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Tech head-to-head

Olympus OM-1vsPentax K1000

4 years apart and the average barely moved: 7.9 for the 1976 Pentax K1000, 7.9 for the 1972 Olympus OM-1. Design is the axis that did move, 9.2 to 7.2.

Olympus OM-1

Olympus

7.9

The smallest, quietest full-size manual SLR. Its meter was designed for a battery that's no longer sold.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens current listings on eBay. eBay listings come from individual sellers: condition, battery health, and what's in the box differ from one to the next, so read the listing and the return terms before you buy.

Pentax K1000

Pentax

7.9

The film-school standard. Nothing to break, nothing to learn twice — and priced up by its own reputation.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens current listings on eBay. eBay listings come from individual sellers: condition, battery health, and what's in the box differ from one to the next, so read the listing and the return terms before you buy.

Where they diverge

The widest gap is Design, Olympus OM-1 ahead 9.2 to 7.2. They come closest on Value, 7.8 to 7.6. Left of center is Olympus OM-1, right is Pentax K1000.

Olympus OM-1 versus Pentax K1000 — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 5 axes. Bars for Olympus OM-1 run left from the axis labels, bars for Pentax K1000 run right. Olympus OM-1: Performance 7.6, Value 7.6, Durability 7.8, Ease of use 7.4, Design 9.2. Pentax K1000: Performance 7.0, Value 7.8, Durability 9.0, Ease of use 8.4, Design 7.2.Olympus OM-1 (left)Pentax K1000 (right)PerformanceOlympus OM-1 — Performance 7.6 out of 107.6Pentax K1000 — Performance 7.0 out of 107.0ValueOlympus OM-1 — Value 7.6 out of 107.6Pentax K1000 — Value 7.8 out of 107.8DurabilityOlympus OM-1 — Durability 7.8 out of 107.8Pentax K1000 — Durability 9.0 out of 109.0Ease of useOlympus OM-1 — Ease of use 7.4 out of 107.4Pentax K1000 — Ease of use 8.4 out of 108.4DesignOlympus OM-1 — Design 9.2 out of 109.2Pentax K1000 — Design 7.2 out of 107.2Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better

Which one to pick

Take the Olympus OM-1

Leads on Performance and Design.

  • Size and weight decide whether a camera comes with you
  • You want a bright, big viewfinder for focusing manual lenses
  • A soft shutter sound matters for quiet places

Take the Pentax K1000

Leads on Value, Durability and Ease of use.

  • You're learning exposure and want every setting to be your decision
  • You want a body that independent shops can fix cheaply and quickly
  • You'd like lenses that also fit a current Pentax DSLR

What each one gets wrong

Olympus OM-1

  • You want an accurate meter without an adapter or a recalibration
  • You'd rather not deal with foam light seals on a 50-year-old body

Pentax K1000

  • You expect a self-timer, depth-of-field preview, or a meter switch
  • You can find a Pentax KM or KX with more features for similar money

Specs, side by side

SpecOlympus OM-1Pentax K1000
ShutterMechanical, 1 s to 1/1000 s, BMechanical, 1 s to 1/1000 s, B
MeteringCenter-weighted, match needleCenter-weighted CdS, match needle
PowerOne 1.35 V mercury cell (PX625), meter onlyOne SR44 or LR44 cell, meter only
MountOlympus OMPentax K
Flash sync—1/60 s

Rankings they both appear in

Questions

Is the 1976 Pentax K1000 the safer pick over the 1972 Olympus OM-1?
Pentax K1000 leads on Value, Durability and Ease of use. If Performance and Design matter more to you, take the Olympus OM-1 instead. The 4-year gap shows in the totals as 7.9 against 7.9.
What does the 1972 model still win?
On Performance and Design, yes. Those axes still go to the 1972 model. The 1976 one answers with Value, Durability and Ease of use.
Which one ranks higher in "35mm film SLRs still worth buying used"?
Olympus OM-1 sits at #3 in "35mm film SLRs still worth buying used", Pentax K1000 at #4.