My Father passed away earlier this month and he left me this early 70’s film Camera. What an amazing little beauty. Beside I could feel My Father’s presence through this camera. Rip Daddy 1961-2022

You look like the real-life version of Ralph, from Reck it Ralph

I’m actually very excited to buy my first film camera. They’re just so timeless and I need it in my life

Agree 100%. Can’t go wrong with this camera. My Grandfather still has one and I’m hoping he may let me “borrow” it one day.

The OM -1 was the first SLR film camera I owned. My parents bought it for me as an early high school graduation present in 1975. Yes, I'm old ;-) and I've been a professional photographer for 36 years. Of course I use professional digital cameras now, but still have the OM-1 and it still works flawlessly!

If you are buying a used OM-1 you should be aware of a potential problem with the pentaprism. On the top of the prism, under the top housing is a strip of foam (which wasn't really necessary for protection from vibration) which may deteriorate over time, especially if the camera has been stored for years with film in it. The deterioration removes the silvering on the prism mirrored surface and appears as a band of dark discoloration at the bottom of the finder image. It does not affect the camera function, but you might use it as a bargaining point when negotiating price. If you ever have the camera cleaned , lubricated and adjusted, the technician can perform a prism transplant from an OM-10 (there are lots of these out there that no longer work) usually for little or no cost.

That was the first ever 35mm SLR I ever owned, bought it in the late 70s while college, still use it today!!! My meter stopped working, but it is still fun to use!!!

Just acquired an OM-1 at an Estate Sale, in a box with a motor winder, 50mm 1.8 as well as a 28-48mm f4 Zoom Zuiko! Can hardly wait to head out and shoot!

I agree! The Olympus cameras are very underated, people are tripping over themselves to find a k1000 and I just don't get it; the Om-1 makes the k1000 look and feel like a bus!

The OM1 was my first SLR, still shooting it today and I adore it!! Its my "Sunday" camera, when I want to take a step back and appreciate the process😊 just use a p625 hearing aid battery (with a bit of paper mushed around the edges to make it big enough) and you're gold!

Love it, this was my first 35mm in the 70's. I will now find me another in pristine condition. Love your videos Bad Boy!

The Zuiko 50mm f1.8 is probably my favourite lens I’ve ever owned brilliant bang for your buck!!

Mr Coops, I could not agree with you more. However, I would like to add that there is only one thing better than an Olympus OM1 (or OM1n) and that is TWO of them. I started with an OM1n (which I bought NEW in 1980) and this was my first SLR and was and is a pleasure to use. Since I bought this camera I have managed to collect about 8 lenses, several Flashes and attachments, a Bellows, a Databack and a few other bits. The best accessory I bought for my OM1n was another OM1n (black body variant). The good thing about that is I can use 2 cameras that operate identically with different lenses attached, or loaded with different film, eg, colour prints and B&W prints, or print and Transparency film. Then it is just a case of swapping cameras if you want a different shot (with a different lens or different film). Keep up the great work. Cheers.

Love love love my OMs. What sets them apart also is their bright and big viewfinder. Makes it very easy for beginners to learn focusing properly. Never seen a viewfinder as perfect as the Om's. Not Nikon, not Canon, not Pentax, not any other.

This sold me on this camera, so I bought me one. The aperture preview button on the zuiko lens has really helped me learn that focusing on an SLR is done w/ the lens wide open, yielding a difference between the perceived image in the viewfinder and the actual image that gets developed. Not to mention depth of field effects for each aperture. Thank you for this vid!!!

I've had my Pentax MX for decades. Moved up to it from a K-1000, to keep my K-Mount lenses. It's the same concept, smallish,light fully mechanical 35mm SLR. I never really thought about the placement of the shutter speed control, The placement on the OM-1 actually is a dang fine idea! Oh, boy...... now I'll be "trolling" eBay for an "Ollie".

I picked mine up at a thrift store, with the 50mm lens plus two others for $10 american a couple of months ago. I've run 3 rolls of Ilford thru it and have loved, pretty much every shot. Sweet shooter!

I was able to nab mine with dual flap leather case with stand attachment one of the 135 mm len and leather case and a 28mm lens and leather case for 40$ total. I love this camera and it was absolutely worth every cent.

Mine was a Nikon F. Still have it from the 1970s. Still works just fine.

Back in 1974 the Olympus OM1 was rated the number 1 camera in it's class according to Photography Magazine, topping most professional SLRs Contax, Nikon and Canon..Based upon compact design, features and Zuiko Optics..I read the reviews and eventually purchased a while later. Great camera indeed.

