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re:[OM] OM-PC: Nice for glasses wearers?

Subject: re:[OM] OM-PC: Nice for glasses wearers?
From: "Chuck Castleton" <ccastleton@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 10:39:07 -0600
I purchased a used OM-PC and took it on a recent trip to the Alaskan Arctic  
along with my OM-1.  I put about 5 rolls of Velvia through it, plus a couple 
rolls of prints.  I was very pleased with the results.  ESP metering handled 
the dark-object-against-white-snow situations quite well.  On the first couple 
rolls I set the exposure compensation to +1 as a caution to prevent greyed-out 
snow, but I was actually happier with the results without compensation.  The 
OM-PC is light, comfortable, and the controls are well-placed and pleasant to 
use.  The skinny shutter speed dial tucked under the slightly protuding prism 
is a pain to use in manual mode, though.  I wear contact lenses, not glasses, 
so I can't comment on that aspect.  It seems fairly rugged - it rode on the 
back of a snowmobile for close to 200 miles (in a LowePro Nova 5).  It took a 
lot of vibration, and the whole bag got dumped off at least once going around 
15 mph.  No damage except a little more corner brassing.  The biggest photo 
disaster of the trip was that I had the OM-1 inadvertently set to FP sync the 
whole trip, so none of my flash shots worked.  By the way, I payed US $150 for 
mine, in about 8-9 condition.

Chuck Castleton

--from Peter Klien--------
I was in Ye Olde Overpriced National Chain Kamera Emporium this weekend,
and encountered an OM-PC in the used bin, priced at $150.  It was a
"9"--some cosmetic wear, but seemed to be fine functionally.  It had a
50/1.8 SC mounted (sold separately).  Having never met the "PC" socially, I
asked to see it.  The salesman pooh-poohed it as "nothing special."

I discovered that I really liked it.  I'm an OM-2 owner, and a glasses
wearer.  The viewfinder image of the PC is a little smaller than my OM-2,
but I could see amost the entire frame, and it appeared to be significantly
brighter.  I also found that the image seemed easier to focus.  I almost
didn't need the microprism.  As someone who really prefers rangefinder
focusing, I felt really comfortable focusing the PC.  I didn't buy it, but
I was tempted.

I also liked the way the OM-PC fit in my hands, the lightness, and the
shutter speed visiblity in the viewfinder.  It seemed a bit noisier, and
seemed a bit flimsier than my OM-2.  It doesn't have spot metering like the
OM2-s, 4T{i}, or even the OM-2000.  But perhaps the "ESP" metering
mitigates this somewhat--or does it?  I've also read about some difficulty
with repairs/obtaining parts/circuit boards (John Hermanson, your
perspective)?

Now, I know the OM-PC has some plastic in the body, is considered a
"consumer" rather than "Pro" camera, does not take interchangeable focusing
screens, and won't do automatic long exposures greater than 2 seconds.  

But since I have an OM-2 already, it seems to me that the OM-PC would make
a great second body.  And for fast, dim-light shooting, it might have some
advantages.

Request for opinions on the OM-PC!

- --- Peter
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