My camera's an OM-1n.
I'm going to be taking some waterfall photos next week. Many of them
will involve shutter speeds of 1/15 sec. - 1 sec. The camera will, of
course, be mounted on a tripod for such pictures.
Ideally, I guess I should focus/compose/meter, then lock up the
mirror, then trip the shutter with a cable release. (Right?)
However, I sometimes find it awkward to use the mirror lock up. I
worry that it'll slightly jar my camera out of position. Or if I'm
wearing gloves (not that I'll be wearing gloves next week, but I might
wear gloves when photographing in winter -- and I do sometimes choose
to photograph waterfalls in winter) it can be somewhat tricky to twist
the little mirror lock up thingie on the camera. Or sometimes --
particularly when using a long lens -- it's nice to be able to look
through the viewfinder at the scene so as to decide the precise
instant when the photo should be taken (and this isn't possible with
the mirror locked up). Or sometimes I just don't want to be bothered
with the whole mirror lock up nuisance. (It's this last excuse that'll
get you every time, eh?)
Anyway, it's my understanding that shutter speeds of around 1/15 sec -
1 sec are where the effects of mirror slap are most pronounced. So I
was wondering whether the OM-1n has a reputation for being a
relatively low vibration camera (where neglecting to lock up the
mirror is probably something I could get away with once in a while)? I
believe it's pretty good in this respect, but that's just my gut
feeling and some vaguely recalled anecdotal accounts and 25 year old
advertising copy.
BTW, after many years of electronic cable releases and IR releases,
it's going to be fun to use a genuine low tech mechanical cable
release again.
Also, having started buying Olympus just this summer, I can't express
how pleased I am to find just how much used OM stuff is out there,
often in beautiful condition, and often at very low prices. I've
purchased 4 lenses so far (28mm f/3.5, 35mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8, and
135mm f/3.5), along with the OM-1n and some assorted accessories (lens
hood, lens cases, etc.). Not one lens has cost me so much as $60.
Okay, so they're not "fast glass." But they're excellent performers
and I'm more than willing to trade a little lens speed for compact
size and low price. And they all use the same 49mm filters, which is a
nice bonus.
Oh, and is it true (as I read somewhere) that I the 28mm f/3.5's metal
lens hood can be used on the 35mm f/2.8, without any issues of
vignetting or anything? (I assume it'd be too much to expect it to be
a perfect match for my 50mm f/1.8. But I have a generic rubber lens
hood that should work okay with the 50mm lens.) I'm a big believer in
using lens hoods. And tripods. I'm convinced I was a large format
photographer in a past life.
Ah, one more matter -- I intend to shoot color print film. Probably
Fuji Reala (100 speed film). But if any of you folks have a color
print film you really love, that's slower than ISO 100, feel free to
mention it to me. One nice thing about using a tripod and not wanting
to shoot faster than 1/15 sec. or so, is that using a really slow film
is extremely practical. 100 speed is about the fastest I'd consider
using, and even there I may sometimes wind up using a polarizer or ND
filter to avoid having to shoot at f/22 (since few lenses are at their
best when stopped down so far). Do the major film manufacturers even
make sub-100 speed color print film anymore? More or less readily
available film, I mean; I'm not talking about some exotic stuff that
would take me 3 months to obtain and cost $20 per roll.
Sorry to have rambled on so.
--
Michael
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