Shooting with a vintage Olympus OM1 film camera has reignited love of photography
In a digital age dominated by smartphones and instant gratification, there is something truly special about the art of shooting on film. When I discovered a listing for an Olympus OM1 film camera on an online secondhand marketplace, I knew it was the one. The OM1 has a sleek, compact design and holds a timeless charm that is hard to resist.
Years ago I owned Olympus digital cameras, including the Olympus E-420, the OM-D EM1 ii and OM-D EM5 ii. These were beautiful cameras with amazing build quality and it was a joy taking photos with them. Ultimately I needed something more than the micro four thirds sensor offered and switched to the Canon EOS and R system – which are great cameras and lenses, but missing the magic and whimsy of shooting with the Olympus cameras and lenses.
So when I saw the vintage Olympus OM1 film camera for sale, I took the chance, not knowing much about film cameras, but knowing I had enjoyed shooting with Olympus digital cameras. After some Googling and watching Youtube videos, I learned that the OM1 is a well-regarded camera, beloved by enthusiasts and pros. Finding a copy of the original manual was very helpful as well.
My "new" camera arrived and luckily it was in really good condition. It needed cleaning but it had been well taken care of. It came with the OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 lens, the original leather case, a strap, lens protector – and a half used roll of Ilford HP5 black and white film (which I have not developed yet!)
I bought a fresh roll of film at the local photo lab and set out to test the camera. I wanted to take my new camera on vacation in a couple weeks, so I needed to know that everything was in working order.
After some testing and playing around with the camera, I discovered that the self-timer was broken (no big deal) as well as the built-in light metre. The needle bounced around a bit, but was stuck in the “over-exposed” zone no matter what the lighting conditions were.
What to do about an Olympus OM1 film camera broken light metre
I had a few options to deal with a broken light meter. I could:
- Take it somewhere to get serviced. This would take a long time and could be expensive.
- Buy a light metre attachment. I’m sure this would be an accurate reading, but adds bulk and another thing to carry around, which is undesirable. (They are also not cheap.)
- Download a light metre app and read the light conditions with my iPhone
I went for option #3 and installed Light Meter Ultra which costs $19.99 per year. So far it’s been a great tool. To use it, I set the film ISO on the app, pick the priority setting (aperture, shutter speed, etc.) and take a quick light meter reading before I take a picture. It’s not the most convenient for shooting subjects on-the-fly, but with shooting film the process is more deliberate and mindful so taking a second to check the light of the composition is just part of the process.
After I shot my first 36 exposures of some nearby gardens, interior shots, and my favourite subject, my adorable Havapoo puppy, I took my film into the lab to be developed. I chose the “develop + email” options, and the next day I received a link to view my photos.
Drumroll…
I was so happy with how the photos turned out! The film I used, ORWO Wolfen NC400, gave a cool and moody vibe. The OM Zuiko 50mm f1.8 lens was super sharp, especially for shots I took at f2 & f2.8. Some photos turned out a bit underexposed, but not bad considering these were test shots using an iPhone light meter app. Check out some of the photos:
Shooting film vs digital
Some observations I have had so far about shooting digital vs film:
- Out of habit I keep looking at the back of the camera after I can a photo to see how it looks
- Each frame is more precious so more thought goes into composing the perfect shot. I think this leads you to becoming a better overall photographer.
- I love the way the colour green is rendering on film. It’s so rich and lush.
- The click of the shutter and winding the film lever is very satisfying
- I think I'm hooked and can't wait to try out more film types!