Hi Marcus:
I have an OM-2S, and I love it!
Reasons not to like the 2S:
1. Early models powered the "flash ready" light with the camera
batteries. This would drain the batteries in short order, if there was
heavy flash use. Olympus offered a fix for this, where the LED used
the flash's batteries, instead of the camera batteries. You can tell
if you have the early model by mounting a flash unit. If the LED is
green, you have the original model. If the LED is red, you have the
revised model. I don't know if early models can still be upgraded; you
might want to check with John H. at Camtech (http://www.zuiko.com) about
this.
2. The "program" limits the speed of Winder 2 to 2.2 fps, and the Motor
Drive to 3.5 fps.
3. The circuit boards are NLA. If the electronic functions of the
camera ever get "cooked" you have a nice paperweight! Your 4 could have
been upgraded to the 4Ti electronics, but that is an expensive
proposition.
4. The program mode does not have multiple programs, such as "sport",
"landscape", or "portrait".
Reasons to like the 2S:
1. "Program" mode. You can mount a 28 mm wide angle, set the focus at
six feet and have the ultimate point and shoot camera. Leave it in the
center console of your car, for all those pictures you wish you'd taken.
2. Spot meter. Spot meters are wonderful! This is one reason why I
bought the 2S, rather than a 2N.
3. Built-in flash shoe. The functionality of Shoe 4, and nothing to
lose.
4. Ability to use "2" series screens. I just replaced by focusing
screen with the 2-13 screen, which makes a big difference in viewfinder
brightness.
5. They are cheap. You should be able to pick up a nice user for $200
or less. They were marketed at the time as the body for a serious
amateur, or a backup body for the 4. Olympus discontinued the model
about the time it started to become popular.
6. Metering and flash control. the camera will give you correct exposure
metering for two+ minutes. The exposure and TTL flash control are read
off the film plane, and can adjust itself even during exposure. This
was cool in 1976, when introduced in the 2, and remains unequaled today,
IMHO.
Good luck!
Bill Stanke
Marcus b6 wrote:
>
> It appears that my OM-4 has found a new home. Any tips or insights to the
> use, care, and feeding of the OM-2S would be much appreciated. I am also
> curious as to why it is so maligned or beloved. Thanks, -Marcus
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