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RE: [OM] Which camera?

Subject: RE: [OM] Which camera?
From: Greg Heier <gheier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 14:21:45 -0500
Anyone have a OM-4 that has developed this drain problem? How long does
a set of batteries generally last in comparison to w/o the circuit drain
problem? 3 mo vs 1 yr? 

Seems like if its anywhere in the months range it would still be
acceptable (since you can buy several hundred silver oxides for the
price of a circuit replacement).

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of John Austin
Sent: Monday, August 24, 1998 1:49 PM
To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [OM] Which camera? 


Lee Hawkins wrote:

>>The OM-2SP also did NOT have the infamous "circuit" problem of the
OM-4.
Of

>
>Where did you get this idea?  AFAIK, the OM-4, -2S, and -PC *all* could
>suffer from battery drain problems due to the circuit board design.


I will be happy to stand corrected if I'm wrong on this. In fact, I've
been
wrong on lots of things in the past. :-) After talking to John H.,
Photosphere in Dallas, and Olympus America, I came to the conclusion
that a
normally operating OM-4 and OM-2S both have a slightly higher normal
current
drain (10 uA) than the OM-4T(i) (5 uA). In addition, an unmodified OM-2S
uses the camera batteries to illuminate the flash ready light in the
viewfinder, and this will be a problem only if you leave a flash turned
on
for long periods of time.

In addition the OM-4 only, not the OM-2S, can develop a defective
circuit
("famous circuit problem"), wherein the current drain goes up
dramatically
(40 uA). This can only be repaired by replacing the main circuit, which
are
in very short supply and very expensive. Note that even if the high
current
drain situation develops in the OM-4, the camera will still function
normally. It will just eat batteries at a prodigious rate.

Naturally, the OM-4, OM-2S, OM-PC, and for that matter, the OM-4T(i) can
all
develop complete circuit failure of the main circuit board, at which
point
the circuit would have to be replaced. This would have nothing to do
with
high battery drain. The cost of replacing the circuit board in any
camera
but the OM-4T(i) would probably exceed the value of the camera.

Regards,
John Austin


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