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[OM] Re: value of 50/1.8

Subject: [OM] Re: value of 50/1.8
From: miaim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 16:48:04 -0500
>
>Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 14:32:14 -0600
>From: "Tom Scales" <tscales@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: Re: [OM] ebay Auctions
>Question 5 is almost useless as the 50/1.8 value is about the same as the
>body cap....

While I understand the basic point you're making, I very much dissent from
the all-too-popular and casual dismissal of the most basic lens. Your
comment is funny, but let's not give anybody who's not very well versed in
the fine photos that can be taken with the humble 50/1.8 the idea that it's
without merit. Many of the winning photos in the local Arts Council
contests are taken with lenses considerably inferior to the most common
Zuiko 50/1.8. There was a time when that Zuiko was considered to be pretty
good compared to it's standard lens peers of the time. What's the value of
a winning shot? What's the value of having utmost confidence in one's gear?
I know what a 50/1.8 can do. I'm not so sure about the limitations of some
other fancier and more complicated lenses.

Compare the value of a used 50/1.8 to a plastic body cap:
 It's a superb loupe when reversed. With a 2x tele. it becomes a very
useable 100mm, and yes, even all by itself, screwed onto any OM body it
takes better pictures than most photographers are capable of. While I
suppose one could take pictures with a body cap drilled to be a pinhole
camera, most of us probably would do better with even the most beat up
50/1.8. Sometimes it's lots of fun to go out armed only with one's favorite
OM body and a mounted 50/1.8  I'm pretty picky about the enlargements that
wind up on my walls, but 3 of them in front of me were the result of having
an OM-1n w/50/1.8 handy at just the right time. It's not my favorite Zuiko
lens. It's not even my favorite 50mm, but it is a lot more capable of
taking very good pictures than many modern zooms. It's intrinsic value far
and away exceed it's price.

Mike Swaim --- defender of the poor, the downtrodden, the manual and the
lowly 50mmm standard lens ;-) ;-)


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