Restoring and Using an Olympus OM10

[@algizmo7079]

My Olympus OM10, 'retired' in 1999. Just about a year ago I retrieved it from its rest home, and was crestfallen to find a stuck film advance lever, not fixable by fresh batteries, but fixed now by studying other YT videos. Next step is the light seals, which you have admirably shown to be within my competence. Then I'll get some film, and try out the surprisingly clean Vivitar 80-200mm lens I picked up in a local charity shop, with OM mount, at £6 I couldn't walk away!

[@slainesmith]

Good to hear that those specific Engineers terms are still in good use 😊 great video, cheers.

[@timjames6190]

Really enjoying your channel always good to educate your self just purchased an OM10 I’m a canon man but really wanted to see just what the OM system is all about thanks again. 🇬🇧👍

[@roy5515]

I bought an OM10 in 1987 when my son was born. I got a Vivitar 35-70 zoom lens. It gave me many memorable photos. Later I when auto-focus came along, I switched to the Nikon 801. But I’ve to say the OM10 serves me well and I have a special place for it in my heart.

[@zenography7923]

It's a lovely camera - glad to hear you still have yours!

[@brodybunter4453]

What a soothing voice and accent to listen too. I might start watching this before bed.

[@zenography7923]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@florianoblancorodrigues9818]

thank you so much for your advice. I bought an Olympus OM-10 that was jammed, with a lens vivitar 80-200mm and manual adapter. It was cheaper. I just changed the battery and everything is working. The light seal is gone. the lens has some dust. I think I can fix it as well. I'm looking forward to testing this camera.

[@sergeantcrow]

A great reason to buy many vintage cameras... They make worthy still life subjects...

[@zenography7923]

Indeed they do!

[@Unidente02]

Olympus cameras are such nice machines, a fact which I discovered recently, due in large part to your thorough videos about them. Years ago, I took a B&W photography course, and I sold an OM 10, complete with a prime Zuiko 50 mm lens and manual adapter, carrying bag, and a flash unit to one of my classmates for under $100 USD. I didn't think twice about selling it, because I own a Canon A1 and some 'prosumer' Nikons, which I somehow thought were "better". Now I think differently, and have two OM 10s, and OM20, and an OM4Ti, which has a sluggish shutter that I hope to reactivate.

[@zenography7923]

Oh, I've sold so many cameras that I wish I'd kept, a fairly early Fed copy of the Leica ii being one of them! Oh well! The OMs are lovely things - I've never used the OM20 or 40, or the OM4 or, due to their rarity and expense, the OM3. Love the ones I've tried though, and even though people sometimes look down on the Zuiko lenses, I can't see any good reason - to me they seem second to none! Good luck with that shutter!

[@Ashfielder]

Looking to get an OM10 to be my first step into the SLR world. This was a helpful guide to some things I should look out for before buying.

[@SiddiqueHussain21]

Recently discovered your channel and appreciate your love of the old manual cameras and lenses. I too have an OM10 (actually I have two), which was my second SLR, the first was a Pentax. Although I don't use the cameras anymore I still have the lenses (28mm, 50mm and a zoom) which I use on my Canon 550D and EOS M. They look great and work great still after all these years.

[@zenography7923]

Glad you're enjoying those old lenses!

[@MoizMoiz-ow8qq]

​@@zenography7923 Hi, could you please explain the whole working mechanism for beginners, including the parts and the usage and what to do and not to do when something is not working or stuck. I got an OM 10 recently, but the shutter release is stuck and I'm not able to see anything in the view finder.

[@markharris5771]

I bought an OM10 with the speed adapter for the Zuiko lenses that came with it. I had every intention on upgrading to an OM1 or OM2. I use it as my 'colour' set up. Another great video, thank you.

[@Magnetron692]

Hi, thank you very much for this introduction! Really nice pictures at the end of the video! Just tested my Olympus OM-10 (black) with attached manual adapter. For a more than thirty year old camera ist works very well at all shutter speeds. With the Olympus OM Zukio 1.4/50mm a really nice combination. There‘s a black and white slide film by Foma with development chemicals. Hope they‘ll soon be available for delivery. Best wishes, Ralf

[@zenography7923]

The OM10's a great little camera - enjoy!

[@Socrates...]

Love the photos at the end. Was thinking of trying out that film myself and will give it a try soon.

[@zenography7923]

I was intrigued to see the results from this film; I've only shot one roll so far but initial impressions are that it's a bit too contrasty - that might be my fault though, I think I may have overcooked it a bit in the development tank...

[@andrewwilkin1923]

Great video. always worth buying the entry level version as it takes all the same glass as the higher end models. Good tutorial on replacing light seals as well. Done it many times, it's a pain but well worth it. For those awkward channels you could use waxed black string, can be a bit more flexible than foam at getting round corners but you need to glue it in.

