Both a T and Ti version (Ti originally was international T US) Hockey pucks...second only to my OM 3's Lovely cameras staggering system. Grab them

Expensive but no where near as much as OM3's

My first camera was a Kodak Brownie, which I used in the early 1960s. Then, my father gave me an Olympus OM-2. I used the OM-2 from 1968 to about 1995, where my subjects included anti-Vietnam war riots taking place in Berkeley, CA, folk dancers in Madison, WI, swamps in south Carolina, and waterfalls in Hawaii. In the late 1990s, I started using, in addition, a Tachihara 4X5 wooden field camera, and using the 4X5 negatives, created three portfolios of 20 inch X 24 inch color prints and I've had exhibitions at 3 museums and 5 community galleries. Then, in about 1995, I noticed that one of the small controls on my Olympus OM-2 got knocked off. The reason is that I kept my camera in a loose bag along with my lenses, and the continual bonking of the lenses against the control knocked it off the OM-2. And so, in 1995, I bought my OM-4Ti second hand from a shop in Oakland, CA. For the past twenty-three years, my second hand OM-4Ti has been my faithful companion during 50 photo trips to southern California deserts over the course of 3 years, during about 50 photo-sessions with babies, toddlers, and children, over the course of ten years, and for other smaller photo projects. I get my 35 negatives scanned at 200 MB. Good features: (1) Exposure always perfect; (2) Color balance always perfect; (3) Auto timer always works; (4) Never any light leakage; (5) Never any image distortion with my 50mm Zuiko lens, or 300 mm Zuiko telephoto lens, though it might be added that with close-up photos with the 21 mm super-wide angle Zuiko lens the expected distortion does occur; (6) Never any problem using the bayonet mount for my three lenses; (7) Never any problems with unexpected drainage of batteries, except on two occasions during those 23 years where I was sold defective batteries.

There are no "negative" qualities of the Olympus OM-4Ti. The only problems were my own fault, and this was the following. I had used manual exposure earlier in the week, and forgot to change the manual/automatic switch back to the neutral position or to the automatic position. The resulting problem was that all of the photos taken with a subsequent photo session were grossly under-exposed because the setting was left on "manual." This was totally my fault and not the fault of the OM-4Ti. I never used the OM-4Ti at sub-zero temperatures and I never used the OM-4Ti under high humidity conditions, and so I cannot comment on this camera's ability to operate under these challenging conditions. To repeat, despite using with at least 500 rolls of 35 mm film over the course of 23 years, I did not detect any negative points to the OM-4Ti.

Robust, reliable, compact, superbly engineered. Arguably the best 35mm film SLR ever made.

A minor point: the black paint is not very durable and is easily chipped (but this all adds to the "patina").

My OM4-Ti was bought for me in 1991 at a camera dealer in Lothian Road in Edinburgh when I was still a medical student. It was a very expensive camera at the time but it was a birthday present (and what a present). I had agonised for well over a year over which camera to go for, reading the photographic magazines and digesting the opinions on the best cameras of the time. I considered Pentax and Nikon but there was something about the OM-4Ti that meant I had to have it. At the time the camera shops had started to fill with plastic bodied cameras that had autofocus and LCD screens but I rejected these as shoddy rubbish that would be broken in a few years. In fact, the OM4Ti looked like a very refined but rather old-fashioned camera in 1991. I had learned the basics of film photography at my school photography club so I did not want, or need, a camera that told me what to do. Back at school we had started with pinhole cameras that we made ourselves and had then progressed to basic box cameras. We did our own developing and printing (black and white only, colour was too complicated and expensive) so I knew how to do darkroom work as well. I wanted a camera that would give me the freedom to experiment.

I have never regretted my choice of the OM-4Ti in the least. In fact, of all the purchasing decisions I have made over the years it is probably the best. The camera has travelled with me all over the world (and it has the knocks and scratches to prove it). It has been up Mount Kenya, taken pictures of slums and palaces, has been to deserts and rainforests, and has been at home in the remotest lands and in the best connected cities of the world.

It is a joy to use, compact and eminently portable. Even now there is a good choice of excellent OM (second hand) lenses.

