Long Term Reparability of an OM-1

Question:

What is the long-term reparability of an OM-1? Will these bodies be readily reparable in 10 years? Are all/most parts currently available from Olympus? Or, does one have to have a "parts" body just in case?
Answer:
Potential concerns:
  1. On older, original OM-1's, we're seeing the plastic used beginning to become more and more brittle. Some of this may be related to storage and use, however. Fortunately, fewer of the critical parts of the 2's were made with plastic compared to the early 1's. Still, there are plastic parts that could break, but that should not weigh heavily in the next 10 years, IMO.
  2. The curtains on some OM-1's and 2's are beginning to deteriorate -- the rubberized material is abrading and/or drying and cracking, resulting in "pin holes". Once again, this may be related to storage and use. Curtains are no longer available, but we have been known to "harvest" curtains from dead bodies to repair otherwise salvageable ones.
  3. The incidence of "meter failure" have fallen dramatically (from a peak in the late 80's/early 90's), but we still see 2n's/2's where the meter has simply died. Once again, the primary source for replacements is from dead bodies.
  4. Occasionally the mode switches "tarnish" beyond salvageability, and new contacts are no longer available. As above, dead circuits provide parts.

Otherwise, there are not alot of problems with the 2n's that are not repairable. Enough of them will die catastrophic deaths to provide "donors", I suspect, for the for seeable future. Now if only folks would stop bidding them up to unreasonable levels on the auction sites.... ;^)

contributed by Clint Rumbo