I have an Olympus OM-1 which I've been using as a backup camera for my film Canon Rebel. However, when the mirror trap became stuck "up" in the Olympus, I tried gingerly to pull the trap back down. It eventually gave way and reset properly — but not before cracking and having pieces break away.
The camera still works great. The broken mirror doesn't mess with the viewfinder nearly as much as I thought it would, but it bothers me. Is it possible to repair this on my own? If so, how?
Answer
Given the age of the OM-1, it's a fair guess that the only way to get a replacement mirror would be to buy a junk OM-1 with a good mirror, and remove the mirror from one body and transplant it into the other. As you've already found, the mirror is quite fragile, so doing this would be fairly difficult.
Second, it's easy to find film cameras in good condition so cheaply that unless you're emotionally attached to this particular one, there's almost no point anyway.
Personally, I'd just use it as long as it works, and when/if it dies, decide whether to buy another, or consolidate to a single mount for both the main and backup body. Either way, any but the very most minor of repairs on a film camera is extremely difficult to justify anymore.
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