The only problems I have had have been minor. The black paint is not very durable and is easily damaged by knocks. I have never really been upset about it because it is only cosmetic and it adds to the well-travelled history of my camera. The other problem I have had has been electrical. After about 10 years of owning the camera it seemed to start exhausting batteries very fast. I did not do this when new. There is a lot of misinformation on the internet about battery life in OM4 cameras. As far as I understand it (and with the benefit of advice from my now 80+ year old Olympus camera dealer) there was a problem with the early OM4 cameras that meant they did drain batteries quite fast. This problem was corrected by an updated circuit in later OM4 models and it never happened in OM4Ti cameras. The "fix" for affected OM4 models was to leave the camera on "B" when not in use. Anyway, I digress, my OM4Ti had dirty battery contacts and a slightly loose bottom plate. Cleaning the battery contacts and tightening the screws in the base plate solved the problems completely. Batteries now last at least a year as they did before.

I would recommend this camera to anyone who wants to truly experience the best of 35mm film photography. You will be forced to think and learn as this camera will not do it all for you. Having said that, the general metering and especially the spot metering is very accurate so you can use the camera for general snaps easily. Second hand prices (at the time of writing) seem to be rising quite steeply but well-used examples are still reasonably priced considering the quality of the camera. The fact that the paint tends to be easily damaged on the black models is almost an advantage because buyers tend to be put off and the price is more attractive.

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OM 2N

The perfect camera.

None

Last week at the Venice Carnival the strap broke and my om4 was shattered. In a panic I rushed in to a local dealer to buy a replacement only to be told they have stopped making them and that I would have to buy the om-d. It is full of gimmicks. The instruction book runs to 130 pages. Photography with the om4 was simple, just get the correct balance between shutter speed and f stop I do not want to tell the camera what sort of photo that I want to take, I can se that with my own eyes. Back in England I took the 10 rolls of film that I had shot on the om4 in to my local dealer for processing and told him about my disaster. He reached up and handed me an om4 and assured me it was in mint condition. I snatched his hand and left the shop as a much happier man. He guaranteed that the electronics were perfect. Years ago I was at the Venice Carnival with a brand new om4 that olympus had just and it just ate batteries. Every 5 minutes I had to buy more batteries. The electronics were faulty but olympus denied this. But they were. By the time that I bought my om4ti. Olympus had solved the problem.

After years of wanting an OM-4 , now that I have semi-retired I can afford an OM-4, my teenage daughter has secured an OM-4Ti with data back from Sth Africa on eBay , for about $500 AUDI have owned an OM-1 which was stolen , then Igot an OM-2n which I have owned since 1983, It has never given me any trouble at all and I have got some wonderful photographs from it , I have a full range of accessories and lenses to use so hopefully I can get even better results with my long awaited OM-4 , i do also have 2 digital cameras (point & shoot) & yes with my PC printing instand photos is great , but u cant get wall sized pics from digital cameras with any quality , I think for $500 i have scored a bargain ,the OM-4ti was about 2 months pay for me when it was released. Better late than never !

Impeccable build, utterly reliable, robust like a mini tank.

One only: that it is out of production. Olympus, give us a digital OM!!!!

I have owned my OM4Ti for almost 20 years now. It's a wonderful camera and -- for its intended usage -- has zero defects. Olympus should have kept the OM alive and made a digital version of it, as Leica did with its M series. In fact, this is a camera that could challenge the Leica any day. Wake up Olympus!

Customer Service

Never.

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Nikon FM

Compact, Lovely design, simple and excellent handling, awsome metering functions

an off switch, however if switch to bulb... that helps. no mirror lock unless on timer

Ok its two yeas since anyone wrote about this dream camera. So here it is.
I owned one , an OM4 way back and loved it. I rang all the bells and pulled all the right whistles. I was out on awful stormy day taking shots on the moors and dropped it as I was getting back into the car...totally buggered it up, smashed the viewfinder etc. :-( I got a quote for a fix, had it repaired but then got sucked into the autofocus thing and traded for a Canon EOS. Yes i loved that camera also but.... I missed the compact design of the OM and its simple beauty. The functions were easy to use and the lenses magnificent... I progressed through many cameras all auto focus and now all digital and almost all Canon. Then I realised I wasn't spending so much time on set up therefore less self satifaction even if the results were good.
We all love new technology and what the future will bring but and this is a big but! some of us liked things just the way they were. I believe some of us prefer 'photography' as it was. I am not saying there is no skill in digital, but I defy anyone to tell me the results are as good as film in many respects.
Some of the fun has gone out of photography. Anyone can pick up a camera these days and point and shoot and get lucky.
Anyway I digress...
I now have an OM4ti and love it to bits! Still got all my other cameras but the OM is treasured above all others.
A real crime that Olympus didn't carry on what they were good at instead of trying to be clever with those awful autofocus products they produced

Customer Service

Never used it.

