Olympus-OM
[Top] [All Lists]

[OM] Re: olympus-digest V2 #2036

Subject: [OM] Re: olympus-digest V2 #2036
From: Alan Magayne-Roshak <amr3@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000 16:44:54 -0600
At 8:49 PM -0800 12/17/00, Ray Moth wrote:

>I'm curious to know how and when List members got into the OM system.
>OM has never been the most popular brand, so I would imagine most
>OM-ers either chose the system because of some particular feature they
>wanted or inherited it.

Back in 1982, I decided to upgrade my personal SLRs from screw-mount
Pentaxes to bayonet mount equipment.  Since 1967 I had loved the Pentax
lenses but they took too long to change when I did freelance jobs.  At work
I had to use Nikon F's and F2's, but I wanted something smaller, and with a
better flash system.  Five of my photographer friends had Olympuses, and I
went for OM, so we could all share lenses if needed.  I ended up using my
OM1n and OM2n plus T32 and T20 flashes on my main job for ten years, since
the flash system was so superior to the PC cord stuff we had then (those 5
meter dedicated cords are wonderful).  Now the lab has EOS Canons, but
they're so huge!  I also own M series Leicas, and as others have pointed
out, OM's a seem to be the reflex equivalent.  I kept a lot of screw-mount
accessories, so that with a Olympus T-mount adapter, I can use weird
combinations of extension tubes and odd lenses (I have an old 135mm f/4.5
Elmar that I modified into a Thambar type portrait lens coupled to my OM
cameras with adapters).  I also think the OM cameras are the way to go for
motorcycling because of the compactness.  I toured England and the Isle of
Man on a rented VFR shooting stock photos, and couldn't have carried the
same amount of gear of another brand.

Got a good deal on a 250 f/2 + 1.4x when a local private school changed to
Canon equipment and sold their used Olympus stuff.  This is my only OM lens
other than my 50mm faster than f/2.8!

I eventually bought a (unfortunately) used OM4.  This was my favorite body,
but it always had circuit problems, and now is dead.  My last purchase was
an OM2S that I got from a friend.  This camera has an erratic meter (in
fact each of my bodies has some problem, but I can't see myself owning any
other brand, and don't do freelance work any more).  I mustn't forget my
Stylus and my indispensible XA.

It's interesting; I have an old column in Popular Photography by the late
Peter Moore describing how he used Leicas for B&W and OM's for color.  I
came to the same practice before I ever got that issue.


Alan Magayne-Roshak



< This message was delivered via the Olympus Mailing List >
< For questions, mailto:owner-olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >
< Web Page: http://Zuiko.sls.bc.ca/swright/olympuslist.html >


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>
  • [OM] Re: olympus-digest V2 #2036, Alan Magayne-Roshak <=
Sponsored by Tako
Impressum | Datenschutz