Olympus OM 35mm film system close-up and macro equipment

Introduction

The focusing screens can only be used with the single-digit OM camera bodies – OM-1(N), OM-2(N), OM-2SP, OM-3(Ti) and OM-4(Ti); the focusing screen in the SC 35, OM-10, OM-20, OM-30 and OM-40 is not interchangeable.

The screens were supplied in small polythene bags in a hard plastic case. The case has a spring clip to hold the screen in place, and a groove that can support the screen on its side. The case also contained a cleaning brush and a special tool for gripping the small tab of the screen.

• Focusing Screen 1-4
• Focusing Screen 1-4N
• Focusing Screen 1-8
• Focusing Screen 1-10
• Focusing Screen 1-11
• Focusing Screen 1-12
• Focusing Screen 2-4

The screen numbers are marked on the small tab.

The series 2 screens, such as the 2-4, have a larger locating tab that was intended to restrict them to use in the OM-2SP, OM-3, OM-3Ti, OM4 and OM-4Ti camera bodies.

Versions

Only one version of each screen is known.

There are two versions of the cleaning brush. The earlier version has a solid, black handle and black bristles. The later version has a hollow, white, translucent handle and white bristles.

There are at least 3 versions of the plastic box. The oldest version has a compatibility table on its base for the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12 screens. The middle version has a more comprehensive compatibility table that includes the 8, 9 and 10 screens. The latest version does not have a compatibility table on its base.

Focusing Screen 1-4

Matte. Replaced by the 1-4N screen, in which the size of the centre circle was reduced to match the size of the spot-meter area in the OM-4 camera body.

Surface Matte, with Fresnel lens Centre circle 8 mm, matte US stock no. 108-604 Introduced 1972 Discontinued 1984 1978 US price $15.50

Focusing Screen 1-4N

Matte. Replacement for the original 1-4 screen, with the size of the centre circle reduced to match the size of the spot-meter area in the OM-4 camera body.

Surface Matte, with Fresnel lens Centre circle 5 mm, matte US stock no. 108-615 Introduced 1984 Discontinued 2003 1988 US price $37.00

Focusing Screen 1-8

Fine matte. Similar to the original 1-4 screen, but with a finer matte surface. Originally intended for astrophotography, but also suitable for close-up photography.

Surface Fine matte, with Fresnel lens Centre circle 8 mm, fine matte US stock no. 108-608 Introduced 1972 Discontinued 2003 1978 US price $15.50 1988 US price $37.00

Focusing Screen 1-10

Matte with etched horizontal and vertical lines. Similar to the original 1-4 screen, but with three horizontal and five vertical lines. There is a central vertical line, with the other vertical lines 7 mm and 14 mm from it. There is a central horizontal line, with the other horizontal lines 7 mm from it. Originally intended for use with the shift lenses, but found to be useful for composition and for keeping horizontal and vertical lines in the subject.

Surface Matte, with Fresnel lens Centre circle 8 mm, matte US stock no. 108-610 Introduced 1972 Discontinued 2002 1978 US price $15.50 1988 US price $37.00 1996 UK price £40.99

Focusing Screen 1-11

Fine matte plus cross-hairs. Similar to the 1-8 screen, but with a small, clear centre circle with double cross-hairs for precise focusing of an aerial image. Intended for use with the Zuiko Auto-Macro 38 mm f/2.8, Zuiko Macro 38 mm f/3.5, Zuiko Auto-1:1 Macro 80 mm f/4 and Zuiko 1:1 Macro 80 mm f/4 lenses.

Surface Fine matte, with Fresnel lens Centre circle 4 mm, clear, with cross-hairs US stock no. 108-611 Introduced 1972 Discontinued 2003 1978 US price $19.00 1988 US price $41.00 1979 UK price £9.20

Focusing with the cross-hairs needs a different technique (no-parallax) from focusing on the matte area.

1. Temporarily put the image in the viewfinder out of focus.
2. Make sure that you can clearly see the double lines of the cross-hairs. If necessary, adjust the viewfinder of the OM-4, or use a correction lens in an eyecup, or use the Varimagni Finder and adjust its eyepiece.
3. Focus the image until both the image and the cross-hairs appear sharp.
4. Move your head slightly from side to side. If the image and the cross-hairs do not move in relation to each other, then the image is focused correctly.
5. If the image and the cross-hairs move in relation to each other, then adjust the focus until they do not.

Focusing Screen 1-12

Clear plus cross-hairs. No matte surface. The central circle is larger than in the 1-11 screen, and the cross-hairs are longer and finer. This screen gives a very bright image in the viewfinder, even brighter than the 2-4 screen, and gives the false impression that there is lots of depth of field. Intended for use with the Zuiko Auto-Macro 20 mm f/2, Zuiko Macro 20 mm f/3.5, Zuiko Auto-Macro 38 mm f/2.8 and Zuiko Macro 38 mm f/3.5 bellows macro lenses, and for photomicrography.

When the Focusing Screen 1-12 is used with the Varimagni Finder for photomicrography, the Eyecoupler should be used between the camera’s eyepiece and the Varimagni Finder, in order to prevent cut-off at the corners of the image in the viewfinder.

Surface Clear, with Fresnel lens Centre circle 7 mm, clear, with cross-hairs US stock no. 108-612 Introduced 1972 Discontinued 2003 1978 US price $19.00 1988 US price $41.00 1979 UK price £6.85 1984 UK price £12.00 + VAT

Focusing with this screen must be carried out using the no-parallax method, which is different from focusing on a matte screen.

1. Temporarily put the image in the viewfinder out of focus.
2. Make sure that you can clearly see the double lines of the cross-hairs. If necessary, adjust the viewfinder of the OM-4, or use a correction lens in an eyecup, or use the Varimagni Finder and adjust its eyepiece.
3. Focus the image until both the image and the cross-hairs appear sharp.
4. Move your head slightly from side to side. If the image and the cross-hairs do not move in relation to each other, then the image is focused correctly.
5. If the image and the cross-hairs move in relation to each other, then adjust the focus until they do not.

This screen is also fitted in the SC 35 Type 12 microscope camera.

Focusing Screen 2-4

Matte. Similar to the 1-4N screen, but approximately 2 stops brighter. Has a larger locating tab, intended to restrict it to use in the OM-2SP, OM-3, OM-3Ti, OM4 and OM-4Ti camera bodies.

Surface Matte, with Fresnel lens Centre circle 5 mm, matte US stock no. 108-616 Introduced 1987 Discontinued 2003

The tab can be clipped or filed down to fit in the earlier bodies, and will give correct automatic TTL exposure in the OM-2 and OM-2N bodies.

Instruction leaflet (January 1995)

Instruction leaflet (October 1978)

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Created 18th May 2001   —   Updated 19th April 2026
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