In general:
* Compact; light for an all-metal camera; excellant ergonomics
* Large & bright viewfinder with inter-changable screens.
These pertain specifically to the OM2-s Program, about the last in the OM2 series:
* Centre-weighted TTL metering;
* Program as well as aperture priority;
* Built-on hot shoe;
* Separate, non-hot shoe-based connection for dedicated flash;
* Small but useful add-on right hand grip.

* Lacks modern autofocus;
* Current selection of 3rd party lenses for this manual focus camera is quite small.

The OM1 was a revolution in compact size and weight, while delivering a superior viewfinder with interchangable screens and a quiet shutter. Lenses too were mostly compact and of very compeditve quality.
The first OM2 added TTL metering & aperture priority AE to the OM1. Subsequent OM2's added motor drive capability, TTL flash control (one of the first available), and program AE.
The current OM3 and OM4 are still the most compact, well featured (except autofocus) SLRs available: unfortunately they are quite expensive.

Customer Service

I have never used warranty sevice. 3rd party service (in Canada) has be fine: I recently had shutter & transports sevice on an older OM2 MD -- now works fine and the cost was very reasonable.

Similar Products Used:

Miranda; Canon AP; Nikon F; Fuji compact SLR; Pentax Spotmatic (late model); Olympus OM1.

The OM-2 was years ahead of its time, and is still an excellent camera.
The ergonomics are superb, with big controls which work when you are under stress (Ever tried using tiny push-button controls in winter during a riot?). The viewfinder is bright and clear, and has replaceable focussing screens.

The body is compact, lightweight, rugged and reliable. I've dropped it twice, once denting the prism housing, which cured its only fault, a sticky shutter which lasted one film.

The exposure system is accurate and reliable, but not foolproof. I often use manual exposure. I always use auto flash with the excellent T32 flashgun.
Its great for macro shots, with some fantastic compact macro lenses, and does have depth of field preview.
Quiet, shutter release is positive and responsive (no focussing lag).
Some of the lenses are great, and you can get accessories for ANY application.

Removable hot shoe can crack.
Dated specs:
Flash synch at 60th sec.
Top speed of 1/1000

Standard 50mm/1.8 is very fuzzy (1.4 is better)
Shutter indicator needle hard to see in low light.
Lacks mirror lock-up of OM-1 (but what modern camera has this?)

A design classic, a great little camera, and a great system. Not perfect, but I'll be sorry when I have to replace it with something else. The specs may be dated, but I haven't outgrown it after 18 years. I have used it for family shots, wildlife, macro/copying work, reportage, portraits.
Its not a heavyweight press camera like the Nikon F3, so you can take it on your holidays.

Customer Service

never needed.
Can be repaired by most competant professional repairers.

Similar Products Used:

You name it , Nikon, Canon, Minolta, Leica, 'blad, Practica, Fujica, Pentax( I worked in a 2nd hand camera shop for

My comments here apply to the OM-2Spot/Program (OM-2S in the USA). Strengths:
* Compact for an SLR
* Well built, rugged
* Simple and logical controls
* Accutrate light metering using silicon blue cell for all measurement
* Spot metering in manual mode
* Modes include: Manual (spot metering); Auto aperture priority (weighted average metering); Program (weighted average).
* TTL auto flash control
* OTF metering with auto exposure times up to 2 minutes
* Excellent range of Zuiko lenses and other accessories, such as macro group, flash group, winder group, data back group
* Excellent Zuiko wide angle lenses
* Reliabile - mine is still going strong after almost 15 years
* Large viewfinder with good display, compatible with wearing spectacles
* One mechanical speed is provided, 1/60 second, for emergency use without batteries
* Mirror locks up at the start of the shutter delay - useful for tripod use, especially with macro photography.

