Olympus OM10 why :-

F1.2

F1.2

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Allen
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As above , I have seen several posts re the OM10 , why do some members value this so little , comments like " I would not pay more than £10 for a OM10 "

Whats wrong with the OM10 to value it so little ?
 
Absolutely nothing wrong with it, just so many out there. I have one (for a long time).
 
Why is there 5 reviews about it on Amazon. All 5 stars and praising the hell out of it ?
 
It's a great little camera that takes excellent lenses, but they made millions of them and most of them still work so they are very inexpensive. Just market forces really.
 
OK Great , Millions and lots still working as mine is so must be a good reliable unit :D :olympus:
 
My 3 OM10s have sticky labels on them so I know which body has which film in and can swap round lenses. Prosaically they are A,B and C. Perhaps I should find other names for them
 
dmb said:
My 3 OM10s have sticky labels on them so I know which body has which film in and can swap round lenses. Prosaically they are A,B and C. Perhaps I should find other names for them
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Alan Bob Chaz?
or to be PC, Ann Brenda Camila?
 
F1.2 said:
As above , I have seen several posts re the OM10 , why do some members value this so little , comments like " I would not pay more than £10 for a OM10 "

Whats wrong with the OM10 to value it so little ?
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Silly design as you have to have an adapter for manual speeds also I have never forgiven my OM10 because it wasn't foolproof using the controls at the top...they redesigned the top plate and gave you manual speeds on the OM20 and is a better camera.
 
I'd have to agree with Brian :D

It wasn't well thought out. It seemed to be designed by a non-photographer.
Shame really, as the others in the OM series were cracking cameras with some pretty good lenses.
 
When they released the OM10 they broke the mystique that made OM design.

I looked at an OM advert in the mid 70s and had to have one. Eventually I sold my soul and could afford a 2nd-hand OM1.

They had gone through the FTL which was OKish, and created a sexy masterpiece in the OM1. The OM10 broke that, it was crass and clunky. Olympus have been trying to drag themselves back from that design ever since. They could have made an OM1-Aperture, that required a Manual Adaptor. But no, they went off on a cranky design line that has endured right until the OM-D cameras - three different looking cameras when there could have been one devising fulfilling three purposes. Like the OM1 and OM2 were the same but different.

Don't get me wrong, I loved my OM10. But it was a Lada, not a Volvo.
 
My Canon T70, that goes for peanuts, is a generation ahead of a OM10...who cares about looks if you just want to take pictures. (y)
 
The OM1 and OM2 were the linchpin cameras that photographers aspired toward. The lenses were razor sharp and the whole system was a light as a feather (compared to the chief rivals of the day; Nikon, Canon and Pentax). Add to this the endorsement of bird photographer, Eric Hosking (and Stephen Dalton). You had a recipe for a leading Camera System. The drawback was price - it was high!

Along comes the marketing ploy of introducing a economy version into the family (rather like Nikon did with the NIkon EM and 'E'series lenses). Once you were 'hooked' into the family Olympus hoped you stayed.... many did came along to the party, but few bought further into it - hence the plethora of OM10s.
 
Best thing about the OM serise is they're smaller and ligher (and cheaper) than a RB67 back so its like having a multiback system.
 
steveo_mcg said:
Best thing about the OM serise is they're smaller and ligher (and cheaper) than a RB67 back so its like having a multiback system.
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Everything is smaller and lighter than an RB67 back including me. :D:D
 
chuckles said:
The OM1 and OM2 were the linchpin cameras that photographers aspired toward.
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...but they didn't wiped out the competitive makes e.g. Canon, Nikon etc..and "Why?" would be an interesting off topic debate
 
excalibur2 said:
...but they didn't wiped out the competitive makes e.g. Canon, Nikon etc..and "Why?" would be an interesting off topic debate
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True.... but, back then, most Nikon/Canon owners were (still are?) dyed-in-the-wool types..... even a Tsunami wouldn't budge them.

Olympus didn't stick with the 'formula' and started to over-deliver once the OM4 was reached - downhill from there. Remember the OM101 (OM88) - it was Olympus' foray into AF and failed to deliver?

ETA the link Olympus PowerFocus OM101
 
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The OM10 was aimed at the 'keen amateur' end of the market (rather than 'semi-pro' or 'pro') and did a good job of filling that niche, particularly in the image quality versus value for money stakes. I remember my Dad reading various SLR comparison reviews when the OM10 was launched, and deciding to buy one, plus the manual converter.

About 6 months later I chose to go down the Canon route as the range of lenses and accessories seemed to be more comprehensive, particularly from 3rd party manufacturers. I started off saving for the AT1, then decided on the AE1, then finally decided to go for broke and get the Canon A1. There was nothing really to touch that for features and exposure modes at the time and I found it got the exposures right more often than my Dad's OM10... but there again, it was about twice the price. I found the OM10 tended to overexpose at times, particularly if it wasn't fitted with a skylight/UV filter. Nothing dreadful, but still noticeable when compared to shots from my Canon A1. For the money I think the OM10 was quite hard to beat when it was launched, and I think it deserves a place in the 35mm SLR 'hall of fame' one position down from the Canon AE1 as an example of a 'good value for money, quality SLR for the keen amateur'.
 
