Several weeks back there was a thread that I was reading with great
interest. List members detailed their gadget bag strategies. After several
months of scrounging equipment and horse trading with camera store managers
I have finally built the dream system I couldn't afford to purchase in high
school or college.
I sold camera equipment at Best Products through high school and college
and was unable to purchase what I sold. However, I did manage to buy an
OM2n and Canon AE-1. I had bought the Canon prior to falling for the
smaller sized Olympus system and
lenses. I still have both cameras but the Canon is destined to go to my
sister as a
backup camera to her AE-1.
Sadly "my" backup camera is the new OM2000. The used Olympus market in my
area yeilds
few OM cameras. $995 for an OM4T from BH seems outrageous. The OM2000 is Ok
for a backup but it's no OM2. My dad willed me the OM2n I gave him for a
Xmas a year after
I purchased mine. However, he's 72 and plans to see 90. I like my Dad
better than the OM2 and I want him to see 90 as well. His original camera
is an OM1. Both still working fine.
Most of my Olympus outfit was purchased used. This kept my price to 1/3rd
the price
of new equipment. I'm unusually brutal when negotiating prices with shop
owners.
When I sell equipment to them they offer pennies on the dollar. When I go
to buy
equipment they want 2/3rds the price of new equipment. I think they may
actually be
making higher profit margins on used equipment than on their new equipment.
I bought the Nikon equipment when several local store owners told me
Olympus dropped
out of the SLR business "years ago".
My gadget bag strategy follows:
Lowepro Omni Traveller Bag:
used for serious nature photography and flower close-ups with the 200mm and
135mm
telephotos
OM2n with Winder 2 & Matte Beattie Intenscreen
Zuiko 21mm f2.0
Zuiko 28mm f3.5 w/hood
Zuiko 50mm f1.4
Zuiko 35-70mm f3.5-4.8
Zuiko 135mm f3.5
Zuiko 200mm f4.0
(all with Hoya or Promaster MC Filters)
Olympus 25mm Extension Tube
T20 Flash Unit
T32 Flash Unit
Vivitar SL-2 Flash Slave unit
Hoya 49 & 55mm Circular Polarizers and Skylight 1B and 81A MC warming
filters
Large and small Lens Pens and Micro Fiber Lens Cloth
Lens cleaning fluid
Generic Nikon Camera Bag #1:
used for evening hikes in a near by park when I prefer a lighter bag
OM2000
Zuiko 28mm f3.5 /w hood
Zuiko 50mm f1.8
Zuiko 50mm f3.5 Macro
Zuiko 65-200mm f4.0
T20 Flash Unit
Large and small Lens Pens and Micro Fiber Lens Cloth
Lens cleaning fluid
Generic Nikon Camera Bag #2:
used for family photos and action pictures where the AF features pay-off
(this will become my main system if my Olympus dies and I can't find a
replacement)
Nikon N70 AF Camera with built in flash
Nikon 24mm f2.8 w/hood
Nikon 35-70mm f2.8 w/hood
Nikon 70-300mm f4.0-5.6 w/hood
Nikon 100mm f2.8 Macro
Hoya 52 & 62mm Circular Polarizers and Skylight 1B and 81A MC warming
filters
Nikon 5T close up lens
Large and small Lens Pens and Micro Fiber Lens Cloth
Held in Reserve as Needs Dictate:
Slik 700DX Tripod with Mini Studio Ball Head w/QR and Arca Swiss style mount
Really Right stuff mounting plates
(Monfrotto 3021 Leg Protectors were installed for those cold days. The
tripod is made with a tri-metal alloy containing titanium; I couldn't
afford a carbon fiber tripod)
Bogen Monopod with Arca Swiss style QR mount on Bogen tilt swivel monopod head
Vivitar 75-205mm f3.8 one touch zoom with 2x matched multiplier
Vivitar 285 Flash Unit
2 Vivitar SL2 Flash Slave units
Olympus 24mm 2.8 lens hood
Olympus 28/35/50mm Clamp-on rubber and metal lens hood
Olympus Flash Multi-connector and Olympus T20 connector (no TTL cords I'm
still
collecting)
Tenba Professional Camera Bag Circa 1982 I think it's a P500 or P550
I confess the Nikon equipment is light and fun to use. However, with flower
and plant
pictures I prefer the color rendition of the Zuiko lens system.
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