[@zenography7923]

I think the later Prakticas (BC1, BCA etc) used string as seals and it stands the test of time much better than foam, doesn't seem to degrade at all, not yet anyway. Curiously, the Zenits don't seem to use seals of any kind, same with Zorkis and Feds. I've enjoyed using the OM10, it's a nice little camera, although the auto exposure on mine seems to overexpose a bit... ah well, practice makes perfect I suppose.

[@andrewwilkin1923]

@@zenography7923 Agree, never noticed any light seals on the Russian cameras. The Praktica SLRs were very under-estimated cameras. They innovated more than the Russians. The BC's in particular were very good, step-less shutter in aperture priority mode. However the in-camera metering eventually failed and the quality of the wiring in the lenses left a lot to be desired, need a good soldering iron to restore.

[@polpomutogeno5444]

This was so relaxing to watch 😄

[@zenography7923]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@hellogoodbye2087]

Earlier today my sister gave me her fathers om10 I can’t wait to be able to use it when I finish cleaning it

[@zenography7923]

It's a great camera - enjoy! Be sure to install new silver oxide batteries though - the camera will jam if the batteries are weak.

[@MsElleBee]

That was a pretty good find. I have the OMG! (the US version of the OM20) and was quite pleased to discover that the motor drive I got today for $10 also fits this camera as well (I have an OM-1 and an OM-2 as my primary Olympus cameras) The Zuiko lenses are fantastic. I have quite a few of them now. My two favorites being the 40/2 and the 85/2

[@zenography7923]

Zuikos are definitely lovely lenses; the 40/2 and the 85/2 sound nice, not had the pleasure of these though - yet that is! The OM10 was a good find; I hadn't thought too much of them but, as often happens, after using it for a while I came to appreciate it much more. Thanks for watching, hope you're enjoying those Olympuses (Olympi?)

[@guesswho3925]

Hello, I have the same exact camera,(the OMG) but it didn’t come with a manual or anything, I have a few questions! 1. I’ve heard that they require two LR44 batteries, is that true? 2. What type of film do you use, I really want to get into film photography, but I’ve heard there’s two types, bw and color. Thanks a lot!

[@jcrnda]

@@guesswho3925 Wiki page has this PDF: vieilalbum.com/documents_fichiers/Manuel%20Olympus%20OM-10.pdf

[@spanner999]

303 357 sr44 are the batteries

[@mogensbrenov8297]

I bought my OM 10 in 1981 and had it with no problems to 1997

[@tonedune3456]

This was my very first camera in the 80's which I still have but no longer use but have the manual adapter which are hard to find with the camera now. The lens 50mm f1.8 + e mount adapter works well on my Sony nex. 5n

[@zenography7923]

It sounds like your OM10 is due for an airing!

[@ianhand5006]

I have some of the “proper” Japanese foam rubber, for light seals. My example should be light tight though because the current foam is in reasonable condition.

[@clintonr9804]

Easy trick for cutting your own foam -- use a rolling cutter for fabric and a metal ruler.

[@zenography7923]

A very useful tip, thanks!

[@markelliottdriver]

Thanks very much

[@ianhand5006]

I’ve just bought myself an OM10 because I’ve got a few Zuiko lenses, which I bought to use on my X-Pro1. They are; 24mm f2.8, 28mm f3.5, 35mm f2.8, 50mm f1.8 and 135mm f3.5.

[@zenography7923]

All great lenses - enjoy!

[@MarcoMorandi-o4z]

has delicate film transport, use with care

[@kapibarakapibarovich5804]

Can this camera be used without batteries?

[@thewelloffaith921]

I’ve just retrieved my om10 from many years of storage to demonstrate to my daughter. I bought it secondhand in 1983 and it gave me many years on trusty service. I put in new batteries but alas no life at all! Any ideas which way I need to jump now? Any help is very welcome and gratefully received! Thank you. Gordon

[@zenography7923]

Is the mirror perhaps stuck in the 'up' position? These cameras lock if fired without batteries, and may have been stored like this (mirror up). If so, a little gentle persuasion should free it off. Otherwise I'd look at battery terminals/connections - first inside the battery compartment, then if all's good there, remove the bottom plate and check the lead running from the battery compartment hasn't corroded and become disconnected (a common fault). If these fixes don't work then I guess a deeper repair is needed.

[@TechnicIsFun]

What is the material you use for the seals?

[@ttvmania]

my OM10 not power on , changed battery but same problem any suggestion ???

[@DwightB8]

Insightful video will try to change battery. On bulb mode the camera shutter speed doesn't change, but adjust on Auto mode and on Manual Adapter. What do you advise?

[@zenography7923]

On 'bulb' mode, the shutter should open when you press the button, and stay open for as long as you keep it pressed. On auto, shutter speeds should change automatically as the light changes, whereas on manual, the shutter should only fire at the selected speed. If you're having problems, change the batteries first - you need SR44 or LR44 x2.