I was tempted with a OM10, but the manual adaptor thing was off putting. Then I found an OM20 in a charity shop earlier this year. No manual adaptor to mess with. A lovely camera to shoot with. Still not a patch on my Dad's OM2 and OM4s from the 80s, but I might get one of those eventually.
 
Mr Badger said:
For the money I think the OM10 was quite hard to beat when it was launched, and I think it deserves a place in the 35mm SLR 'hall of fame' one position down from the Canon AE1 as an example of a 'good value for money, quality SLR for the keen amateur'.
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Maybe so..but today with so many cameras going quite cheap why choose an OM10, and if you see an OM10 say going for £25 why not pay the extra £25 for an A1 (or any other similar camera). And if anyone thought (e.g. £50) was too much for a good film camera? Then the Prakica MTL3 goes for peanuts.;)
 
Have you seen the prices that 'Mint-' or 'Excellent+' OM10s with 50mm 1.8 (and possibly a box & manual) are fetching these days Brian? Just have a look on the completed items section on eBay for anything in full working order in top condition. Judging from the prices you mention above I think you perhaps need to make sure you're sitting down first! ;)
 
Mr Badger said:
Have you seen the prices that 'Mint-' or 'Excellent+' OM10s with 50mm 1.8 (and possibly a box & manual) are fetching these days Brian? Just have a look on the completed items section on eBay for anything in full working order in top condition. Judging from the prices you mention above I think you perhaps need to make sure you're sitting down first! ;)
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Ah never bother with expensive ebay as I get my gear from other sources o_O :D but still bargains on the bay to be had if you pick the lesser known cameras e.g picked up the Chinon CP-7m body (takes Pentax lenses) for £6.20 inc postage (y)
 
Mr Badger said:
The OM10 was aimed at the 'keen amateur' end of the market (rather than 'semi-pro' or 'pro') and did a good job of filling that niche,
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I would respectfully disagree - it filled the 'want an SLR but don't know nuffin about how they work' end of the market, just like the Nikon EM, Pentax ME super etc. What keen amateur would want an auto-only camera that needed an adapter for manual, when there were so many better, more flexible models around? Even back in the day I remember thinking it was a dumb design, and while the OM20 had some appeal because it did at least have some proper control built in, it was an ugly lump compared with the OM1 series cameras.
 
Mr Badger said:
Have you seen the prices that 'Mint-' or 'Excellent+' OM10s with 50mm 1.8 (and possibly a box & manual) are fetching these days Brian? Just have a look on the completed items section on eBay for anything in full working order in top condition. Judging from the prices you mention above I think you perhaps need to make sure you're sitting down first! ;)
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That's because everybody is after one! Nobody with any sense would chase one of these if they knew how good the OM1, OM2 and OM4 are/were! Supply and demand is not the same as a good product!
 
Trouble with 'other sources' is that you may have to wait half a year to find an OM10 for sale, and get up early on a Sunday and traipse around a muddy field in the hope of finding one. At least online you can usually get fixed up more or less straight away and probably have a dozen or more to choose from. There are still bargains to be had online too, I picked up a Canon Sureshot Supreme compact the other day in 'mint -' condition with case in full working order for £5. Not everyone's cup of tea visually, but like your T70 it's capable of very decent results and has got to be about the best 'bang for buck' at that price for a compact camera.

You might have been able to find one at a car boot sale for about £3 (plus the cost of your fuel, the wear and tear on your vehicle and admission to the sale), but I had mine neatly packed and delivered to my house for £4 and lay snoring in bed until 9.30 on Sunday morning! :D
 
Really wish I hadn't started reading this thread it's not doing anything for me wanting to buy an OM1 or 2!
 
Mr Badger said:
Trouble with 'other sources' is that you may have to wait half a year to find an OM10 for sale, and get up early on a Sunday and traipse around a muddy field in the hope of finding one. At least online you can usually get fixed up more or less straight away and probably have a dozen or more to choose from. There are still bargains to be had online too, I picked up a Canon Sureshot Supreme compact the other day in 'mint -' condition with case in full working order for £5. Not everyone's cup of tea visually, but like your T70 it's capable of very decent results and has got to be about the best 'bang for buck' at that price for a compact camera.

