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[OM] om gear on safari

Subject: [OM] om gear on safari
From: Walt Wayman <hiwayman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 2002 10:31:00 -0400
>Sorry to brag but I've just come back from 2 weeks in Kenya and 
>Tanzania. Lions, leopards, elephants, cheetas, mongoose, 316 
>different birds, a lovely dutch girl for late night drinking....... 
>heaven.

>My kit was:
>4Ti
>3
>21/3.5
>35-80
>80-200/2.8 Tamron
>300/2.8 Tamron + 1.4A
>30+ rolls provia

<SNIP>

>I was using the two tamrons for the first time "for reaL" and having 
>just seen some of the results, I am extremely impressed. The 1.4 
>converter was very very useful, 
>Pete, very much on a high

Sounds like a grand adventure.  Maybe we could hear more about the Dutch
girl?

As for your Tamron experience, I concur in your assessment of the
performance of these lenses.  Until about two years ago, I was adamant in
my Zuikoholic opposition to the use of anything but Zuikos on my OMs.  Now
I own four Tamrons, and I am as happy with them as I am my beloved Zuikos. 
They are:

17/3.5.  Gives me that little bit extra the 21/2 won't and is 99% the
Zuiko's equal in resolution and lack of distortion.

28-105/2.8.  I agonized over buying this one instead of the 35-80/2.8
Zuiko.  At the time, before the Zuiko jumped up a few hundred bucks, the
price difference was just over $300, which really wasn't a major factor in
my decision, and I don't regret at all going for the Tamron.  The extra
zoom range comes at the cost of some extra size and weight, but it has
become my most-used lens.  I like the quick focusing, and the results are
outstanding.

90/2.8 macro.  Goes 1:1 without extension tubes and is sharp as a tack.  I
still use the Zuiko 80/4 and 135/4.5 on the AT when I leave the house with
macro intentions, but I don't hesitate to use this lens on those occasions
I haven't felt like hauling along the "serious" macro gear.

300/2.8.  I can't say enough good things about this lens.  I absolutely
love it.  With the Olympus 1.4X-A and 2X-A teleconverters it quickly
becomes a 420/4 or a 600/5.6, and the results are amazing.  It is actually
better than the Zuiko 300/4.5 (which I intend to keep and still use
occasionally because of its small size and light weight), and with the
1.4X-A converter it is equal to, or maybe even better than, the 400/6.3
Zuiko -- not to mention being more than a stop faster and 20mm longer!  

I still use nearly all of my Zuikos, particularly my favorites, the 21/2,
100/2 and 180/2.8, but I'm no longer a total Zuiko snob, looking down my
nose at the Tamrons.  I got over that real quick with the 28-105/2.8, and
then the 300/2.8 brought on the schizophrenia, making me both a Zuikoholic
and a Tamroniac.  Oh, the horror!  I fear there is no cure.  Hell, I KNOW
there is no cure.

My advice to Zuikoholics:  If you don't own a Tamron, don't get one.  One
disease at a time is enough.

Walt

P.S.
If you do get one, be aware of the screw hole thing on the older Adaptall
mounts.

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