At 07:23 PM 11/12/1999 -0600, Jim you wrote:
>According to the information at
>http://www.veluwen.demon.nl/om-sif/bodygroup/om2000.htm
>
>the OM 2000 "wasn't even manufactured by Olympus at all. Instead it is a
>slightly patched design from and made by Cosina."
>
>Does this have any impact on the Oly faithful? And what is know about
>Cosina in general?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>Jim
Hi Jim,
Sure, it has a huge impact. When you mention the OM2000 among the faithful,
you have to get past a number a grating issues before you can evaluate the
camera dispassionately:
-- it's obviously not a Maitani design
-- it's the first new OM camera in about 15 years and it does not advance
the march of OM in the least
-- it's pretty obvious that Olympus isn't going to make an OM5 or OM6, and
if that's what you hope for, the OM2000 is weak tea
These things create a subtext for any discussion of the OM2000 on this list.
Olympus Japan's attitude toward OM is simply mysterious IMHO. One could
argue that they are content to let it drift along toward the kind niche
status that seems to be taking shape, but the OM2000 is hardly the camera
to send this message. They seem unwilling to kill off OM, either for
sentimental or status reasons, and a gesture like the OM2000 is the best
they can come up with. It creates a "What's wrong with this picture?"
response.
That's just my humble assessment of the situation. I have even fewer
opinions about Cosina. Regarding the OM2000, for what it is, I think
Cosina did a pretty good job. As I've said, I like the darn thing. One
thing to be said for Olympus is that although Nikon and maybe Canon also
hired Cosina to make cameras for them similar to the OM2000, only the
OM2000 has spot metering.
Joel Wilcox
Iowa City, Iowa USA
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