C41
Kodak Portra 400
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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The Olympus OM-30 (1983, sold as the **OM-F** in Japan) is the consumer-tier entry point introduced to succeed the OM-10. It offered program and aperture-priority exposure modes in a compact, polycarbonate-trimmed body and added a feature unusual for a manual-focus SLR of its era: an electronic **focus confirmation signal** - an audible beep via the optional Power Focus adapter that signalled in-focus status. This was not true autofocus, but it previewed the direction Olympus would take with the OM-77AF three years later.
Reference
Recommended film stocks for the 35mm format your camera takes.
C41
Kodak Portra 400 is a professional C-41 color negative film known for flexible exposure latitude, natural skin tones, and fine grain.
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Kodak Tri-X 400 is a classic black-and-white film known for strong tonality, visible grain, and documentary character.
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Kodak Gold 200 is a daylight-balanced C-41 color negative film with warm color, moderate grain, and a classic consumer-film look.
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Before you buy used
About this camera
The OM-F: program AE and a focus-confirmation buzzer in a lightweight consumer OM body.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Olympus OM |
| Years | 1983-1986 |
| Shutter | 30s - 1/1000s, electronic horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/60s |
| Meter | TTL SPD center-weighted |
| Modes | Program, aperture-priority |
| Battery | 2x SR44 / LR44 |
| Price used | ~$40-100 |
The OM-10 (1979) was Olympus's first consumer OM body without manual override (manual override required a separate adapter). The OM-30 continued this consumer approach in 1983 with a modest update: program mode added alongside aperture-priority, and the focus-confirmation buzzer system via the optional Power Focus accessory. It was sold as the OM-F in Japan - distinguishing it from the professional OM line's numerical sequence.
Production ran until approximately 1986 when the OM-G and OM-PC moved the consumer line forward. The OM-30 was a transitional body: it bridged the OM-10's AE-only simplicity and the more capable multi-mode bodies that followed.
The OM-30 matters primarily as an affordable OM-system entry point. At $40-100 used, it gives access to the complete Zuiko lens library at minimal cost. The lack of manual mode limits serious technical work, but the aperture-priority mode is functional and the program mode capable in most conditions.
The focus-confirmation buzzer is historically interesting - Olympus was clearly working toward autofocus in this period, and the OM-30 shows that experimentation. The system was acoustic feedback, not motor-driven focus, but the design intent pointed directly at what became the OM-77AF.
Full Olympus OM Zuiko system. All OM-mount Zuiko lenses are compatible. The T-20 and T-32 flashes work for TTL flash control. The Power Focus adapter, which enabled the focus-confirmation buzzer, was a specific OM-30 accessory and is now uncommon.
Recommended starter glass from the Zuiko system: 50mm f/1.8, 28mm f/2.8, 135mm f/3.5.
BW
Ilford HP5 Plus is a flexible ISO 400 black-and-white film with classic grain and strong push-processing tolerance.
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Kodak Ektar 100 is a fine-grain C-41 color negative film with saturated color and high sharpness.
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