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quick question: $100 camera

kasperhauser

pfm Member
I've just gotten an estimate to repair an old Olympus OM-1 (which I got essentially for free). It takes pictures as it is - meter, shutter, etc. all fine - but the frame counter doesn't advance ($50 estimate) and the light seals apparently have turned to dust and need replacing ($40).

This camera is intended to go to my 15-year old daughter to use in her first "real" photography class - they will learn the absolute basics, and do some developing, make some prints, etc. She took an intro to photography class last fall and used her mom's Canon Eos, which is a full-auto-everything that you can, with difficulty, sort of force into a semi-manual mode. I think. She is interested, and has already snapped enough pics to show me she may have a knack (waaaaay better than I can do); time will tell.

The estimate sounds reasonable to me, but I ask: Is there a $100 camera out there that will do the job better than the OM-1 might, when it's brought up to spec?

It is exactly like this one, incl. lens shown.

Thanks.
 
quick answer: no

longer answer: these older SLRs are terrific VFM - even if you picked up another from ebay for $80-100, a CLA would run you $80. Have them go over your OM1 and it'll be good for another 20 yrs.

Dan
 
I have an immaculate Canon AE-1 that I can sell to you. Good price my friend... good price just for you.
 
Thanks Dan. Being as I'm not really a "disposable generation" kind of guy, it pains me to have something as solidly built as the Olympus and not do the necessary to keep it as it should be. I reckon they threw more metal away during the manufacture of this camera than they use to build a lot of modern ones.

My daughter likes "retro" stuff (as she calls it, and within this term she includes my wind-up watches, my stereo, pretty much everything I own), so I think she'll appreciate it.
 
You probably can find other SLRs that will do as good a job for the same money. Canon in particular were produced in vast numbers to high quality standards (Excepting some A1s with squeaky mirrors) there are so many about that they can be had on Ebay for really daft money. Even Leica and Contax SLRs go for relative peanuts now. But the Olympus are more compact and I think, aesthetically pleasing than Nikon, Pentax, Canon, et al. I inherited some Canon lenses which is why I've remained with them, but if starting form scratch, I would have gone go with Olympus (Titanium body sir? Yes please!)

Manual, film-based SLRs make you think much more about the photograph you're taking, you have linited resources, you have to pause to check exposure and focus and in doing so have the opportunity to ask, "Is that the picture I really want to take?" as you move through the different planes of focus, different aspects of potential images come in to view. My EOS took technically great snaps, but I wasn't enjoying photography anymore, the camera was doing too much of the composition for me. The burglars did me a favour when they nicked it, the insurance gave me more than enough to get an old F1-n iwith a smashing lens, they, should be good for another thirty years at east.

Of course what she really needs is a nice TLR and a lightmeter;)
 
Well, the deed is done. 2 1/2 hour turnaround, $85 total damage - can't beat that with a stick.

I'm going to continue looking into potentially "better" options, but I'm hoping this will serve her through to the point where she decides if she's semi-serious about it, or just can't be bothered. Lightmeter, though... yes. What's that one vuk always recommends?
 
kasperhauser said:
What's that one vuk always recommends?
Was it a Weston Ranger 9 calibrated at Zone V1 labs ?

I must confess that I always liked the old Asahi Pentax's for a cheap camera which will some hammer but if John K is correct I still have a few Rollei TLR Planars for sale ;) with meters.

AsahiPentaxES11.jpg
 


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