Olympus OM20
The OM20, also known as OM-20 and OM-G, was a 35-millimeter single lens reflex (SLR) film camera with an electronically controlled horizontal focal plane shutter manufactured by the Olympus Corporation of Japan in 1983. It was a competitively priced alternative to the OM10 with additional functions, and capable of using the same lenses and accessories available in the OM system. This film camera requires a pair of SR44 or LR44 batteries to operate, and without battery power, the film advance lever and shutter will appear jammed.
This camera design has Off-the-Film (OTF) exposure control that involves a sensor, which faced the film surface and measured the light reflected off the film. This method was much more accurate than simply measuring light entering into the exposing chamber. Consequently, this camera has a more accurate metering system that enables the photographer to set the exposure more precisely.
In an aperture priority system, you simply set the aperture using the ring on the lens barrel, and the electronics automatically sets the appropriate shutter speed for an optimum exposure of the film. This makes it extremely simple for anyone to use the camera.
In manual mode, you can set the desired shutter speed by using a special ring around the lens barrel. This is the very first ring connected to the camera body around the lens mount. As a beginner, you might wonder why one would want to set the shutter speed manually. With a fast shutter speed you can capture moving images without blurring, however a slow shutter speed helps to create blurring effects to indicate motion.
With this film camera, flash photography is extremely simple when using the electronic flash unit T32 or T20. As well as the hot shoe socket, there is also an additional socket for connecting a "Synchro cord", so you can mount the T32 flash unit on a Power Bounce Grip 2. When using flash, you need to set the camera to "Auto" mode, and the internal electronics takes care of ensuring proper exposure of the film.
Around the ASA film speed setting, there is an additional dial to adjust the backlighting. If the background is bright and the foreground dark, then you would set it to +2. However if the background is dark and the foreground bright then you would set it to -2.
It is also worth nothing that the film advance lever has a 130° stroke with a 30° pre advance angle.
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