Film advance/Winder Issue ( Oly om2n)

[Forkbeard]

I seem to have got a problem with the film advance on my om2n. It works but takes more than one attempt. I've had a film developed since noticing it and it came out fine. I'm just wondering if it's a problem that's going to get worse (like something breaking). It's annoying but not serious at the moment. Can I/should I do anything about It?

The camera's covered by a warranty but is this something it would cover in a 40 year old Body? I dont particularly want to take it back in unless i really have to, too busy using it!

 

[Peter B]

It used to be a feature of some cameras that the wind-on could be "inched" by a couple of short stokes, rather than a full stroke. This was seen as being quite a desirable feature by some, but you'd need to check the manual to see if the OM2n is supposed to do that. As long as it stops when the shutter is cocked and the frame spacing is OK I would tend to hang fire about taking it back just yet.

 

[stevelmx5]

I had the same issue with my OM1 the other week and it was just caused by the ratchet under the wind lever sticking due to crud within it's pin. As a result, it didn't always return to it's correct tooth on the gear that winds on the film so a full turn wasn't always a complete rotation. If you remove the top plate you should be able to clean out any muck and flush it with lighter fluid. After that just work the winder for a while without a film in until it eventually cleans up. Since I cleaned mine I haven't had any further issues with the winder.

 

[Forkbeard]

I might just leave it as is for the moment and see if it gets better if it's just dirt. I have no ieda when the camera last had any serious use so maybe it'll work itself better.

 

[Nomad Z]

I might just leave it as is for the moment and see if it gets better if it's just dirt. I have no ieda when the camera last had any serious use so maybe it'll work itself better.

I wouldn't advise that. Once the lubricants are past it, they're past it. It might start working better, but if the bits aren't properly lubricated, then wear will be accelerated. Also, if the lubricants have gotten to the stage of turning into small lumps of stiff gunk, something loosening off from where it's currently causing a problem could end up lodged into something else and start causing a new problem.

 

[DNH]

Sounds like a possible slipping clutch? Had the problem with one of my OM1's. Shutter wasn't always cocking when winding on although the film was moving through the camera. My OM2SP is now doing the same thing so maybe it's an OM weak point? MW Camera Repairs sorted the clutch on the OM1. Have to send the OM2SP to him at some point.

 

[Teflon-Mike]

I was perplexed by the title Winder/Advance issues.... film advance lever is that, manually operated lever on the camera, winders usually the electric accessory things that do it for you each tome the shutter button pressed, and for the Olly Om's were actually called Winder 1 or Winder 2 etc in the brochure... so this is an advance issue. not a winder issue... you dont have a winder, so it's not giving gip.....
Though reason for mention IS because curiously it COULD.... by it's absence!
If you look under the bottom-plate, there's what looks like a battery cap, if its still there; if not you will see the wider 'drive', sort of a half tube that engages with similar half tube on winder when screwed on the bottom, so winder motor works the film transport, rather than the manual advance lever....
ISTR that there was actually an instruction in the accessory winder's own manual, that 'periodicallyt' you should use the manual advance, 'dry-winding' and firing the shutter between cockings, to keep the manual mechanism free and clear, or unused, the winder doing the job from underneath, they were prone to gum up... hence it could actually be a 'lack-of' winder issue!... or just the preferential made too-soon one....
Does sound though, like the advance mech is a little tired, either gummed up from lack of use and tarry lube, and could probably do with a clean and re-lube.... or you could slap on a wonder-winder, and bypass the lever ratchet!