Here are my musings:
> Favorite subject matter - flowers, especially small wildflowers in bad
> light. Why they grow there, I'll never know. They are why I need spot
> metering. Usually the little demons are surrounded by very bright or dark
> and the exposure becomes a guestimate.
>
Spot metering is a great plus here so this would narrow your choices down to
the OM2000, OM2S, OM3 and 3Ti, and OM4 and 4Ti. You should also consider
macro flash but this often provides dark backgrounds. The choice is further
narrowed to OM2S, OM3Ti, OM4, and OM4Ti. TTL flash isn't as useful here as
one might think because the flower doesn't fill up the field of view enough
to give an accurate feedback of light to the TTL sensors. Yet you should
leave this option open but this would eliminate the OM2000 and OM3. If you
don't opt for the OM3 and OM4 because of cost, this would leave only one
choice--the OM2S, which would give you spot metering, TTL flash (in the
future) and winder capability (I like the winder for macro shots because the
camera position doesn't change between shots.)
> Favorite lens - 50mm/1.8 Zuiko, with front mounted closeup lenses for
really
> small stuff. Less happy with 50mm/1.4 I have other Zuiko lenses but the
> 50/1.8 is my most used. I know that closeup lenses have bad field edge
> performance, but the little dinky flowers are not much of the FOV. I might
> prefer a good macro lens, but I have not seen a reasonable one. I am happy
> with the image quality with the closeup lenses, given the limitations of
> what I shoot, but might be happier if anyone has a good recommendation for
a
> light 50-55mm macro that focuses to about an inch for 1:1.
>
A step up from here would be extension tubes or a reversing ring. The
reversing ring would allow you to reverse your favorite 50/1.8 and get
greater than 1:1. And if you have a medium telephoto you can reverse the
50/1.8 with the 49 to 49 adapter. See John Shaw's book on how to do this. I
haven't tried it myself. Another step up would be the two element diopter
lens. They provide for a sharper image at larger apertures and a flatter
field that is in focus. After that you are stepping up to the true macro
lens, the 50/3.5, 50/2 and 90/2. Third party alternatives are, in increasing
cost, Vivitar 100/3.5, Sigma 90/2.8, Tokina and Tamron 90/2.5 or 2.8, Vivitar
S1 90 and 100mm, etc. They will all reach at least 1/2 life size and will go
to 1:1 with the proper adapter.
Good luck.
Warren
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