You might have been able to find one at a car boot sale for about £3 (plus the cost of your fuel, the wear and tear on your vehicle and admission to the sale), but I had mine neatly packed and delivered to my house for £4 and lay snoring in bed until 9.30 on Sunday morning! :D
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Well anyone would be crazy thinking "I'll go to a bootsale and buy some good camera gear" as most times there is just rubbish:D for me, the interest is in many things from paint to tools (as well as camera gear)....mind you SLRs are getting scarce and the good days are going\gone :(
But I suppose if you want a camera ASAP then you pay the price.
 
ancient_mariner said:
I would respectfully disagree - it filled the 'want an SLR but don't know nuffin about how they work' end of the market, just like the Nikon EM, Pentax ME super etc. What keen amateur would want an auto-only camera that needed an adapter for manual, when there were so many better, more flexible models around? Even back in the day I remember thinking it was a dumb design, and while the OM20 had some appeal because it did at least have some proper control built in, it was an ugly lump compared with the OM1 series cameras.
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My Dad certainly wasn't in the 'know nuffin about how they work' category, he previously had a full manual Pentia SLR he'd bought new in the early 60s, when most 'keen amateurs' were still shooting 35mm rangefinders. He was no slouch as a photographer either, despite it not being a main hobby of his, and a camera just being a 'tool for the job' to him. However, he weighed up price versus image quality and went for the OM10 with manual adaptor as it gave the sharpest results of its group for the money, even with the extra £14 for the manual adaptor. I must admit, the OM10 isn't a camera I've ever wanted or particularly liked (hence me buying a Canon A1 at the time - which future-proofed me pretty much until auto-focus SLRs were perfected) but I have to admit, his OM10 gave very sharp-looking results and everything on it still works (apart from the film door light seals turning to putty). Which isn't bad considering it's pushing 40 years old now! It'll be interesting to see if today's DSLRs will still be fully operational in 40 years time?
 
Downton Mini said:
Really wish I hadn't started reading this thread it's not doing anything for me wanting to buy an OM1 or 2!
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They're excellent cameras! I've got one of each, plus a 10-20-30. Actually I sold the 20 ( I think). I've got a lot of ollys.
 
excalibur2 said:
Well anyone would be crazy thinking "I'll go to a bootsale and buy some good camera gear" as most times there is just rubbish:D for me, the interest is in many things from paint to tools (as well as camera gear)....mind you SLRs are getting scarce and the good days are going\gone :(
But I suppose if you want a camera ASAP then you pay the price.
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That's the thing really, at the end of the day convenience and speed will usually win. As for hunting for old tools at boot sales, steam rallies, etc., don't get me started about my Britool Whitworth spanners collection! :D
 
Mr Badger said:
My Dad certainly wasn't in the 'know nuffin about how they work' category, he previously had a full manual Pentia SLR he'd bought new in the early 60s, when most 'keen amateurs' were still shooting 35mm rangefinders. He was no slouch as a photographer either, despite it not being a main hobby of his, and a camera just being a 'tool for the job' to him. However, he weighed up price versus image quality and went for the OM10 with manual adaptor as it gave the sharpest results of its group for the money, even with the extra £14 for the manual adaptor. I must admit, the OM10 isn't a camera I've ever wanted or particularly liked (hence me buying a Canon A1 at the time - which future-proofed me pretty much until auto-focus SLRs were perfected) but I have to admit, his OM10 gave very sharp-looking results and everything on it still works (apart from the film door light seals turning to putty). Which isn't bad considering it's pushing 40 years old now! It'll be interesting to see if today's DSLRs will still be fully operational in 40 years time?
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And there's the rub when it comes to film vs digital....

.... with film, mainly any improvement to image quality came with a change/upgrade of either film or lens(es). Digital, image quality comes with a lens change, sensor change or on-board processing - now, that is just not a cheap option.

Upgrading a camera body in 'ye olde dayes' didn't have too great an impact on image quality: today it's paramount (or so it seems). All an upgrade did was to improve handling and more accurate exposure control, but did you need that when colour neg film offered +2, -3 stops exposure latitude?
 
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Steven was it you that gave me the Om2 years ago...looked back on inbox and can't find anything from 2013.
 
Not an OM10 fan. Bought one off ebay around 12 years ago to give Olympus a try. Only put one film through it before chucking it back on eBay. Nothing wrong with the images it produced. Just didn't rate it. Auto only & the manual adapter seemed like a kludge to me. Suppose at least it has the option of one, unlike the other auto only camera I have owned, the Nikon EM.

Then tried an OM2SP. OK but hated the battery drain problem. Found my Olympus heaven with an OM1. Now have two of them as well as a pair of OM2N's. SP has developed a film advance problem & will be going off for a CLA next year.

Looking at what OM10's are going for on ebay is a surprise. Have seen OM1's & OM2's go for not much more.
 
Snip:
steveo_mcg said:
when to stop?
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You think you might have a problem knowing when to stop? :confused: And there's another one joined those since that was taken! :banghead:

Folders by J White, on Flickr

For those interested, from left to right: 1950s Voigtlander Perkeo; 1950s Voigtlander Bessa I; Early 50s Ensign Selfix 820; 1928 Agfa Standard 116; 1930s Ensign Midget; early 50s Ensign Selfix 820; 1926 Kodak Autographic; 1934 Voigtlander Bessa.
 
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Now looking at OM1's again!!! Well I guess it would go nicely with my Trip 35 and (says this in hushed tones) my just delivered Olympus OMD E-5 MKII
 
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