Received as a gift from my dad an OM-1 when they first came out and took some beautiful pictures with it for many years, after starting on an Olympus rangefinder camera, also a gift, but from my girlfriend, who later became my wife. The OM-1 with a zoom attached would lie flat on the table and it fit into the hand easily and naturally, being a small camera for an SLR. A Pentax K1000 is notably bigger and somewhat heavier. It was Canons which most amateur photographers purchased in those days but I've never shot one. I preferred Olympus products. They made a very good binocular microscope, too. My only complaint about the OM-1 is that it didn't last long enough, probably because I used it so much and took it with me on hikes and backpacking, which can be hard on a camera. About exposure, the light meter went out on it and I didn't bother using a light meter after that, other than the one in my head and the instructions on the film. My photography improved noticeably. Once the camera body had worn out, I still had the lenses for it and my wife came across an OM-10 in a thrift store for $3. All it needed was a new battery and shoots some good pictures. It's basically the same camera as the OM-1 once you put a manual adapter on it, which I seldom use anyway. Good pic for the best "beginner camera." I have to disagree with that description. I took professional quality shots, and on color negative film. G'day, mate.

bought a black one after watching this video. Love using it. It's definitely one of my favourite SLRs, if not my favourite. I got the 85mm f2 as well. Incredible lenses.

the quality of that lens is beautiful, nice and sharp images!

Couldn't agree more really userfriendly and always ready to shoot with left hand to adjust aperture, shutterspeed and focus very easy.

I have a OM2n, and it's probably the best camera in this format, ultra accurate metering, great lenses.

Can you put a description in the comments from where you bought it?

You nailed it. The OM-1 is one of the few cameras that has mirror lock up and works without batteries. It is light and compact. Only the light meter needs batteries to function. ( I think you need a Wein MRB 675 or two Wein PRB 625 batteries to replace the discontinued mercury battery. ) Other suggestions are the Nikon FM 2n, Minolta SRT-102, and the Yashica TL Super. An inexpensive way into medium format is the heavy but versatile Mamiya Super 23 Press camera.

Learned using olympus systems, my first 35mm cameras was a OM-20, currently using a OM-4... So underrated in regards to price and quality, but that's okay, cheaper lenses and bodies for me I guess!

I have an OM-10 that was given to me by one of the guys at work and its a wonderful little camera to use. and I'll agree with you 100% on the Zuiko lenses as well, mine came with the 50mm lens also and its tack sharp like you say.

All of The Major Manufacturers Made Excellent Manual Cameras In The late Sixties Early Seventies . I Loved The Nikkormat FT. I Perfer Large Bodied Cameras Due to Hand Size . The Various Systems are a Matter of Choice !

It's a great camera. My only camera now after years of many different ones. I am not sure it's best for beginners though. I would suggest a camera with aperture priority to ease them in more or where the settings are visible in the viewfinder. It's a professional camera too and for a beginner you can get, for example, an OM20 or M40 and they are cheaper and still use the same glass.

HOW DID YOU FIND IT AT SUCH A CHEAP PRICE??! ALL THE ONES I SEE ARE ALMOST 200$

I think my next digital will be the OM10-D II or whatever it is, just to use my Zuiko glass, even though I know I need an adapter. The OM10 was designed for the beginner, and in its raw state is an aperture priority camera. You can then buy a shutter adapter making it fully manual, I bought mine extremely cheap for the six lenses that came with it. I intended to upgrade to the OM1 but I love the OM10 so much it’s my "colour" 35mm camera.

Hi Coops. Great video. I totally agree with it being a great, if not the greatest camera for beginners. I’m lucky enough to have the OM1 and the OM2, both are sensational. (I somehow seem to favour the OM2, as it has an aperture priority mode.) Some other reasons the Olympus OM system is so great are that the focusing screens can be changed to suit your needs. The view finder is the biggest and brightest I’ve come across and, there are just so many lens options.....all of which are super sharp. All these lenses can also be adapted to Mirrorless digital cameras (ie. Full frame, APSC or Micro 4/3rds etc).....which I do quite a bit. There is more tactile interaction with manually focusing your lenses, which I find very satisfying, as well as the quality feel and mechanical sound feedback.........no beeps. Great work. Keep giving us reasons to get these bad boys out of the cupboard and onto the road! Cheers. Tony

Just got a free Olympus OM-G and I'm ecstatic. Came with a 180mm from the 70s as well

Bought an om 1 as my first analog camera as well and they're absolutely amazing. Got mine with the standard 50mm 1.8 lens and my those are razor sharp. Brilliant camera this. Will never let go of mine.

I have the OM-1n and I love it. However, the Nikon F3 was my first film camera as a beginner.

