SOLD - Vintage Olympus OM-1 MD 35mm SLR Camera & 28mm, 50mm, 135mm Lenses Kit With Case

Vintage Olympus OM-1 MD 35mm SLR Camera & 28mm, 50mm, 135mm Lenses Kit With Case

Description

Right up there among the best single lens reflex 35mm film cameras ever produced, the Olympus OM-1 is still in high demand 52 years after it first appeared in camera shops - and this one is a very nice example indeed, with three very nice lenses (total value of around £250) and even the original manual.

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When it was first introduced (initially as the Olympus M-1, until Leica - manufacturer of the legendary Leica M1 - threatened to let their lawyers off the leash), the Olympus OM-1 was the smallest, lightest single lens reflex in the world. It was also one of the most advanced with a number of innovations including a newly designed curtain shutter operated by durable "strings" rather than the typical ribbons to extend shutter life to at least 100,000 actuations and an air damping system to reduce shutter vibration, as well as many of the features then considered the hottest new things in the SLR world such as through-the-lens metering with a battery-powered in-viewfinder display and a curved-bottom pentaprism.

Other than the exposure display, everything is fully mechanical making it extremely simple to use; it soon proved to be a top seller for the three years it was in production, leading Olympus to update the design in 1974 to make it compatible with an optional 5 frames per second motordrive system (not supplied) - they called it the OM-1 MD, and that's the model we have here. It's worth noting that the OM-1 MD was then updated further in 1979, resulting in the OM-1n, and the OM range would remain in production until 1988 - a remarkably long run, and testament to just how good the cameras were.

Almost fifty years since it appeared, it remains an extremely reliable, capable and desirable camera with a range of features enabling it to produce first-class results in any conditions, and with its classic brushed aluminium and textured leatherette it's undoubtedly also among the most beautiful ever made. The ergonomics are near to perfect - although it seemed tiny back in the mid-70s when the trend had been towards ever-larger cameras (among Olympus' rivals, anyway - designer Yoshihisa Maitani had also been responsible for the OM-1's dinky Pen F predecessor), it's the same size ans the majority of SLRs today and not much smaller than most DSLRs, and adjusting shutter speed via a ring located in front of the lens mount bayonet is so convenient you're left wondering why all cameras aren't like that.

Like all vintage Olympus cameras, it was manufactured to extremely high standards - Lord Lichfield, Kate Garner, David Bailey, Josef Koudelka and Jane Brown are among the many professional photographer fans of the series. It's also far tougher than its 510g weight (without motordrive) suggests: the all-metal chassis can withstand a few knocks and made it suitable for use in rough environments, which is why they became Chris Bonington's camera of choice for his expeditions to Everest and the Himalayas. As a result, there are still plenty about and they're not a difficult camera to find, but with so many being bought specifically to be used in harsh conditions most of them are far more battered than this example: whilst it does have some signs of its half-century life, these are very minor indeed - it's the best one I've ever seen with only a few scuffs so minor they're only noticeable on very close inspection and just a touch of peeling leatherette at the corners, which can be fixed in seconds with a spot of glue.

It's in full working order too: the shutter fires every single time it's pressed and the film advance, film rewind, shutter speed ring, ASA selection and all other features and functions do exactly what they should. The film door opens and closes as intended and while the light seals are a little hardened with age they're far better than most of the same age and, when tested, proved to be light tight. The lens mount shows no wear worth worrying about and looks good for at least another fifty years.

The camera is supplied with an original leather-effect body case lined in blue velvet and designed specifically for this model, along with the very good quality leather kit bag as seen in the photos. It also has a very typically mid-70s selection of prime lenses including an Olympus Zuiko Auto-S f/1.4 50mm prime (approx. value £120-200), an Olympus Auto-W f/3.5 28mm with detachable rubber hood (approx. value £70-120) and a Tamron f/2.8 135mm with a built-in retractable metal hood. All three have been very well cared for and remain in superb condition with no defects to the glass or mounts, and appear to have spent most of their lives protected by the skylight filters currently attached to them. The 50mm is attached to the camera and has lost both caps, whereas the 28mm and the 135mm are in leather cases and have both caps. There is also a set of compatible Vivitar extension tubes in 12mm, 20mm and 36mm sizes which have seen very little use and what may be the camera's original, unused strap.

All in all, whilst the OM-1 MD is not a rare camera, examples such as this one are very scarce - with those three lenses it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to get into (or back into) film photography with a high quality SLR, and one that should continue to serve its purpose for many, many years to come.

Free economy shipping within the UK!

Due to the nature of this item it is not always possible for us to identify any missing parts.
For this reason we ask that you please check the pictures carefully, as these show everything that is included.

Further Details & Enquiries

This item has been very kindly donated to the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity supports people in Cambridgeshire living with an advanced serious illness or other life-limiting condition and those who need end-of-life care. Our ‘Outstanding’ services are provided free of charge to patients and their families. Our aim is to provide the highest quality care, helping them to make every moment count.

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