I ordered an OM-2 on ebay. I'm slightly myopic, about -.5d. I use the built in dioptric correction when using my Canon EOS bodies. The OM-2 lacks this so I'm thinking I would need a diopter correction lens.

However, I was looking at a table here (http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/hardwares/classics/olympusom1n2/shared/accessory/finder/index.htm). Does that mean the default diopter on the camera is -2d and that I would not need any correction?

My eyesight is about the same as yours. A -0.5 or -1.0 will help greatly. If you cannot find an Olympus diopter, you can use the ones that were available for pre-AF minoltas SLRs. The minolta version will require a tiny dab of adhesive to hold it in place, but otherwise it's a perfect fit.

Chances are, with your eyesight that close, the viewfinder of the OM-2 might just be fine. The "apparant" viewing distance of the OM-2's viewfinder is somewhere around 5-6 feet. You won't need to "read" the metering, just be able to manually focus--and that camera is a dream for focusing.

Some info: http://olympus.dementia.org/eSIF/om-sif/findergroup.htm

Hans

I find the OM viewfinders are easy to use with my glasses on, so I have never needed correction, even now I use bi-focals. I would see how you get on with it as is before spending money.

David.

I got the camera and I like it so far.

I tested the meter against my ELAN 7, and the ELAN 7 got an exposure a stop slower. Is this a problem with the battery?

I got the camera and I like it so far.

I tested the meter against my ELAN 7, and the ELAN 7 got an exposure a stop slower. Is this a problem with the battery?

Yes, the camera was built for 1.3v mercury batteries and modern 1.5v cells throw the meter off a bit. It's easy to correct with the bias control.

David.

Yes, the camera was built for 1.3v mercury batteries and modern 1.5v cells throw the meter off a bit. It's easy to correct with the bias control.

David.Actually it's the opposite. The camera runs off of 1.5v silver oxide batteries, and the manual warns against using similarly shaped 1.3v mercury batteries. The other thing is that the meter that I tested isn't used for the actual exposure. I'm wondering if the off the film meter has the same inaccuracies.

Actually it's the opposite. The camera runs off of 1.5v silver oxide batteries, and the manual warns against using similarly shaped 1.3v mercury batteries. The other thing is that the meter that I tested isn't used for the actual exposure. I'm wondering if the off the film meter has the same inaccuracies.

I am a little confused about what you are saying about metering.

What is it you are using as your "target" when you are checking the metering? Is it a grey card or other even surface, or a scene with a variety of light and dark areas?

If it is a scene, than the difference may be due to the OM2 meter reading pattern being centre weighted differently than the Elan cameras.

The off the film metering is, in my experience, very accurate, but it is, of course, only applicable when you use automatic exposure.

Two things to check with respect to the OM2:
1) this is probably too obvious, but make sure you don't have the exposure override turned on; and
2) there are two different sets of focusing screens for the OM cameras. IIRC, some of the newer series (which are brighter) are not really suitable to the older cameras, unless they are adjusted for, because they cause the in viewfinder readouts to be in error. This does not, of course, have any effect on the off the film metering.

Hope this helps.

Matt

I was metering in my living room. I ran a more scientific test by metering off of a light box with a gray card. At f/8, the ELAN 7 gave me an exposure of 1/60, the OM-2 1/125 of a second.

The focusing screen is one with a microprisms in the center. I want to replace it with something that has a split circle.

One should keep in mind too:
The Om 2 has two meters not linked to each other.
In automatic mode the readout in the finder is merely informational. The exposure in manual mode may be off while the automatic exposure is right. You don't even have to switch the meter on to get a correct exposure.

Ulrich

Well the small size of the camera would make it convent for taking a meter reading to use on another camera.

Actually it's the opposite. The camera runs off of 1.5v silver oxide batteries, and the manual warns against using similarly shaped 1.3v mercury batteries.

Hey, you're right. I have just looked out my OM-2n manual which I hadn't seen for over 25 years. I wonder how I'd got that into my head. Maybe I'm thinking of the OM-1.

David.

One should keep in mind too:
The Om 2 has two meters not linked to each other.
In automatic mode the readout in the finder is merely informational. The exposure in manual mode may be off while the automatic exposure is right. You don't even have to switch the meter on to get a correct exposure.

Ulrich

With the proviso that the correct shutter speed is faster than 1/30 second, (or near to) and this saves battery, as you wont leave the camera on accidently.

Noel