I ended up getting an OM-2n, because batteries that work well in the OM-1 are hard to find. I loved my OM-1, though. It’s beautiful, classic, and takes great pictures.

As you say, it is all about lens quality and that is why I kept my OM1n and lenses. I have had excellent results from my 24mm F2.8 lens on my OMD E M5 camera body when used with an adapter on AP. A truly great camera indeed.

I’m so excited to expand my boundaries with art, I’m only 16 so I don’t got any cameras for myself but my stepmom is letting me borrow her Pentax zx-50 for now but I can’t wait to get my own, next I just need a hi8 camcorder and I’m set😍

Oh my God how did I miss this video? I've shoot with Olympus OM2 & OM2sp cameras professionally as a stealthy, inconspicuous and lightweight system which complemented my Canon AF cameras back in the day of film, and agree with you 100%.

It's a fantastic camera no doubt. I do find myself wishing alot of these classic cameras had a handgrip on the front. I do love the OM-1, it's a special camera but I do prefer a camera that has a grip e.g Canon A-1.

Just to be pedantic, the f in f.zuiko refers to the number of elements in the lens. There are also d.zuiko (4 elements),g (7). f means it has 6. Also , beware of the foam around the pentaprism eating the silver.

I haven't shot film for awhile but still have my Pentax MX, still in perfect condition, and has been a great camera, relatively compact with a great VF and good metering... Thx, Moses...

OK! I am following this guy! One of the best film photography channels on YT. Congratulations! Wating for more videos!!!!

Love your work, you got a bargain with the OM 1 for sure. Prices going up fast now on most 35mm vintage film cameras. My advice, beg, borrow, steal to get one now. I feel the pain of many trying to add or replace as I dropped my beloved (almost perfect condition) Nikon FM2n black body on its head last week :( :( :(

Totally agree with this as a perfect SLR for beginners. The alternative that ticks the same boxes - although with a conventional shutter speed dial but a few other great extra features - is the Pentax MX. Also small, mechanical, lightweight, cheap, superbly made, pretty, and with perhaps the biggest viewfinder of any SLR. I'd recommend a newbie look for either of these cameras.

Great camera indeed! You do not exagerate a bit. I own the OM-1 & OM-2N Both very enjoyable cameras

I think that point about making adjustment of your shutter speed just below the lens is the best reason to have this one. I'm just starting out and I've bought old Zenit 12SD camera and this is exactly what bothers me the most - that I have to put my camera down when I need to adjust my shutter speed. I'm sorry that I haven't found this info before my purchase :-)

OM-1 that was my first 35mm camera! Purchased new in 1978. You didn't mention the very bright viewfinder, brighter than Nikon or Canon. The only downside was the size of the controls could be too small, and the rewind release switch could be difficult to move with large fingers. I do miss that camera especially that viewfinder.

Excellent review and love the pictures of mosque, thanks for sharing them.

Nice video mate, but A$70 for that gem is a steal. Regular prices are from A$350 to whooping A$1200 for fully serviced and repaired. Most of the time you will be able to get it for about A$4-5 hundreds anyway, but that's not cheap. Batteries is not a bit problem. Apart from what you're using you can get pretty accurate exposure on battery 675 for hearing aids as they are 1.4V which is closer to original 1.35V. Another option is to solder germanium diode inside which will drop 1.5V of LR44 to 1.35 expected by light meter, or just set ISO 2 stops bellow (ISO 100 instead actual ISO 400 or ISO 25 instead of ISO 100) that will also do the trick. I'm using 675 for hearing aids which I bought for A$6 for 6-pack in JayCar. No issues so far.

I like the fact that it has mirror lockup.

*Couldn't agree with you more. I just wish I get one which is as good quality as yours. Thanks mate!*

Couldn't agree more.....a wonderful camera, here in the UK people have cottoned on to the fact that they're a great camera so prices have risen somewhat. If you get a chance try the 135mm 2.8 it's one of the best portrait lenses ever. Just doesn't focus too close. The sample pictures look sharp with great colour also. Good video....

Great camera, love my OM-1 with 50mm 1.8 (also paid only $75.00 CAD for mine). I had two others but sold them before i really knew what I had. This is my third one (MINT cond.) and I'm keeping it. Light, compact, easy to use and that big ass viewfinder all make it such a great camera to use, and great lenses. The Pentax MX is the only other camera that's very similar but the OM-1 is still my choice, brighter crisper viewfinder.

He's right about different bodies doesn't make a difference in the picture quality. Since it all depends on the type of 35mm film you use. The lens is like a god of photography. Always invest on the lens

The picture are so great 😭

I have the om1n and the om2n but prefer the om1 completely manual camera. I also use digital with a Fujifilm x100. Alan in the UK.

