I can't think of any other reason other than Olympus decided that the majority
of photographs were better served by the 2nd, less-center-weighted metering
pattern. It also may have produced a better match between the OTF metering
(via the shutter curtain pattern), and the in-finder metering.
As for quality, the change in metering pattern only affects the exposure, which
of course is dependent on your choice of subject. Short of matrix and advanced
metering patterns, you will probably have to use your smarts to get the best
pictures based on the metering pattern of your camera.
As a non-OM example, I sometimes use Leica M6 bodies, which have a sharp-cutoff
metering methodology. The metering spot encompases a circle that is about 2/3
of the vertical frame height. You have to keep that in mind when you are
metering. If you point your camera up a bit to put the horizon on the lower
3rd of the frame, then you will be metering a lot of sky, which may underexpose
the non-sky foreground. You just have to understand how the tool works.
The metering patterns all work, just a bit differently. My advice? Get a good
body (one that preferable has been CLA'd) and run a test roll with transparancy
film. That way you'll see your mistakes and understand how the meter works.
Otherwise, you'll always be second-guessing the meter readings and wonder:
"Should I have bought the body with the other metering pattern? Is that one
better?"
Skip
Original Message:
-----------------
From: JOHN SCHEUERER jhs8956@xxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2000 11:46:08 EST
Subject: [OM] OM 2 question
Hi folks,
Here with another question. According to R. Lee Hawkin's Olympus OM SLR
FAQs [see below] there were 2 versions of the dot pattern in the OM 2. Would
the change in patterns have any effect on the photograph.[quality,edge to
center, etc.] I figured they changed for some good reason or
complaint.Thanks in advance for your input.
J.S.
Soon buying an OM 2
>From R. Lee Hawkins Olympus SLR OM FAQ
B24) Are there two different versions of the OM-2?
Yes, there are. Sometime in the late '70s the dot pattern on
the first shutter curtain was changed. The effect of this
change was to change the metering pattern to be less
dramatically center weighted. The only way to tell which
version you have is by looking at the first curtain (remove the
batteries and fire the shutter to lock up the mirror). If the
dots are concentrated near the center, you have the old version.
If they are more spread out, you have the new version. See
the following web page for pictures of the two different
screens:
http://brashear.phys.appstate.edu/lhawkins/photo/om2-curtains.shtml
To unlock your mirror, replace the batteries and put the
manual/auto/off/reset-check switch in the reset-check position.
Thanks to "Doug Nowlin" <wa5ohb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
_________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com.
Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at
http://profiles.msn.com.
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
-------------------------------------------------------------------
This message has been posted from Mail2Web http://www.mail2web.com/
Web Hosting for $9.95 per month! Visit: http://www.yourhosting.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------------
< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >
|