What can a person write without venturing into superlatives and nonsensical ravings? The Olympus OM-3Ti occupies that rarefied air of quality which is above the normal commodity-level consumer-oriented camera. Compared to today's digital wonderbricks, the OM-3Ti is seemingly primitive and limited--if it were a car, it would be a cramped two-seater without air-conditioning or heater.

Why then, if it is so feature-poor, does the OM-3Ti continue to command top-dollar and remains in high-demand?  When brand-new, the OM-3Ti was priced at a premium and cost more than full-featured units from Nikon and Canon. The OM-3Ti was priced in the neighborhood of the venerable Leica M6, of which it is most closely compared. The high-demand of this camera is directly related to its rarity and uniqueness. There were few sold, with some estimates in the 6000 unit range. To successfully sell more, it would have needed to have been priced lower or a more concerted marketing effort would have been required. However, rumor has it that even at premium pricing this camera was sold at a loss as each unit was hand-built using sacrificial OM-4Ti chassis pulled from the assembly-line.

The OM body numbering scheme is a little unusual, but logical.  The odd-numbered, single-digit bodies have mechanical shutters, the even-numbered single-digit bodies have electronic shutters.  The two-digit bodies and lettered bodies have electronic shutters and are built to withstand a less rigorous duty-cycle. The first body introduced was the OM-1 (originally named the M-1 prior to protests from Leica) in 1972. This body went through several variants of M-1, OM-1, OM-1md and OM-1n. Production of the OM-1n ceased around 1983 and was replaced by the mechanical-shuttered OM-3.  The OM-2 series featured an electronic shutter, aperture-priority auto-exposure, OTF (off the film) metering and TTL flash control while going through the variants of OM-2md, OM-2n and the OM-2S-Program. The OM-4 was introduced about the same time as the OM-2S-Program and OM-3. The OM-4 and OM-3 shared a common metering system, but the OM-4 also featured aperture-priority auto-exposure and the electronic shutter.  Both the OM-3 and OM-4 were replaced by the titanium-clad bodies having upgraded electronics, weather-sealing and other internal improvements.

The OM-3Ti occupies a unique point in the history of Olympus as the final OM camera designed and brought to the market. There are unsubstantiated rumors of other OM bodies being developed, but never manufactured. For the better part of a dozen years, the OM-4Ti was the flagship camera.  In the final two or three years of the the OM-system, Olympus didn't actually promote the OM-4Ti, but the OM-3Ti, OM-2000 and the IS-series of cameras.  I personally believe that the Olympus design team knew the OM-3Ti was the final camera and sought to create a camera body for the ages--the one to remember the OM system.

OK, so what is so special about the camera? First of all, appearance.  The OM-3Ti has an unique finish unlike any other OM body. The top and bottom plates are titanium, just like the OM-4Ti, but the paint has a different tactile feel, color and reflectance. This is a camera you can identify just by how it feels to your fingertips. Secondly, the sound.  The mechanical shutter exudes a sense of swiss-watch perfection and artistry. It truly sounds unique. It does not sound the same as an OM-1 and definitely sounds different than the OM-4Ti.  OK, sound and appearance--anything else not feature related? Does there have to be more? Isn't it enough?  Harley-Davidson motorcycles are essentially identical to any other motorcycle except for sound and appearance.  Maybe it really is enough to look and sound different.

Olympus made several improvements to the OM line at the time of the introduction of the OM-3Ti. These improvements include the 2-series focusing screens (which were standard on the 3Ti, an accessory purchase with the 4Ti), improvements to the high-speed sync flash and the introduction of the 35-80 f2.8 zoom lens. Other internal improvements had to do with CE certification and the later OM-4Ti bodies incorporated these changes.

OM-3Ti shown with Zuiko 35-80 F2.8 Zoom Lens

With the exception of the auto-exposure mode, the metering system of the OM-3Ti and OM-4Ti are identical. The 3Ti's system includes the multi-spot metering, Hi-light function, which adds two-stops the exposure, Shadow function which subtracts 2 2/3 stops from the exposure and the same viewfinder display as the OM-4Ti in manual-exposure mode.  In fact, when in manual-exposure mode, the OM-3Ti and OM-4Ti are identical cameras in operation.