OK I admit it. I have taken apart (several of) my cameras. I took the
lens base plate off an OM-4t to clean the shutter speed ring and
proceeded to lose the spring on the reset button. It launched itself
into my carpet, never to be seen again. At least, the shutter ring
works much better now. I quickly deduced (duh) that a complete CLA is
quite an effort unless you have been doing this for some time. I have
several OM1n's and 2n's that I have attempted to repair. I also realize
that I may render them useless, but it is worth it to me to try and
repair.
I obtained the service manuals for both the OM1 and OM2, from Finger
Lakes Photo Books. I have experimented on taking apart a "parts only"
OM-2 just to learn, and am yet to make it all the way in. I think there
must be 4 different types of lubricants and 4 different types of glue
used on the camera. The manuals are quite detailed, and there is even a
disassembly procedure. However, I have spent hours just trying to find
a CE3428 or some such part. You still need experience.
I have two OM-2's, one a $20 broken camera and another with a bad
aperture control I have attemped to work on. It's amazing how many
little tiny springs can jump out of one of these things. I think it
must take 4 hands and great patience to finesse one of these things
back together. It makes me wonder if the manufacturing labor cost is
what keeps the OM cameras so expensive - where more modern automated
manufacturing is not possible.
I personally appreciate information on how to do some repairs,
afterall, "it's only money," and not some one-of-a-kind irreplacable
relic. (not yet anyway.) However, when it comes to my primary OM-4t
bodies, the ones that HAVE to work, they go to John. I just don't have
the time to hunt down all the right lubricants, know just where and how
much to apply, and stock tiny springs that have a mind of their own.
However, from having tinkered with some older OM's, I now appreciate
and know some of the mechanical limits of the camera. For instance, I
avoid 1/2000 speed when possible, because I know it can vary the most.
Sometimes it takes a few firings, after sitting idle for some time, to
get it back to normal. There is only so much a horizontal mechanical
shutter can do and still give low vibration and all the other tradeoffs
needed to make it work.
I also appreciate that there is someone like John available. So I say
lets give out all the repair info we can to help people fix problems
with their camera. That should only increase the appreciation for
people like John and his art.
Wayne
Holliston, MA
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