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-40 (1985, sold as the **OM-PC** in North America and the UK, and as **OM-40 Program** in parts of Europe) replaced the OM-20 as the consumer entry point in the Olympus manual-focus SLR lineup. Its most notable new feature was **ESP (Electro-Selective Pattern) metering** - an early multi-zone system that compared a central spot reading against total scene luminance to detect backlit conditions and bias exposure accordingly. The body also extended the shutter range to 30 seconds at the slow end and switched power from SR44 coin cells to AA batteries, addressing one of the OM-20's main practical inconveniences for travelers. Exposure modes remained program, aperture-priority, and manual.
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 1985 consumer OM with ESP multi-zone metering, AA batteries, and a 30-second shutter - a meaningful step beyond the OM-20.
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Format | 35mm |
| Mount | Olympus OM |
| Years | 1985-1988 |
| Shutter | 30s - 1/1000s, electronic horizontal cloth |
| Flash sync | 1/60s |
| Meter | TTL SPD, ESP (electro-selective pattern) |
| Modes | Program, aperture-priority, manual |
| Battery | 2x AA |
| Mechanical fallback | No |
| Price used | ~$60-160 |
After the OM-20 / OM-G launched in 1983, Olympus continued developing the consumer OM tier. The OM-40 arrived in 1985 with two meaningful hardware changes: AA batteries replaced the SR44 coin cells of the OM-20, and the shutter gained a 30-second maximum exposure for low-light photography. The ESP metering system was the headline feature in Olympus's marketing - a response to the metering problems consumers reported when shooting subjects against bright backgrounds or windows.
The camera sold under three names depending on market: OM-40 in Japan, OM-PC in North America and the UK (the "PC" standing for Program Computer), and OM-40 Program in parts of continental Europe. Production ran approximately three years. By the late 1980s, Olympus's attention had shifted to its autofocus OM bodies, and the manual-focus consumer line wound down without a direct successor to the OM-40.
The OM-40 is frequently the most practical entry into the OM system for general use. AA batteries are universally available - a significant advantage over coin-cell bodies during extended travel or fieldwork. The 30-second shutter opens up available-light work that the OM-20's 1-second floor cut off. ESP metering is simple by modern standards but reduces the proportion of backlit exposures that would otherwise require exposure compensation.
The trade-off relative to the OM-20 is the loss of mechanical fallback: the OM-40 is fully electronic and will not fire with dead batteries. For buyers who want belt-and-suspenders reliability, the OM-20 is preferable. For most practical use, the AA convenience outweighs the fallback loss.
The OM-40 regularly sells for $60-160, substantially below the OM-2n and OM-4, while accepting the full Zuiko lens system and providing a competent shooting experience. It is one of the better-value OM system bodies on the used market.
Full Olympus OM Zuiko system. Every OM-mount Zuiko lens is compatible including T-adapter and bellows accessories. Recommended starter lenses: Zuiko 50mm f/1.8, 50mm f/1.4, 28mm f/2.8, 35-70mm f/3.5-4.5. T-series flashes (T-20, T-32) support OTF TTL flash metering with the OM-40. The T-32 is the most commonly matched flash for this body era. Motor drive accessories are technically compatible but uncommon given the body's positioning as a consumer camera.
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.
View profile →Olympus OM-40
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