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Kyleoak1013
Tinkerer
Username: Kyleoak1013
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 04:14 pm: | 
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I have an Olympus OM-1 that has been in my family for awhile that i just began using. I replaced the battery that's used to operate the meter in the view-finder. It's a brand new battery and I'm sure it's in the right position, but the meter won't move. I was wondering if anyone else had this problem, is it fixable, or do i have to replace the entire body? any help is greatly appreciated. |
Kyleoak1013
Tinkerer
Username: Kyleoak1013
Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 04:33 pm: |
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I just wanted to add to my first post - i was wondering if it could possibly be the aperture ring and not the meter itself? it seems like a possibility. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 786
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 04:43 pm: |
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This problem doesn't ring a bell to me... it sounds more like a linkage problem than a meter problem, but I'd have to see it happen before I could figure it out. |
Kyleoak1013
Tinkerer
Username: Kyleoak1013
Post Number: 3
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 04:48 pm: |
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Nothing really happens, it's just when i have the camera on the meter doesn't move and when i change the aperture ring it still doesn't move. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 787
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 04:50 pm: |
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I see you've connected with John Hermanson on photo.net ... he's the expert, the rest of us are just tinkerers. Whatever he tells you, that's what you need to do. |
Kyleoak1013
Tinkerer
Username: Kyleoak1013
Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 04:53 pm: |
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John Hermanson? photo.net? That doesn't ring a bell... You might be confusing me with another person |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 789
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 07:39 pm: |
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You're right, I'm sorry, I've gotten my posts mixed up in my head. If your meter is just stone dead, there are a couple of things that come right to mind:
first, if these cameras are stored with a battery in place, the power wire from the battery will gradually corrode and eventually break at or near the battery box terminal. If this happens, at least 1 - 2 inches of wire have to be cut out and a new piece patched in because solder won't stick to the corroded copper.
The second possibility applies to earlier examples of the OM1: in these cameras, the screw that holds the battery terminal in place is made of clear plastic (Maitani had a LOT of faith in plastic, not all of which was entirely justified). These screws break with age and leave you with a dead meter. A regular metal screw will short the terminal, so you need either a new plastic screw or else some clever way to keep things insulated.
Sorry about the confusing earlier answer .... my brain is succumbing to the combined effects of old age and high mileage, i'm afraid..... |
Kyleoak1013
Tinkerer
Username: Kyleoak1013
Post Number: 5
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 06, 2009 - 10:16 pm: |
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Thanks for all the help. One more question though, how would i be able to check and repair a corroded wire by the battery box terminal? |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 790
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 07, 2009 - 04:01 pm: |
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You can check it by removing the baseplate, as I recall the battery box is held by a couple of screws and you can have a look. If it's bad, though, repair involves cutting back at least an inch up the wire, often farther. It may not be possible to reach that far without an uncomfortable amount of disassembly. |
Bruceb
Tinkerer
Username: Bruceb
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 09:58 am: |
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This may sound rather simplistic, but, as an owner of 5 OM-1's, I've had the no response meter problem on one or the other several times, and what fixes it is a gentle smack to side of the body. It's as if the needle becomes stuck in place over time from not being used. Try it , it just may work : ) |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 792
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 08, 2009 - 04:42 pm: |
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good point, that does happen too ... the rubber needle stops get sticky with age. |
Kyleoak1013
Tinkerer
Username: Kyleoak1013
Post Number: 6
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 09, 2009 - 07:31 pm: |
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i wish it was as simple as giving it a good whack, that didn't seem to work. I'm not the handiest person ever so I'm going to hold off on the taking it apart part. The meter isn't a necessary feature however so I'm just going to see how the pictures come out not using it. Thanks for all of your help. |
Lgdavis
Tinkerer
Username: Lgdavis
Post Number: 19
Registered: 08-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - 04:58 pm: |
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Before you start taking things apart you might just try repeatedly exercising the ASA ring and the aperture ring and maybe the speed dial, too. I have found a couple of times that this will kind of clean up the contacts and let the meter work. |
Kyleoak1013
Tinkerer
Username: Kyleoak1013
Post Number: 7
Registered: 02-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 12, 2009 - 09:26 pm: |
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Thanks, will do. |
Harlee
Tinkerer
Username: Harlee
Post Number: 39
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 14, 2009 - 09:57 am: |
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Something that has saved my bacon more than once is to pick up a can of "contact cleaner" from Radio Shack. It's under a lot of pressure so you have to be careful with it. It's close to $10 a can. I've sprayed some under the off/on switch on different cameras, let it sit for a which and then turn the switch on and off a number of times. Contacts often get slightly corroded and this cleaner really works. I've actually brought cameras back from the dead using contact cleaner. Then again, with the age of the OM1s, the battery contact wire may need replacing. Good luck. |
Fiftyfifty
Tinkerer
Username: Fiftyfifty
Post Number: 33
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 15, 2009 - 01:10 am: |
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Can I add a comment,have you checked the battery,I have had one in the past with the wrong polarity.It is worth checking against a meter before you go any further |
R_a_feldman
Tinkerer
Username: R_a_feldman
Post Number: 6
Registered: 11-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 - 01:16 pm: |
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I have had 3 OM-1s where the battery wire corroded. That would be where I would look. Replacing the wire is not easy, as it is glued in the channel that runs from the bottom to the top of the camera.
