I purchased my first Olympus camera, an OM-1, as a replacement for a Mamiya/Sekor 500TL, a camera bought as a high school graduation gift by my parents. The 500TL was my first serious film camera though the OM-1 was my first venture into high-end 35mm film cameras.

Olympus OM-1 (released 1972); © Copyright Reserved, Richard Lovison; 2007

If my memory is correct, the OM was purchased sometime in 1976. My co-workers at a portrait studio recommended Olympus as an option to either Canon or Nikon and after doing some research, I discovered that the basic introductory model was within my budget.

The OM-1 was a huge improvement over the 500TL. The large and bright viewfinder within the OM allowed for accurate focusing and easy composition of the subject. The Zuiko lens was superb, producing sharper images than could be obtained with the 500TL optics. The light weight of the OM, the bright viewfinder as well as the manual mirror lock-up came in handy years later when I coupled the camera to an eight inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope for astrophotography.

Lunar Eclipse taken with Olympus OM-1 coupled to a Meade 2080 LX3; © Copyright Reserved, Richard Lovison; 2007

What wondrous paths we traveled down together and what many lessons I learned through the use of this marvelous tool. There was nothing ‘automatic’ about the OM-1. One had to manually set the shutter speed and lens aperture as well as manually focus the lens. The only true conveniences were a built-in center bottom-weighted light meter, interchangeable focusing screens and an optional motordrive.

Due to this lack of automation, which was typical of cameras of that time period, I learned a great deal about photography. I found out about aperture f-stops, shutter speeds, ASA (ISO) film speeds and how they relate to each other when calculating exposure as well as depth of field including how that changed depending on what aperture was chosen. I discovered very quickly how an averaging light meter worked and if one took a black-and-white image of a very dark scene or a very light one, the final image would be gray if no exposure compensation was made.

These were all basic lessons in photography that were needed to get acceptable images, at least anything better than a snapshot. I’m amazed to see today, how many people purchasing DSLRs that are far more expensive and sophisticated than my OM-1, do not have this basic understanding of photography.

Technology can be wonderful but if we lose the true understanding of the art of photography due to computer-driven convenience, I feel it’s a venture down the wrong path.

I remember watching a group of young tourists out on Cape Cod taking pictures of one another with a compact point-and-shoot digital camera, wildly pushing the shutter, relying completely on computerised automation and viewing the final outcome on the built-in LCD screen with amusement. They were all having a fun time, laughing, joking and hugging each other and it was quite wonderful to watch as well though it was also a little disconcerting. I immediately thought of the book ‘The Time Machine’ and of the ‘Eloi’ with their carefree life.

I wondered, “Was this the future of photography?” Was the new generation of photographers evolving into ‘Eloi’, mindlessly purchasing the endless stream of computer-driven machines released by the ‘Morlock’ high tech manufacturers?

Time will tell.