Olympus), but I’m not convinced that it is better. Maybe I’m old, I’m 52, but I find classic photography manner more serious, more mysterious, and you are like a “apprenti sorcier”. There isn’t too much possibilities to change and modificate the result of your work, and over that you aren’t so capable of change the real thing that you saw when you was there, the person who see the image thinks that the item photographed was “real”, and not the result of some elaborations post factum.
For this, I love the classic cameras, and now I’m in way to make a darkroom for b&w. In this year I developed my two first film rolls (with the aid of a changing bag), and I hope for december (2011) to arrive to the print. I’m not sinthetic, I saw, but the whole thing is so interesting.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 02:09:32 +0000

Hi James.
For me, it’d be a toss up between the OM1 and OM2. I’ve never had an issue with either of these cameras as far as meter accurate etc. You do though have to take certain things into consideration when composing and thinking of how the light is working, then possibly adjust according to what you’re trying to achieve. But that’s no different to any other camera really. Sometimes I like the absolute simplicity of the OM1, and sometimes when I’m a little lazy I like the aperture priority on the OM2. I like the OM4 but just feel nervous about all the electronics in it. I haven’t had a problem yet, but I’ve read about others having some issues. I think it’s common with many cameras of that vintage and design. Personally I think all are great so can’t suggest one over the other. But if you wanted something simpler I’d choose either the OM1 or OM2, or get both!

By: james barnes

james barnes — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 06:04:34 +0000

Nice article. I have been yearning to shoot some film recently, I don’t know why but digital photography is lacking something for me, I think it is the commitment you make when releasing the shutter (no trash button on the back). As an ex OM10 owner I thought about an OM1/2/3/4 especially as the OM-1 can be had so reasonably. the 3 (perhaps due to its rarity) seems to fetch a very premium price. My question for you as an OM officionado is how accurate is the meter on the OM-1 and how would you compare the models? OM-3 is out of my price range but I could spring for an OM4 looking at the market prices … or just keep it really old school and go with the 1?

By: Abs

Abs — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 13:18:06 +0000

Hi! Read your review last year and I just had to get the OM-3, just to see what its like. Ended up spending quite a bit since it was in dire condition.
What i’d like to know (if anyone does know) is the OM-3 production numbers. I can’t seem to find an estimate on how many OM-3′s were manufactured in its three year run.

By: ernest

ernest — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:04:31 +0000

To Bela Molnar. I’m happy that people loves olympus om cameras, like you. I had a om-1 for years, then I boght the om-3 (and 4, 2, 4-T), and, if we are missing my misadventures with om-3 and om-4, it was a love affair. I used the om-3 only for 24 shots, but my only desire is to repair it, if possible, and to be able to use it for ever. I like your opinion that these cameras are a jewel. I think they are (and were) not very expensive, and now, “après vent annèe “, like the title of the Duma’s romance, in the digital era, they are better. But I must tell you that I love very much the om-3 and 4 exposimetre, that is another thing in face of previous models.
The om in my experience aren’t so strong, they like a sweet use I think, (like a jewel). For strong use I prefer the om-2, a all-round machine, but for very strong use old Pentax, like the k-1000 (or mx), are better (they are poor, and you don’t break what isn’t there).
I hope that I haven’t annoyed you (and Arran). Great shots with olympus om, (b&w too).

By: Olympus OM-3 « Jacob von Post

Olympus OM-3 « Jacob von Post — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 18:10:51 +0000

[...] ”The Olympus OM3. One of the most advanced mechanical shutter cameras ever made. It is also one of the rarest OM series cameras around as it was only produced for 3 years (1983-1986).” Arran Salerno [...]

By: Bela Molnar

Bela Molnar — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 15:16:30 +0000

I’m a Nikon user from the beginning, which is 45 years. One of my dear friend used to have an Olympus system, back, 20-30 years. OM-1 & OM-2 s. Remembering him, I had a chance to pick up a OM-1 + 50/1.8 & 135/2.8 from an old couple, for a 100 C Dollar. I never realized before, this camera is a jewel, a marvel of precision engineering, and the lenses, like a zeiss lenses in touch and mechanical working. It was two years ago, and I have now, four OM s, two OM-1 and 2 OM-2 and several lenses, from 18mm to 200mm. Shooting slide and mostly bw film, with great result, and the handling of this little cameras, really a joy. Still using Nikons, film and mostly digital, but the joy is, when I pick up the Olympus and heading out to shot something. On all four I have a MW attached for better handling, but not using them as a winder. I not wonder, so many pros used Olympus on that time.

By: Feral

Feral — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 00:13:33 +0000

I have an OM 3 that I found in a box of OM bits I purchased at an auction. I had no idea it was there. Cost me $40. I still use it constantly and it has a few signs of wear and tear but works great. I already had a stack of OM gear and this was the icing on the cake.
I keep it in a display case but it comes out all the time. If only to play with it.

By: Ernest

Ernest — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 22:50:30 +0000

Bad news. I bought a om-3, that I payed too much, (it was like new, at a view), and I was very happy, ……. but at the first film of 36 photos, it stopped .. at 24. Maybe not adjustable. The “bullet like” camera, all mechanic, like a “tank”, stopped. So, in the meanway, I bought a om-4, all black, very fine, but …. I went to a near village for a “paysan fear”, where I maked two films of 36, with the flash, ttl, all right, a joy for a person that had a om-1 and was obliged to use the manual mode all time, but at the end of the second film, the camera stopped. I was red in face, the eyes out of orbits. When at home I maked a taste with a new set of battery and .. all right, but only for 2 (two) films, so the camera eat plus of battery that of films, just like a car that want oil more than fuel. Now, I ask you, you, olympus om friends, it was me that is wrong, or what ?
I thinked to go to a “benedictus locus” for a magician, worse of this I think that is very difficult to find, I have nothing to loose now.

Thank’s of gave me the possibility to talk to someone of this misadventure, I am not lonesome now ( but very unhappy) . I think that now, with the old om-1, there is a good chance to make black and white ( only black, deep blacks, with no light, ………… ). Bye.