There are several good web sites with OM-1 repair info. http://olympus.dementia.org/Hardware/PDFs/CameraCraftsman.pdf is a general over-all article. http://olympus.dementia.org/Hardware/tutorials/OM-1CoverRemoval/index.html is more specific, but very useful.
While you have the top cover off, you should remove the foam next to the pentaprism, as it can deterioriate and destroy the silvering on the prism. I had bad foam in all 3 of my OM-1s. Look at http://olympus.dementia.org/Hardware/tutorials/FoamRemoval/index.html for instructions on removing the foam.
Lastly, look at the illustration about half-way through http://photographic.co.nz/cameraworks/cameras/om1_shutter/ for the location of the plastic screw mentioned earlier.
Bob |
Bmurf
Tinkerer
Username: Bmurf
Post Number: 3
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 - 09:48 pm: |
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I need to replace the batttery wire on my OM-1. Top and bottom covers are off. How do I get to the rest of the wire? |
Prest
Tinkerer
Username: Prest
Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 27, 2010 - 05:00 am: |
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Just like Bruce. I've had a "silly needle" at times.
Mine doesn't look like dead, just that at times it takes a few seconds to get unstuck and move. Turning on and off the meter; changing apertures and shutter speeds help, and it returns to move like it should. Or as suggested, a little smack or shake could help; Never did this though.
My unit was overhauled a a year and a half ago. It works perfectly.
Edit: Whoops, old thread. I can't give advice on the wire. Never touched much the camera. Just removed the bottom plate and see the components in there. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 1069
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 27, 2010 - 07:22 am: |
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Hi Prest: Your problem is probably just sticky needle bumpers. They're little rubber stops that the needle rests on when it reaches the end of its travel. To get to those, you have to remove the top cover and take out the prism, then clean the bumpers and the needle with cigarette lighter fluid. Be very careful in there, the needle is very delicate, and the eyepiece will give you a clear magnified view of every speck of dust you leave behind. |
Prest
Tinkerer
Username: Prest
Post Number: 6
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 27, 2010 - 10:33 am: |
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Thanks a lot for the advice Rick; I wasn't asking for help, doing a little contribution. But, your advice shown me again how helpful are the members of this forum.
I'll try to do a cleaning it if the meter needle gets really silly in a future. I prefer to not mess around with the camera being still fine. I should have to buy a few broken bodies to experiment on.
I don't think it's a problem, since it rarely did this. Only twice in a year of occasional use. The needle is not stopping on positions that the bumpers should be (max and min needle setting), just that it took a while to respond and it was inbetween those. It could be the battery too, maybe making bad contact.
I did the mechanical coupling test. ASA 1600, f8, Bulb, and the needle centers perfectly. Compared against the digi P&S on a plain overcast sky, both agree very nicely.
I suppose that fiddling with the aperture and shutter speeds rings don't do harm to the camera. I tend to do it when it's kept inactive (like now) and by the way, listen to the mechanical sounds of the camera. It's like shooting without releasing or cocking the shutter. |
Tbright
Tinkerer
Username: Tbright
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 28, 2010 - 11:01 pm: |
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I really hope someone can help me with this. I unscrewed the unwind knob on the top of the camera to fix the washer underneath, and the part that the unwind knob screws into to attach itself to the camera fell down into the area where the film goes. Therefore I am unable to pull up on the unwind handle to open the back and get the part out! Is there another way to open the back of the camera to get it out?? |
Olympfix
Tinkerer
Username: Olympfix
Post Number: 19
Registered: 05-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 02, 2010 - 04:01 am: |
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Make a j shaped hook from a piece of stout thin wire, poke it down through the hole and pull. It may take a couple of tries, but it'll work. |
Olympfix
Tinkerer
Username: Olympfix
Post Number: 20
Registered: 05-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 02, 2010 - 04:05 am: |
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otherwise lift back the leatherette, unscrew the two screws holding the cover over the latching lever-don't lose the "washers" inside the slots, and just push the lever up. Or else take the top off completely, and release by hand. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 1071
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 02, 2010 - 04:39 am: |
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I keep a small crochet hook in my camera repair kit for this sort of thing. |
Dominic
Tinkerer
Username: Dominic
Post Number: 1
Registered: 02-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, April 01, 2010 - 04:12 pm: |
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Hi folks,
Hopefully a simple problem easily rectified (I just thought I'd tempt fate and get it out of the way).
OM-1 - early black version unbadged MD. The self timer lever is loose, as if fully wound on, yet it won't release. I've taken the lever off by removing the left-hand threaded screw, and removing the lever altogether. The little metal tab which the lever acts upon is indeed right down at the 7 o'clock position, and refuses to move. Any ideas as to where to go from here? Disassembly this deep scares me, prism replacement etc - no problem!
Thanks in advance!
Dom. |
Zuikopath
Tinkerer
Username: Zuikopath
Post Number: 3
Registered: 05-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 06, 2010 - 05:31 pm: |
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Is the shutter working when you wind on and press the shutter button...? |
