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Re: [OM] challenge to OM3T lovers

Subject: Re: [OM] challenge to OM3T lovers
From: "Jim Nichols" <jhnichols@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:43:14 -0500
Ken,

I started serious photography with a Leica IIIa and a 50/3.5 Elmar well over 
fifty years ago.  Along the way, as my eyes became less sharp and glasses 
became necessary, I experimented with many cameras, including conventional 
SLRs, waist-level Exactas, etc. I still have, and occasionally use, a Leica 
IIIf and a Fujica ST705. After trying digital with a Fuji F10, I decided 
digital was best for my needs, normally a few frames at a time, with a 
desire to view them quickly.

After a lot of research, I bought an E-510 with a ZD 14-54 lens. This is a 
great combination, but I missed using good prime lenses.  I added adapters 
for my M42 Pentax lenses and for the Leica-R lenses, and now I can satisfy 
both my desire for the quality of good lenses, the flexibilty of a zoom, and 
quick access to the resulting images. Manual focusing with the 510 finder is 
demanding, but the resulting images are worth the trouble.

Life is good!

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Norton" <ken@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Olympus Camera Discussion" <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: [OM] challenge to OM3T lovers


> >
>> http://tinyurl.com/5hy62k
>>
>> I handled the all black version.
>>
>> You would surely trade up / trade in your OM3T for this camera. I would 
>> in
>> a
>> flash but then I have a late model of the original mechanical version 
>> which
>> inspired this present day offering.
>>
>
>
> Well, here's what I'd probably do.  I'd keep the entire OM system and dump
> digital entirely to get the Leica with a few select lenses.  From a
> practical perspective, the Zeiss Ikon probably would fit me a little 
> better.
> But sometimes "better" isn't best--not when you figure that it's a one in 
> a
> lifetime kind of thing.
>
> This year I've been making a concerted effort to shoot the OM system like 
> it
> is a Leica.  What a difference it actually makes.  I'm MUCH more in tune
> with the subject than I've ever been. An SLR with focus screen is actually 
> a
> barrier between you and your subject. With a Leica (or similar RF of 
> decent
> quality), you are looking directly at your subject and part of your 
> subject.
> With an SLR, you're looking not at the subject but of a picture of the
> subject.  Working with floating frame-lines is also very much a different
> experience.
>
> I had gotten out my old Yashica GS (sold the GSNs) and played around with 
> it
> a bit recently.  No battery and it's no longer usable, but I was trying to
> understand the gestalt of RF cameras better.  It came back to me what it 
> was
> about RFs that I did not like:
>
> 1. It wasn't an SLR
> 2. Anybody who could afford one always got an SLR--only poor people had 
> the
> old cameras.
> 3. Billy V., my school buddy and biggest competitor to me had money and an
> SLR (his paper route was bigger than mine)
> 4. No zoom lens--zooms were cool
> 5. Rangefinder spot was hard to use for tracking indoor basketball (HS
> yearbook pictures)
> 6. No motordrive
> 7. No supertelephotos
>
> But there were things I did like:
>
> 1. The framelines allowed me to see what was coming in from the sides
> (action shots) and more quickly adapt
> 2. Extremely easy to focus in dim light
> 3. Quiet (leaf shutter in the Yashica was just a click)
> 4. Instant response
>
> As you can see, I was emotionally predisposed to wanting to shoot an SLR.
> It's not that there was really anything wrong with shooting what I had, 
> but
> I had a mental block on the whole affair.  Years later, I've been through 
> a
> couple of medium and large-format cameras with rangefinders. 
> Unfortunately,
> they didn't work the same as a decent little 35mm RF. The spots were not
> large, clear or bright. And the base was too short, as in the XA.
>
> With this current library project, I'm forced to get the darkroom back in
> shape again and I'm reacquiring lots of 4x5 infrastructure--just need to
> find a camera to go along with it. But maybe someday, instead of that
> sportscar my wife has promised I can get, I'll get a Leica kit instead.
>
> Oh, speaking of darkroom stuff.  You wouldn't believe what just landed on 
> my
> desk while typing this.  A changing bag. Several years ago it was being
> thrown out and somebody snatched it up.  This isn't any ol' changing bag.
> It's at least a meter square!!!!  I've never seen one anywhere near this
> size before. It's huge!
>
> AG
> -- 
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>
> 


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