Is it karma ?

[Greg M]

    A couple of threads posted on our first cameras and using the "oldies, but goodies" kicked off the thought, "Why do we return to certain cameras".  Obviously, because we like them but there seems to be more.
   I got the first Olympus OM's, used them during the seventies, sold them for not being rugged enough, re-bought in the 90's, sold again, and know I have a nice little set that I will keep and never sell.  I carry an OM-1n with a 35mm f2 Zuiko in a Swiss Gear Slate bag all the time.  It seems to just purr in my hands.
    It feels good right there, I take a few photos a week with it, and it's obviously good karma, as the OM came back for good. Could happen with any camera, but I wonder why some are just so-o-o right.  I got a Nikon F2 with a 35-85mm Vivitar Ser I last year for what I thought was a similiar reason, I really liked it in the early '70's but it just sits now. Doesn't feel right?

[jamesmck]

Greg - I understand what you mean about the OMs.  I came fairly late to this fine series, but acquired an OM-1 and a n OM-2n a few years ago (prodded by seeing them in action by Dennis Gallus), and they are the only film SLRs I've used since then (though I have or have had a reasonable stable of SLRs, including Nikon, Pentax, and Konica).  Another camera that pleases me a lot, though I don't use it as much as the OMs) is my Minox 35EL .  I don't think I've taken a technically bad shot with it, thanks to a tack sharp lens and a great metering system.

James

[LarryD]

I had a friend in the 70s who was an OM freak I was using a Practika and a Nikomat at that time. I thought that I would lose one of those little OM cameras in my bag.

[wlewisiii]

Sounds like me and Canon FD.

[Greg M]

  I am not sure that it lived up to the durability of the Leica but I know it was called the "Leica of SLR's" for awhile.  A few of the ads even said it was the first SLR that was allowed in some courtrooms because of it's quiet shutter. It is pretty intuitive for me, but I never had a problem with the shutter speed dial where the OM's have it.  Maitani designed some pretty incredible cameras.