Olympus Photography - Recent Questions, Troubleshooting & Support

This camera is somewhere between fifteen and thirty years old. It is highly unlikely that spares would be available, and it would be extremely expensive to have it repaired in any case, most artificers familiar with the internal layout having probably retired years ago. Maybe the camera should be retired too ?

The most probable problem you're experiencing is a lens gear issue, but it could be as simple as dirt, dust, lint, or sand inside the lens assembly. You can try to spray some compressed air into the lens assembly in hope of freeing it, or you can gently bump the side of the camera. Aside from that, make sure the battery contacts inside the camera are clean. The following web blog talks about lens issues for mainly digital cameras, but most of the suggestions will apply to your SLR:
http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/12/fixing-lens-error-on-digital-camera.html
If nothing helps, run it by a local camera repair shop and get an estimate, or contact Olympus Support:
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_support.asp?id=21
Good luck, and hope this helps.

Yes, it almost certainly can be repaired, this is a common fault with the OM-2SP, but is not that difficult to fix.

Do not put them in the fireplace - you will not get grate pictures that way

The mirror has probably stuck or jammed in a 'partially up' position. Try removing the lens, and press gently on the BACK of the mirror - the dark underside, as you look inside the camera (never touch the front, silvered side - it is surface silvered, and very easy to damage), to try to raise it. If it can be raised, then it is not totally jammed, and gently raising it like this, then letting it fall back MAY be enough to free it. If it won't move at all, then it is jammed. Repair, if possible, will be expensive.

It sounds like the mirror is stuck up! You can check this if you remove the lens and look at the mirror. If it is horizontal and all you can see is the film plane (black box), then it is stuck up. If you are lucky, your camera may just need new batteries. Worth a check too that the shutter speed is not set to "B" and the lens cap is left on. If the camera has sat for more than about 6 months, the batteries will definitely be dead.

I have seen this before, especially on OM2-SPs, the wind on mechanism cam seems to get out of register with the shutter curtain rollers. If you remove the baseplate from the camera (4 screws) and release the cam that drives the first shutter curtain roller, this can release the shutter. You then have to re synchronise the cam with the winding mechanism, tricky, but it does work and can be done with some patience! Good luck!

Depends where the dirt is, often it is trapped between the focusing screen and the prism. You can drop out the focusing screen using the tang on screen holding frame, remove the screen and blow the exposed face of the prism with an air puffer, or better still, use a camera vacuum to do this. More often than not, this will clean any large particles. If the dirt is anywhere else (unlikely) then you are looking at a prism removal. Not easy!

Check the condition of your battery pack.