Anyone with a Om-2n who can help me?

[Joper]

Ive got a om2-n that might have a little glitch with the light meter. Everytime i change the shutter speed, the light meter needle goes down to the bottom when the ring is in between the two shutter speeds. This makes the light meter "flicker" a little before it settles.

If i put it right between two speeds it goes all the way down and stays there.
The lightmeter works great otherwise. As you see its not really a problem but i just started wondering cause my Om2 does not do the same thing. So is there a difference in this manner between the om2 and the om2n?

/Johan, Sweden.

[LargeFormat]

I don't know if this helps:

The main difference between these two bodies is the System Flash support. The OM-2 supports TTL/OTF flash control with both the Quick Auto 310 flash (with Accessory Shoe 2) and the T series flashes (with Accessory Shoe 3). The OM-2n supports TTL/OTF flash control only with the T series flashes and only accepts Accessory Shoe 4. The OM-2n adds a flash ready / flash ok LED and an exposure compensation flag in the viewfinder, and automatic flash synchro speed setting. The longest guaranteed reproducable exposure time on the OM-2n is 2 minutes, independent on ASA speed, while the OM-2 has a long exposure limit that varies with ASA speed (1 minute with 100 ASA). The OM-2n automatically sets the shutter speed at 1/60 sec with a T flash. The OM-2 however will keep the shutter open when the flash does not give enough output, using available light OTF as an addition to the light produced by the flash. Some people think this is an advantage, but it is not without reason Olympus changed this in the OM-2n: the electromagnetic shutter will quickly drain the battery when it stays open for extended periods.

from http://www.star.ucl.ac.uk/~rwesson/e...ygroup/om2.htm

[Joper]

Thanks for the answer but that doesnt solve my problem. I just wonder if anyone with a om2n could look of the light meter needle does the same as mine in between two shutter speeds (:

[john2]

I have just tried this on my OM2n, and it does not dip to the bottom as I change the shutter speed slowly. I have an OM1n which flicks down when I change the aperture, but it goes OK after a few minutes use, so I assume it is the rheostat which could do with a clean or replacement. It started after a long period of disuse, but seems to be OK when it is used regularly. Could your problem have a similar cause, but on a different rheostat. I presune the exposure on Auto is unaffected, but it is a bit disconcerting.

John

[Joper]

Do you know/have a guide how to clean/replace it? The auto function works just fine, and the manual also actually, it just takes that short short time extra before the needle settles! Thanks for a great answer! /Johan

[beejaybee]

Errr .... you aren't supposed to set the shutter speed between the stops .... the shutter speed is "infinitely variable" (stepless adjustment) when used in "auto" mode (aperture priority) but the manual speeds can only be set on the stops. If you find that when working at f/8 the exposure comes between 1/250 and 1/500 you have to choose 250 and close the aperture a bit, or 500 and open it a bit. There is no constraint on setting the aperture ring on the lens between stops.

[john2]

Johann, I'm sorry I don't know any more, and I am only speculating about the cause. I'm sure you know you can only set the actual speed, but I can see that it would make it less easy to get to the nearest setting. It would probably cost more to have it repaired (even if it is possible) than the value of the camera. I
once had to send my OM1n for a repair to the film wind, and I asked them to also look at the metering, but it was still the same when it came back,although they had fixed the wining mechanism.

[Joper]

Hehe, i know you cant set it between two speeds! The thing is that it flickers when i change , at the moment when it is in beetwen the speeds. The needle should be more smooth. Doesnt really matters and i havent used it much lately so maby it will solve itself (:

[beejaybee]

Hehe, i know you cant set it between two speeds! The thing is that it flickers when i change , at the moment when it is in beetwen the speeds.

So what's the issue? My (manual shift) car won't go unless the gear lever is in one of the proper positions, if I try to move it when the car is in motion the engine speed will surge. No fault, just normal operation. Same thing, really. There may be an indication of a fault if the needle doesn't point to the same place if a different combination of shutter speed and aperture which gives the same exposure value are selected e.g. if the meter needle is in the middle of the "bracket" when set for 1/30 at f/16 then it should also be centred when set for 1/60 at f/11, 1/125 at f/8, 1/250 at f/5.6, 1/500 at f/4 etc. - provided the film speed control is not moved anbd that the scene lighting doesn't change. What the needle does when the settings are being changed doesn't matter.

[Joper]

I dont think you got the question in the first place. Ive got two om2 one om2n. On that one, the light meter dips down when i change the speed, there's no "power" in between the speeds so the needle dips down to the bottom before showing me the "value". My om2 does not do the same thing so i wanted to know if it was normal for the n model!

[Oly_Man]

Hello Joper :-) It sounds to me like the voltage to the meter is dropping out between shutter-speeds. As far as sending electricity to the meter, I can’t remember whether on the OM-2n the shutter-speed dial turns a stepped switch or a rheostat. If it was a rheostat, you’d expect it to give readings between shutter-speeds, even though you couldn’t make use of it. I’ve never owned a ‘2, but seeing that my ‘1, ‘4 and ’40 don’t do this, then unless other ‘2n owners can verify that their does the same, I’d go with it technically being a fault (albeit one which has little impact).

[beejaybee]

I can’t remember whether on the OM-2n the shutter-speed dial turns a stepped switch or a rheostat.

It might not even be the same between different samples of the OM-2n - there were a number of detail changes during the production run & unless there was a difference that affected the operation as defined in the manual they wouldn't have changed the model number.

FWIW my OM-2N MD serial number 1122xxx has a steady meter dial when the power/mode switch is in the "auto" position and the shutter speed ring is rotated.

Thanks for making me go & look - this camera (which used to be my "reserve") has been untouched in storage for 5 years & when I went to check I found it had been left with batteries in (eek!) - fortunately no leakage, in fact the batteries were still "good" when checked on the power/mode switch switch.

[Oly_Man]

FWIW my OM-2N MD serial number 1122xxx has a steady meter dial when the power/mode switch is in the "auto" position and the shutter speed ring is rotated.

I think he means in Manual mode, not Auto. In Auto mode, the shutter-speed-ring is more-or-less out-of-circuit, unless you select B.

[beejaybee]

I think he means in Manual mode, not Auto. In Auto mode, the shutter-speed-ring is more-or-less out-of-circuit, unless you select B.

In manual mode, the meter needle jumps at some point between the click stops i.e. whatever mechanism is behind the shutter speed setting dial, it only indicates complete stops to the metering mechanism. This is exactly as I'd expect it to work in view of the manual for aperture priority manual exposure control (page 17 column 2 para 2)

"1. Turn the aperture ring until the desired F stop is opposite the white index mark.

2. Look through the viewfinder and rotate the shutter speed ring until the needle lines up as close as possible to the centre of the index. Make sure that the shutter speed ring is clicked into position and not between two settings.

3. Make the final exposure adjustmet by turning the aperture ring until the needle aligns exactly in the centre of the index."

The actual jump is a bit flickery as the needle tends to overshoot and then settle back ... unless the exposure is so "wrong" that the needle remains pegged at one end of its range.

Batteries out, back in sealed poly bag with a fresh sachet of silica gel ... might still be there when my executor is clearing my house ...

[Joper]

Thanks for all the answers! The fenomen im talking about is in manual mode.

I personally dont think this is supposed to happen. Why would olympus make it harder/slower to read the meter?

Ofcourse there is a bit of a flicker on the meter when you change the speedring but mine goes down in the bottom, i can even get the needle to stay down if i stop turning the ring at some point.

Not very serious but im quite sure it shouldnt be like that!

Regards
Johan