THE CAMERAS OF MAITANI
THEY’RE MORE THAN CAMERAS. THEY’RE INVENTION. By 1966, the press had already dubbed him ‘the camera magician:’ His technical acrobatics and engineering guts had amazed the camera world. The remaining challenge for Maintain was to take on the oversized, overweight, noisy 35mm SLR. Thus began a 5-year development program that would produce the OM-1 and, later, the remarkable OM-2. Olympus OM-1, To create a compact SLR, Maintain had to do more than simply shrink the boxy SL.Rs that were then the vogue. He had to build a camera up from scratch. Maintain started by relocating the shutter speed mechanism to below the mirror. And he shifted the exposure meter to the left of the pent prism. This opened up more internal room. What about noise and vibration? To smooth the ride of the OM-1, Maintain designed lightweight curtain drums, ball bearing shutter trains, twenty special shock absorbers and a unique mirror air damper. It’s the same story for every aspect of this camera. The innovation just doesn’t quit. And remarkably, while reducing the overall camera, Maintain was able to actually increase the size of critical components. So the viewfinder has an extra large mirror for big, bright image. The shutter speed dial is larger. The rewind knob, oversized. The shutter release button fits the finger comfortably. Thus you can imagine the glee with which the OM-1 was greeted. A light, compact 35mm SLR with speed and stamina, And an entire system of compatible components all equally compact light and tough. Olympus OM-2, The OM-2 goes beyond the full exposure control of the OM-1. Because it’s also a fully, automatic SLR In fact, so automatic is the OM-2 that it actually measures the light during exposure. Even during its motor drive’s blazing five frames-per-second! How? Two sensors read the light that reflects off the film the instant the shutter opens. And with the OM-2 the shutter remains open until the film has received precisely the proper amount of light for perfect exposurethen it automatically closes. Between the OM-1 and OM-2, virtually all photographic needs are met. Met with startling array of components for medical, macro, scientific, technical and other specialized applications. Met with system components that are added continually So even though each year dozens of new cameras are hustled to market, glittering with the gimmick of the moment, these classy Olympus cameras remain in a class by themselves. Along with the man who designed them. For information write Olympus, V Woodbury, and NY 11797. In Canada contact W. Carsem Co., Ltd., Toronto.
