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Re: [OM] OM-40 metering and battey problems

Subject: Re: [OM] OM-40 metering and battey problems
From: John Hermanson <omtech@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 10:01:15 -0500
The PC/40 has a sensor that is very similar to, if not the same as the
one in a 4T used for center weighted & spot readings.  In ESP, the
camera compares the spot area to the rest of the field and if there is a
big difference (like backlighting) automatically compensates.

John

Olaf Greve wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> >, but I think your statement that the
> >OM-40 does not have a "spot meter" is not quite right.  On the OM-40
> >there is the ESP switch which gives you a sort of spot metering capability.
> >I agree it is not as sophisticated as the spot metering of the OM-3* or
> >OM-4*, but I believe it is comparable to that of the OM-2SP and OM2000.
> 
> Well, first off, I am not familiar with the OM-2SP and OM2000 spot metering,
> but as far as I know the ESP (Electro Sensitive Pattern) switch is rather an
> "automatic correction unit" than a spot meter. According to the OM-40 manual
> it measures the light in the centre as compared to other areas of the
> composition, and if one of them is clearly brighter, it will adjust the
> shutter speed in order to "compensate" for the difference in light.
> Generally spoken that works well, and it should even prevent the user from
> getting these nasty counterlight effects (when not desired, that is). At
> times I find myself switching it off though, especially when taking
> intentional counterlight pictures, and the likes.
> 
> The only way to "perform spot metering" on the OM-40 that I have
> discovered/employed so far is to make sure the object you want to have
> correct exposure for, actually fills up the majority of the picture in the
> composition (e.g. just measure the sky without the sun when taking sunset
> pictures), then measure the correct shutter speed (in auto mode), swith the
> camera to manual mode, enforce the measured shutter speed and take the
> picture as desired. Needless to say, this description is given assuming you
> have selected the desired aperture setting before performing the light
> measurement.
> 
> Unfortunately the above mentioned method does not work when desiring to take
> pictures of relatively small objects or objects that are beyond reach - the
> discussion about spot metering the moon is a perfect example of this. In
> such cases you will still have to guess, and rely on experience...
> 
> >I've heard that some OM-40's have this battery drain problem, but
> fortunately
> >mine seems to work just fine.
> 
> You are a lucky man :)
> 
> >But then, I don't use my OM-40 that much, I tend to use my OM-1.
> 
> Really? My father actually has had an OM-1 for years, and if I want I can
> just use that one, however, I really like my OM-40, especially since it has
> the aperture preferred (auto) mode...
> 
> >When the OM-40 is not in use, I just leave the batteries in and fire it a
> few times a month and >everything is OK.
> 
> I tried leaving them in before, only to find that no matter if I used the
> camera a lot, or hardly at all, the batteries were dead after some 6 months
> :(
> 
> Cheers!
> Olaf
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Olaf Greve
>  /\/\   Cambridge Technology Partners, Inc.
> / /_ \  Apollo House,   Phone:  XX-31-(0)20-5750419
> \  / /  Apollolaan 15,  Fax:    XX-31-(0)20-5750500
>  \/\/   1077 AB,        E-mail: ogreve@xxxxxxx
>         Amsterdam,      http://www.ctp.com
>         The Netherlands
>         Personal: http://www.angelfire.com/ca/greve
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
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