I haven't tested one in a while, but as I recall, the OM-PC battery
drain is higher if the camera is set to Manual or B.
10 microamps (.010 milliamps) is normal, even 15 is acceptable.
If your OM-4 is an old style and never service (ie new circuit) the
drain may be as high as 30-35 microamps.
Use Eveready 357 silver oxide batteries in all cases as they stand up
to the constant drain much better than any other silver oxide battery.
They may cost 2-3 times as much as LR, but they're worth it.
John
Nyholm Mica wrote:
>
> Newcomer to this mailing list, so hello everybody. Here's two set of
> questions for the knowing.
>
> I have two OM40 Program bodies (ie. OM-PC) which seem to have quite serious
> battery drain problem. Two LR 44 (Alkaline) "el cheapo" batteries die within
> about 2 weeks whether the camera is used or not.
>
> I finally got fed up with the problem and just this week purchased a used OM
> 4. Lots of shooting and testing to be done on the one-month warranty time.
> Seems nice although the body looks like being under heavy use. There was
> also a used OM 4Ti available in similar external condition but it costed
> about $300 more and since I'm not planning to use my camera as a hammer, I
> don't think I got that much use for the Titanium parts. Opinions on that?
>
> ------------
>
> 1) THE DRAIN
>
> I've seen mentions about using SR 44 Silver-Oxide batteries instead of
> 'crappy' LR 44, but since LR 44 is over three times cheaper I've been using
> them instead. The camera manual states that battery life of SR 44 is only
> twice as long as that of LR 44. Any real info on that (instead of just
> opinions)? Any knowledge on the quality of different LR 44's? I mean, I
> think some new LR 44's I've used were 20 (twenty) times cheaper than SR 44.
>
> I've been meaning to sell my other OM 40 body to compensate for the cost of
> the OM 4, but I wouldn't want to pass broken camera to another "victim". Is
> there a way to tell if the camera is really broken or if it's just bad
> choise of batteries? I tried to ammeter the drain but it seems okay (about
> 2,7 mA for a minute while the viewfinder leds are active and then dropping
> to 0,01x mA (if I measured correctly)). I really wouldn't want to send the
> camera to a repair shop because the cost of just a repair estimate would
> take a lion's share of the possible retail price. And since exchange
> circuitry for the camera is no longer available, a faulty circuitry might
> not even get repaired.
>
> Removing batteries while camera is not used is not the answer, except when
> the body is not used for a week or longer. Does anyone know which setting
> would result in minimal battery drain? 'B' shutter setting and 'Manual'? 'B'
> and 'Program'? Or does it really matter? I have normally left my settings at
> '60' and 'Manual'.
>
> Finally, if the OM 40 body is a real (faulty) battery hog and therefore not
> worth selling, there is an option to make a new battery system (the shutter
> speed is okay and just serviced). Drill a hole through the cap of the
> battery chamber, fit in some kind of connector (RCA female) and use
> externally ordinary finger (etc.) batteries and possibly a voltage regulator
> and on/off switch. Large enough battery pack would last long enough even
> with serious battery drain. And batteries would be inexpensive to replace.
> Anyone done that? It would be a great idea for outdoor shooting on the cold
> Finnish winter since the batteries could be kept warm in pocket all the
> time. If only there were a place that sold battery chamber caps separately
> so that I wouldn't have to break the original one.
>
> ------------
>
> 2) USED BODY TESTING
>
> I heard that a useful and inexpensive (cost of 1 roll of film) way of
> testing the shutter speed of my new camera would be to shoot at a computer
> screen (or TV) at different shutter speeds. Would anyone have more detailed
> information on that?
>
> Any other tips on testing used OM 4?
>
> Mica Nyholm <mica.nyholm@xxxxxxxxx>
>
>
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