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Re: [OM] Goodbye, 35mm

Subject: Re: [OM] Goodbye, 35mm
From: Dawid Loubser <dawid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 22 May 2012 15:01:15 +0200
Hi John,

I certainly don't want it to appear as if I have undergone a  
turnaround in terms of my opinion of 35mm (and OM, specifically)  
optics. Not at all. I have always been aware of, and worked within the  
limitations, of what can be done with a 35mm piece of film. The OM  
system I used had a couple of optics that are *spectacular* at wide  
aperture:

* 90mm f/2.0 Macro
* 135mm f/4.5 Macro
* 250mm f/2.0

Most of the others get spactacular a couple of stops down, but that  
goes a bit against my general style. On the other hand, for a given  
print size (say, 12x16in and up) every one of my Mamiya RB67 and  
Schneider LF lenses are spectacular wide open, with mostly a much  
smoother (less jittery) out-of-focus rendering. I'm simply going to  
more frequently use the tools better suited to my vision, and the OM  
system represents a substantial collector investment at this time,  
which made it quite sensible to sell the whole lot (even if I got  
about 60% of what I *could* have, after months of painstaking  
individual-sale effort).

Ironicaly, I adore the rendering of the top pro E.Zuiko four thirds  
lenses (14-35/2.0, 35-100/2.0, 150/2.0) and I could be more than happy  
with their character, despite being captured on a teeny quarter-frame  
area. This is not about format snobbery, its about a certain  
"something" that I strive for, that I find less and less in the  
wonderful-to-use OM Zuikos and 35mm film. Life is short, so I am  
pursuing another direction - I have much better uses for the money. I  
also get ten times the satisfaction using an RB67 than what I do an  
OM-3Ti for carefully considered work. I've been taking too many  
snapshots with my OM gear, and I have called that disturbing trend to  
a halt now.

I will forever proclaim the OM system to be the ultimate 35mm film  
system - I'm a lifelong supporter. I have kept an OM-1 to remind me :-)

Dawid


On 22 May 2012, at 1:51 AM, John Hudson wrote:

> You decry  35mm optics !!
>
> What a turnaround for yesterday's supporter of 35mm OM !
>
> jh
>
>
> .
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dawid Loubser" <dawid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "Olympus Camera Discussion" <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 5:44 PM
> Subject: [OM] Goodbye, 35mm
>
>
>> Gentlemen, it's been a blast - but I have decided that 35mm film is
>> doing my work more harm than good.
>> The Olympus OM equipment is so darn spectacular to use, that they
>> automatically take preference over other (larger-format) cameras
>> for... shall we say... "considered" work.
>>
>> I could never stand the agony of carefully breaking up and selling my
>> rather spectacular OM kit, so I sold the whole lot to a local dealer
>> for about $6000. It broke my heart, but it needed to be done. Even
>> when you shoot an amazing film like Adox CHS 25, only a few of the OM
>> lenses have the optical qualities to produce spectacular prints,  
>> which
>> even the humblest Mamiya RB or large-format lens can. I just  
>> processed
>> some 6x7cm Pan F work, and I decided "that's it - 35mm could never
>> compare, so why continue torturing yourself to get the best out of
>> those tiny negatives with even *more* effort than what it takes to
>> produce good MF and LF work?"
>>
>> I have returned to my roots, and that meant letting go of this - most
>> satisfying of 35mm systems. I am going to use the funds to build a  
>> new
>> darkroom, and to acquire a few necessary medium- and large-format-
>> related pieces of equipment. Be prepared for a couple of interesting
>> OM items that will no doubt show up on eBay soon (21/2.0, 40/2.0,
>> 90/2.0, 250/2.0, OM-3Ti, 20/38/80/135 macros, etc). I won't be
>> following all of that - though I am mighty curious as to what a
>> 250/2.0 will fetch on the open market.
>>
>> If I remain subscribed to this list, it's only because I have  
>> hundreds
>> of OM negatives yet to print and scan, and I would like to continue
>> sharing and discussing them on this most characterful list. It does
>> sadden me that 95% of posts on this list no longer discuss OM gear or
>> film-related work, but that's the nature of being in 2012, I guess.
>>
>> Thank you all for the interesting discussions, thoughts, and ideas.
>> Oh - and Moose - it's a little bit your fault :-)
>> (only kidding)
>>
>> Dawid Loubser
>> http://philosomatographer.deviantart.com/gallery/
>>
>> -- 
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> -- 
> _________________________________________________________________
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> Themed Olympus Photo Exhibition: http://www.tope.nl/
>

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