* Flash synch max speed is only 1/60 second
* Rather high quiescent current drains the small batteries too quickly
* Must use silver oxide (SR44 or similar) batteries to maintain accurate light measurement througout battery life
* To some people, having the shutter speed selector as a ring around the lens mount instead of on top of the camera body is strange
* Film advance and shutter speed ring can be rather stiff compared with earlier models (OM-1, OM-2)
* No spares exist for the ciruit board so electronics failure means camera is scrap
* Motore drive speed is only 3.5 frames/sec because of program mode requirements

The OM-2S is more like a simplified OM-4 than the other OM-2 models. This camera offers perfect functions for some users, myself included. I would argue that it does everything the OM-2N can do plus spot metering and program mode. It was launched when Olympus led in terms of metering systems, with off-the-film (OTF) real-time measurement and flash TTL. It was aimed at the serious amateur market, rather than the professional.

However, it must be admitted that it was only produced for a short time and didn't evolve fully. Its high battery drain is more of an inconvenience than anything else, since the battery costs are not high. Program mode is crude compared with modern cameras but it's really only intended for point & shoot or candid photography when there isn't time to set the desired aperture and/or shutter speed. The OM-2S has been out of production for over a decade but good examples are still available on the used market. To many people, however, a used OM-4 might be a more attractive option. This is not the camera for someone looking for their first SLR but it makes an excellent second camera.

Customer Service

Never needed to use.

Similar Products Used:

Olympus OM-10, OM-2N

Compact size, my experience has shown the OM-2n to be very durable. Outstanding metering system, especially for nightscapes. No light leaks with infrared (a problem with some plastic backed cameras). The lenses are second to none. Controls easy to use. Depth of field preview is located on the lens instead of body.

Hard to see viewfinder info in low light. I also wear glasses and have a hard time viewing. Not as many accessories available as other brands, but then, what is actually needed?

Overall a classic. Not very modern. No unnecessary bells and whisles. But a solid, but compact camera with great optics. It took me 23 years of hard outdoor use to finally wear mine out.

Customer Service

A factory service center in Dallas. Service and parts no longer available thru Olympus for this model.

Similar Products Used:

Canon AE-1 (great camera). Several of the older Nikons...FG (not really up to the usual Nikon standards)

Excellent Layout, easy settings, quiet, smooth action. Compatible with whole OM line of lenses and accessories. Capable of complete flash control using internal light meter for exposure through an OM hotshoe. Complete manual controls, or aperture priority (set the aperture and have the camera automatically pick the speed). Very light and very small form factor, especially for a camera its age. Excellent, clear split prism focus, clearly visible analog light meter. Excellent trigger feels snappy, not prone to accidental triggering. Easy to find and adjust speed and aperture while looking through lens. When aperture priority is used, it shows the shutter speed in the viewfinder.

No depth of field preview. The aperture setting is not shown in the viewfinder. But my biggest reserve is that it is not rugged. Apparently, they break frequently, I often see broken ones for sale. Mine is broken now and I have decided to get another used OM series camera rather than continue trying to have it fixed.

A top notch camera with both manual and automatic options, small form, and excellent feel and layout. Unless it breaks, it's highly recommended.
Note* this camera did go through probably a thousand rolls over a dozen years of use before it broke*

Customer Service

Olympus no longer supports these. Cord Camera will mail them in to somewhere, but everyone says the best shot at getting them fixed is Camtech.

Similar Products Used:

Own Canon F1, have tried other OM's and Minoltas.

Exposure system is tremendous, enabling me to concentrate on seizing the image, exposure well and truly looks after itself.
Simple to operate.
Compact.
Solid construction.
Flash using T32 works well.

Had a light leak but this can be expected with an older camera. Easily fixed by a reputable repairer. Silvering of mirror has deteriorated. This may in part be due to the camera having spent its life in the tropics.
Aperature indication in the viewfinder would be nice, but it's not a showstopper.

I purchased this camera secondhand along with an OM1.

I'm a member of the Army and haul it around with me in the field. In such an environment it's not really possible to baby a camera all the time. It has coped with rain, damp, bumps, bounces and dust storms from helicopters. It has survived a fall requiring minor panelbeating but still functioned.

