Olympus OM4ti Review

Overall Rating

Expensive titanium construction
Lightweight

No longer made, expensive even used, only used lenses available, lack of good zoom and telephoto options

I was surprised to see the Olympus OM4ti here as it's been discontinued for some time by Olympus. If you have the camera already, it's a great collectible, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it to a new buyer as a user camera. For one thing, it's expensive, even used, and the camera is no longer in production, so getting it repaired or accessorized could be a problem. Zuiko lenses, while very good as new purchases, are relatively small in number, now well-used, and don't take kindly to rough use, so you could be waiting a long time to find extras. Then too, the lens line was largely limited to wide angle and standard lenses and has a distinct lack of good, fast telephoto and zoom options. When you add up what you'd spend on a complete rig, you could get a modern pro 35mm setup with much more to offer and much better flash results. The Olympus 4ti SLR is really more of a collector camera.

Members' Comments onBurke Stores.'s Review

• John Orrell on 2nd Oct 2003

  I don't think you do this camera justice. The fact that it's no longer made is irrelevant. And new lenses were made upto February this year. The OM4Ti was only discontinued last year
  
  Some of the best and most legendary cameras ever made are no longer in production, such as Spotmatic and Nikon F, and haven't been for my entire lifetime. It doesn't make them any worse cameras.
  
  You do well to point out that you can get a whole heap of modern autofocus gear for the same price as a relatavely-simple OM kit. It's a valid point worth noting, because if you're after an autofocus/multiprogram/does-everything-but-make-the-tea camera, then this camera is NOT for you. Neither is a Leica M, Nikon FM or much medium-format gear. Your money is better spent elsewhere.
  
  But, I still maintain that if you want a light, compact SLR with all the IMPORTANT features on it, which will keep its value and last you a lifetime, then there's not much comes close. Except maybe other OM cameras.

• Randall on 27th Feb 2004

  Agreed, this camera is a collectible. Diehards may well argue otherwise, but the fact that Olympus no longer makes film SLR gear IS relevant when it comes to obtaining parts and new lens offerings. Nikon still offers manual focus and autofocus lenses for its new and old cameras, so that comparison is apples and oranges.

• bonesmalone on 11th Apr 2004

  To say the Zuiko lenses don't respond well to rough use is doing them a very great injustice. Please just take a second to compare them to pretty much any other consumer SLR lens currently being made by any of the top manufacturers. They contain as much plastic as is possible to cram in to the construction, the latest Canon EF offerings barely have any metal on them at all. If they could make the optics out of cheese then they'd do it rather than make a long-lasting reliable lens. Now look at the general quality of Zuiko lenses and how well they've lasted and take a large bite of humble pie.
  
  Tom

• captainburke on 18th Apr 2004

  My first camera was an OM 4 not a Ti and I loved it to death when I was very short of money one day I had to sel it I still cry now. I am now a litttle better off and am a proffesional photographer and own many nikon cameras. I will never forget my OM4 it was certainly as good as a Nikon. The proof is in the puding as they say. I would recommend the OM4 or OM4 Ti to any one who has an interest in photography. The only difference between Nikon and Olympus is that Nikon hasnt sold out yet.

• Tony Hill on 14th Nov 2004

  How can you say Olympus did not make fast Tele lenses, just take a look at the Zuiko 250mm F2- Zuiko 180mm F2- Zuiko 350mm F2.8. Still fast even now.