Not so suspicious when you keep it real
It was designed to meet the mass market for general consumers. The key to having one that works, and they do very good btw when they have been kept properly, is finding one that is clean, stored, and used very little. I have never seen a specific model of any manufacture that has been so abused as the EM. Many times when I come across one it's dirty, banged, up, beaten up, missing parts, and virtually trashed. The soccer ball of cameras I call it as a result. Find one that's undamaged and not missing any parts, with clean glossy black shine, no dings, dents, or gouging and I'll bet it's a winner. Pop in a battery, advance the film lever, and hit the shutter release in anything but B or m90, if it clicks it works. Next check the meter, if it responds it works, open the film door and examine the edges...any gooey sticky black gunk present? If not your ready for film. Sure it isn't built like an F or a FM those can substitute as large hockey pucks. It was built to appeal and that meant keeping the price down, in return that meant more plastic and inexpensive production. All you have to do is focus the lens and it's easy after that. Let's keep it real, they are what they are, sadly the most abused model of all times, but found in excellent condition a camera capable of producing some super shots, especially if you couple a decent lens and forgo the E series 50mm. I would trust one and I have, but a well cared for one in well cared for condition because it is not a camera you can toss into bags or bounce off your back seat when you jump in the car, it's not an F or an FM or an F3...it is an inexpensive EM, not a fragile flower, a Nikon that's just not tank like. Even great condition is not a guarantee, but more often then not it is...so keep that in mind.Read full review