[@waifulhu]

very shocked when i saw the images of canterbury come up lmao I live there too

[@rumblemustachegames5439]

Hi there! I just found an OM10 at a thrift store with zuiko 50mm for 10 dollars. I replaced the the batteries but the only thing that doesn't work is the battery check function. The light meter works and the self timer works while beeping and the light is flashing. But the battery check is a no go? is this common?

[@TheFoodPedia]

Thanks. Love your videos.

[@PhilReilly2778]

Hi Nigel, Many thanks for a great video. I've been following the channel for a short time and enjoyed all the videos, My wife has just bought me an OM 10 for my birthday and I was wondering what thickness of foam you used. Cheers Phil

[@jonpatter8154]

Hi, great video. I have an om10 which the frame counter appears to be sticking. The frame reset button is free to move and after removing the top plate I can't see a reason why it fails to return. If the counter is reset manually to the s position it will count to 5 and then stop, I have lubricated the counter wheel but this has made no difference. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@Andreee73]

I have an OM10, that always worked, but remained off and not used for many years .. I changed the batteries after many years, but when I switch on, nothings happens. Battery not detected .. no oxidation and batteries are new. Mechanical parts are ok. Any idea or suggestions? Thanks

[@zenography7923]

That's a tricky one. If you're sure the batteries are good but the camera remains dead, it sounds like it's not getting any power at all, which could well be a simple connection issue. On the OM1 and 2 cameras, removing the bottom cover often reveals a broken wire from the battery compartment that needs re-soldering - it's worth a look to see if you have that fault.

[@markmacthree3168]

Hello there, anyone know the thickness of foam be looking on net for ages... well 30 minutes🤠....great videos mate informative and your voice chills me out nicely 🤓.

[@mikkelsrensen5892]

Do you have any link where to find light seil to analog Camera. To get online .

[@zenography7923]

Yes, there are kits available on ebay already cut to size for your camera, or you can buy a sheet of light seal foam (1mm thickness) and cut it yourself!

[@smkunder1]

Just had one given to me, batteries are dead, so I don’t know if works or not.

[@autumnapril9137]

my advance lever won’t work but i don’t have batteries yet, does it need batteries for the advance lever to work ?

[@zenography7923]

Yes it does, nothing will work on the OM10 without them! Replace them and you should be okay.

[@e.moramarco3540]

Hi! I have a problem with my recently found olympus om10... I change batteries but the wind lever doesn't work yet...how can I do?thanks

[@zenography7923]

Push the control lever to the reset position - you should be ok.

[@FookFish]

Hey what if the shutter is stuck midway?

[@zenography7923]

It often means the batteries are gone - the OM10 will lock up without a good power supply. Changing them can fix it, but if not, there could be a more fundamental fault.

[@FookFish]

@@zenography7923 alrighty thanks !

[@ambargonzalezsanchez2073]

Hey my shutter button is very loose on my om 10 do you have any tips on how I can fix it ???

[@moeimsayin9654]

my shutter goes of when pressed but two seconds after it makes the same shutter sound, im confused of why it is

[@zenography7923]

If the light is dim, shutter speeds will be longer. Are you firing the camera in dim light?

[@moeimsayin9654]

@@zenography7923 that was it haha, i realised it after watching videos on it

[@heauxkage5611]

thank you so much for this

[@ArthurEloy]

Thanks a lot for this video ! I'm searching if anyone managed to fix the "Indication starting switch" ? I'm talking about the switch around the shutter, looks like a plastic ring. It should re-activate the shutter speed light indicator that off automatically after 90 seconds. Cannot find anything about that... Just found that it seems pretty common this part fails. According to technical manual the name of part is "SW201 - indication starting switch". If I turn the camera on & off again the light come again for 90 seconds. I don't think it has any impact as the OM10 got two light meters, one for indicating shutter speed and the other one that actually decide for shutter speed. So the only impact is having to turn it off and on again if I want the information (quite easy with that switch), or continue shooting without knowing shutter speed. Thanks for your help !

[@zenography7923]

I guess if you need spares the only hope is a dead OM10 - there are usually a few on ebay.

[@ArthurEloy]

@@zenography7923 Thanks for reply! Yep could work, but got no idea where the problem is. And no one in videos about OM10 talk about that. Actually the "switch" itself just looks like a plastic ring..

[@jacquelinemarsh5662]

Hi there..may i ask you a quick question ? I just got an OM10 for Xmas for film photography = I'm worried my film isn't winding on correctly. The shot works, winder works but the rewind knob and back release isn't turning when i take a photo - isn't it supposed to ? thank you

[@zenography7923]

The rewind crank would usually rotate a little as you wind the film on - it sounds like your film may not be attached correctly to the spindle (on the opposite side of the camera, under the wind on lever) and isn't winding on. If you can find a dark enough place, open the back of the camera and wind it on - you should be able to feel the film move as it winds.

