Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Not fond of the case but wholly agree with you.
I shoot with Leicas, have Nikons (film & digital), have some Oly Om's, and a LX-5. Two days ago I carried the LX-5 a dozen miles into and (gratefully) out of the Grand Canyon. 7200 feet to a flatlander is no trivial detail, especially when the temps are above 100 degrees F.
I still look at my Oly's and think I should use them more, but that would mean using my Leicas less....
You have just encapsulated our ultimate problem perfectly.
To use one particular camera more you have to use others less ... what a catch 22 situation that is!
pggunn
gregor
Thanks. I'm really happy with the feel. I got given a couple of rolls of expired Delta 400, so my attitude was very much, easy come, easy g. I just fired away with the light from the kitchen window and F2. It was also a personal challenge as my brother didn't think I could keep up with the boy and manual focus
That is quite a challenge! Nice work!
Paolo Bonello
3 from 36 on a good day.
SLR's never got much prettier than this ... makes a Nikon from the same era look like an industrial exercise!
I like the case.
Yep, back in the seventies a camera designer could have been mistaken for a draftsperson designing agricultural equipment. Olympus seemed to have the good sense to design it's pro range products with a level of precision and aesthetics which stood apart from the crowd. What happened once they outsourced production of their consumer range were dark days indeed. Like Fiats being sold alongside a Ferrari. OM single digit range was worlds apart from the junk that followed under the Olympus banner.
Paolo Bonello
3 from 36 on a good day.
SLR's never got much prettier than this ... makes a Nikon from the same era look like an industrial exercise!
I like the case.
Yep, back in the seventies a camera designer could have been mistaken for a draftsperson designing agricultural equipment. Olympus seemed to have the good sense to design it's pro range products with a level of precision and aesthetics which stood apart from the crowd. What happened once they outsourced production of their consumer range were dark days indeed. Like Fiats being sold alongside a Ferrari. OM single digit range was worlds apart from the junk that followed under the Olympus banner.
Ade-oh
Well-known
I don't entirely agree. The Pentax MX and ME, and the Nikon FM and FE were also small and elegant in their own way (not as nice as the OMs, of course...).
Paolo Bonello
3 from 36 on a good day.
It's a matter of personal taste I guess. Didnt really mean to put the entire 70's camera market in a pile like that, it was actually a little tongue-in-cheek. I really do still appreciate some of the comparable offerings from other brands but I think the Oly imparts a sense of quality and original design that was not easily found elsewhere. They possibly just simply didn't have the same design goals as Olympus and I think it's that difference that I and other Zuiko aficionados get enamored with. In fact I went to great lengths to secure a pristine condition black Nikon FE not so long ago but somehow I just can't get attached to it like my OM2n even though I should be if you look at the specs, pristine condition and general size. Very hard to pinpoint why but I'm considering selling it for an OM 2s.
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Ade-oh
Well-known
Actually, I broadly agree with you. Some years ago I went through the motions of 'standardising' on Nikon SLRs but found I preferred the ergonomics and feel of OMs to the manual focus Nikons and eventually stuck with them, even though I do use AF Nikons. The OM gear is cheap enough that it doesn't really matter.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I shouldn't slag Nikon either because I've come very close on many occasions to getting an F3 but just don't want to go through the hassles of building another system based around a manual focus SLR that may not get much use.
If I did get a Nikon to compliment my D700 and share lenses it would probably have to be an F6 or F100!
Jockos
Well-known
I got a 50/1.4 MC (sub 1M) yesterday. Didn't have time to try it out all proper, but I but it on the 5D real quick and took a few in the apartment.
The color and contrast is very striking, I love this lens already.
When I tried out the 50/1.8 (non MC) on the 5D, I was kind of dissapointed, because it doesn't have any sharpness at all, wide open. I know sharpness aint all, especially for portraits, but it didn't have ANY sharpness at 1.8, at 2.8 it was similar to the Canon EF 50/1.8 @ 2.8.