Great Video. (Loved the behind the scenes of each shot.) Thanks!

I have a lot of argentic cameras, the om1 is indeed a good one. Small, easy to use, and the Zuiko are good lenses.

Really enjoyed this post Iam a complete novice this review was excellent.

Didn't know James milner did photography videos on KZfaq.

Love my OM1 and OM2 and I've been shooting them since the 1980s. But I think your om1 has a light leak maybe around the back cover upper right. The old OM are great cameras but they are getting old now and things like the light seal foam deteriorates and needs replacing. Easy to do yourself.

*6:13** - Mate, you're in Perth? It's a beautiful city with lots of subjects to click photos of!*

Want to begin? Buy a 1972 PRO camera. Got to love the world we live in 📸😎. These gems were not made in the age of "planned obsolescence" 😁

What’s a good place to find one, and what are some things to look out for when buying older cameras like this?

Who else can see the beautiful mosque woow mashaallah ☺😍

Im sorry this is a bit off the subject. Which accent are you using? It's really nice.

I liked Pentax MX with SMC Takumar lenses

That video was amazing mate; keep it up!

Nice one! I got cheap batteries from the two dollar shop for my Ricoh and it works fine 👍👍

Those batteries you showed are not available here in England. I was GIVEN my OM-1 by a Camera Club friend - it still has the illegal 'Mercury Battery' in it .

I am here because of that vintage camera in Encounter! Hahaha

Great video, just looking to buy my first film camera off eBay and I think I'll go for an Olympus. By the way, where's your t-shirt from?

Suiko lenses are amazing ! The OM1 is as good as it gets

Subscribed! I'm a photographing newbie and this helped a lot.

The OM1(n) is a fine camera and, yes, the Zuiko prime lenses are spectacular, BUT, the meter frequently fails on these models and repairs are costly, so it's something that needs to be checked before flashing the cash. Also check for perished light seals and get them replaced if necessary. That's a quick and cheap job. It is, after all, getting on a bit at over 40 years old.

I own a few cameras, most from the 50s All of them are German, and In my Opinion wonderful beginner cameras are from Leica and the Porst Compact Reflex S Edit: There are also good cameras without battery. I recommend german cameras from small old manufacturers

I want one for my friends and me for perfect summer vibes. Hopefully I can get one this or next year, I don’t have that much money, but maybe I can save money ^^

Great content! Straight to point, love it!

I’m really happy with my BNIB Nikon FM10. Plenty of cheap old Nikon Lens for it.

Got 2 om10, and I LOVE them

Hey I have a question? I’m new to this whole thing, do you get the film every time you run out? If so, where do you get the film?

Right on !

Nikon FE with any Nikon F lens would be a more solid choice. It can be used with any Nikon F lens made from 1959 onwards. And is has auto mode as well. Anyone could use it.

I almost bought the OM1 but decided to get the all black Olympus 35 SP rangefinder instead thanks to Ade Torrent @OldCameras. If I didn't already own the Nikon FM2 I probably would own it.

I have an OM-1 it fit on my telescope and the mirror up feature was the main reason for the purchase. In later years I purchased a bottom basement 50 mm lens. Specifically an Olympus Zuiko f1.8 auto-s lens. It seems to function properly but when looking through the viewfinder the view is vignetted to the point that I can not see the meter needle even at 1.8. Has anyone come across this same “feature”?

Idc bout the new camera vintage film cameras hit different😍

Great review. Thanks!

Owns 2 om 1 and and om 10 and love them all! the om 10 with the manual adaptor would be more suited to beginners is it sill has aperture mode but the om 1 is still such an awesome camera to learn on. if you love the om cameras you need to try and get your hands on a olympus 35 sp or rc rangefinders.. Love the channel coops. cheers

Well done with this video. Very informative and answers most of the questions. Would be really cool of you if you could tell me from where I can get this (Camera + lens + battery) shipped to India? Thanks!

Hey, I have a question. How do you make film photos go to digital

oh yeah, I was looking at eBay for some pro grade film cameras, and then I remembered I must have good old Zenith from 80/90's somewhere.. just have to ask my bro, where tf he's hiding it.. ))

Thanks from Germany...5 minutes watched...bought

Just one correction about the lens name. Not all of them would be f.zuiko, it depended on how many elements there were. The 50mm f1.4 had more so it had a different letter (g?) esif.world-traveller.org/om-sif/lensgroup/lensterms.htm .

What about the flash? Good video btw bro💯

Great video mate, cheers

Good review of this wonderful camera that I own. However, too many "now" ! 😉

Coops you’re mental ! The AE-1 is the best beginner…. ❤