C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →slr-35mm
The Olympus OM-2n (1979) is the updated successor to the OM-2 (1975), sharing the same groundbreaking off-the-film (OTF) metering system but adding TTL flash metering — the first camera to meter flash exposure directly from light reflected off the film plane during the actual exposure. The shutter extends automatically to whatever duration is needed for correct exposure (from 1/1000s down to 120s in Auto mode), while the silicon blue cell in the camera base reads light bouncing off the film surface in real time. The OM-2n introduced automatic OTF flash metering compatible with the T-series Olympus flash system, a capability that defined studio and event photography practice through the 1980s.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
View profile →BW
Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
View profile →C41
Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
Develop 35mm film
Labs in our directory that process 35mm film.
Before you buy used
About this camera
The OM-2 refined — with TTL flash metering that reads light off the film surface during the exposure. The camera that made OTF flash metering practical.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Olympus OM |
| Years | 1979–1984 |
| Shutter | 120s – 1/1000s + B, titanium horizontal focal-plane |
| Flash sync | 1/60s; TTL OTF flash metering |
| Meter | OTF silicon blue-cell, EV 1–19 |
| Modes | Aperture-priority (Auto), Manual |
| Viewfinder | 97% coverage, 0.84× |
| Battery | 2× LR44 / SR44 |
| Weight | 510 g |
Maitani Yoshihisa designed the OM system to be significantly smaller and lighter than contemporary Nikon and Canon professional SLRs. The OM-2 (1975) introduced off-the-film metering — a silicon cell positioned to read light reflecting off the first curtain (before exposure begins) and then off the film surface during exposure, adjusting shutter speed continuously. The OM-2n (1979) added TTL flash metering through the same OTF system: the T-20, T-32, and T-45 flash units connected via the OM system's flash coupling to receive a quench signal when the film had received correct exposure, cutting the flash output automatically. The OM-2n was succeeded by the OM-2S (OM-2 Spot/Program, 1984) which added spot metering and program mode.
The OM-2n's TTL OTF flash metering was revolutionary and remains technically impressive. By reading light off the film surface while the shutter is open, the system achieves flash exposure accuracy impossible with pre-flash metering or sensor-plane estimations. The OM-2n with a T-32 flash was a professional-standard event and studio combination in the early 1980s. The camera's small size — Olympus's core OM-system value proposition — made it viable in photojournalism where Nikon F3 and Canon F-1 were considered large. Used today, the OM-2n is an excellent aperture-priority SLR with one of the widest and most optically diverse lens systems in 35mm photography.
Olympus OM mount. Zuiko lenses are extensive and optically excellent: Zuiko 28mm f/2, 50mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.2, 85mm f/2, 100mm f/2, 135mm f/3.5, 200mm f/5. Shift lenses: Zuiko Shift 24mm f/3.5, 35mm f/2.8. Macro: Zuiko Macro 50mm f/2, 90mm f/2. Flash: T-20 (small bounce), T-32 (TTL-compatible, standard), T-45 (pro, tilt/swivel). Motor drive: Motor Drive 1 and 2 for 3.5–5 fps. Winder: OM Motor Drive 2.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
View profile →C41
Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
View profile →Olympus OM-2n
Image coming soon