[@zakderrick7891]

I've found replacement foam online but it comes in many thicknesses. Which thickness is best for the OM10?

[@zenography7923]

I've found a thickness of 1mm to work well.

[@maverick92810]

I have an OM10 and with batteries in the camera nothing works still. What do you suggest?

[@zenography7923]

Are you sure the batteries are good? If they're not new, I would replace them with a new pair first, just to make sure. If that doesn't work, well, the OM10 is an electronic camera and is quite complex, and if you find someone who can repair it, the cost of the repair could exceed the value of the camera. As OM10 bodies are available fairly cheaply, if it were me I'd probably just buy another.

[@almix6071]

Hi! I just got my Olympus OM10 and I used it for the first time and things were going great until I shot about 16 times and after that my advance film lever wouldn’t open all the way and was very hard. Do you have any idea what may have caused this? Please and thank you

[@zenography7923]

Whatever you do, don’t force it! These cameras will jam if the batteries fail, so that’s your first thing to try. Or, the film may have jammed and torn inside the camera - remove it and reload a new film carefully, making sure it’s engaged in the sprockets. If those don’t work it sounds like a mechanical jam, in which case a competent technician would need to look at it. Let me know how you get on!

[@bentubmann]

Hi, I have the same issue that you had where the rewind lever and shutter button do not function. However the batteries in my camera are relatively new and do not need replacing. Is there possibly a different issue in my camera causing this? Thanks, Ben

[@zenography7923]

If you're sure the batteries are good there's clearly another fault, but I'd try some brand new batteries first, just to make sure. If that doesn't work, well, the fault could be something simple like a broken connection, or something more complex, and the cost of repair, if it's possible, could be fairly expensive. I'd change the batteries first though...

[@bentubmann]

​@@zenography7923 I have brand new batteries on the way so hopefully they will fix the issue. If it doesn't work then a new OM10 body isn't to expensive, around £30 so that will be the next option. Thanks for the advice

[@zenography7923]

Hope it works out!

[@modii4441]

The red led for the light meter in my camera didn't work... Is it possible to fix it.

[@zenography7923]

It's certainly possible, but might need a lot of dismantling. A good source of spares would be a spares/repair camera.

[@keishamorris8576]

whats the battery again?

[@zenography7923]

It's the LR44 - it's best to use the silver oxide variety in this camera.

[@tonedune3456]

Do you need a darkroom to develop b&w film these days? I don't need to do prints as I can scan negatives with my Nixon coolscan. I'm very pleased to find this channel.

[@zenography7923]

Very glad you're enjoying the channel! I've been using a daylight developing tank recently so currently no need for a darkroom!

[@jonvincentmusic]

Six year old video when you could still buy an OM10 for about 50-70 pounds :-(

[@swansong007]

I can’t believe you were removing the seals, dripping with fluid and wet foam so close to a very fragile and easily damage shutter curtain. Just a small piece of card placed over it for safeties sake.

[@alanstanway6118]

Sorry to correct you but OM10 top plates are plastic with a metallic coating.

[@zenography7923]

Thanks, I stand corrected!

[@clintonr9804]

Actually, early model OM-10's, with two bottom cover screws, had chrome plated brass top and bottom covers, but later models with three bottom cover screws had chrome sheathed plastic top and bottom covers.

[@TS84NO]

@@zenography7923 I was just looking at "New old stock" parts for the OM-10, and the black top plate was brown-is (plastic) on the inside, while the aluminium one was grey on both the outside and the inside. So, I'm pretty sure the aluminium top plates ARE metal. Also, on my OM-10, there's a couple of deep scratches, which are metal colored all the way thru.

[@immacook4u]

HI there. Great informative video. Thank you. I have a quick question. My mirror is stuck half way up but my batteries are dead so Im hoping that is the problem. By question involves the back or front depending how you look at it of the cloth shutter. The side that goes against the film is black, but the side inside the camera appears to be pixelated. Hundreds of black and silver tiny squares are on the cloth. I can only see this because of the shutter being stuck half way. My question are these pixels normal? I just picked up the camera at an auction and there is a few minor things that need to be done. I don't want to spend a lot of money on repairing the camera if those pixels are not suppose to be there. They appear to be permanent and random. Thanks

[@zenography7923]

It's almost certainly a battery problem - new ones should un-stick it for you. The pixels on the shutter curtain are part of the camera's auto exposure system and are indeed supposed to be there! Repair the camera and enjoy!

[@immacook4u]

Zenography new batteries arrived today. Works like a charm. Thanks

[@MoizMoiz-ow8qq]

This is exactly my situation right now.