While I am very happy with my EOS cameras, I am satisfied that the OMs will cope with the treatment they get in the field and continue to function. At the very least, if it gets destroyed, I won't have lost a fortune.

The simplicity of operation enables me to work fast and know that the camera will produce good results. In fact, at times that simplicity is kinda fun. I really ejoy using this camera.

If you're looking for a techno-camera, sorry, this isn't it. It's down to earth but works well. It's certainly a good camera to begin on and offers scope for increasing skill levels.

Apart from some minor problems stemming from age, I'm highly satisfied with this camera and will continue to use it for a long time to come.

Customer Service

Used third party repairer, this camera is simple enough that repairs are easily made in most cases.

Similar Products Used:

OM1, OM10, OM40
EOS 5, 100, EF-M
Olympus MJU-1, Ricoh R1, Yashica 635

The automatic mode works well for everything. I only use the manual mode for special lighting situations. No built in flash.

No aperture readings in display. No spot readings mode.

This was the first automatic camera I owned. I own the OM-PC. It works like the new point and shoot SLRs but doesn't automatic focus and doesn't have a built-in flash. The only bad pictures were those with bright backgrounds behind people without light on their faces. Without a built-in flash, I ruined some pictures (I forgot to carry the flash with me)

Customer Service

No need. Everything still works fine 15 years after I bought it.

Similar Products Used:

Minolta SRT201

Spot Meter, Program mode, Aperture Priority, Manual, OTF flash metering, compact, light.

Not rugged, poor film wind mechanism, X synch 1/60, top shutter speed 1/1000, weak rewind knob, drains batteries at an alarming rate.

I bought into the OM system in the early 1980's. Oylmpus provided compact well designed products. The OM2S in an inferior replacement to the OM-2n. This camera has a multitude of features, but is mechanically weaker than the OM-2n. I would be hesitant to recommend the purchase of a used OM-2S based on my experience. I would recommend the OM-G or OM-1n.

Customer Service

Submitted under warranty to fix electrical problems. Submitted a second time to fix electrical problems after warranty expired. Paid $160 for a replacement/rebuilt camera. Five years ago I sent the camera for a check up due to excessive battery drain. Olympus said battery drain was acceptable. One month ago I damaged the rewind knob trying to open film back. I deemed it not economically feasable to repair & relegated the camera to paper weight status.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax ME Super, OM-1n, OM-PC, OM-G, Nikon F-3T, FA, FE-2

Small, Light and Quiet
Auto Exposure "Always ON"
Auto Exposure to 2+ minutes
Affordable used

Accessory Shoe
Motor Drive Cover

Contrary to popular opinion, I like the shutter speed ring around the lensmount. Although it can be a bit confusing when you have lenses with macro rings and rotary zoom rings. As mentioned above the only dislikes I have for the camera are minor.
The Accessory shoe is flimsy and the off-camera shoe accessories are hard to find and expensive since they are now highly sought after.
To my surprise, I discovered that you need not turn the OM2n "ON" for grab shots in daylight. If you wind and focus it will expose down to 1/30 sec in the "OFF" position.
The OM2n will also fire at a speed higher than 1/1000 in Auto, called a "mini shutter speed" by Olympus, to help prevent overexposures.
Add this to the Legendary long Auto exposure capability and I think most owners will agree, It's an awesome machine for it's age.
If you make up your mind and stick with the OM system I think you'll be happy.
It's collectable and 'useable'
If you're looking for more features, more automation and easy availability,
you won't be.

Customer Service

Always bought used, Never had the opportunity.

Similar Products Used:

Pentax ME Super
Canon EOS 630
Canon EOS Rebel G

- excellent metering system
- I use my OM2n for medical purposes with the ring flash T10, great result

- excessive battery consumption (this applies to the OM 2 spot only)

As all other OM cameras (the ones with one digit)this is a great camera. These cameras seem to last for ever. I had my OM1 for more than 22 years and it is still functioning.

Customer Service

- had OM 2 spot (purchased second hand) fixed under warranty for broken shutter at $250 !!!

Similar Products Used:

OM1, OM2n