Another point that might be worth thinking about, Nikon and Canon have,
over the years, produced an array of different 'series lenses'...EF, FD,
ED... not all compatible with every body in their respective ranges and
offering varying degrees of quality. With Olympus, up until recently at
least, a Zuiko lens was a Zuiko lens. You could buy it knowing it would
fit OM-1/2/3/4/10/20 etc and offer consistent quality.
Or am I completely off the track here?
Steve
>
>Great testimonial, Mark. Should be posted on the wall of every camera
store
>and be required reading for newbie camera purchasers.
>
>george
>
>Mark Dickinson wrote:
>
>> Some thoughts/ramblings from another extreme amateur and fairly
recent
>> OM convert.
>> My previous 'system' was a Canon EOS500 (Kiss in US?) and Canon 28-80
>> and 80-200. I loved the Canon at first and thought AF was the best
>> thing since sliced bread. However, as time went on I found myself
>> thinking less and less about what I was doing and letting the camera
do
>> more and more. Taking manual control of an EOS still doesn't feel
like
>> you're actually in charge. It's also very easy to focus on the wrong
>> thing and as for depth of field.....
>> My main complaint, however, is with the optical quality of the
lenses.
>> Modern mass market SLR marketing seems to rest upon a confidence
trick.
>> As others on the list have recently said the quality of the lens is
more
>> important than the features of the body in determining the quality of
>> the final output when used by someone who is actually thinking.
However,
>> whilst bodies have got more 'sophisticated' mass market amateur
lenses
>> seem to have got worse optically as they are built down to a price.
To
>> get Zuiko like optical quality seems to require Canon professional L
>> series lenses which cost silly money when compared with near mint
>> second hand Zuikos.
>> A year or so ago I bought a second hand OM 2SP and 50 1.8 and 28 2.8
>> Zuikos. I subsequently added a T20 and a 135 3.5. I used the two
systems
>> in parallel for about a year, but the results and pleasure of use
from
>> the OM kit is streets ahead of the Canon. I have now (last week) sold
>> the Canon stuff and used the (exact) proceeds to obtain an OM1n and a
>> Zuiko 100 2.8. Unlike many others on the list I have no aspirations
to
>> own a huge system - I might get a 35 a 200 and a T32 if the price and
>> condition were right, but I'm pretty happy with what I have. The huge
>> range of OM stuff is not, therefore, a factor for me.
>> So, to get to the point, advantages of the OM system:
>> - Build quality and feel
>> - Ergonomics - to me OMs are exactly the right size and all the
controls
>> are in the right place. I love the positioning of the shutter speed
>> control (main reason for not getting an OM 2000).
>> - Optical quality of Zuiko lenses (and speed in relation to AF zooms)
>> - Price of used kit - much lower than Nikons for example particularly
>> for lenses of same/similar focal length and speed - most lenses for
>> general use can be pickued up for relatively little.
>> - Control and use of depth of field (compared with AF)
>> - Having to think about what I'm doing. Even I am cleverer (although
>> much slower) than auto-exposure and AF in all but 'standard'
situations
>> - Spot metering on the 2SP
>> - All of the above results in pleasure of use and good quality
output.
>> The only real disadvantage for me is that my kit (and other stuff of
the
>> same vintage) won't last forever and I don't think I'll ever be able
to
>> justify the cash required for a new 3Ti or 4Ti. If Olympus still made
>> the 1n and priced it against the Nikon FM2 the only disadvantage for
me
>> would disappear.
>>
>
>
>
>
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