It is hardly a cheap design. It facilitates self timer, and prevents the
shutter
from working with wrong, weak , dead or no batteries.
John
Ian M. Stewart wrote:
> At 07:42 22/03/98 -0500, John Hermanson wrote:
> >That halfway mirror lock is what allows the self timer to work. The
> mirror is
> >held partway up by a latch controlled by another combination magnet. This is
> >an alectromagnet with a small permanent magnet (on the moving part) that
> >sticcks to the metal in the uncharged electromagnet. When the self timer
> term
> >is up, a quick "blip" of power is sent to the electromagnet (which is the
> >opposite pole to the permanent magnet) which quickly repels the latch and
> >allows the mirror up to fire the shutter.
> >This system is used in the OM-10, G and F, and also indicates weak batteries,
> >no batteries, or basic electriacl malfunction.
> >
> >John
>
> Thank you John for the detailed response. Gary seems to think that some
> Scotsman was responsible for the design, which I somehow don't believe. :-)
>
> Do you know _why_ they built it this way? Was it just for cheapness?
>
> --
>
> Ian <IMS>
> OM Tyro - please point my lens in the right direction.
> mailto:ims@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
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