The OM-2 was designed around the silver oxide battery, before the
lithium (CR1/3N) or alkaline (A76, LR44) batteries appeared. 357 used
to be best but (as pointed out by a list member) design was averaged out
with the 303 battery characteristics. Sony SR44-W is your bets choice
but authentic Sony's may be hard to find.
___________________________________
John Hermanson
Camtech Photo Services, Inc.
21 South Lane, Huntington NY 11743
631-424-2121 | Olympus OM Service since 1977
http://www.zuiko.com | omtech1 AT verizon dot net
Chuck Norcutt wrote:
> It's also very important to note that, from the OM-2 onward, you should
> only use silver oxide batteries. Don't use alkaline or any other
> chemistry. The cameras are all critically dependent on maintaining a
> minimum voltage level and will refuse to function (mirror will lock in
> the up position with shutter closed) if the voltage falls too low.
>
> Silver oxide batteries (like the now banned mercury batteries in the
> OM-1) have the characteristic that they maintain a nearly flat voltage
> level until just before they die. Alkalines, however, start a rapid
> voltage decline as soon as they're put into use. It doesn't take long
> with alkaline batteries in OM bodies before the voltage is too low to
> operate the camera even though the battery may still be able to deliver
> a strong current flow.
>
> Batteries near end of life can also cause intermittent failures. At one
> point the battery may have too little voltage but then recover after
> being unused for a while. But they'll soon fall below the threshold
> again after being placed back in service.
>
> The best rule for OM's is to replace the batteries if it doesn't operate
> correctly... even if you think they're new or are supposed to be new.
> Lots of old stock around still on someone's shelf. There are some other
> specifics too such as tightening bottom plate screws to assure a good
> ground and some bodies with black battery cover caps which don't make a
> good ground because of paint residue on the threads. Replace any black
> body battery cap with silver.
>
> The best silver oxide battery around used to be the Eveready 376 but I
> think that battery has been superseded by another with slightly lesser
> capacity but I can't recall the model #.
>
> Chuck Norcutt
>
>
> Moose wrote:
>> Tim Taylor wrote:
>>> Just subscribed to this list and found this thread. I have just
>>> recently bought into the older OM system. Currently I have a C-8080
>>> that I shoot digital with but miss my older Nikon 35mm system. But had
>>> heard so many good things about the OM system that I found an older gent
>>> selling his system and purchased it from him for very little. Currently
>>> have a OM2n, winder 2, 24/2.8, 50/3.5, 75-150/4, 300/4, plus odd
>>> filters, etc.
>>>
>>> I would really like to get the OM4 or 4t but not sure I can afford it.
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