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Pentax ME Super
Canon F1n
Canon EOS 40D

Ease of use ..Fantastic light meter ..Quality build ....Impressive results

Having to Put a film in .......Buts really its still apleasure !!!

Olympus Om4 ..I bought this on Ebay just a month ago in A1 condition from a science laboratory in England..After buying my first OM1N in may 1980..
WOW !!!!! After useing my digital Canon g7...For over a year ...And putting my four Om1n 's on the back burner...It was a fantastic change to finnaly get to use on Om4...Which i craved for yrs !!! As well as the om3 which im still looking for,..

Anyway ...THIS was a dream to use with all types of lenes ,And the great thing about this camera is YOU need to develope the pics....Unlike the digital where sometimes i just had them stuck on my computer..BUT image quality and View finder detail was far more impressive then the G9 ever could be ...If only olympus bought out anOM4 TI with a digital enterchangable back instead of sliting its thoat all out digital ill never know,....

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Om1N Om2n ...Canon AT1 , Om2n spot programme , Nikon FA , Nikon Fm2 .Pentax lx,

The functions on this camera are ace, especially the spot metering. The high and low light settings are also fun to play with. Its also really cheap to pick up a nice zuiko lens to go with the camera. The standard fixed ones work wonders. I would say that any beginner would benefit from this system and get a lot more out of there photography that jumpin0g straight in for a D-SLR and their fully auto setting.

Repairs will probably be more expensive than replacing the camera for a time and very soon can see the om-4 becoming a collector item and lots of £££.

Well the last review of this camera was 3 years ago and not much has changed since! I would mainly class my self as a beginner in the black and white field and having owned the om-10 and om-20 would defiantly say that hands down the om-4 is a winner.

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om-10 and om-20. om-20 is a fantastic camera that is incredibly easy to use when you get to know the basics.

Zuiko 135MM
Zuiko 50mm
Zuiko 28mm
Zuiko 35-105mm

the last lens although expensive compared to the others is a fantastic bit of kit, great for most situations, although nothing in the world can replace a good old 28mm :)

Amazingly accurate average and multi-spot metering. Great (and now cheap) lenses. (Though secondhand rare lenses are now much more expensive than getting Canon EF series) Looks good Fairly rugged and feels like a quality camera should. Great images. Huge bright viewfinder( You'll think someone has turned out the lights if you look at a 20D one afterwards..though the 20D is a great camera too! but is not in the same class as the OM-4) Cheap to buy now on eBay etc. Small physical size of lenses..leave a 50mm on and slip a 100/2.8 and a 28/2.8 into a couple of pockets and you set for the afternoon.

Have not found any yet Maybe that you have to use the self timer if you want to take shots with the mirror locked up. Hard to get parts for now.

My buying price is in N.Z. dollars. First up this review is about the OM-4 not ti model. In some ways this camera is unbelievable. I have never shot slides before, and though I have been keen on digital SLR for a couple of years , I had heard all about the difficulty of exposing slides properly. It almost doesn't matter with this camera weather you use the Auto (Aperture Priority) setting or the Manual, Or average or Spot..you seem to come out with beautifully exposed slides almost in spite of yourself! :-) Maybe a little overexagerated. I have been shooting with 300D and more recently 20D and I need to sell something as I cannot afford to keep 3 cameras. But regardless of it's overall image quality the 20D cant hold a candle to the OM-4 exposure wise. I have never yet got an overexposed image with the OM-4, but I have had a few in the days since I got the 20D. I tried a scanner the other day (Canon FS4000) + Silverfast software + Neat Image for grain removal and the prints from the slides are so good I'm nearly tempted to flick off my new 20D.The digital is more convienient and the digital digs deep into the shadow, but the slides look supurb!! Anyway here is 2005's tribute to am amazing camera. So inconspicious too with it's tiny lenses, compared to today's (excellent) but huge Auto focus giants! I love this little camera. The lenses, even after years of use are still smooth to focus....Could go on and on :-) What to do?

Customer Service

Never used

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Canon 300D Canon 20D Various Minolta's