An Olympian Feast, Part Deux - Cleaning/Restoring the Olympus OM2n

AN OLYMPIAN FEAST, PART DEUX

Cleaning/Restoring the Olympus OM2n

Restoration of an old film camera can be as complicated as pulling the camera apart - fixing, replacing, cleaning and welding small pieces together - and piecing it back together. Other times, it’s a simple cleaning process, which really involves a microfibre cloth, anti-bacterial wipes, isopropyl alcohol, and some cotton buds. Accumulation of constant use, transporting everywhere one goes, to those kept in storage for many years, dust always manages to find some way inside a camera. Dust doesn’t always affect photos, but a good chunk of it just might! That’s why it’s always good practice to frequently clean your cameras, and this applies to both film and digital cameras!

My new (well, old) Olympus OM2n looks to have been well cared for as it looks pretty much pristine albeit for a few gunks of dust and whatever in between buttons corners and in those little nooks and crannies. With a antibacterial wipe in my hand, I began a gentle but thorough wipe down of the camera and made sure to focus in all the small little areas, in between dials, around the lens, and inside the film winder. I had to do a few wipe downs as the smaller and tighter areas were a bit tricky to thoroughly clean. Next, with microfibre in hand, I began to wipe the camera dry. What’s great about these microfibre clothes is that they don’t scratch the body nor the camera lens. I also made sure to wipe the mirror inside the camera itself and wipe away any accumulated dust. I definitely do not recommend any product on this mirror or else it will cause discolouration and wiping it down too fiercely can potentially damage the mirror, a big component of the camera. A simple and gentle wipe with a microfibre cloth is all you need to tackle that mirror. The same thing apples to the film component at the back. A more firm wipe to get rid of any excess dust is all that’s needed.

The cleaning process was extremely easy, thanks to the previous owner’s meticulous care and storage of the camera. I’m really pleased the camera body itself looks absolutely stunning, a testament to the strong body’s build. It looks absolutely beautiful and its design is a timeless aesthetic to all cameras - digital and analog. I may consider finding a leather carrier for this camera for that extra secured fit. It will also prevent the camera from coming across any scratches or bumps to the bottom part of it, especially how many times one puts a camera down on a surface - smooth or rough. Now, the camera body has been cleaned and prepped for use. Now, my next objective is to restore the three lenses I received!

An Olympian Feast - Thoughts on the Olympus OM-2n

AN OLYMPIAN FEAST

Thoughts on the Olympus OM-2n

For many months, I searched high and low for the film camera. Okay, maybe not so much high and low but more beyond oceans via the portal that is eBay. My long hours of research focused mainly on a beautiful Contax G1 camera, a titanium-built, advanced rangefinder that is currently sitting at around the AU $1000 mark, including shipping and currency conversion costs. As visually and technically stunning a camera as it is - even in today’s technological feat of digital cameras, its advanced features and insane lens quality makes it a cult classic for film photographers. However, it was too expensive for my current budget. More-so, I wasn’t too sure if it suited my photography needs. I guess I am not in a comfortable position to fork out that money for a wavering decision. When the right time comes, I will buy the Contax G1 or G2 with the acclaimed Contax Zeiss Planar T 45mm F2 AF G Lens. The hunt continued… until now.

After researching on the popular film cameras that came out during the golden age of film photography, the 1970s, I decided to stick to my current camera brand, Olympus, and sought for the understated and elegant Olympus OM-2n. A couple of days ago, I finally received the camera in the post. Upon holding the camera in my small hands, the OM-2n is a wonderful, solid and timelessly beautiful machine with good weight. I only found out that the ‘M’ in ‘OM’ stands for the designer Yoshihisa Maitaini as someone mentioned in one of the plethora of blogs and reviews I read about this camera. This camera carries such a tiny footprint. The design oozes with sophistication and its construction feels solid. I’m not surprised a camera built in the 1970s has lasted this long in this optimal condition. The OM series has been incredibly successfully and definitely sits well alongside, not under, the likes of Nikon and Canon.

I’ve got to say, the previous owner has done a wonderful taking care of this camera. I hope i can do it enough justice and keep it in such pristine condition for next many a years. My next entries will be about the next stages of cleaning and testing, and hopefully, taking it out for a spin!