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Re: [OM] Haves and Have-nots

Subject: Re: [OM] Haves and Have-nots
From: Henrik Dahl <hdahl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2001 20:48:50 +0200
Nice story, Silvernose. Your frustration lies not exactly _between_ the lines.
You have my full sympathy. Who is this beastly, rich d*vil? Show your face, you evil man!

Henrik Dahl
(another drooler)


I had the pleasure in getting together with another
(semi-former) list member the other day for a morning of
shooting and comparing toys.  I left my OM-2S at home because it
was midroll of a portrait project, but I took the rest of my OM
kit with me.  THE ENTIRE KIT!  I used my small bag to hold my
OM-4, 24/2.8, 50/3.5, 100/2.8, 200/4 and accessories.  Oh, the
freedom!

The other person brought his fancy new brag lenses with him:
90/2, 180/2.8, 35-80/2.8, etc., etc.  I had to laugh when he
packed the 90/2 and 180/2.8 and an OM-2S and it was heavier and
larger than my entire kit.

It must be so rough to be a slave to decision making as to which
lenses to take.

Anyway, we had a good morning despite the wind and the rain.  At
least we got to hike for about four miles.  The sweet revenge
was that he carried his black Bogan 3221 tripod for a couple
miles without being able to use it since he left his square
quick-release plates in his new fancy Volvo.  (I showed up in my
high-mileage Jeep).  I had a spare hex plate with me so I let
him use my beater 3001 pod covered with pipe-insulation and camo
duct-tape.

I could swear that he was trying to slam-dunk me as he left any
shred of "normal" gear home.  Only the best (read: Expensive)
equipment was in his bag.

For macro, I used my lowly silver-nosed 50/3.5 and he drags out
the 90/2.  For telephoto I'm using my even lowerclass 200/4
silvernose and he drags out the 180/2.8.  My OM-4 has electrical
tape sealing the backs (waiting to buy a new seal kit) whereas
he drags out an immaculate OM-2S and an OM-4T.  I drove a Jeep,
he drives a Volvo.  I was shooting a cheep roll of Velvia and
had some el-cheapo dollar a roll Fuji print film in the bag and
he's shooting some esoteric new slide film that runs $10 a roll.

Ok, I did have my IS-3 with me and I got some shots he didn't
because of the autofocus and long zoom.  Score one for the
Gipper.

But it didn't stop there.  He asked to see some of my waterfall
shots that I took in the U.P. (Upper Pennisula of Michigan) last
year, so I did some quick scans and emailed them to him.  He
send back some pictures that he took just 10 days later of the
same waterfalls.  He was bummed because of the lousy weather.  I
don't want to hear it, I got squat for colors but he got both
peak colors AND snow!
I have his cast-off Nikon Coolscan II, and he has the Poloroid
4000.

WHERE DOES THE MADNESS STOP?

I've got to stop hanging around you guys.  I'm starting to get a
complex here.

OK, the reality:  My lenses, although second-tier, meet my
needs.  I am pleased to be able to grab my kit and go in a
moment's notice without packing a bag.  I am happy as a clam at
the lightness and compact size of my lenses.  I am tickled with
the overall performance of the lenses I own.  Would it be nice
to own a top-tier lens or two?  Sure, but not entirely
necessary. It's nice not having to waste time and effort
deciding which equipment to take and which to leave home and the
regrets in not taking that "one item" that you should have had
with you.

What I'm saying is that it's nice to have really good stuff, but
the mark of a real professional is to maximize results with
limited resources.  Besides, if I wanted medium format sized
lenses, I'd rather have a medium format camera.

Still, I drool...

Ag-Schnozz


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