Is The OM2's Light Meter Good Enough for Slides?

Sine · 07-01-2010

I just picked up a really nice Olympus OM2 on craigslist the other day, and I'm traveling to Europe in a few weeks which doesn't give me all the time in the world for trial and error! I was wondering, is the OM2's internal light meter good enough to expose slides for best results? I will mostly be using Provia 400 and Kodachrome 64

I know it's kind of a stupid question given how long E6 and K14 have been around, but the issue in my mind is accuracy and reliability to get the best possible colors and exposure.

My alternative is a Canon Elan 7n with a modern meter, but it's really bulky and I'd love not to have to bring it.

gavinlg · 07-01-2010

You bet it is... Make sue you use the correct batteries and the metering will probably be more accurate and the elans. OM metering is pretty fantastic.

Dave Jenkins · 07-01-2010

If it isn't, I sure goofed up thousands of rolls on A-V and PJ assignments in 27 countries and around much of the US with OMs.

But before you go anywhere, shoot a roll and get it processed to check your meter. And always, always, always, when shooting slide film, BRACKET. I usually did a half-stop over and under.

Keith · 07-01-2010

Be sure to use silver oxide batteries ... with no voltage stabilizer in the circuitry alkalines don't cut it and metering fluctuates dramatically.

I just discovered this with mine and am now amazed at how consistent and accurate the meter is with the correct batteries.

ferider · 07-01-2010

Yes. It's center-averaging though, and exposure measurement can not be "held" for re-composition. Carrying a hand-held meter in addition might be useful, depending on what you shoot.

Pickett Wilson · 07-01-2010

Well, Sine, we old fogey's have been shooting slide film for decades with our old antique cameras. OM's I'm sure shot millions of slides over the years. Young whippersnappers.

Keith · 07-01-2010

The OM-2 is so damned clever that it meters automatically if you forget to move the lever from the off position before taking a shot ... only down to about 1/60 sec though from what I can work out. When I first got the camera I would occasionaly forget to turn it on before shooting and then later would be searching the roll for the dodgy exposure ... which was never there! When I found out about this stand by metering function it explained it all!

Richard G · 07-01-2010

Automatic when OFF down to 1/30sec. Pure genius the OM2n.

hipsterdufus · 07-01-2010

You can always bring a gray card with you to overcome the center-weighted meter's shortcomings, assuming that you're close enough to the scene to actually use it. Just a thought.

Armoured · 07-01-2010

Definitely test the camera first. But I'm inclined to say that even if it's functioning perfectly, for a big trip and slide film, better to take a camera you're comfortable with and whose metering you know well.

Just as important is your confidence and experience: do you shoot slide film a lot? Will you have the time to bracket? If this is normal for you and you can test the camera in advance, then by all means..

For a big trip, I'd consider the less risky approach, even using negative film instead. And when travelling, I always like to have a pocketable digi point and shoot - you can use it to remember street names, restaurants, save pictures of the signs and memorial plaques you don't have time to read (esp in foreign languages). Also not a bad back-up, and some have good enough meters (once you check calibration) to use them for test shots.

Not a comment on the OM-2. Great camera and very nice to travel with. But sometimes what you already know like the back of your hand is better.

Of course, I say this, but in reality, I don't get enough time to shoot when I'm not travelling and use trips to break in new equipment - it's part of my vacation. (Don't do as I do, but as I say!) Depends what you're travelling for.

Juan Valdenebro · 07-01-2010

I'd use a roll of sensia100 to check my camera's meter with the palm of my hand: based on my palm metering I'd expose a few (sun and shadows/overcast) scenes at -1,-1/2,N(Auto),+1/2,+1 and then I'd be sure about how to expose. And when the light reaching the scene isn't the same light reaching my hand, I'd compensate if the scene is too light or too dark. That if I don't have my incident meter with me or if I want AE... I don't know your camera's specifications, though...

Cheers,

Juan

Lilserenity · 07-01-2010

Shot all sorts of slides with my OM2n, including the incredibly finickity Kodachrome and it is perfection, so you will be fine. Just make sure you compensate for backlit situations (a doddle) and the meter will serve you very well indeed.

It's a real gem of a camera. The other great thing is the Off the film (OTF) metering which means for exposures longer than I think 1/30th it will measure the light coming in during exposure off the film itself to get the exposure more or less bang on.

