- Olympus OM-2
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Olympus OM-2 SP
Olympus OM-2 MDThe Olympus OM-2 was a single-lens reflex system camera produced by Olympus of Japan.
Contents
Main Features
The Olympus OM-2 was an aperture priority automatic camera (with full manual operation selected via switch), based on the earlier, successful Olympus OM-1 body. The OM-2 was introduced in 1975 [1], and combined the light, sturdy camera body style of the manual-only OM-1 with a new automatic exposure system.
One of the main selling points of the OM-2 was that all of the OM-1 accessories and lenses would fit without modification, offering a complete photographic system which could be carried easily, and allowing OM-1 owners an easy upgrade path. Although the camera was touted in various trade publications and magazines as technically superior, Olympus as a company did not have the same brand recognition as Nikon or Canon and, as a result, some professionals considered the lenses inferior due to their lighter weight.
Technical details
Of the many features the OM-2 boasted in most promotional literature, the mostly commonly advertised feature is that it was the first camera to offer a TTL direct metering system for film [2]. This OTF metering (off-the-film) was the first ever, (the Contax RTS was second). Another feature of the OM-2 was the integration of two available electronic flash guns into the system.[3] The camera set the duration and intensity of the flash during exposure using its inbuilt sensors by measuring the amount of light reaching the film. This ensured excellent results under difficult conditions. Exposure calculation was unique thanks to the twin "blue cell" sensors which measured light reflected off a paint splatter-patterned surface on the lens side of the shutter for shutter speeds above 1/60 sec. while exposure was calculated from light reflected off the film surface during the actual exposure for shutter speeds below 1/60 sec.[4] The camera also offered a manual light-meter mode, as with the OM-1.
The OM-2 has electronic shutter control but is still mechanical enough to expose without a battery at one speed, 1/60th of a second[1].
Physical Appearance
The cameras came in chrome or black. The later OM-2N was a slightly improved version. The OM-2SP added a spot meter, Program mode and a new meter display with a through-lit LCD bar graph display instead of the "old fashioned" needle.
References
- ^ Functional Photography Published by Photographic Applications in Science and Technology, inc., 1979, v.14-15 1979-80, pgs 22-24
- ^ http://www.olympus-global.com/en/corc/history/camera/om.cfm Olympus Official Historical Site
- ^ The British Journal of Photography By Liverpool Photographic Society Published by H. Greenwood, 1983
- ^ McBroom's Camera Bluebook: The Complete, Up-to-Date Price and Buyer's Guide for New and Used Cameras, Lenses, and Accessories By Michael Mcbroom Published by Amherst Media, Inc, 2000 ISBN 1584280131, 9781584280132
External links
Media related to Olympus OM-2 at Wikimedia CommonsCategories:- Olympus cameras
- SLR cameras
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