Maybe a bad sample?
The color and contrast is very striking, I love this lens already.
When I tried out the 50/1.8 (non MC) on the 5D, I was kind of dissapointed, because it doesn't have any sharpness at all, wide open. I know sharpness aint all, especially for portraits, but it didn't have ANY sharpness at 1.8, at 2.8 it was similar to the Canon EF 50/1.8 @ 2.8.
Maybe a bad sample?
Paolo Bonello
3 from 36 on a good day.
So can you explain or point to some resource showing the best lens types, serial numbers and letters like MC and non MC? I've got a 50 f1.4 MC and the serial number is just over 1 million. Not sure what exactly it all means or which lenses might be best to look out for. For example, I'm wanting to buy something like an 85mm f2 and wanting to know the right questions to ask the sellers especially when the description are a bit devoid of detail and the pics obscure the serial numbers if it means anything for that model of lens.
Jockos
Well-known
No, not really. I read alot and this is some information I've come across on several different sites. The MC/non-MC is fairly obvious, since any coated (multicoated) lens should be sharper and produce less flare than it's uncoated cousin.
Apparently some change was made around serial number 1.1M for the 50/1.4, it's all over the Internets.
If you want to buy a specific lens, I suggest you read up on that particular model. I havn't done much resarch to the 85/2 (yet), since I kind of like my 135. Maybe someday tough!
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Paolo Bonello
3 from 36 on a good day.
Thanks for your response. Seems I'll have to do a little research on that 85mm using 'the google' on the internets. BTW, my fifty is an MC 1094xxx and could be within that range but even if it wasn't in the more desirable serial number range it wouldnt bother me at all because it has produced some stunning images and I'm keeping it for the long haul.
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Jockos
Well-known
I'm more than happy with mine to, even if it's sub-mil. Would love to try out one of the silvernoses without MC to, they seem lovely for portraiture.
Good luck with the 85, I hear it's a great lens!
Good luck with the 85, I hear it's a great lens!
FTography
Contains Sarcasm
Speaking of which. Time to have my 85/2.0 (MC 202XXX) cleaned. It's my only Zuiko that is in need of some love. Despite its condition, it has always performed admirably, though.
My Zuiko 50/1.8 (mij 5908XXX) never ever let me down either. And neither have the 28/3.5, 28/2.8, 50/1.4, 135/3.5 that I have let go and the 24/2.8, 40/2.0(, 50/1.8), and 85/2.0 that I still have.
So far I haven't experienced a bad Zuiko prime lens.
My Zuiko 50/1.8 (mij 5908XXX) never ever let me down either. And neither have the 28/3.5, 28/2.8, 50/1.4, 135/3.5 that I have let go and the 24/2.8, 40/2.0(, 50/1.8), and 85/2.0 that I still have.
So far I haven't experienced a bad Zuiko prime lens.
Field
Well-known
Ok I just got photos back from my OM 50mm 1.8 f.zuiko... Screw that! I am getting a MC version... Color sucks not because it looks bad, but because like over half of them look like **** without the coating.
antonandreas
Established
I love the look of the single coated Zuikos. For black and white work they have this amazing glow and for color work they have a really gentle rendering.
I have 3 silver nose lenses and while they might not be the sharpest I have ever used, they are in no way poor performers. To me, their signature is worth way more than zooming in 400% on an image.
I have 3 silver nose lenses and while they might not be the sharpest I have ever used, they are in no way poor performers. To me, their signature is worth way more than zooming in 400% on an image.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I agree ... my 35mm f2, 85mm f2 and 50mm f1.4 are all rather battered early versions and I love the look they produce.
tomalophicon
Well-known
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Did the previous owner also run a take away shop? Sorry.
Possibly, judging by the front element of the 85mm ... luckily he never got around to deep frying it!
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
Actually when I got the 85mm I was a little disappointed in it's condition ... then ran it up against the pristine V2 90mm Summicron I owned at the time and couldn't see any difference.