It's a special camera. I love mine, it's technically criminal they sell so cheap, but I'm not complaining.

Here's a Kodachrome 64 shot from my OM2n with a 0.6ND Lee Grad I shot a month or two ago:

The OM2n's meter, fantastic!

Vicky

kuzano · 07-01-2010

After all these posts just in this thread, and my own experience with film and OM's....

Can somebody please tell me again why we are using digital....

Those who are, anyway?

Sine · 07-02-2010

Thanks everyone for your replies! Very helpful and much appreciated.

Keith, thanks for the tip on the batteries. Good to know.

Dave J. and Pickett W. - Yep, that's what I thought! I definitely deserve some flak for my ignorance; it's a bit like asking whether the 1V's autofocus is good enough for moving subjects.

Armoured - Actually, I've never shot slides before and every camera I have is fairly new territory for me. I just recently switched back to film after many years of malaise with digital SLRs, so I'm trying out a few different film bodies to see what works. The Elan 7 is definitely out; I've been looking for an excuse to sell that (along with my lenses) for a while now because it's wholly incompatible with street shooting. It's big and black, so pulling it out of your bag is like walking around followed by a giant spotlight. My second try was the Yashica GSN, which was better but seemed kind of big for what it was and the rangefinder patch was tiny. Strangely enough, I've only had the OM2 in my hands for 3 days, but already I love it. it's smaller than the GSN, much easier to focus and a joy to use. The idea to put the meter readout in the viewfinder was ingenious.

Shooting C41 for this trip is for sure an option, but I'll just be there visiting family, so I thought this informal voyage would be a good excuse to get into slides.

Juan V. - Thanks, that sounds like good advice. I'll shoot a roll of slides and get it processed before I go, just to get a feel for the camera and the medium.

Lilserenity - Thanks for posting your experience and beautiful results with Kodachrome! I'll be in Switzerland for the trip; which is a country that loves their red. I'm hoping to get lots of vibrant color out of the 3 rolls of Kodachrome in my possession.

To tell you the truth, we would not be having this conversation if I had paid more than $1000 for the OM2. There's something psychologically very jarring about getting such a superb camera with amazing build quality for the price of a night on the town!

kuzano - No argument here. Lots of people use digital and they can speak for themselves, but after a few years I just got tired of spending hours in photoshop for consistently mediocre results. Film has hands down better color, dynamic range, and resolution. You can buy a shedload of film and processing for the price of expensive digital gear, and you get years of your life back. More shooting, less tinkering.

Armoured · 07-02-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sine

Armoured - Actually, I've never shot slides before and every camera I have is fairly new territory for me. I just recently switched back to film after many years of malaise with digital SLRs, so I'm trying out a few different film bodies to see what works. The Elan 7 is definitely out; I've been looking for an excuse to sell that (along with my lenses) for a while now because it's wholly incompatible with street shooting. It's big and black, so pulling it out of your bag is like walking around followed by a giant spotlight. My second try was the Yashica GSN, which was better but seemed kind of big for what it was and the rangefinder patch was tiny. Strangely enough, I've only had the OM2 in my hands for 3 days, but already I love it. it's smaller than the GSN, much easier to focus and a joy to use. The idea to put the meter readout in the viewfinder was ingenious.

Shooting C41 for this trip is for sure an option, but I'll just be there visiting family, so I thought this informal voyage would be a good excuse to get into slides.

Have a great trip! Welcome to film cameras, and welcome to OM. I don't think you'll have much trouble, and sounds like your attitude is relaxed enough to just have fun with it.

I understand where you're coming from with larger cameras: I've an F100 that is a marvel, but a beast. Even my old FM/FEs seem just slightly clunky compared to the OMs (the OM-4 is to die for).

At the risk of being impertinent, I still recommend taking more C-41 than slide film - especially for shots of/with family. You can't replace those shots if the exposure's off, and C-41 is more forgiving (and personally, I find slide film people shots tend to harsh - probably because I'm incompetent). Take some slide film to experiment with, by all means.

Also, take some black and white - the Kodak/Ilford C-41 black and white are excellent, you can get them developed and printed everywhere, and I bet your family will be blown away by B&W.

And with negative film, learn the simple rules for exposure using "Sunny 16". It's a nice simple test of the meter and will help give a sense of the light and how the meter works.

Have fun.